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Christian Islas' Custom 2007 Scion tC Was On Display at the 2011 SEMA Show

Dec 19, 2011

This SEMA featured Scion tC was a very popular vehicle

There is always a point in time where the path to greatness makes itself evident. Christian Islas 2007 Scion tC just might be at that point where it all begins. Islas' interest for cars became clear quite some time ago. His very first project car was displayed at SEMA 2011 in Las Vegas.

Christian Islas' 2007 Scion tC at the 2011 SEMA Show

He mentioned, "I've always been a big fan of modified cars and my Dad taught me most of what i know." Most can relate to the days grabbing wrenches for your dad while he lay underneath the old project car in the garage.

The tC is a pretty cool looking daily driver thanks to all the performance parts. Islas received his tC as a graduation gift and says, "I've always wanted to make my car stand out from the rest." In between work and school, Islas has certainly transformed this very popular vehicle into something interesting to look at and drive.

His 2007 Scion tC has quite a few modifications like:

The 2011 SEMA Show featured this custom 2007 Scion tC

Weapon "R" headers
After market exhaust components
Raceland Coilover shocks
K&N Products
Kaminari body kit
Custom paint
Continental Tires

Christian Islas has plans to continue cusomizing his SEMA 2007 Scion tC

We were curious as to how Islas felt about K&N products and this was his response, "I heard from many people that K&N was the best product to have in your car, so naturally i wanted what was best for performance and overall look." K&N offers an intake system as well as an air and oil filter for the 2007 Scion tC.

Beyond the performance side of things the car requires many hours of detailing and up keep getting ready for car shows. This is the first year Islas has attended the SEMA show and he was quite impressed with the whole set up. His goal for the rest year is to add some real power to his show car. He mentioned, "My goals for the year are to hopefully turbocharge or supercharge my car, and maybe even chop the top." This may not be the last time you see Christian Islas so keep an eye for updates made to Islas tC further down the line.

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.

Corry Weller Makes LOORRS History in 2011 as First Female to Win a Championship

Dec 19, 2011

In winning the 2011 LOORRS SR1 championship, Weller becomes the first woman in history to win a year-ending title.

Somewhere in a hidden attic hangs a portrait of a slowing, decrepit, off-road racer, aging indiscriminately. The thinly veiled Oscar Wilde reference is an attempt to explain the paradox that is Corry Weller. Going into Round 15, the last race of the Lucas Oil Off Road Race Series at Firebird Raceway in Arizona, Weller had amassed enough points and needed only to start the race in order to ink her name into the LOORRS history books.

After a dramatic restart that saw Weller explode into the lead, then launch herself from the infamous giant step-up jump, damaging her right front a-arm on a cement K-rail during the errant flight. Weller then employed her uber-driving skill to save her SR1 and finish the race. With that exhilarating season-ending show of skill and determination, Weller became the first woman racer to ever win a LOORRS Championship - arguably the most competitive short-course racing series in the country. Yet, instead of the burly, iron-man profile that generally claims the top tier of the podium, Weller in comparison is like soothing eye drops to dusty, burnt-red retinas. She possesses the obvious heart and talent of a champion and wraps them in cover-girl model looks. It's almost unfair.

Congratulations! How much does winning this championship and making LOORRS history mean to you and your racing future?
"Thank you! Winning the championship is fantastic, mostly because it's the best way I can repay our team for all of the hard work they put into this season. It's something they can be proud of, and it's a great way to affirm just how good they are at what they do. It's also the best way a racer can repay their sponsors, like K&N, for the support they have been giving all year. I'm so excited that we were able to do this! Being the first female is pretty cool, too. Hopefully it encourages other girls and women who may be thinking about getting into this sport, but who might be a little hesitant to try. If they see other girls do well, it might make them more confident that they can do the same."

Corry Weller tearing around a corner and showing that girls can tear it up too!

