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NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver Cole Whitt

Mar 29, 2011

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver Cole Whitt. Photo by Ronda Greer Photography.

All great racers need a nickname right? The King, The Intimidator, The Snake, Smoke, Rowdy. You get the picture. So, you ask, what might be an appropriate nickname for 19-year-old NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Cole Whitt? How about "Fireball." No, Cole has never caused one of his vehicles to burst into flames, at least not to my knowledge. But his shiny red hair just begs for the nickname. Ok, maybe that lacks creativity. And I'm sure he's heard it a thousand times. But when digging to find something to criticize the Alpine, California native about, all I could find was his red hair and less-than-intimidating size (Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon think Whitt is small.) But once you get past his boyish looks, you'll find that Cole Whitt doesn't do much wrong.

Cole Whitt and the Turn One Racing Team. Photo by Ronda Greer Photography.

As a matter of fact, put him in your race car, and watch him transform your team into instant contender. That's what energy drink giant Red Bull saw in the teenager when it signed him to a multi-year contract, and Whitt responded by dominating the USAC ranks on his way to the 2008 National Midget Championship, becoming the youngest champion in USAC history at the age of 17.

That's right, not Tony Stewart, not J.J. Yeley, not Jeff Gordon or A.J. Foyt or fellow Red Bull racer Kasey Kahne. Cole Whitt is the answer to the trivia question, Who is the Youngest Champion in the history of America's Oldest Auto Racing Sanctioning Body? Use that on Jeopardy, Alex Trebek.

In 2010, Whitt took on a knew challenge, competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, and surprising many when he captured the pole in his debut at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. He went on to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in Phoenix International Raceway at the end of 2010, finishing 15th, and followed it up with a 17th at Homestead-Miami Speedway the next week. This year, Whitt is tackling the Camping World Truck Series, and despite a tumultuous season, finds himself right in the championship hunt through three races.

Cole Whitt in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Photo by Ronda Greer Photography.

"I think the transition has been good. I adapt to new situations quickly, and so far so good. The new tracks are definitely a learning curve, but that's the part I look forward to most," Whitt said.

"Trucks are completely different. Sprint Cars have no aero and a ton of horsepower. Trucks rely more on aero and less on horsepower. The only time I can really compare them is on the bigger tracks, where you're pretty much wide open," Whitt said when comparing his new ride to the cars he has become so accustomed to.

After missing the season opener at Daytona for his Turn One Racing team, Whitt and Red Bull were forced to rent a truck that had qualified. He responded with a strong run, staying in the top-10 most of the race before finishing 14th. Whitt's Turn One team has responded like a championship fighter after being knocked down early, rattling off a pair of top-10's since. Two weeks ago, at one of NASCAR' most historic, and historically difficult tracks, Whitt stunned observers when he qualified on the pole, and dominated the race early, outclassing eventual race winner Kahne for much of the race's first half, before a mechanical problem forced the team to spend extra time in the pits. The team found the problem, and battled back to finish 8th. It felt like a win to Whitt.

"It showed that this team never gives up. We can dig deep and rise above the low times. We brought a really good truck to Darlington. The track just fit my style...it's a track where the driver can make a big difference and help compete against the bigger teams."

When asked about the issues his team has faced early, Whitt attributed it more to growing pains with a young team, and said the team is quick to brush it off and make strides towards getting better. "I try not to worry about things out of my control. We all can learn from mistakes…That's what I love about this team, when we have mechanical problems, nobody ever blames anyone, we just fix it and learn from it."

Whitt is enjoying his first season in the Truck Series, and he should be. He currently sits second in points, just six points back of series regular Matt Crafton, and ahead of former series Champions Ron Hornaday and Todd Bodine. While he would like to transition into the Nationwide, and eventually the Sprint Cup Series full time, Whitt is solely focusing on 2011 and his Turn One Racing team.

"We want to win some races and Rookie of the Year. But most importantly, we just want to keep improving every race, both me as a driver and the team as a whole. It would be really cool if we were in Championship contention come October."

Whitt's favorite part of the season so far has been the opportunity to race at different tracks. "I enjoyed Daytona and Darlington. I'm really looking forward to Dover too. It's a fun track and I've had success there. I'm not looking forward to New Hampshire though. I don't think it's a hard track to drive, and it's more about what team has the most resources."

Whitt said K&N Filter's products allow his team to stay on top. "K&N offers the best products out there. K&N's support, improved performance and horsepower allow our team to focus on other areas in the shop. Their support has been great!"

And who knows, with K&N's support, maybe Whitt will be hoisting a Camping World Truck Series Championship in November. While it would be an upset, don't put it past him. After all, then he won't have to worry about a nickname. They can just call him "Champ."

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 V.P. and NHRA/IHRA Drag Race Driver Steve Williams

Mar 29, 2011

NHRA/IHRA Driver Steve Williams

Most stories on the K&N website are about racers out in the field who use K&N filters. This one is a bit different; it's about Steve Williams, Vice President of K&N Engineering. Why would you want to know about him? The answer is simple; everyone knows great racing products aren't build by folks who never set foot in a race car.

