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Dalton Millican Gets First Overall Win at Dirt Days at Loretta Lynn's Ranch

Aug 26, 2010

This is the only view other racers had of Millican for two days.

Take two parts of madly driven work ethic, mix in one heaping helping of genetic bias, and you get Dalton Millican, the smoking fast ATV up-and-comer from Munford, Tennessee.

Millican stole the holeshot in both motos, leaving those behind him dazed and confused.

Eighteen-year-old Millican was born into a racing family, his father is six-time Top Fuel World Champion and Television Host Clay Millican. Millican has been racing in the ATV National Motocross Series for the past couple of years, steadily progressing up through the ranks. Last year Millican moved up to the fiercely competitive 450A and the Production-A classes.

True to form and early predictions regarding the young talent, Millican managed to pull-out his first overall win at the biggest race of the year, Dirt Days at Loretta Lynn's Ranch. This is the oldest race on the ATV national circuit, it draws the very best racers in the biz, and more of them in fact than any other event on the AMA ATV Motocross Series calendar. And yes, the property is owned by the world famous Coal Miner's Daughter, Loretta Lynn.

Unassuming Millican stated that it seemed unfair for him to be taking all the podium credit for his first overall victory when so many other people have contributed.

The soil on the Hurricane Mills, Tennessee track is sandy with a sawdust additive, which explains the odd smell. You absolutely have to be in shape for this one - the indigenous heat and humidity will sap your strength if you're not finely tuned and fully prepared.

Peak physical conditioning and constant training is the key to winning says Millican.

"It feels great to get this win, I really still can't believe I did it," remarked Millican. "This means a lot, especially to do it in my home state, only a few hours from my house. I have been trying all year to get a win, and do it at our biggest race of the year is an incredible feeling. It takes so many people to make this all possible, it is unfair that I am the only one standing on the podium after such a big win."

"I think training at Joes Byrd's Quad Riding School made it my race. Joe's track is similar and I am sure that being used to the Tennessee heat helped as well," added Millican.

Millican has been training with Joe Byrd, the two-time AMA Champion, since the beginning of the 2009 race season. "The training I receive at the Joe Byrd's school is second to none," commented Millican.

On Saturday Millican kicked off the weekend in grand style in the 450A class, pulling the holeshot and leading the entire race, giving him his first moto win in the 450A class.

A muggy rain storm that night left the track a mess for the start of moto two on Sunday though. With help from his engine builder Jeff Maxey, and Micah MacDonough from Custom Axis Racing Shocks, Millican was able to get his bike properly prepared for the sloppy conditions. When the gate dropped for the second moto on Sunday, Millican exploded into the first corner ahead of the field, he was never once challenged on his way to the checked, and his first ever overall victory in the 450A class.

Humble to the bone, Millican thanked his sponsors for their help with his first win and for their continued support.

"I use K&N (RU-4740) air filters, (KN-116) oil filters, K&N filter oil and K&N filter cleaner. These products are working out great and I wouldn't change a thing. I get top level performance and never worry about my engine being protected."

"I am planning on training much harder during the off season, so when I start the 2011 season, I will be in better shape physically than I have ever been," said the intensely determined Millican. "I believe doing this will lead me to a championship."

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2010 to 2016 Land Rover Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and LR4 Get Added Performance with K&N

Aug 25, 2010

Replacement Air Filter for 2010 to 2016 Land Rover Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and LR4

The 2010 to 2016 Land Rover Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and LR4 models with 5.0 liter engines are being reported as some of the best all around sport utility vehicles of the year and K&N is taking their performance to the next level with the new 33-2446 dual panel drop-in High Flow Air Filters. These twin air filters drop-in the dual factory air-boxes providing a tight polyurethane sealing lip to ensure an excellent air seal for outstanding filtration and engine protection.

Test Data for 2010 to 2016 Land Rover Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and LR4 Replacement Air Filter

Washable and reusable like all K&N air filters, part 33-2446 only needs cleaning around every 50,000 miles depending on road conditions. The filter oil, infused within the four layers of cotton filtration media grabs onto dirt and contaminants and loads them into the filter itself creating more filtration without sacrificing much airflow. This is unlike many disposable paper filters which let the dirt and debris settle on the filter and restrict airflow significantly overtime.

Our lab testing of a filter with this specific product design showed it capable of drawing 558.8 cubic feet of air per minute @1.5" of water while trapping over 98% of dust and contaminants overall. This is a real advantage for Land Rover models as they can see some of the dustiest areas on the planet. On the other side, even if the world's most demanding terrains are not on the list of destinations for your vehicle, K&N ensures these filters, with its 1,000,000 mile limited warranty, will last the life of your vehicle. Whether traversing the wilderness or cruising the city's highways, K&N's 33-2446 will provide outstanding filtration and performance no matter where you go.