You mention setting out this year to be more consistent and win more, but what actual steps were taken towards that goal?
"Before this season started, we knew that we had to put 100% focus into just my SR1. Last year we sponsored another UTV as well, and it spread us pretty thin when it came time to prepare for every race. My car would be pushed aside until the last minute and that allowed for some things to be overlooked. This year we focused on my car alone and we were very thorough with our race preparations before and during each round. We also went into the year with just the championship in mind, racing every race as a points race. I didn't take unnecessary chances; I always knew who I had to beat, and who I could let go in order to stay ahead in points. There are times when you aren't in first place, and you want to be, then you realize that the guy you needed to beat that day is broken, so you can relax a little and be happy with a second place finish, knowing that it puts you that much closer to your ultimate goal of championship."

Corry Weller only needed to start the last round of LOORRS at Firebird Raceway to lock up the title. Weller is the one wrapped in the laurels.

Your husband, Jason, who's also your crew chief, won the Arizona Lucas Oil Regional Series championship. Winning two championships on the same Rhino has to be a first too. Did that present additional challenges for you?
"It might be a first, actually! Racing one vehicle presents some challenges for sure. Sometimes we didn't have much prep time between his races and mine, and that caused some hustle, but it wasn't too bad. There are definitely some benefits of having my crew chief racing the same vehicle as well. For instance, I would complain about the clutch feeling like it's going out, and he'd kind of brush it off until he drove it. Then he'd say 'hey, your clutch is almost gone' and it would get fixed. It helps with suspension tuning too. It's hard sometimes to relay exactly how something feels until he can drive it. I think it worked out really well, overall. We will actually be racing against each other in the local series in 2012 - that should be interesting!"

Corry Weller getting airborne during a race.

Alright, I'd be remiss if I didn't address the elephant on the track. Champions don't often overshadow the trophy-girl presenters. How much would you say that comes into play, meaning do you feel that sometimes other racers haven't taken you as seriously as they should? Also, has that in anyway driven you to become an even better racer?
"I'm blushing now, but thank you! You know, it's a bunch of guys out on the track and I honestly don't think they really care what I look like, or even that I'm a girl. Once the helmets are on, it's just about who is beating whom. I don't think my appearance really matters much to anyone, except maybe people on the outside looking in who think it's an interesting contrast. Maybe if I was brand new and no one knew who I was, appearances might have a chance to be more deceiving, but I think in this series it's probably overlooked because they know me. That doesn't mean that I don't try to look nice...I do! When you are surrounded by dirt and grease and all things manly, it's good to have some lip gloss handy to help affirm your girlishness. I'd say the biggest driving factor for me to become a better racer is what drives all of us - we all want to be our best!"

Will you be defending your title next year or are you looking to make the move into Trophy Lite trucks?
"I have had a good run in the UTV classes, but I'm looking to move up now. While I will most likely still race the SR1 in the local races for LOORRS, we are working on a truck program for 2012 but I don't want to spill the beans just yet on what it is. Let's just say we have been looking at the Pro Lite, Pro 2 and Pro 4 classes pretty closely!"

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.

The Swanson Brothers Sweep One-Two in the 2011 Turkey Night Sprints Race

Dec 19, 2011

In a mere five years the Swanson brothers have already combined for four USAC Western Sprint Car Championships.

Spoiler alert! While this particular Swanson Brothers race story ends with Tanner winning and Kody right behind in 2nd, it has an unlikely beginning with both drivers spinning out coming off turn-4 after the start of the race.

"I wish I could tell you what exactly happened on that start, but I don't really know," Kody told K&N. "A number of people told me that one of the cars left a trail of oil when it pulled off the track prior to going green. It's really tough to say exactly what caused it, but I do know that Tanner and I rarely make a major mistake like that on pavement and I can't imagine both of us spinning on the start at the same time without some kind of explanation. But, that's what happened. Tanner and I both spun off of turn-4 coming to the green. In the confusion, cars back in the pack ran into each other and really made a mess on the front stretch. Because I had stopped in turn-4, I had to go to the tail as part of the accident while Tanner got to keep his position (in the front row) because he didn't touch anyone or stop on the track."

Finishing first and second isn't new for Kody and Tanner, in 2009 alone they pulled off the one-two sweep seven times.

