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Holland's Saker Sniper Displayed at K&N Booth during Autosport 2012 Show

Feb 13, 2012

The 1700 pound Sniper accelerates from 0-60mph in a mere 3.2secs.

For European motorsport fans in need of an action fix, January begins all too bleak and still. Thoughtfully though, the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England cares enough about the motorsport blues to wave the metaphorical green flag, signalling the start of the new race season. The annual Autosport International Racing Car Show held at the NEC in January alerts fans that it won't be much longer before the Formula-One teams begin revealing their new cars. As always, the 2012 event pulsed with superstar drivers and teams, framed by stunning European models, creating enough energy and eye-candy to shatter through even the most severe case of the winter doldrums.

The Saker Sniper display at the K&N booth created a large amount of positive buzz at the 2012 Autosport International Race Car Show.

At this year's event Holland's Saker Sportscars generated some buzz of their own by displaying their all new Sniper at the K&N booth. The Saker Sniper is a steel, space-framed track car with a GRP body shell. The Sniper sports a 2.0L Subaru engine with a TD05 turbo, producing 270 hp, and considering the car weighs less than 1700 pounds, that's an impressive weight-to-power ratio, allowing the Sniper to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.2secs. The Sniper in fact holds a lap record at the famed Zandvoort racing circuit in the Netherlands.

Last year K&N's European Motorsports Sponsorship Coordinator, Marcel Blom visited the 2011 Professional Motorsport World Show Expo in Cologne, Germany to meet with Herbert Boender, Managing Director for Saker Sportscars. The two discussed fine-tuning the air filters on Saker cars, being that Boender didn't feel the original filter was maximizing Saker Sportscars full potential.

Regardless of how you view it the K&N themed Sniper looks speedy.

At the time Boender admits that he didn't believe making a change to K&N would create a difference, saying "Normally I don't believe in horsepower for free." That was before their subsequent next meeting in the south Netherlands, in Eindhoven, where they conducted dynamometer tests of various air filters on Saker cars. Tests that proved the K&N air filter clearly produced the best test results. The following week the Saker Sportscars team raced in Belgium sporting the K&N filter and Saker finished third in class.

As a result, the close cooperation that developed between Saker and K&N during the course of 2011 has now grown into a full-on love affair going into 2012. All new Saker Sportscars are now sold with K&N filters as standard equipment, with the Saker Factory race team exclusively running K&N's High Flow air filters.

The Sniper's open top configuration allows for excellent driving awareness while eliminating blind spots.

"Getting more power out of our engines wasn't even the goal," commented Boender. "However, durability of the engine and affordable maintenance and running costs of the car is one of the most important things for Saker. But having even better output of the engine means being able to give less turbo boost, which saves the turbo, lowers temperatures of basically everything, saves fuel and thus makes the car even more reliable, durable and affordable."

The Saker Sniper with its distinguishing K&N paint scheme looked fast standing still, accomplishing what it set out to do at NEC, to draw European motorsports fans to the benefits of maximizing engine protection while minimizing air intake restriction.

For 21 years the Autosport International Racing Car Show has successfully moved forward, helping to advance motorsport technology by displaying opportunities for a more efficient automotive future. After this year's extravaganza Show director, Ian France commented "Autosport International 2012 has been our most exhilarating event yet. Outstanding exhibits have been complemented by fantastic live action and insightful interviews from some of the biggest personalities in the sport. We now turn our attentions to making next year's show even more impressive."

Motorsport fans should reserve January, 17-20, 2013 in their schedules for Autosport International 2013.

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.

WIN A TRIP TO THE 2012 NASCAR SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE™!

Feb 13, 2012

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race™

K&N is proud to announce K&N's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race™ Sweepstakes has officially begun! One lucky fan and a guest will win a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race™ and other fan festivities starting Wednesday, May 16th thru Saturday, May 19th. The winner will receive airfare and a four-night hotel stay, plus race tickets and VIP passes to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race™, enjoy a VIP experience at NASCAR Rev'd Up™, tickets to NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge™ and the NASCAR Hall of Fame©.

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Week™ is seen as one of the most exciting events of the year for the drivers and the fans! With the various fan events leading up to the race and Blake Shelton kicking-off the event with a pre-race concert, you won't want to miss out...then let the 100-lap battle for the $1Million paycheck begin!

To enter the sweepstakes, click here. THIS SWEEPSTAKES HAS ENDED.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Sweepstakes ends @ 2:00 pm ET on 4/23/12. Participant must be a resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and 18 years of age or older to enter. NASCAR, Inc. and Sprint are not sponsors of this promotion. Sweepstakes subject to full Official Rules available at www.knfilters.com. Void where prohibited.

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.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. and RC Drift Car Spread Viral Automotive Video Fever

Feb 13, 2012

RC drift car takes a ride on K&N Factory conveyor.

We are seemly at odds and bickering about nearly every little thing these days, yet there's one lasting invariable, and it's our love affair with cars. As with all affections it can be a love-hate relationship, what with traffic jams, gas prices and accidents, yet overall it's been an enduring and fascinating ride. We are a nation with more cars than drivers so it should come as no surprise that this love affair has been going on for 126 years, since 1885 when Karl Benz built his first gasoline powered three-wheeler.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. chasing RC drift car through K&N Facility.