Steve Williams and his 1962 Super Gas Corvette

So it's not surprising that K&N currently has about 30 employees who are racers and deeply involved with the development of products. This means that they race with the products they build, allowing them to learn what these products need to be successful and last a long time. K&N is all about making products that increase horsepower and protect the engines from harmful debris. The best way to describe it is—they are racers developing products for racers that everybody can use to increase and protect their engines.

But let's get back to Steve… His passion for racing started at an early age. "I had a next door neighbor that went to the races all the time and as a 12 year old interested in cars, I cleaned his car so I could go to the races with him." After that first Drag Race he was hooked and it seemed to stick with him as he was growing up. At the age of 36, Williams decided to build a drag race car out of a basket case '62 Corvette that had been parked dash deep into a tree. "It took me about 2 years to build the car and when I went to race, it fit right into the classes of Super Comp and Super Gas that NHRA had just started to run a few years earlier. I suppose that the competition was the magnet that kept me racing for the last 20 years."

K&N's Vice Presedent and NHRA/IHRA Racer Steve Williams

Steve's first win was the 1991 NHRA divisional race in Bakersfield, CA. His most current win was the 2010 NHRA National event in Las Vegas, NV, in Super Gas. Currently, he has about 23 "Wally's", as they are known in NHRA racing, with three divisional titles and has finished in the top ten nationally in both Super Gas and Super Comp many times. His best finish ever was Third Nationally about five years ago. He has received a lot of support over the years from wife Janet and his now eight year old daughter Shelby, who accompany him to most of the races. Throughout his 20 years of racing Williams has spent the most amount of time racing NHRA events but has also raced with IHRA, the Southern California Super Gas and Super Comp Associations.

Steve started in K&N Product Development in 1997 but currently holds a VP position with primary responsibilities in Engineering, Marketing and R&D. His current race cars in competition include a Super Gas '63 Corvette, and a new Super Comp T&T dragster. Both cars are maintained at K&N, with help from K&N employees Travis Hodges and John Reedy. Williams says "All in all, I feel I have been very competitive considering I have had full-time responsibilities at K&N the last 14 years. K&N has always encouraged me to Race a full schedule and go after a National Championship and I could not race without their 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.

Legend Car Racer Austin Reed Looks for His First Championship in 2011

Mar 28, 2011

Legend Car Racer Austin Reed

Since the inception of the Legend Car in 1992 at the former Charlotte Motor Speedway (now Lowe's Motor Speedway), thousand's of racers have honed their skills in the high-horsepower, low-budget car. NASCAR stars Kurt and Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola, and Taylor Malsalm are just a few drivers who spent significant time building their resume's in the 140 horsepower Yamaha powered replicas of the coupe's and sedan's raced up and down the east coast in the pre-NASCAR era of racing. On the west coast, Austin Reed is hoping his experience in a Legend will propel him to the next level, much like it did for the Busch brothers and so many others.

Reed captured a second place points finish in the SRL Legends Tour in 2010

The Southern California native has been competing in Legend's for a little more than two years, and after a strong 2010 season, where he captured a second place points finish in the SRL Legends Tour, a traveling partner series to the Spears SRL Southwest Tour, Reed is looking for that elusive first championship in 2011.

"I think the biggest thing for me was being able to run multiple tracks last season," said the teenage up-and-comer. "Just being able to learn in the car and adapt to each situation put in front of me was huge."

Reed took a more hands on approach in his second full season as well, taking over the role of car chief on his car. "I learned a lot about the technical side and maintenance of my car. Derek (Thorn, another future NASCAR star by all accounts based on his 2010 season in the Southwest Tour and at various NASCAR Home Tracks) taught me a lot about how to work on my cars and how important it is to keep them clean."

Reed just missed out on winning his first championship in 2010, despite not registering a win. It was his consistency that led him to challenge second-generation racer and 2010 SRL Legends Tour Champion Cale Kanke right down to the last race. Reed's most memorable moment from 2010 also involved Kanke, when the two youngsters battled it out in an intense, back-and-forth race at Madera Speedway in Northern California.

This season, Reed thinks he has what it takes to defeat Kanke, whose dad has won more Southwest Tour races than any driver in the series history. "The most important thing for our success this year is to be disciplined and organized. I need to communicate with my crew chief so we can make the right adjustments and keep moving forward," Reed added.

Along with the SRL Legends Tour, Reed plans on taking his car back to North Carolina to run in the prestigious Summer Shootout series, and also plans on running some ASA Truck races and possibly even some K&N Pro Series West races toward the end of the year. If all goes well, Reed could be competing for what already promises to be a strong Rookie of the Year class in the West Series in 2012.

Reed said he was grateful for the relationship he has already established with K&N Filters. "K&N's products have helped us in some many ways. We use them on our personal vehicles, tow vehicle and the race car. They have proven time and again, both on the track and on the chassis dyno, that their filters produce the most power and the best filtration available."

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 Signs Michelle Furr Racing for 2011 NHRA/IHRA Season

Mar 28, 2011

In 2005 Michelle was the Southern Bracket Racing Association Top Dragster Champion.

