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Vaughn Gittin Jr. Crowned 2010 Formula Drift Champion and Finishes 2nd at Round 7

Oct 19, 2010

Monster Energy Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang

Vaughn Gittin Jr. came out to Round 7 of the Formula Drift Professional Championship with high hopes of putting himself on the podium one last time to finish off his successful season. Not only did Vaughn accomplish that goal when he took 2nd place at Irwindale Speedway - his sixth podium out of seven rounds - but he secured himself as the official 2010 Formula Drift Champion and as the "Driver of the Year" in the Monster Energy Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang.

2010 Formula Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr.

Over the weekend, a sold-out crowd filled the paddock and the grandstands at Irwindale Speedway, otherwise known as "The House of Drift". Vaughn has had much success at Irwindale in the past, and he is always welcomed as a crowd-favorite. In 2005 he made history when he won the D1GP USA vs. Japan, becoming the first American to win a D1 Grand Prix event. In 2007 at this southern California track, he brought America home the gold once more by winning the D1GP World Championship. He also won his first Formula Drift ever at Irwindale Speedway in 2008.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. gets Podium finish at Round 7 of the Formula Drift Professional Championship

Vaughn qualified in 6th place out of the 40-plus drivers in attendance and he was matched with Formula Drift rookie, Nikolay Konstantinov, in his top 32 battle. Vaughn led first and put his car in all the right places, while blazing through the course with intense angle. Nikolay struggled to keep up with the powerful Monster Mustang. When it was Vaughn's turn to give chase, Nicolay couldn't properly initiate his drift. Vaughn tried to mimic his competitor, but passed him as Nicolay sunk down the bank. Vaughn finished out his run, leaving a thick trail of Falken Tire smoke in his path.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. has taken to the podium six times out of the seven rounds.

By winning his battle in the round of 32 and gaining some crucial points, Vaughn officially secured the 2010 Formula Drift Championship. "This is just simply unbelievable," says Vaughn. "Winning the Championship has been a dream of mine for the past seven years and everything we have been working towards fell into place this season. Consistency and reliability were huge factors to our success over the last seven years. Huge thanks to K&N for their amazing products and unconditional support during this quest for the Formula Drift championship. We did it!"

Vaughn Gittin Jr. took 2nd place at Irwindale Speedway

But the day wasn't nearly over for the newly-announced Champion. Vaughn still had one last podium to shoot for. In the top 16, Vaughn was paired with "Rookie of the Year" Fredrick Aasbo, who was the only driver the entire year thus far besides Daijiro Yoshihara to win in a tandem battle against Vaughn. This would be the fourth time of the season that these two fierce competitors would meet on the track.

Monster Energy Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang battles for position

Vaughn led first and entered early, maintaining a high line on the bank with a ton of angle. Coming off the bank, he was able to pull a gap and put the Monster Mustang right up on the infield wall as Aasbo tried to close the gap and followed with a more shallow line. Vaughn gave chase next, sticking close to his competitor and mimicking Aasbo's every move on the track. After the Falken Tire smoke had settled from the two vehicles, the judges declared Vaughn the winner; he would be moving on to the Great Eight.

Vaughn found himself faced with Matt Powers in the top eight. Powers had placed fourth in Irwindale last year, so Vaughn knew not to count him out. Vaughn led first and put down another picture-perfect run, with much more angle and speed than his competitor. When it was his turn to give chase, Vaughn put intense pressure on Powers and didn't let up once throughout the course. Vaughn took the well-deserved win, and would be moving on to the semi-finals!

Vaughn would battle it out with Michihiro Takatori in the final four. Vaughn led first and immediately was able to pull a sizable gap on the bank after his initiation. He hit all the clips while Takatori was not able to catch up to the engine-screaming and tire-smoking Monster Energy Falken Tire Ford Mustang.

Vaughn gave chase next and was able to reel into Takatori immediately, keeping close to him throughout the course. Vaughn tapped the infield wall and maintained his drift, showing the crowd and the judges that he deserved to be in the finals. The judges agreed and sent him into the finals to face two-time Formula Drift Champion, Tanner Foust.