We worship all things about our rides, from the new-car smell, to the head-jerking power and roar of acceleration. We'll drive gigantic blinged-out cruisers and amusingly tiny gas-sipping dink-mobiles, but mostly we exist somewhere in the Goldilocks' middle. We adore movies about cars doing absurdly unnatural stunts and we live vicariously through racers, spinning them into heroes. Few venues embrace our admiration for vehicular shenanigans, race idols, and our need for immediate gratification anymore succinctly than viral automotive videos. They are miniature quick-fix action flicks, without the unnecessary back-story bogging it down.

Two weeks ago K&N Filters launched an automotive video of muscle car burnouts and roaring engine sounds combined with a fast miniature radio controlled underdog. The end of the video promotes a sweepstakes on K&N's Facebook page where fans can actually win a Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. RC Drift Car. So far the viral automotive video has over 450,000 views on YouTube. The video appeals to all our automotive senses by simply being a fun watch, without hitting viewers over the head with some overly contrived message.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. has the co-starring role with the lead going to the limited edition Monster Energy, Falken Tire, 2011 Ford Mustang GT RTR E10 Drift RC car. This cool little radio control model is a 1/10th scale version of JR's 2011 Formula Drift car, which is one of the sport's most identifiable cars, being that Gittin is one of drift racing's most iconic figures.

Gittin is identified by his aggressive, foot to the floor, big smoke driving style and being a fearless competitor. He is still the only American to win a D1 Grand Prix event, not just once, but twice. In 2005 Gittin stunned the drift racing world when he won the D1GP USA versus Japan. Then two years later he brought home the gold once more by winning the D1GP World Championship. In 2010 Gittin earned his first Formula Drift Championship, becoming the second-ever Champion with a strictly-drifting only background.

In the engaging viral video Gittin's gift for driving is on full display as he careens around K&N's crowded storage yard and warehouse buildings attempting to catch the evasive little RC bugger. The cartoonish action sequence is made that much more compelling because of the onboard car footage provided by Contour HD Cameras, which highlights the diminutive RC car going slide-for-slide with Gittin.

The remote camera manufacturer, Gittin's sponsors, the RC Car manufacturer and K&N partners have promoted the video on their websites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, and by every indication the Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. RC Drift Car Sweepstakes video has reset the viral automotive video benchmark. It's also been a good way to drum up some Formula Drift 2012 excitement before the season.

Adding further to this video's intriguing nature is your chance of winning one of the Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. HPI Remote Control Drift Cars. The HPI Racing team only produced 5,000 of these little gems and K&N has already given two of them away to sweepstakes winners. Three more will be given away through the sweepstakes at the rate of one per week up until March 2, 2012. You can find the details regarding how to enter the sweepstakes at www.knfilters.com/rccar/. If nothing else you'll get three-and-half minutes of viral automotive video happiness. The outtakes at the end are worth watching too.

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.

Ray Cook Ignites 2012 Race Season by Winning his Second Ice Bowl at Talladega

Feb 10, 2012

Cook first won the Ice Bowl in 2009, one of his best seasons to date, hopes are that this victory is a forerunner to a repeat performance. Photos by Ron Skinner

Racers are comforted by familiar patterns, any overt sign, or the slightest hint of indication that the fickle lady of luck may once again be smiling their way. In 2009 when the "Tarheel Tiger" Ray Cook won his first 50-lap super late model Ice Bowl, he followed it up with arguably the finest season of his career.

Ray Cook says his team learned a lot of valuable lesson about running on tracks with extreme conditions after his win at the 2012 Talladega Ice Bowl. Photos by Ron Skinner

"Back in 2009 when I won the Ice Bowl for the first time, it helped propel us to maybe the best year in my career," remarked Cook after lighting the fuse on 2012. "Hopefully, this Ice Bowl victory will come close to doing the same thing!"

The annual Ice Bowl race at Talladega short track in Eastaboga, Alabama could have more appropriately been tagged the Sludge Bowl. A determined morning drizzle turned the one-third mile, newly clayed track into muck, making one of the biggest dirt races of the season that much more challenging. Of the 25 cars that started the race, only nine saw the checkered flag.

Committing on the high attrition rate the Brasstown, North Carolina driver said, ""Due to track conditions people just couldn't stand it anymore. A lot of it was just due to parts failure." Then in support of the impressive efforts done by the Talladega track officials to fix the racing surface Cook added, "They've done the best they could."

Despite a shifting, uneven and fast race track, the K&N veteran was able to muscle his new orange paint scheme No. 53 MasterSbilt racecar to a convincing Ice Bowl XXI victory. By lap eight Cook had worked his way to the lead where he remained for the rest of the race.

After collecting his $6,000 payday Cook stated, "We are just so tickled to get a win right off the bat in 2012 and especially at a race with so much prestige like the Ice Bowl. Everything worked real well all weekend and we learned some stuff on our car to get through those rough track conditions. I have to thank my entire team, but especially Keith (Masters) and Gary (Winger) for some valuable help on how to get through those holes."

