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Brian Garrahan Off-Road Training Race Report- Shasta National 2012

Jun 21, 2012

When I jumped into racing, it was way to early and I couldn't hold onto the bike, but I've gotten stronger and now I feel better and am back to my winning ways.

Competitive riding can be extremely physical, especially when mixing moto racing with trail racing. Mixing this type of dirt bike riding with a shoulder injury can be disastrous, but K&N-sponsored rider Brian Garrahan has found a way to stay competitive even after missing the start of the season.

"When I jumped into racing, it was way to early and I couldn't hold onto the bike," Garrahan told K&N News. "But as the season has progressed, I've gotten stronger and now I feel better and am back to my winning ways."

Garrahan made a switch in the off-season from Yamaha back to a familiar color, the Orange glow of KTM. Garrahan had ridden KTMs for nine years prior to moving to Yamahas, so the switch back was a seamless one, and one that is paying huge dividends already.

The new Dungey bike and my 350XCF are great machines. I ride lots of moto and off-road, and they work great on all different types of terrain.

"I love the new Dungey KTM," Garrahan said. "I couldn't come to terms with the Yamaha, so it was easy to jump back on the orange. The new Dungey bike and my 350XCF are great machines. I ride lots of moto and off-road, and they work great on all different types of terrain. The boys at KTM did their homework. The bike is super stable, the brakes work better than ever, and I have FOX Shox doing my suspension and those things are just amazing. When I get on the bike, I always know how it is going to react to each obstacle."

Garrahan said the recovery from his injury was more difficult then most assume as well, given the fact that he is older then most of his competitors. "It's hard to come back form an injury being so old; people don't understand how mentally challenging it can be too."

Garrahan found a way to put a smile on his face and beat the mental challenge when he took the checkered flag in the National event at Shasta Dam. "That was definitely the best moment of the year for me. I had won that event four times already, so to get number five was a great moment."

Garrahan still has a shot at a championship if he can win the last two National events, a remarkable fact given that he missed a few races. He has also stayed busy with his Northern California-based riding school, one of the most popular in the country.

Garrahan said he wouldn't be in the position he is in without help from K&N Filters. "With my races being three to four hours long, it gives you confidence to know that you have the best oil filter available in your bike. If that oil is not clean and circulating right, you can have some serious problems. Knowing I have K&N Filters in my bike keeps me from worrying because I know I have the best product out there."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Just A Bump In The Road For Pro-4 and Pro-2 Racer Carl Renezeder During Opening Weekend

Jun 21, 2012

Throughout his career, Carl Renezeder has earned a staggering number of wins in the off-road scene.

In the world of racing, some drivers roll in, set the world on fire for a few seasons, and then fizzle out. There are some drivers, on the other hand, whose hard work, determination and skills earn the respect of other drivers, and fans of the sport. Carl Renezeder fits this mold to a T. In fact, he has been earning respect from his fellow drivers and fans of off-road racing for nearly twenty years. Simply put, his record speaks for itself.

Between 1994 and 2002, Renezeder logged nine CORR wins, seven of which were in the Pro-2 class and the remaining two in the Pro-4. During this time span the driver also earned spots on the podium on several other occasions as well. Renezeder won the SCORE Baja 1000 in 1994, and grabbed two podium finishes in SCORE Baja 500.

When 2003 rolled around, Carl Renezeder had no intentions of letting up. In fact, at the season's end, he had managed to clinch eight COOR wins, three in the Pro-2 class and five in the Pro-4. His stellar performance throughout the season earned him a championship title. During his quest for the championship, he picked up the Borg Warner Championship and finished second in the CORR Pro-2 points race.

With every season, Renezeder's success continued to soar, and in turn, his accomplishments grew more impressive. Earning various championship titles on an array of classifications, the driver obviously knows what it takes to be a fixture on the podium. After finishing 2011 with the LOORS Pro-4 championship under his belt, and two Pro-2 wins, his career record was staggering to say the least. Throughout the years, Carl Renezeder has managed to earn ninety-seven Short Course wins in thirteen seasons, and was an eight-time national champion. One would be hard pressed to find any driver who wouldn't be elated with those kinds of numbers.

