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Bryan Clauson in the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Toyota Speedway Grabs 2011 NMDOTY Championship

Jan 30, 2012

Bryan Clauson earned his third career NMDOTY championship title during the 2011 season.

Coming into the season's final event, the 71st Annual Turkey Night Grand Prix at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California, Midget driver Bryan Clauson had experience and confidence in his corner. Having already earned the prestigious National Midget Driver of the Year (NMDOTY) championship title twice in his career, the driver was no stranger to what it takes to finish a season with a lead in the points race. "I had a lot of confidence going into the race this year." Clauson recalled, "Irwindale is a place where I've always run well, and after practice, I felt like we had a very strong race car."

"Anytime you show up at Irwindale, the competition is really tough," he continued. "Turkey Night is one of the marquee races of the year for us, and it brings cars from all over the country at the season's end." In order to proclaim the NMDOTY title, Clauson had to finish in the top 7 spots.

When asked the key to meeting his goals, the driver said, "The key to winning the race was a well-balanced car that stays good over a long run. Turkey Night is ninety-eight laps, which is a long run for us, so you have to make sure you have tire left to race with at the end."

The key to winning the race was a well-balanced car that stays good over a long run. Turkey Night is ninety-eight laps, which is a long run for us, so you have to make sure you have tire left to race with at the end.

As he had suspected the race proved to be exciting. In fact the battle between the top eight cars shuffled the standings several times. Although he didn't take the checkered flag, Clauson did manage to finish high enough in the field of drivers to capture the title over two-time NMDOTY Champion Brad Kuhn by three points, deeming him the first three-time winner in the thirteen year history of the award.

When asked what separates him from other drivers, Bryan Clauson explained, "I'd say the people I've surrounded myself with and the partners that we have on our race team, from car owners all the way down to our product sponsors. I've been very fortunate to build this team and surround myself with great people. We've got a great group of guys that build and repair great race cars. They make my job of going out and winning races a heck of a lot easier. They all allow and contribute to our success on the race track," he continued, "I've personally been able to gain a lot of experience in a lot of different race cars at a young age, and I'm able to draw from that experience to be successful in whatever I strap into."

Bryan Clauson and his team are looking forward to an exciting 2012 season, as they will be competing in both USAC and Indy races.

"The key to our success during the 2011 season has been resilience," shared Clauson. "We've had some mechanical issues throughout the year and some bugs we needed to get worked out, but we're always able to come up with wins and finishes when it mattered most."

Along with his team, Bryan Clauson considers maintenance as a key element to success in the racing world. That said they depend upon K&N products to keep the internal components of their engines well-lubed and contaminant-free. "Proper maintenance is huge," explained the driver, "especially when you are competing for a year-long title. The midget title came down to fifteen points, which is five positions over twenty three races; one more mechanical failure and we lose the championship. K&N products have played a big role in our race team," continued Clauson, "The products we use have always performed flawlessly and have allowed us to maintain a championship caliber race team. We use K&N air filters, oil filters, cleaner and degreaser. We've been using them since 2004."

Referring to 2012, Bryan Clauson said, "Next season is an exciting year for me, with everything we have going on in the Indy side of things. But I will still be racing USAC pretty much full-time, when it doesn't conflict with my Indy car races."

When asked what he enjoys most about the sport of racing, Bryan continued, "I enjoy the travel, and the family atmosphere the sport provides. At the end of the day, we're all one big racing family." In closing Bryan Clauson said, "I'd like to say thank you to all of my sponsors and fans. Without them we wouldn't be able to do what we love to do- race."

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.

Shane Stewart Fights Through and Takes His Second Lucas Oil ASCS National Championship

Jan 30, 2012

Shane Stewart's experience and drive to finish every race of the season strong lent to a 2011 championship in spite of a crash during the final Lucas Oil event of the season.

Throughout the 2011 race season, Shane Stewart was focused. And as the season wound down he had a 137 point lead over the second place driver, Johnny Herrera, in the Lucas Oil ASCS Series. After a couple of top ten finishes in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Stewart and his crew rolled into the USA Raceway, at Tucson, Arizona with a seventy-one point lead and were geared up to compete in the Western World Championship.

Of course he had dealt with the expected highs and lows of the sport to this point in the season, but Stewart had experienced his fair share of good fortune as well. All of his luck went south though at the drop of a hat on the preliminary night of the season finale when he was involved in a scary crash heading into turn one after the initial waving of the green flag. Fortunately, Stewart came into the race with a substantial lead and after his mishap, still managed to hold on to a 21 point lead.

After the dust had settled Stewart managed to hold onto the points race by one point, earning him his second career Lucas Oil ASCS National Championship.

