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Dr. Glass and his son Walker were on top of the world after winning their class in the 2014 Mint 400.

The Great American Off-Road Race remade its own history by once again claiming the title as the biggest off-road desert race event on the planet.

Picking up right where he left off last season, Macrae Glass is clearly on a tear, winning the last four contests he’s entered. Yet none were more significant or any bigger than the 2014 General Tire Mint 400 Presented by Polaris.

"This win marks our 4th in a row and 2nd for the year," Glass reported. "We sit atop the points as we head to the Silver State 300 in early May."

Last year The Mint 400 officially became the biggest off-road desert race event on the planet, according to Mint 400 CEO Matt Martelli. This year, The Great American Off-Road Race went even bigger, as it assembled the largest group of world-class off-road racers in the history of the sport. The spectator areas for Saturday’s Unlimited race sold out before the event began, which has never happened before.

Dr. Glass, a Kingman, Arizona chiropractor, would have been well served to hand out business cards at one of the nastiest, bone-crunching races in the world. Held in Jean, Nevada, the four 100-mile loops traversed over ridiculously brutal rock sections, silt, lake beds, and tidal wave size whoops. As a result, the demanding racecourse had a devastating effect on the field of the 335 starters. Only 163 vehicles finished within the time limit, making the rate of attrition at just over 50%.

Remarkably, Macrae Glass has completed 10 races in a row without a flat.

"We survived the legendary Mint 400 to grab the class 8 win!" declared Glass. "This was easily one of the roughest I've raced in quite a while, making the King Shocks/Eibach Springs worth their weight in gold. Our team performed a rare mid-race repair in fine style and my hat goes off to them, as it was truly a group effort. This marks our 10th race in a row without a flat, and our KC HID Pods showed us the way as half the race was run at night."

Matt Klenke rode along for the start of the race, while Walker Glass held co-pilot duties for the balance of the event. "Walker is my youngest son (middle child) and he is coming along nicely in the navigator department," said Glass. "He races dirt bikes too and I think he has a knack for reading the terrain like I do. That helps because he provides a second set of eyes for me. Matt K is a long time crew member, turning navigator. He’s a professional fireman, paramedic, and both did a great job!"

"Walker and his brother Robby will switch off this year in the navigator department," adds Glass. "Next up is the SS 300 in early may, then Vegas to Reno in August."

Cody Rahders recently embarked upon his first race in the XP 1000 class.

Cody Rahders would likely be quick to agree that 2013 was a productive year for R3 Motorsports. "It was a really big accomplishment for myself, to say the least," he recalled. "Finishing every race on the podium really rounded a solid year.

After a stellar 2013 season, Cody Rahders set the standard for the 2014 season during round one of the LOORS.

"My biggest memory was the last race of the season with only a two point lead, " shared the driver. " I wasn't sure how the race was going to play out. But I knew I had to be on my game. So when I came out with the win, it was a great feeling."

When the 2014 season rolled around, the driver was ready to put the previous season behind him and focus on continuing a streak of impressive finishes. Although many races lurk ahead, Rahders set the standard early on.

Rolling into the Glen Helen Raceway, the driver and his crew were eager to get round one of the series under their belts. The team's confidence level was high, as this was the exact location of the 2013 Awards Banquet, where the driver received his championship trophy for the stock RZR XP900 class. Most drivers would have been more than elated to earn the prestigious award, but the pot had been even sweeter for Rahders, as he also received a plaque, rewarding him for the logging the greatest combined points during of all the LUCAS regional competitors throughout the season.

Lining up in the Stock RZR XP900 race, Rahders wasted no time fighting to the front of the pack at the waving of the green flag. Although the victory lap was eventually his, that was no indication the win came easily. In fact, it went down to the wire, the type of competition fans love to see.

There was little time to savor his victory though, as Rahders was on the verge of embarking upon a new adventure. He was scheduled to experience his first race in the XP 1000 class.

Qualifying fourth on the opening day and with a four-place inversion, the driver was situated at the pole position. Fourteen cars were prepared to battle it out in his class. However, the field also consisted of 12 drivers competing in the SR1/Unlimited UTV class.

At the waving of the green flag, Cody Rahders didn't tarry, maneuvering his way through the conglomeration of SR1 racers. The driver quickly reached the front of the pack, and led his class for the first nine of the 12-lap event.

Things were looking promising. But anyone who is familiar with the sport of racing will be quick to agree that it isn't over until the waving of the checkered flag deems a winner.