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Dan Fletcher Wheels His K&N Clad Stock Camaro to the Winner's Circle at NHRA Brainerd National

Aug 24, 2010

Dan Fletcher wins NHRA National Event at Brainerd International Raceway

As one of the prolific sportsman drivers of all time, K&N's Dan Fletcher continues to have the on-track success that many can only dream of and he continued his winning ways at the most recent NHRA National Event held at Brainerd International Raceway.

Dan Fletcher and his K&N Clad Stock Chevy Camaro

Drivers such as Fletcher seem to have certain facilities where things just fall their way, more so than not, and the track just outside of Brainerd, Minnesota continues to be one of those venues for Fletcher.

"You know you can't put your finger on why, but yeah it is," Fletcher says when speaking of his history at the Brainerd track. "I think I've pretty much won there more than I haven't, when I go there. I really don't understand why, but things just work when I go there." Fletcher competed in both of his K&N Chevy Camaros during the event, one in Stock and the other, Super Stock. But it was the Stock class Camaro where he would spend most of his weekend after taking an early first round bow in the Super Stock category.

"I don't know what it is but I sure have been conserving runs in the Super Stock car lately," he joked.

The Churchville, New York resident bettered each of his first two round opponents on the tree in his '69 Camaro E/SA entry and easily outdrove them at the stripe and that set him up for his first of two eventual meetings with the Line family.

For round three, Fletcher was paired up with Lance Line, brother of NHRA Pro Stock racer Jason Line and a very pivotal moment on his way to the final. "Lance going red in round three gave me the bye in round four," said Fletcher of his memorable rounds. "And then the bye wrapped up racing for the day Saturday."

That would be the first of several redlight round wins for Fletcher throughout the event and when asked about if it had anything to do with the possible intimidation of running the likes of "Dan Fletcher", he just laughed.

"I seldom get many redlights against me. I get a lot of double-oh lights," he explained. "Make no mistake about it, it was a seven round race and I had three redlights [wins] and a bye run. [laughs] I mean I had a lot of good fortune and then you win."

"I don't want to be too contrite about it, but it's pretty much the way it is. The days you get lucky you're gonna win and the days you aren't lucky you are not going to win," he continued. "I mean the days of just being totally dominant and just rolling over people, they're gone. That just ain't gonna happen, you've got to be lucky, you've got to be good and you've got to be there."

When Fletcher made it to the final, it was not only a little different kind of scene on the starting line compared to most of his rounds, but it was also his second meeting of the event with a brother of Jason Line. This time he would be paired up with local racer Ben Line, who had made it to his very first NHRA final and was looking to do well in front of his family and hometown crowd.

"Clearly in the final, you roll up there and he's got a herd of eighty people around him and I'm up there by myself," he joked. "But you know I'm kinda used to that and frankly that may have put more pressure on him."

"But her certainly drove great," Fletcher continued. "He probably deserved to win the event. I mean I drove great in the final, but he had been driving great all weekend. I was driving I would say, [pauses] good. In the final I knew I was dialed to go under, I knew I hit the tree and I could tell he was going around me and I go ‘oh this is great, com'on, go on, go on, get on up there and take that stripe and we'll call it a day'. And I was able to back it off and take the win as he breakout."

Fletcher, who doesn't always get to hang around and enjoy his victories in the winner's circle due to travel time constraints, did finally get to enjoy this one, his 68th NHRA National Event win.

But now he's thinking this was one of the celebrations he should have skipped.

"I kinda felt like it had been a while, even though I guess it hadn't been that long since I got to hang out and celebrate," he explained. "So I stayed and did the winner's circle thing and sincerely wish that I hadn't because as I'm thirty seconds from pulling out of the place a monsoon wind blows up and blows the backdrop into the fender of my car."

"I'm standing at my passenger door and all of a sudden the kid that's holding on to that things says, ‘I can't hold it', and it just starts blowing towards the car," he continued. "I just took a flying drop kick like a pro wrestler at the thing and planted it with two feet. I hit the ground flat on my back and sat there leg pressing the thing off of my car. It was going to take out the whole side of my car. The door, the fender and it was probably going to topple over the roof."

"It dented the front of the fender and it chipped the paint," he said. "I don't know how I'm going to fix it. The car was painted in California."