Heading into the final night, in spite of a foot injury he sustained during his crash, Stewart made it through the C and charged through the B. Although narrowly missing out on a transfer spot, the driver utilized a provisional and started the 30-lap feature race in the rear of the field, as his closest competitor, Herrera, was lined up in the second row.

The 2011 finale race was passing before the fans' eyes at a fast pace, as there were no stoppages from the time the green flag waved until the winning driver took the checkered flag. Working the bottom of the track, Stewart muscled his way through the field and by turn four of the white flag was situated in the fifteenth position. Upon the waving of the checkered flag, Shane had managed to work his way forward one more spot, eight drivers behind Herrera, who finished in sixth. After the dust had settled Stewart managed to hold onto the points race by one point, earning him his second career Lucas Oil ASCS National Championship.

I would just like to thank all of the fans and sponsors for their continued support. Without the fans and sponsors, it wouldn't be possible to do what we love to do.

Referring to his confidence level going into the final feature of the 2011 season, Stewart said, "I was a little sore, but we had been strong all year, and I had confidence in our team for getting me a strong car in the main. The key was to drive smart and focus on not making any mistakes that would ultimately knock us out of the race and blow any shot we had to win the title. I knew where we had to be, based on where Herrera finished," explained the driver. "At the time, I had no idea where he was, and really wasn't sure where we were."

Although enjoying a comfortable lead during the greater portion of the season, Stewart was acutely aware of the importance of finishing strong during each and every race. "It's part of racing," he explained. "We had a really good year, but the funny thing about the sport is, you never know when bad luck will find you. It just goes to show how important each night is. Winning by just one point ultimately means that we could have lost it by finishing one spot worse than we did on any given night throughout the season. It shows the importance of giving it your all night in and night out."

Shane Stewart recently earned his second career Lucas Oil ASCS Natinal Championship.

Recapping 2011, Stewart continued, "The high point of our season was the Knoxville Nationals. For whatever reason, we seem to do really well there, and this season was no different. We came in hot, and were able to defend our 360 Nationals crown and really had a great showing in the 410 nationals," he continued, "I messed up qualifying on Wednesday, and really put us behind the eight ball. We didn't make it out of our heat, and luckily I was able to make a pass late in the B to put us in the show. From that point on, it felt like all we did was go forward. We charged from 24th to 4th during our preliminary and ultimately finished second at the biggest race of the year. It was unforgettable and without a doubt our high point in front of the best teams in the world."

As one might suspect, Shane Stewart and his team are strong advocates of maintenance. That said, they depend upon K&N oil and air filters to keep the internal components of their engines well lubed and contaminant free. Referring to K&N products, Shane Stewart said, "We love all of the products that we use and recommend them to everyone else."

In closing, Shane Stewart shared a message with his supporters- "I would just like to thank all of the fans and sponsors for their continued support. Without the fans and sponsors, it wouldn't be possible to do what we love to do."

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 - Professional Drifter Chasing RC Car through K&N Factory with Crushing End

Jan 30, 2012

K&N VIDEO RELEASED - K&N has just released a new video featuring 2010 Formula Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. in his 2011 Ford Mustang drift car chasing an RC drift car replica through the K&N factory. Make sure to watch the outtakes where several cars get crushed. If you like the video please pass it on or embed it on your site! It is located on K&N Air Filters YouTube Page.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. chasing RC car through K&N's factory

You might win one of five Limited Edition Monster Energy Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang GT RTR E10 HPI RC Drift cars by entering the Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. RC Drift Car Sweepstakes. To enter go to the K&N Facebook Page.

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.

Red Bull/RMR Drift Racer Rhys Mad Skills Millen Poised to leave His Mark on 2012

Jan 27, 2012

In 2012 Mad Skills Millen is looking to improve further on his podium output in the Global RallyCross Series and X Games, along with winning another Red Bull Drifting World Championship.

Drift racer Rhys Millen is an overnight sensation 20 years in the making. On the outside he smacks of Hollywood leading man, while on the inside churns the DNA blueprinted mechanics of a particularly intuitive race car driver. Millen was born in New Zealand in 1972; he is the son of famed rally and off-road racer Rod Millen, nephew to IMSA GTS driver Steve Millen, and elder brother of Ryan, also one of the world's leading drift racing competitors. Over two decades of racing experience has established Millen as one of the most respected performance drivers in the world.

For his 2011 highlights Rhys Millen lists, among others, winning the Formula D in Las Vegas.