In fact, Following a late-race restart, Rahders happened upon a lapped SR1 driver who wasn't content with allowing the leaders to continue their quest toward the finish line. During this particular battle Rahders' competitor evidently missed a shift, forcing Cody to slow.

In turn, Cody Rahders fell behind two of his fellow XP Production 1000 class competitors. With less than two full laps remaining, the he lacked sufficient time to catch the two other drivers, and crossed the finish line in third place.

Although he would have obviously rather led the pack at the waving of the checkered flag, Rahders did manage to earn a spot on the podium during his first-ever Production 1000 race.

However, the driver is eager to make a few changes on set up here and there and is anticipating even better finishes in the near future. Of course driving skills play a predominant role in the outcome of each race, but Rahders and his crew are also certain that proper maintenance is of utmost importance.

Experience has taught the driver that it is essential to take all steps to ensure one's engine does not fail. One of the keys is protecting their internal components from the harsh and unforgiving environment they tackle during every event.

That in mind, he and the rest of R3 Motorsports are strong advocates of using the best filtering products on the market. In turn they depend upon K&N products to keep the dust and grit out of the engines, and where it belongs.

"K&N filters really helps," he ensured. "We get huge support with anything we need for the truck and the RZR. Huge performance gains are a big factor, and K&N really performs well.

As the 2014 season is just underway, Cody Rahders and team R3 Motorsports have aspirations of yet another run of productive races. With a little luck and a lot of perseverance, one would suspect that the driver and his crew will experience their share of much coveted time on the podium in the races to come.

SEMA featured 2014 GMC Sierra crew cab truck built by Jendro's Customs

Ask anyone that attended the 2013 SEMA show in Las Vegas and their response will pretty much echo Brian Jendro's sentiment. "This year's show was the best it has been in a long time, so it was a great success."

He should know too, last year was his 15th straight SEMA journey. Jendro is a custom car legend who's been leaving his mark in the business since 1987. "I've built over 30 cover vehicles in various magazines and I've also produced over 75 tech articles in various magazines," reported Jendro.

Jendro's Customs GMC Sierra was featured at the 2013 SEMA Show

"I've built many cars for TV shows, celebrities, and professional sports players. I've been on Monster Garage, Monster Nation, Big, and Inside West Coast Customs TV shows as the lead fabricator. I'm very well known for being the first person to air bag cars, trucks, and hot rods. This year I was the first person voted into the Trucking/ Mini Truck Hall of Fame at SEMA."

For the 2013 SEMA show his shop, Jendro's Customs, built a brand new 2014 GMC Sierra crew cab truck. "We did a 3 1/2 [inch] body drop and added a full K&N intake system, a complete custom air ride suspension, with an Accuair air management system. And KMC dub 24'' (s120 shot calla) wheels," detailed Jendro.

Jendro's Customs 2013 SEMA feature vehicle was this 2014 GMC Sierra pickup

Jendro is one of the first guys you pick for your automotive customization team, which is why he has been sponsored by K&N on many past projects. "I also use K&N on all the vehicles we customize at my shop," he adds. "I have found that the fit is always perfect and the performance is second to none."

Jendro will of course return to Las Vegas for the 2014 installment of SEMA, keeping his chain of consecutive shows attended unbroken. "We have a few prospective projects at the moment," he says "along with a custom body dropped 1965 Chevy van we are building. That's my personal vehicle."

"I must thank everyone at K&N for your support and hopefully we can continue to have your full support for our future projects. If you ever want us to build anything for you guys, or help on any projects you're working on, we would always love to help."

Camburg ended the 2013 season with five podium finishes out of six races and the third place trophy for the year.

Jerry Zaiden, President of Camburg Racing, took his first ride in an unlimited buggy at age 14 in Parker, Arizona. He was immediately hooked, and knew he wanted to drive off-road vehicles for a living. The company was started in 1997 and in 1999 began their race schedule in the MDR series racing a 1600 buggy running K&N Filters. They soon moved into the 1450 truck class racing their over the counter Camburg suspension parts with numerous wins and podium finishes along the way. Between their racing successes and suspension system sales and related components, the company has flourished.

Camburg Racing started the 2014 season with a second in class finish at Best in the Desert Parker 425.

From the Baja 1000 to the Best in the Desert (BITD) series and numerous challenging events in between, they have claimed multiple podium finishes and been top leaders in points. When asked what one of his most memorable career highlights has been, Jerry stated without reservation, "Winning the 2012 Vegas to Reno race was awesome!"