After their successful run at the Talladega short track aptly nicknamed the "Hornets Nest," the D&R Motorsports team went back to work at the shop, combing through the No. 53 car for any bent or broken parts. Weather permitting, the teams next race will be this weekend, January 27, at the Cabin Fever 40. Cook will be gunning for his second straight win in the race held at the Boyd's Speedway in Ringgold, Georgia. On the line this year is a $3,000 winner's check.

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.

K&N's Tommy Phillips Locked and Loaded for 2012 Season Kick-Off in Pomona

Feb 10, 2012

Tommy Phillips' Super Gas Corvette roadster

With yet another NHRA Division 4 title under his belt after the 2011 season, Forney, Texas resident Tommy Phillips is set to hit the trail of what should prove to be another fantastic NHRA season with his stable of four K&N Engineering/CBS Arc Safe race cars, three of which he will drive in competition. The 2012 season marks the fourth consecutive year with K&N as the primary sponsor for the veteran racer.

Tommy Phillips' K&N Engineering/CBS Arc Safe Super Comp dragster

"2011 was an odd year," Phillips pointed out. "Certainly we are proud of how we finished, but when I look back at the very beginning of the season, the first few races I just didn't drive that well. I don't know why, but I just wasn't myself. For the first time in a while I was back to racing full-time, so I was really very focused on the business and marketing side of it all and maybe just not as focused on the driving side of things. If you want to know the truth, I just think I wasn't really ready to race and it really showed."

Phillips comes into the new year with twenty-five NHRA National events victories and a total of twenty-eight division wins already to his name and mentions that what he learned over the past season should help him add to that total in the months to come. "If you look at my points at the end of the season, for some reason I have always done well at the National meets and not so well at the points meets [division races]," Phillips explained. "I don't understand why, it's the same racers at all the events. But I think I finally came to the realization that I just don't get as up for the points races as I do the nationals. I mean, let's face it, they take as long to run, cost about the same to go to and don't pay out as much to win as the national events do. It's not all about the money, but it is part of the deal since you have to factor in what it cost to travel and so on. So by putting more focus into my point's races last year, it did pay off and we won four of them."

Tommy Phillips plans to bring his Super Comp dragster and Super Gas Corvette roadster to the 2012 O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals

"So by being more committed to the point's races, I was pretty happy with the outcome," he continued. "But what I really learned is that I need to be more consistent overall and that I needed to look at my season race schedule a little differently. I needed to not be out on the road so many races in a row and even if I had to travel a little more, how could I be home a little more and not have four or five races in a row. I even bit the bullet and hired someone full-time for the race team, someone who could take care of the rig and get it to the events for me, so maybe that would buy me another ten to fifteen days a year to be at home."

In addition to racing full-time, Phillips continues to work alongside his mom at home, overseeing the day-to-day operations of two large bingo halls. "By dividing up my schedule differently for this coming season, not only will it help me to be able to stay on top of things that I need to at home, with payroll and all the items that I take care of, but it will also allow me to go to several races that I normally wouldn't attend. So this season I only have one time where I will have a three races stretch and I think it will help me battle the, whatever you want to call it, being on the road too long at a time, you know burnout and beat down."

Phillips will start his 2012 quest at the NHRA season opener in Pomona, California where he will compete in his K&N Engineering/CBS Arc Safe #5 Super Comp dragster and his #4 Super Gas Corvette roadster during the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals.

"My focus this season is to win a National Championship and everything else will fall into place," he admitted. "I geared my schedule and my races around that for this year, and the one thing that will mess me up a little is the JEGS races [All-Star]. I really do like those races and it will mess my chances up for that, but at some point, you just have to prioritize your goals and mine is to win a National Championship in 2012."

With the change in Phillips' sponsor line up from last season, it has been a very hectic off-season for he and his crew, making all the changes needed in addition to the normal end of year maintenance. "We have been just crazy getting everything redone, all the cars, the rig even the golf carts and scooters had to be stripped and rewrapped," he chuckled. "That on top of freshening the motors and transmissions. When it's all done and you have it out there, you kind of take it for granted, but man is it a lot of work to get everything to that point."

Phillips points out that he is honored to continue his partnership with K&N Engineering. "Even before I started working with K&N, I used many of their products because I know they are superior in their field," he said. "But I'll tell ya, in the years of being involved with them now, I really have an unbelievable respect for how K&N does business, especially after I had a chance to witness everything that goes into the products that they manufacture. Strictly speaking as a racer, K&N is really behind everything that is right. They not only continue to do everything they can to constantly improve their products by listening to and working with racers of all sorts of motorsports, but in what they really stand for and all of the various projects they are behind."

"I am all K&N all the time," he added. "From using their oil and air filters on every one of my race cars to even adding the new Heavy Duty K&N air filter to my Freightliner motorhome that I use to tow the race trailer. I am really looking forward to the added advantage it will give me in all the miles I intend on putting on it this year."

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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