Over the course of the last five years Kody and Tanner have combined for a total of four USAC Western Sprint Car Championships, a plethora of wins, and in 2009 alone they finished 1st and 2nd an astonishing seven times! Yet, until this year, they had never been able to pull off the elusive one-two finish at the Turkey Night Sprints. At the checkers and after leading all 40-laps, it was Tanner picking up his first Turkey Night and USAC Sprint Car win at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, while Kody put on a show coming from 21st to finish 2nd behind Tanner.

"After such a wild start, I had no idea how far I could make it through the field after restarting," admitted Kody. "With Tanner restarting on the front row and me at the tail, there was a Swanson on each end of the field but we never really saw each other."

"It couldn't have been more than 2 laps before I was into the top-15, and then things got exciting. I didn't really have a particular line; I was just going where the cars in front of me weren't. I ran high, low and through the middle, and was well into the top-10 before lap 8. I had some space to make up between cars, but I think I passed from 7th to 4th in two laps, all while we had entered lapped traffic. It was really crazy. I was just doing what I could to get the job done. When I got to 4th, 3rd was nearly a full straight-away ahead of me, and I couldn't even see 2nd. So, to run those guys down and still cap off a Swanson brothers one-two after starting last was really something."

Although the 2011 season wasn't always kind to the Swanson brother, their Turkey Night finale leaves them on a positive note looking towards 2012.

"Winning that big of a race is always so gratifying, but this year especially," commented Tanner. "We have been fast there the past couple of seasons but I've just never been able to seal the deal at Irwindale. So that makes it nice to pick up my first win there, especially during such a prestigious event like Turkey Night. After grabbing the lead early and gently stretching my margin, I had no clue that Kody was putting on the show behind me. My spotter just kept telling me how big of a lead I had over 2nd, so my biggest concern was just keeping a comfortable lead and not using up my equipment. But after the checkered, when my crew told me it was Kody that ended up 2nd, I couldn't think of a better way to cap off the year for not only Kody and me, but for the entire TK Motorsports team."

For the lucky crowd in attendance the exhilarating action was an early Holiday gift. "We stopped on the front stretch after the race and we could hear the crowd over the roar of the cars. Then when the announcer introduced us later, the cheering started all over again," added Kody. "You never know if they're actually watching or not, but after seeing and hearing that reaction, it was clear that most of them were well aware that I had just driven from 21st to 2nd in a 40-lap race without the help of a caution. It was definitely one of my favorite moments from after a race."

After a tumultuous year that saw Tanner surrender his USAC Silver Crown points lead midway through the season after a rash of bad luck, and Kody missing nearly half the season after a particularly violent crash early on, their Turkey Night finale was a most fitting way to cap the season. "I still think it was a positive building year," said Kody, "and we're definitely looking forward to 2012."

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.

Antonia Maldonado's 2011 Scion tC Brings Breast Cancer Awareness to SEMA

Dec 19, 2011

Antonia wanted her car to have a feminine touch and still be sporty at the same time.

Antonia wanted this SEMA featured 2011 Scion tC to have a feminine touch and still be sporty at the same time.

SEMA may be all cars and car lovers, but one can't accuse them of forgetting to devote some time to worthy causes, or at least while this pink and white 2011 Scion tC is sitting prettily nearby. With a modest list of external mods that run from the pink Scion symbol at the back to the breast cancer awareness symbol adorning the nose, this vehicle has remained a very clean build and an exceptional example of what a first project vehicle can become. Influenced by the modifications present on her first vehicle, Antonia decided that, "I wanted my car to have a feminine touch and still look sporty at the same time."

2011 Scion tC at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada

The list of suspension and wheel modifications includes KSW wheels, R1 concept rotors, MPG caliper covers and Tein springs. With a K&N intake being the extent of the under-hood modifications the engine will be retaining all of the endurance that Scion is known for, with a modest increase in horsepower. And yes, that pink color scheme extends into the cockpit of the vehicle in the form of pink seat belts and a pink and black leather and suede interior.

Antonia Maldonado's Scion tC on Display at 2011 SEMA Show.

With a build time (so far) of only a year, this car remains a daily driver and work transportation for Antonia. In the future, Antonia sees herself trading out those black KSW rims for a new set of pink and white rims. And when asked about the most difficult part of the build she answered that the front splitter was the single hardest installation on the vehicle.