From Baja 1000, BITD, and other challenging races, Camburg Racing has claimed multiple podium finishes

Camburg ended the 2013 season with five podium finishes out of six races and the third place trophy for the year. And they started the 2014 season with a second in class finish at Best in the Desert Parker 425. Looks like their new Kinetic 6100 truck is in top form! Jerry went on to say "A 2nd place finish in our new truck is awesome knowing we had very little test time the week of the race. We're looking forward to the Mint 400 for round 2."

With many years of relationship building with K&N, Jerry says they are the only filtration company that has thousands of race wins, technology, and technical background in every form of motorsports. "This is a huge advantage for Camburg Racing."

SEMA featured 2010 Chevy Camaro with Z/TA Firebird conversion kit

Legend has it that a firebird has golden feathers and eyes like crystals. She is a powerful source of light and a single feather will illuminate an entire room. There was a time you could spot one on the hood of a Pontiac Trans Am, but the Firebird has been extinguished. Yet its legacy lives on thanks to Projxauto co-owners, Doug Street and Lowell Kiester. The two business partners designed the Z/TA package, a Firebird conversion for the 5th Gen Camaro, which received a great deal of attention at the 2013 SEMA show.

Projxauto Z/TA package includes a K&N cold air intake system as shown at SEMA 2013

"When the 2010 Chevy Camaro came out, we were eager for the sister car the Firebird, but that obviously did not happen," remarked Street. "We felt that there was a need for a Trans Am conversion to satisfy true Pontiac enthusiasts. And we wanted an OEM look and feel to the car with simple, modern-day muscle, and iconic styling cues that honor the rich heritage of the Firebird. Through the SEMA org, we were able to get much of the C.A.D. data for the new Camaro, and with that we proceeded to design our conversion package."

Projxauto is a design and engineering company located in the Detroit area and they first and foremost provide design services for the automotive suppliers in the Detroit area. "We have been in business since 1994," said Street. "We specialize in automotive Class 'A' surface development, body design, and interior and exterior trim."

The Pontiac Trans Am legacy lives on through Projxauto’s Z/TA package, their Firebird conversion for the 5th Gen Camaro.

"We set out to make a modern day Firebird with styling cues from the past. Our goal was to create a conversion package that looked like it came off the showroom floor, we wanted to have an aggressive Pontiac look, yet we did not want it to look aftermarket. We also wanted a body package that could be installed by virtually anybody. Our conversion package has been completely designed and engineered just like the Camaro panels. Basically you remove the Camaro panels, paint the new panels, and then re-install them. This is not some fiberglass kit!"

Projxauto also produces injection molded bumper covers, grilles and tail lamps. They use new OEM fenders and re-stamp them to get a flush fitting air extractor. And the "crown jewel" of their package is an all aluminum hood.

This was the 3rd year Projxauto displayed their Z/TA package at SEMA

"I believe we have to be one of the only aluminum hoods on the aftermarket," said Street. "Our entire conversion package is manufactured here in the Detroit area by automotive suppliers. This was our 3rd year displaying our Z/TA package at SEMA, and we believe the show went well, it's always a little hard to judge, it takes a little time, but after a while we get many orders from people that saw us at SEMA."

A few years ago Projxauto displayed an innovative cargo management system for pickup trucks. They struck a deal with Dodge and they sold their system through Mopar to the Dodge dealers. "Until Dodge actually stole our idea and created their own," Street adds, "Even though we had patents and grounds to fight them. They ended up going through bankruptcy and we did not have the legal funds to challenge them. So we decided to build another product and that is our Z/TA package."

One of the interesting options to their Z/TA package is the functional shaker scoop, like the ones on the early Trans Am, which had a functioning flapper door that pulled cold air into the carburetor.

"Our shaker scoop also opens up under heavy load via electric solenoid and vacuum switch and pulls outside air in through the shaker and then ducts it to a K&N cold air intake system," Street explains. "When you are sitting behind the wheel of the car looking out over the shaker and you step on the gas, the shaker lifts up and rolls to the right, the door opens, and then you hear the nice throaty sound of the engine that gets greatly enhanced with the K&N cold air intake system."

"We chose to offer our package with the K&N system because of the brand name. We know that K&N is a well engineered product, and that offering our functional shaker system coupled with the K&N cold air intake was the way to go. We had to engineer and manufacture our own heat shield so that we could have our duct open and push air into the K&N filter. Also with our unique hood, we wanted to make sure that we made a good seal when the hood is closed. We feel the system is well engineered, and while our car looks great with the hood closed, when its open and you see that shaker scoop sitting on top of the engine, and a blow molded duct connected to a great looking K&N system, you can see right away that this is no dummy scoop, it actually is functional! Just like the early TA cars."