After two insanely aggressive and incredibly close runs by Vaughn and Tanner, the judges (and the crowd) called for a One-More-Time. During the OMT, Vaughn gave it everything he had, but the judges deemed Tanner an advantage and gave him the win. Vaughn would take the 2nd place spot atop the podium for Round 7 at Irwindale Speedway.

With his 2nd place finish in Irwindale, Vaughn has taken to the podium six times out of the seven rounds - a record number of podiums in one season by one driver in the history of Formula Drift. This was just icing on the cake for Vaughn, as his real victory was being crowned the 2010 Formula Drift Champion. Vaughn is the second driver in the history of Formula Drift to come from a strictly-drifting background - the first driver being K&N drifter, Chris Forsberg, who won the Championship in 2009.

Not only was Vaughn deemed the 2010 Formula Drift Champion, but he was voted the "Driver of the Year" by his competitors, their teams, and industry affiliates.

"Wow, what a year of dreams coming true," says Vaughn. "I turned 30, launched the Mustang RTR, got engaged, and now I am the 2010 Formula Drift Champion. This dream of winning the Championship has been chased since the first Formula Drift in 2004. Our sport has grown a lot since then and I have grown as a driver, learning more and more every year. This year the hard work and dedication paid off huge."

"While I am the guy behind the wheel," Vaughn continues, "there a lot of people behind me on that work extremely hard to make sure I have the tools to do my job and without them, there is no way I could have done it. I sincerely want to thank everyone that has been a part of this journey; I couldn't have done it without you. I'm not sure how I am going to top this epic year, but believe me, I plan to try! 2011... here we come!"

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.

Oenes Motorsports Wins 2010 Fast 16 Championship in Dramatic Last Race

Oct 19, 2010

Oenes squeaked out the win in a run-off by nine- thousandths of a second.

"I don't know if the fact that we won the Fast 16 Championship has sunk in yet. Probably because we have two more races left and the ever coveted Wally has eluded our team so far. But the championship is the best thing that has happened to our team in a long time," commented Henderson, Colorado drag racer USAF Sergeant David Oenes.

Sergeant Oenes says the Fast 16 Championship has been 12 years in the making for his team, and it's particularly sweet coming after such a rough start to their season.

The last race of the Fast 16 season was contested at the mile-high, Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, and it was a thriller. At over 5800 feet above sea level the speedway is often referred to as Thunder Mountain, nestled up against the hogback leading up to the Rocky Mountains, where things can sometimes get very interesting in the rarified air.

"The car was running amazing," explained Oenes. "However I was having trouble with the tree and could not get a good reaction."

Oenes says all the waiting worked in his favor, as it got him irritated, taking his mind off the overwhelming significance of the moment.

Oenes wound up red lighting by six-thousandths of a second, leaving him in a dead tie for the number one spot in the overall points standing. Being that this was the last race there would now have to be a race-off for one single point to determine the championship.

"The race-off was a strange deal. We had to wait until the race was over because there were still people in competition that could have passed us. So once we found out we started heading down to the staging lanes. Then the officials came over the PA and said, hold on a second we have to run through the numbers again, and then they said ok come on down. Then once we were all suited up, seat belted in the car at the stop sign waiting to start our cars - we had to wait again. There was some confusion about qualifying points or something."

"Anyway, after ten or fifteen minutes they finally said...start em' up! I think having to wait so long actually helped me. Instead of working myself up about how much this one race meant, I was a little irritated. So perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. We won the race by nine-thousandths of a second (.009)."

The 2010 season started out pretty rough by Oenes Motorsports usual standards, what with planetary gears exploding in new starters, seat belts coming undone during a run, and batteries mysteriously going dead.

"We never could have imagined, or dreamed, that we would end up in such a coveted position," remarked the Colorado Air National Guard Sergeant. "But with a huge amount of help from our sponsors like K&N, and our determination and perseverance, it all culminated in an amazing finish."

This is Oenes third overall career championship thus far, but by all measure he says it's the sweetest. His other two championships came in the High School class back in '90 and '91. This championship has been 12 years in the making for Oenes and his team, which is when he first started racing the Fast 16.

"We have finished second a couple times and third once, but we've never been the champs. The main reason this championship means so much more is because we are the first team to win the Fast 16 Championship with a supercharged engine. Every other champ has used Nitrous Oxide (NOS)."