As an after school provider and an aspiring car builder that considers her specialty to be building themed cars, Antonia is particularly thankful for the sponsorships she has received. Even though this is Antonia's first time to SEMA, she doesn't intend to let it be her last. One of her main goals for the coming year is to win some show trophies for that car. Automotive enthusiasts can expect to see Antonia and her brightly trimmed Scion at many local shows in the future.

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.

The Turtle Expedition Ford F-550 Truck Was Featured at the 2011 SEMA Show

Dec 16, 2011

The Turtle Expedition truck at SEMA

Not every vehicle that attends the SEMA Show was built to be simply a show car. Gary and Monika Wescott attracted much attention to their custom truck, which is equipped to handle just about anything life could throw at them on the road. For over 40 years now, Gary has committed his life to traveling around the world. To do this, he had to make sure his vehicle could stand up to the extreme elements as well as carry all his necessities. This inspired Gary to make upgrades to his vehicles throughout the many years of travel. Today, Gary and Monika Wescott trek across the world in a Ford F-550 with a customized camper shell on the back. It has all the amenities and comforts of home minus the square footage.

Gary and Monika Wescott's Ford F-550 with a custom camper shell at the 2011 SEMA Show

K&N had a chance to ask Gary some questions about SEMA and his adventures:

What was the process of getting the truck ready for SEMA?
Continuous maintenance and preparations at our shop, like taking all the tires off and cleaning the back side, design and modifications for two show cards, 12-hour drive to Las Vegas, $10 in the car wash followed by two days of waxing, Armor All, and nitpicking detail. This year, Chuck Swartz marked us a VIPs, so we got to move in a day early in a reserved spot we have used for several years. The funny thing is, everyone always wants to know where we have been and where we are going, but at SEMA, the truck has to look like it has never been off the road. With 130,000 miles on it now, that gets increasingly difficult.

Have you received any awards or had any magazines feature The Turtle Expedition truck?
We were recently inducted as Fellows into the Royal Geographical Society, and we have been nominated for induction into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. I write for Four Wheeler, Trailer Life, MotorHome, Truckin', Truck Trend, Diesel Power, 8-Lug HD Trucks, Power Stroke Registry, Overland Journal and Turbo Diesel Registry, so travel and tech features are ongoing. The next issue of Four Wheeler will have the history of all The Turtle Expedition trucks. Overland Journal is planning a series called "Living Legends", which we will be part of.

2011 SEMA Show featured The Turtle Expedition Ford F-550 outside of the Central Hall

How long have you been involved with The Turtle Expedition?
39 years - 40 in 2012

Why did you use K&N products in your vehicle?
Our extended adventures are measured in years, not weeks. The life of our engine and truck in general are the most important aspect of our day-to-day life on the road after our health. We cannot carry 10 air filters, so being able to wash our K&Ns and reuse them is a huge saving of space. Back in the early 80's when we first met Ken Johnson and later John Shelton, we were impressed by the quality of the K&N Filters. K&N has been an important sponsor for over 20 years.

What has been your experience with K&N?
Not much to experience except their ongoing product support and the confidence that we are using the best air filters available. We recall having lunch and taking a tour of the plant with Ken Johnson back before K&N really started to grow.

This SEMA featured Turtle Expedition truck can go just about anywhere.

What does the vehicle do when it's not traveling?
Aside from ongoing modifications in preparation for The Trans-Eurasian Odyssey, driving from Lisbon, Portugal to Shanghai, China through 26 countries and following the legendary Silk Road, The Turtle V is used for tech stories and travel/adventure features for the various magazines I write for.

How long have you been going to SEMA?
Chuck Swartz and I figured out that it has been about 24 years.

What are your goals for the coming year?
Finish final preparations on The Turtle V. Place The Turtle IV in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, NV. Pack up all our belongings in our garage. Drive east to ship the truck to Europe and the start of The Trans-Eurasian Odyssey.

For further updates on Gary and Monika's Turtle Expedition and The Trans-Eurasian Odyssey, visit their website: http://turtleexpedition.com. 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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