"The key to my consistency has always been my team members," explained the driver. "They develop my race trucks with a focus on working with my marketing partners. My most memorable season was 2007," he continued. "That was the year I had the most wins." In fact, Carl Renezeder earned the CORR Pro-4 Championship, eight CORR Pro-4 wins, finished third in the CORR Pro-2 points, and had seven CORR Pro-2 wins that season. The driver also managed to log three WSORR Pro 4X4 wins, three Pro 2WD victories, and won the 40th Annual SCORE Baja 1000 with Rivera Racing.

Although they have experienced a string of bad luck thus far in 2012, Carl Renezeder and his team are looking forward to success throughout the remainder of the season.

Team Renezeder began the 2012 season with full intentions of carrying on their winning tradition, and still have the opportunity to do so, as time is plenty between now and the final race of the year. That said, in spite of Carl Renezeder's experience and skills and the teams hard work, they recently haven't been able to get things to fall their way.

The opening weekend, started well for the team, but as the event progressed, bad luck did also. After a productive practice, Renezeder qualified on the pole with his Lucas Oil Pro-2 Nissan Titan, and second in his Pro-4 truck. Kicking the season of in the Pro-4 class, it quickly became evident that the truck was having its problems. Losing his front wheel drive, Carl went into survival mode and in turn was forced to take a sixth place finish.

With the invert starting Carl Renezeder outside row tow in the Pro-4 class, he had already muscled his way to second place in the field by the thirteenth lap. Everything seemed to be going as planned until major contact with Robbie Woods in the first turn of the following lap ended the day.

Although immediately plagued with electrical problems on the following day, Carl and his crew quickly made the needed repairs and he qualified number one in the Pro-4. Confident his stroke of bad luck was behind him, the driver eagerly began the Pro-2 qualifying run. As luck would have it, brake problems reared their ugly head right off of the bat and eventually lent to a full-course yellow, and a crash from behind. Hard work and determination got the truck back up and running, and Renezeder managed to maneuver from his twelfth place starting position in the feature to sixth in lap ten, but the truck lost all power in the following lap, deeming the day over.

Recently rolling into Speedworld Raceway Park in Surprise, Arizona, Carl Renezeder was geared up and ready to roll. When the dust had settled and the checkered flag had flown, the driver had taken third place in the Pro-2 class of the 2012 Lucas Oil Off-Road event.

Throughout the years, experience has taught Renezeder that each and every driver will see their set backs. "You have to realize there is always good and bad when you race," shared Renezeder. "You take the bad and learn from it; keep going and never give up. Learn from everything."

Carl Renezeder and his team are more than ready for their luck to turn, and return to the winning tradition that they have become accustomed to. Of course, the driver's experience, patience and perseverance will ultimately play a huge role in their success, but Renezeder is also acutely aware of that peak performance of their trucks is essential. That in mind, he depends upon K&N products to keep their engines contaminant free.

"Maintenance is very important, because first you have to finish before you can win," explained the driver. "We use K&N air and oil filters. We also use their air filter cleaner and air filter oil. We use them because we feel they are the best products for our trucks," he continued. "K&N produces the best products on the market today."

When asked what he enjoys most about racing, Carl Renezeder said, "I enjoy the competition, the thrill of flying through the air, and the relationships I've built with my sponsors. Without our sponsors and fans, we wouldn't be able to do what we do," continued Renezeder. They're number one on our priority list." In closing, the driver said, "Thank you for the support."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Cody Rahders Nears Podium at LOORRS Season Opener

Jun 21, 2012

The truck was so good Friday I didn't want to take any chances with it plus you can learn a lot by watching your competition, it really helps.

Lady Luck can be a cruel mistress. For young gun Cody Rahders, the fickle female came and went all weekend long during the first two rounds of LOORRS at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Arizona last month. First came the chance to pilot the #16 Superchips SuperLite, where Rahders came bursting in through the gates swinging, clicking off the third fastest lap during practice and the single fastest lap during the qualifier that Friday.