"As far as next year goes," continues Oenes, "We have a new supercharger on order, so we will have the potential to turn the wick up if we wanted to. Also, we are making some chassis upgrades to make the car as safe as it can be. Other than that, our main focus will be defending the title, and with any luck at all getting a Wally. Hopefully we will be able to attend a National race in the Top Dragster class.

"Again, I have to add, this championship would not have been possible without K&N and all our other sponsors and our friend from Canada, Clif Bakx - so a huge thank you goes out to all."

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.

2010 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show Just Around the Corner

Oct 19, 2010

2009 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show featured K&N's Infiniti G35

Once again the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show, one of the largest automotive specialty products events in the world, is back in Las Vegas, November 2nd through November 5th 2010. This event will bring hundreds of manufacturers, car builders and some of the newest products displayed on some of the most amazing and hottest vehicles in the world.

2009 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Booth

K&N will be attending at Booth 22443 promoting new intakes and products for the newest applications, and looking to show some of the most unique custom vehicles of the year. In the booth, K&N will be promoting all of its product lines, from its high flow replacement air filters to its multiple styles of performance air intake systems and oil filters.

"K&N is excited about SEMA 2010," states K&N Vice President of Sales, Tim Martin. "We will have many new products on display. K&N has continued to expand its market-leading product lines in high flow washable air filters, performance air intake systems, and wrench-off oil filters and SEMA is a great place to showcase the vehicle customization lifestyle and the enthusiast car culture."

Bob Griffith's completely custom racing Dodge Viper

Martin also stated that K&N thinks it is important to be involved in this lifestyle, and SEMA illustrates our long-term involvement; including the many people at K&N that are involved in SEMA councils and committees in support of this industry.

"Most of the exhibits at SEMA are designed to personalize your car, which is very different from the traditional auto parts business. SEMA provides a great opportunity to meet with K&N supporters from around the world and we offer advice and product information, as well as information about product displays, catalogs, website tools, and other information needed." Martin, as well as many other members of the K&N team will be in attendance.

Along with the many new products and systems on display at the K&N booth this year, several cars and motorcycles will be displayed. K&N is looking to include Bob Griffith's completely custom racing Dodge Viper. Built with the aid and talents of fabricator Andrew McClelland, and renowned Viper engine builder Kevin Singleton of Exotic Engine Development, Griffith's visions of this speed performance vehicle have come to fruition. Along with Shane Tecklenburg and Greg Pyles engineering the electrical, this performance specialty Viper required almost 4 years of work to complete but on its initial outing at Nevada's Silver State Mile Shootout speeds in excess of 210 MPH gave this masterpiece vehicle the win. Sporting a custom body paint design, this Viper is designed to turn heads to the real capabilities of such a high performance machine.

SEMA will provide K&N the opportunity to also show off its newly styled truck and trailer complete with displays and vehicles at the SEMA DUB location throughout the event. Along with the star power of the manufacturers and attendees at the show, SEMA will certainly provide an event that will celebrate the very best in the auto industry and the performance-boosting products K&N has to offer.

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.

Air Filter Cleaner For Heavy Duty Diesel Applications

Oct 18, 2010

K&N Heavy Duty Air Filter Cleaner

K&N's heavy duty line of washable commercial grade air filters are designed specifically for large turbo diesel engines, class 6-8 over-the-road trucks, agricultural and earth moving equipment, and diesel motor homes. To simplify the cleaning process these air filters do not require the use of oil like standard K&N Air Filters with cotton media.

K&N has developed a specially formulated cleaner to be used on its Heavy Duty Commercial Grade air filters. Part number 99-0638 is a one-gallon bottle of this new cleaner. Part 99-0638 includes a 38-inch hose with spray nozzle to help simplify application of the cleaning solution.

K&N's 99-0638 has instructions on the back, which illustrate the simple four step Heavy Duty Air Filter cleaning instructions. As with most household and automotive cleaning products, care should be taken when using K&N's Heavy Duty Air Filter Cleaner. K&N recommends wearing gloves and proper eyewear when servicing your air filter.

K&N's specially formulated cleaner, 99-0638, is recommended when cleaning K&N commercial grade air filters and will help maintain peak performance from your air filter. It will also ensure that your K&N Commercial Grade Air Filter remains covered by K&N's 3 year or 300,000-mile warranty.