"If I were to do a quick summary," said Galax, Virginia's, Michelle Fur "I'd say I race a dragster and a Camaro. My 11-year-old daughter, Madilyn, has raced for the past three years. My seven-year-old son, Adiayn, will begin his racing career next month racing Jr. dragster. And Rick, my husband of 23-years, keeps it all going. So we are a family that loves drag racing, and we are very proud to be connected with the best companies in the business such as K&N.

Michelle has already had a good deal of success racing her 1968 Camaro SS, with a lot more to come.

In February of this year Michelle and Rick took their two kids to the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show (PRI) in Orlando, Florida, to attend Bobby Rahal's Young Drivers Symposium. When they stopped by the K&N booth to drop off material for another K&N team member, Michael Beard, the family got the chance to meet and talk with Bob Harris, K&N's Corporate Race Accounts Manager. Rick had some questions regarding K&N products, and things just sort of developed from there.

Future Furr Racing champions, seven-year-old Adiayn, and 11-year-old Madilyn.

"We have used K&N products with confidence for years, so to get the opportunity to partner and join a company that provides quality products we already chose to use and believe in is just awesome," commented Michelle.

Michelle grew up at the track watching her father race, and she began racing herself when she was 15. "Rick and I started racing together in footbrake with our 1957 Chevy at local tracks," adds Michelle. "We worked our way through the different classes, from nine-second 1/8 mile sprints, to eventually going as fast as a four-second 1/8 mile, or the equivalent of a six-second ET on a quarter-mile track."

"We kept waiting to have kids, trying to find that 'perfect' down-time in our racing, with me being the driver," continues Michelle. "Turned out it was easier than we ever thought, as both children were at the track with us within three to four weeks of being born, so they too have grown up at the track."

Michelle crossed over her licenses and ran her first NHRA divisional and national events in 2010, which is something she has been dreamimg of since she was a little girl. "Of course I dreamed of being on the pro side of the pits," she quips, "But we had a lot of fun, as we do anytime we are at the track."

Michelle also narrowly missed the opportunity to secure a spot in IHRA's 2011 Tournament of Champions at the World Finals held at Virginia Motorsports Park, losing in the semi-final round of the Quick Rod division.

2010 was a learning curve year according to Michelle, as it was the first year in over a decade she didn't make a World Cup Finals appearance.

"But I did with my daughter Madilyn, as she came out strong winning the first race of the year at Bristol. It was her first race running the faster 8.90 Jr. dragster index. She has raced since she turned eight, making an unbelievable 15 final rounds her first year, which motivated me, as I made seven that year."

A few of Michelle's other accomplishments include winning a national IHRA event and finishing seventh nationally in points in the Hot Rod class in her first year. In 2005 she was the Southern Bracket Racing Association Top Dragster Champion and the IHRA Motor City National Hot Rod Champion. She also has an assortment of IHRA top-five finishes in both Hot Rod and Top Dragster, and in 1998 she finished third in the IHRA bracket finals.

"We have a 2002 Undercover (dragster) and a 1968 Camaro SS," says Michelle, "Which are capable of running Top Dragster, Super Comp/QR, Super Gas, Super Street and Hot Rod, which keeps us from being limited in what and where we 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.

NHRA Super Stock Racer Brad Zaskowski Prepares for New Race Season

Mar 22, 2011

Brad Zaskowski and his team have not raced since last October, which means that they are currently revving up for the new race season this summer. The first stop will be over in Bellerose Louisiana. Brad Races in one of the most exciting classes of professional drag racing, Super Stock, or "Super Stockers" in the pits.

Brad Zaskowski and the 1987 Chevy Camaro Super Stock Race Car

His team runs three cars, driven by him, his dad, and brother. Last year he and his 87 Chevy Camaro won the GT Super Stock class, with a time of 10 seconds flat, and ranked #3 in the country. This year his dad, in the 66 Chevy Nova, and brother, racing a 94 Chevy Camaro, hope to repeat history.

It's a difficult call, but Brad and his family seem to enjoy the community of racing the most. Brad had this to say about the upcoming season. "The same families are in the pits at nearly every race we go to, so you start to really looking forward to seeing everyone again come race season." his wife, daughter, and 2 year old son, compete the team roll call at nearly every single race.

This year, Brad and his team hope to run low 10s across the board. What makes this class so exciting is what must be kept original on the cars. Anyone can throw money at a motor and blow your doors off, but the SS class requires the factory block, and heads to be exactly that; factory. To ensure a fair, nail biting, photo finish, blocks are torn down so that bore and stroke can be checked. "It's a huge pain" says Brad, "but worth it in the very long run." The cars must also feature a factory carburetor/ fuel system. One of my favorite things about Brad's team and his Chevys, are that they all still race with 4 speed manual transmissions, and they still beat out the built up automatic racers.

Of course drag racing is one of the most demanding and potentially harmful ways to operate an engine, they need to be kept cold and clean as possible. Brad and his team help this with the K&N oil and air filters. "We did 200 runs last season before we dissembled the motor for inspection. The bearings looked like new."

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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