Fletcher, who has had a great season in his Stock car, was hoping to test in his Super Stock Camaro after some changes prior to his next event at Cecil County, Maryland for the NHRA Division 1 event this past weekend.

But when parts didn't arrive in time, he only entered the event with his Stock car and made it through the first two rounds of competition before Mother Nature put a halt on the racing action.

Racing will resume for Fletcher and the rest of the remaining competitors this weekend with a much dryer forecast on tap.

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.

TJ Smith/S&M Racing Gets First Win of the Season at Santa Maria Speedway

Aug 24, 2010

TJ Smith earned his first USAC 360 win of the season at Santa Maria Speedway, then followed that up with another win in the next series race.

Santa Maria Speedway is a one-third mile clay surfaced oval, located 12 miles inland from the Pacific coast, three miles north of the city of Santa Maria, California and TJ Smith and his S&M Racing team recently earned their first win of the season there.

Smith competes in the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, driving the Steve La Gras' UHL Rubber number 14 Maxim car.

"We run the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, driving Steve La Gras' UHL Rubber number 14 Maxim car," remarked Smith the Fresno, California racer.

"We were qualified seventh quick in time and won the heat race. We seem to have been right on with the set up that night. It was awesome to lead all 30 laps and to score our first win of the season at Santa Maria Speedway's Bud Stanfield Memorial. We've worked hard for this win. The West Coast Series is a very fun and competitive group to run with."

The S&M Racing team consists of Rob Russell, TJ Morgan, Grandpa Dan and Matt Wolters.

"I started racing Quarter-Midgets when I was eight, and then moved to 600 Micros, and now 360's." explained the K&N sponsored driver.

"The season has had its ups and downs. We run a 600 Micro Sprint as well as the USAC 360 Sprint Car. We've had a lot more luck in our Sprint Car though, than in our 600, but we have had a main event win in both classes this season."

Smith, the former Plaza Park track champion, currently sits in second position in the USAC 360 points race. He now has two feature wins, three heat race wins, three fast times, six top-five's, and 12 top-ten finishes. Proving once again that consistency is always the game of the game. *

"We use K&N oil and air filters, along with the filter oil on both cars, as well as the K&N cleaners. The K&N products are working out great for us, we never have a problem with them. As soon as we order, our K&N rep is right on it, and it is shipped quickly to us."

"We hope to finish off our 360 Sprint Car season in the top three or better," says Smith. "We have plans to run more USAC 360 races next year, as well as 410 races. We hope to have our own 410 motor next year to run some USAC/CRA races."

* Smith followed up his win at Santa Maria Speedway the following race by qualifying his 600 Micro first on Friday, winning his heat and finishing second in the main. Then on Saturday in his 360 Sprint car he qualified sixth, and won both the heat and the main.

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Ray Cook Wins Tenth Late Model Dirt Series Race of the Year at Cleveland Speedway

Aug 24, 2010

Cook and his number 53 car currently sit in fourth place in the latest version of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) point standings.

"It certainly feels great to have back-to-back years with ten or more wins. It's the first time in my career I've been able to do that," said the Late Model Dirt Series racer Ray Cook.

This is Cook's second year in a row with ten or more wins.

The Brasstown, North Carolina native registered his tenth victory of the 2010 racing season recently at Cleveland Speedway in Cleveland, Tennessee. The Southern Regional Racing Series (SRRS) rolled into the historic southern Tennessee venue to sanction a $3,000 to win showdown. Cook qualified well in SRRS group time trials, which locked him into the fourth starting spot in the A-Main. During the course of the 40-lapper, Cook grabbed the top spot on the ninth lap and never looked back en route to the $3,000 victory.

"We had a good car and the track was racy for the most part. I was actually lucky to even finish the race, much less win it, as I broke an A-Frame with about five laps to go. It all worked out though and hopefully we can get things to go our way again this weekend, remarked Cook"

"We haven't found anything special to contribute to this, it's just been a great team effort."

"In 2009 I merged my team, and now with everyone else involved, well, it's just been great ever since. It's a lot of hard work, but it's worth it at the end. Our success is really only possible because of everyone's involvement with our team. All of our sponsors and product sponsors like K&N are such an important part of our program, and we couldn't do it without them."

"We are looking forward to the rest of the year, as this is the time last year when we won about three or four of our big races. We have the Hillbilly 100, along with the prestigious World 100, all coming up next month. Thanks so much for keeping up with our team and your support," adds Cook.

Cook "The Tarheel Tiger" and the number 53 team currently sit in fourth place in the latest version of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) point standings.

Cook and his team race next at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where he will compete for a share of the $10,000 purse.

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.