Due to the inverted 6 start, Rahders was positioned on the outside of row three for Saturday's main event race. He used that morning's five lap practice run to let his competitors drive, stating, "The truck was so good Friday I didn't want to take any chances with it, plus you can learn a lot by watching your competition. It really helps."

Then, inexplicably, Lady Luck ran out. Last minute changes to the Superlite race time by the Lucas officials (from 2:30 to 5:30), along with multiple restarts during the ProLite class postponed the SuperLites race until around 6:20, placing the sun nearly at eye-level. It didn't take long before Rahders was nearly blinded near the end of lap one by the sunset, causing him to collide with a competitor, a crash that broke the competitor's truck and earned Rahders a black flag "stop & go" penalty of last place.

I was struggling with the sun and the leaders were putting in some fast laps.

Refusing to give up, Rahders coaxed Lady Luck back into the passenger seat for a few more laps. By the mid-race caution, Rahders had started to make up for the penalty, and by the restart, he had made up enough ground to take fourth place. "I was struggling with the sun and the leaders were putting in some fast laps," Radhers admitted. "I wasn't close enough to make a move so all I could do is wait and hope for one of them to make a mistake."

Fighting the odds has always been Cody's M.O. When he's not piloting his Superchips SuperLite truck, Cody Rahders is racing a new 1,000cc-powered SR1 in the the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series' UTV class. The swap to four wheels from two came after motocross accident put Cody on a life flight to the hospital with a broken femur. Since then, Rahders has been seemingly unstoppable.

During Sunday's qualifier Radhers qualified in third. The young shoe was destined for the bronze spot that race, as the lead changed several times between the top three. By the caution, Cody Radhers had taken the third position. At the restart, Cody took turn three wide and was passed, followed by an untimely spin out in turn four, putting him back to sixth. Another heartbreaking spinout during the following lap put him in dead last. Lady Luck had bitten back yet once more. Thankfully, by the checkers flew, he had climbed back up enough to round the weekend out with a fourth place on Saturday and sixth place on Sunday.

"We talked a lot about the race on our way home," Rahders lamented. "Saturday was in the high 90's and Sunday was 30 degrees colder, the track changed so much with the cooler temperature we were off on our set up. We know what we did wrong and what we need to change if we ever have a weekend like that again."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Video - Racing Instructor and Professional Race Car Driver Cory Kruseman

Jun 20, 2012

Racing Instructor and Professional Race Car Driver Cory Kruseman
In this video, we learn about Professional Race Car Driver Cory Kruseman. He explains how his racing career got started and how it has brought him to where he is today. Cory loves to race and loves the sport of racing. While juggling his own racing schedule, Cory still finds time to help others learn to race through his race car driving school called the Cory Kruseman Sprint Car Driving School.

Racing Instructor and Professional Race Car Driver Cory Kruseman

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Jason Line Back on Pole in Englishtown, Closing in on Top Seed for Horsepower Challenge

Jun 20, 2012

The truth is, there is added performance with the K&N Pro Stock composite scoop.

After countless events, number one qualifiers and wins in his Summit Racing Pontiac GXP, Jason Line took the car that has been so good to him, to the number one spot one last time during its final NHRA Pro Stock appearance for the 43rd annual Toyota NHRA SuperNationals at Old Bridge Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. "Honestly, we were testing some things on both Friday and Saturday," Line admitted. "We were trying a couple of different things, so we were probably fortunate to end up number one. All-in-all, it was a very good weekend for the whole team, certainly a good points weekend in both the K&N Challenge and for the championship standings."

As of late, the Pro Stock qualifying battle seems to remain between Line and 2009 K&N Horsepower Challenge Champion, Allen Johnson. The rumble was apparent again to all, right from the start of session one on Friday, with Line sailing to the top with his 6.524 at 212.16 during the final pair, bumping Johnson's 6.537 that he made just moments prior.