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.

Gary Scelzi's Sons Dominic and Giovanni Continue to Win Championships and Amaze

Oct 14, 2010

Eight-year-old Giovanni got his first ever double this year, successfully defending his 2009 Lemoore Jr. Sprint title, and winning his first championship in Visalia, California.

In a survey conducted by The Racing Report, Gary Scelzi ranked fourth as "The Most Dominant Driver in Motorsports," behind Michael Schumacher (F1), Sam Hornish Jr. (IRL) and John Force (NHRA). In fact, since starting his professional drag racing career in 1997, no other driver has been as dominant as Scelzi in the Top Fuel class of NHRA drag racing.

Racing out of their weight and age class, Dominic and Giovanni Scelzi dumbfound fans with their inherent talents wherever they race.

We recently caught up with Scelzi for another chat about racing, although not about his career, rather a couple of young up-and-comers extremely near and dear to his heart. Scelzi says he's even more flabbergasted by his and wife, Julieanne's, offspring's than outsiders. He confesses that most times he just gets out of the way and let's them roll. K&N sponsored Dominic and Giovanni are racing prodigies by any yardstick you use to measure them. Taking Scelzi's lead we got out of the way and let him roll.

You've seen Gio do a lot of things on the track, heck we've even written about a few, do you ever get surprised by his pure instincts and determination?

"Both my boys surprise me every weekend, how mature they are, their attention to detail and how they watch the competition. As far as Giovanni, a lot of his ability has to do with watching Dominic, the two always talk back and forth on strategy, and how race tracks change, but for Gio to do what he is doing at eight years old, is natural ability and god given talent. I have watched a lot of young drivers and they just don't seem to have the focus that Gio does. He is like that in school, baseball and anything else he sets out to do. It's not easy for me to say being his father, because all parents brag about their kids, but Gio backs up what I think, and it's not bragging if you can back it up."

A perfect example would be what he did in his last 600 class race. What do other people around the track think about his herculean feats?

"It's funny because some parents refuse to believe that he is as good as he is, but when he jumped in the 600 and won his first time out, beating kids older than him, not only by speed but by out thinking them. Now they are finally giving him the credit he deserves."

"His car may be as fast as the others, but in lap traffic he just outsmarts them. Last weekend we put him in the three-quarter restricted class, which is faster than the five-eighth restricted, and he qualified on the pole and ran fifth on Friday night. Then he started sixth on Saturday night and finished third. Pretty unbelievable, and again it was his first time with the three-quarter restrictors."

How's he feel about winning his first championship too?

"Actually he defended his championship from Lemoore, and won his first championship in Visalia. He finished second there last year. This was the first time he doubled. Gio is a great kid, he enjoys his wins, but is very humble and not as excitable as Dominic or myself when we win."

Talk about Dominic, he's continuing with his winning ways as well.

"Dominic is a great kid. Most of the people he runs against are in their late teens to the middle 20's and early 30's, yet all the competitors race him as an equal. Dom is 13, and as we talked about earlier, no one wants a little kid out running with the adults, so he knew from the start he would have to earn their respect, and he has done a great job doing just that."

"Last year Dominic won a total of 16 races, this year he has won three with several top-fives, which is way more than what we expected. The difficult thing is Dominic is mature beyond his age and he wants to win every race, not in a bad way, but he only thinks racing, and sometimes we have to remind him that there is school work and chores too."

In a recent press release you said "I made a corporate decision to make our car ‘normal'" what did you mean?

"We made some special parts to make Dominic's car faster, and we tried to make them work for about seven races, but they made the car very difficult to drive. Sometimes while trying to go faster your program goes backwards, I learned that in drag racing. We were missing pieces to the puzzle, so I felt we had wasted enough time on those parts, and in return we had instant results. The very next weekend Dominic won a race and he ran second the next night."

What's up next?

"We are going to run one more race, the first of November, and then Thanksgiving weekend Dominic will be running a non-wing race at Plaza Park. We are putting Austin Prock in Gio's car for that race. Austin is the son of Jimmy Prock, Robert Height's crew chief on John Force's funny car. The boys grew up together, and Austin is going to spend a couple of weeks in California, so Gio offered him his car. After that it's paint and prepare the cars for the 2011 season - and man am I ready for that."

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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