Millen's legendary car control skills, which he's acquired through various motorsport outlets, has earned him the nickname "Mad Skills," he has been involved in the sport of Drifting since 2003, but has been driving in competition since 1990 in SCCA Rally. He currently drives a 2010 K&N supported Hyundai genesis Coupe 3.8 V6.

Millen's 2011 race highlights include winning Formula D Las Vegas, second place at Formula D Irwindale, (despite having engine difficulties for two days), and finishing third overall in the Global RallyCross Series. He lists 2008 as his high water mark to date, a year which saw him blow three engines just days prior to round one of the Formula Drift Championship, forcing him to watch from the sidelines. Millen and Team RMR would then podium the next four out of the six remaining events with two firsts, clinching third in the Formula Drift Championship, and the title for the Tires.com Triple Crown Championship.

That year Millen also set a new World Record in the Time Attack Division at the World Renowned Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, it was his 18th run up the peak. The final challenge for the 2008 season was the Red Bull Drifting World Championship, bringing together 32 of the top drivers from around the world to challenge for the title of "The Best in the World." When the engines were stilled, Millen stood tall on top of the podium, as he was crowned King of the World.

Millen's day job sharpens his weekend race skills to an even finer edge, as he spends most days behind the wheel precision stunt driving for countless automotive car commercials totaling some 150 plus days per year. "My schedule is filled with some 200-plus days per year behind the wheel either racing or stunt driving for TV commercials and feature films," said Millen.

Millen made the transition into Hollywood after landing the role of lead stunt driver of General Lee in the film "Dukes of Hazard." His performance landed him subsequent roles as lead stunt driver and stunt team drift coordinator in the "Fast and Furious 3 Tokyo Drift" movie. In addition to these movies Millen has work behind the wheel, can be viewed in the movies such as "Herbie Fully Loaded", "Red Line the movie" displaying his dynamic control talents in cars like the Ferrari Enzo and Porsche GT. most recently Millen has appeared in "Fast and Furious Four , "Indiana Jones Four" and "Fast and Furious Five."

For the 2012 season Millen is looking to continue with the good results he left off with in the 2011 Formula D season, and to push for more podiums in the Global RallyCross Series and X Games. Also on his list of to-dos Millen says "I would love to win Baja 1000. To date I have only placed third in class. Also, the Pikes Peak overall title, and I'd like to expand into CORR racing."

When asked how the K&N connection came about, team spokesperson Eric Cantore explained, "We have always sold and installed K&N products through our wholesale and retail shop at Rhys Millen Racing. We have also used K&N products in our race cars over the years. We meet up with Nester Cabrero at many of the events and wanted to start an official relationship with K&N. He put us into contact with Bob Harris, and as they say, the rest is history."

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.

Modified Ford F350 Super Duty Featured at the 2011 SEMA Show

Jan 27, 2012

Stephen Kong's 2008 Ford F350 Super Duty at SEMA

If you were able to attend the 2011 SEMA show, you may have run across this incredible 2008 Ford F350 Super Duty owned by Stephen Kong. This F350 features a 16 inch One Up Off-Road lift, front and rear King Racing Shocks 3" monster coilovers, 24x12 American Force Hero rims with 37x13.50x24 Toyo Open Country m/t tires, custom one off colored powder coat amongst other powder coated components, a Fab Fours winch front bumper, Fab Fours rear bumper, Warn 16.5ti winch and cover, as well as many other modifications.

2011 SEMA featured Ford F350 Super Duty

Stephen has been into building show vehicles for 28 years and has been influenced to do so by his family. This is Stephen's third project and was inspired by his last truck because "I wanted a Super Duty I could jump" he said. Outside of modifying vehicles, Stephen works as a bike mechanic. The F350 Super Duty has been featured in Off Road Adventures and will be featured in Truckin' and 8 Lug.

Surprisingly enough, Stephen uses this modified F350 Super Duty as his daily driver. When asked what makes this truck stand out versus a stock F350 Super Duty, Stephen believes it is the increased level of power as well as better fuel mileage. He has attended the SEMA show four years now, and hopes to move from an outdoor display to a manufacturer display inside the Las Vegas Convention Center next year. In order to prepare for a show, Stephen usually has the vehicle professionally detailed. In the future, he hopes to build a new Duramax as well as continuing to build upon this F350 Super Duty.

Any experienced vehicle builder knows that the use of K&N products is a must for every great build. Stephen has been using K&N products since he was a child. He had K&N products on go-carts and dirt bikes when he was around 5 or 6 years old. Today, Stephen is still loyal to the K&N product family with an FIPK intake kit in the F350 Super Duty. He believes that he always has a positive experience with K&N and enjoys easy to follow, straight forward instructions when installing the products on his vehicles.

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.