Although the air conditions were quite cool during session one, by the time the teams took to the track later in the day of Friday, the air had cooled to only sixty-eight degrees and a track temp of only eight-four, thirteen degrees cooler, which teams pay very close attention to for these cars that make the majority of their E.T. and power right from the hit. But even with the cool air, you just can't burn water and the higher water grains were holding teams back from being able to take full advantage.

"It slowed us down a bit," Line admitted Friday evening of the water laden air. "We didn't run all we could have and obviously everyone missed it a little bit. There's something we are just missing a little. I feel like we should have been able to go at least a 6.49," Line added.

K&N's Mike Edwards was able to improve during session two with a clean 6.529, moving up well over a hundredth of a second from his earlier run. That was good enough to temporarily bump Allen Johnson from the number two spot. But in a class where thousands are spent to gain all-important thousandths of seconds in performance, Allen Johnson grabbed the number two spot back from Edwards in the very next pair, by just .001 with a 6.528.

Allen Johnson may have posted his own 6.518, but it was Line's faster 212.76 to Johnson's 211.76, that would hold Line on top.

But even with the air conditions, it was Jason Line over in the other lane that was making the most noise when he not only held on to his provisional number one spot, he improved on it with a 6.518. The pass would technically remain as the number one time through the remaining two sessions the following day, as well as one of the quickest Pro Stock run of the entire weekend. On Saturday, Allen Johnson may have posted his own 6.518, but it was Line's faster 212.76 to Johnson's 211.76, that would hold Line on top. The outstanding effort gave Line his fifth K&N Low Qualifier bonus of the year and his tenth since the 2012 K&N HPC began in late June of last year.

"I believe we should have run quicker. We just didn't," Line said after all sessions were in the books Saturday. "It's just one of those things, and we will try to figure it out. Getting the racetrack and the weather to cooperate is sometimes difficult. A.J. did run the quickest in the last session, and I'm sure if we all went up there again tonight, we could go quicker."

"We have the Camaro working right," he continued of his teammate, Greg Anderson's newly unveiled 2012 Chevy Camaro, "Which is more important than anything else for us right now."

Although very excited to be hopping into his own new 2012 Summit Racing Chevy Camaro when the teams roll into their next NHRA event in Bristol, Tennessee, Line has been busy at the shop since returning from Englishtown event trying to determine what happened during his final round match up with teammate, Greg Anderson when parts breakage cost him being able to give team owner Ken Black his 100th win. "It's not going to be a quick fix," he said. "So I've been spending time doing some failure analysis on the pieces and parts, and at the same time working on getting ready to go do some testing in the new Camaro that I will debut at Bristol."

"I don't work on the car. I just give the guys the engine," he pointed out. "I take care of the engine-side and the only time I touch the car when we are not racing, is when they want me to come sit in it to scale [weigh]. At the track, I tune on all three of the team's engine, mine, Ronnie's [Humphrey] and Greg's."

Just like Line's old-reliable GXP, both his and Anderson's new 2012 Pro Stock Camaro's take full advantage of the style and added performance of the K&N Pro Stock scoop. "The truth is, there is added performance there," he pointed out of the K&N scoop. "When you are looking for thousandths of a second and all of the effort that it takes to refine something like this, it's been a great addition to our program. Something like this actually changes the tune-up enough and actually by a few thousandths in performance and that's the difference between A.J. and myself. Plus it's great that we can run K&N product and be able to showcase it in their race that's coming up at Norwalk very soon and the 2012 K&N Horsepower Challenge."

Just two races remain for NHRA Pro Stock teams to earn points for the highest single race day winner paycheck of $50,000 that will go to the overall champion of the 2012 K&N Horsepower Challenge. Line remains at number one seed for the shootout, followed by Mike Edwards, Greg Anderson, Allen Johnson, Erica Enders, with a tight battle for number six and seventh spots continuing between Ronnie Humphrey, Vincent Nobile and Rodger Brogdon.

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

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