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Ryan Partin takes over the points lead at the same spot he took it last year on his way to the championship.
Ryan Partin, the Orlando, Florida sprint car racer has been rolling hot all season, running up front in every race so far. Being up front so often appears to have reassured him of one thing - he's a winner. Last weekend at North Florida Raceway Partin ran away with the Top Gun Sprint Series Feature. He also had a heat win, giving him a clean sweep for the evening.
Although Partin has a full race schedule planned for this year his primary focus is on repeating as Top Gun Sprint Series Champion.
"We have had a strong car all year, but with the equipment changes we made in the off season, it has taken some time getting everything to gel just right," remarked Partin.
"Our engine program has been one of the weakest links for the team, forcing us to rely heavily on our chassis program to keep us up front. The team has been working so hard this year to squeeze out every last bit of horsepower, knowing that's what it's going to take to capture another championship this season. Going into this last race we knew that we would have a couple more ponies, but the guys found a whole stampede for me. This made the car such a hotrod to drive and I practically just cruise it to the win."
After once again running fast during practice, and then winning the heat race over the points leader, Partin and his team were only hoping that officials wouldn't call the race on account of rain.
"I was hoping that they wouldn't call the race, knowing that we had one heck of a car and this could be the night that we would take the points lead. The whole pit area was standing in turn two, staring at the track wondering what it was going happen, when they made the announcement to resume racing. When my dad came back with a chunk of the track's clay, smiling, we knew that we had the setup for this one. Then I was informed that I had the pole, and I got that feeling that this was my night - just don't screw it up."
This is Partin's first season with K&N and the experience has been nothing but positive. He says his dad though has been using K&N oil filters on his sprint cars for quite some time now.
"Failure is not an option for us," says Partin. "We run for championships on a tight budget, so we ask a lot out of the products we use. With dirt sprint car racing, the environment isn't ideal. Rocks, dirt, high rpm's, and some nights anything else you can think of is on the track. Here in Florida our dirt tracks contain a lot of sand in the clay, which has always been a big issue with air filtration. We have tried a couple different types of air cleaners and air boxes, but kept having the same problems - more filtration, less flow, which killed our horsepower. More flow, less filtration lead to having grit and sand in the injection stacks, which meant more rebuilds."
"At the end of last year, I went to the PRI show in Orlando and met Bob Harris. I spoke with him about the issues we were having and he turned us on to the Carbon Fiber Injection Stack Air Box. This was something we should have done a long time ago. The air box was lighter, less maintenance, and it provides all the air the engine can eat.
Partin will also be running with some other sprint car series in and around his region. And, there's also a trip planned to race for the first time in Australia during the winter. But his biggest goal is to win the Top Gun Sprint Series Championship again this year.
"With this win we took the points lead, which is the same way we took it last year, and we never lost it. We have been in the top five all season, so this really proves that if we keep digging, we can find the speed we need to win."
If you managed to survive the bottom portion of the hill and reach the summit there was a road jump and several ledges that offered up a variety of challenges.
There are as many reasons for succumbing to the urge to crest a hill as there are hills. Whether it's simply because it's there, or to satisfy the need to know what's lurking on the other side, one of the clearest motives no doubt has to be for a stash of cash.
The new course added even more crazed excitement for spectators.
The most-prestigious hillclimb series in the United States, the North American Hillclimber's Association (NAHA), returned to southern California, at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, for an epic showdown on an all-new course. The NAHA moved the course about a half mile from the original location to a new section of virgin terrain.
At the base of the 500-foot horsepower-sucking hill, the promoters dug out a pit for the starting line, and added a unique 50-foot tabletop jump, which added even more thrills for spectators. If you managed to reach the top there was also a road jump and several ledges that offered up a variety of options when it came to technique.
Peterson says that having K&N supporting the Glen Helen event is awesome and adds to its overall prestige.
Few competition motorcycles look any more menacing, and handle more abruptly, than a pro hillclimbing bike. With a wheelbase on average over eight feet, three feet longer than a typical street bike, and stump-pulling horsepower - technique is everything.
This year there were three different winners, in three different classes taking home their share of the $15,000 purse, and in process, they inked themselves into the history books, as this was one of the best events in the last decade.
"The Hillclimb at Glen Helen was the second round of the Malcolm Smith/Racer X-NAHA Pro-Hillclimb Series. This was the fourth year that we have held the event there, and it is the only one in Southern California. Since the first year in 2007, I have been the guy building and designing the course for the riders. It's a lot of fun for me creating a competitive and safe hill for the guys to compete on, and most of all, putting on a good show for the fans," offered up the event organizer and racer Robie Peterson.
"Having K&N supporting the event is awesome," added Peterson. "We have built a great relationship with them over the years and are honored to have such a big player in the industry support it."
When a race works this well there's no need to fix it. Regarding the affair, Peterson commented, "Next year's event will most likely be a little earlier in the year due to heat issues in June, but other than that, it will be the gnarly roost throwing event that it always is."
NDRA superstar Matt Long is enjoying the results of five years of hard work. "Everything is finally beginning to click and results show it. We have a total of 6 wins for the year so far. I only won two races last year and none the year before that," says Long. He did have several second place finishes, as well as many top 5 finishes. "The big challenge right now for our team is that we are trying to compete in two different series, the NDRA and Fastrak.
Matt Long Racing is competing in the NDRA and Fastrak Series
Long's race team is looking forward to lots of travel during the month of July in their quest for the NDRA Regional Championship. "This weekend we have two big NDRA shows, Carolina Speedway, which is my home track and Friendship Speedway in North Carolina," says Long. Next, the team travels to West Virginia Motor Speedway for a big $10K race in the Fastrak series. "I'm pretty excited about the West Virginia trip," says Long. "I have tons of family and friends coming to the event because the speedway is only about an hour from my hometown of Cambridge, OH." The team will then compete in a NDRA Touring race on July 17th, followed by a Fastrak race at the Wythe, VA Speedway on the 24th. The end of the month brings the team's most anticipated event of the year, a $5k to win at Eldora Speedway. "Eldora owes me one," says Long. "Two years ago, I was leading and taken out on the start. I destroyed my car so we didn't make it up there in 2009."
For important races like Eldora, Long says he depends on superior products like K&N filters to take care of his motors. "I run K&N because the quality is second to none, and they are very easy to use. That is very important in dirt racing! I just took my crate motor out of the car to have it freshened up after over 1700 laps. Because of the great products I use from K&N, the motor will not need main bearings, rod bearings, or even rings, which is really quite amazing for a dirt motor," says Long. "We recommend the K&N filters to everyone."
When asked what he enjoys most about racing, Long says he loves spending time with the fans and having fun. "This is a serious hobby for me and my team is very competitive, but having fun is also important. I try to be involved with my fans and I like to sign autographs till the last person leaves," says Long. "We love dirt racing and really enjoy watching the sport grow!"
Ryan Truex won his first race of the season in the New England 125
The reigning East Series champion won his first race of the season in the New England 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday. He extended his lead in the East Series standings. He joined his dad, Martin Truex Sr., and his older brother, Martin Truex Jr., as East Series winners at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Driver Ryan Truex
But maybe most importantly, Ryan Truex made up for a last-lap loss at New Hampshire last year.
Ryan Truex led a race-high 66 laps, taking over on lap 60 and never surrendering it in Saturday's race. He survived four caution periods while in the lead. There was a four-car crash on lap 90 that took out Mackena Bell, Jason Patison and Matt Frahm.
Ryan Truex said maintaining his lead on restarts was key to winning the race.
The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race is at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut on July 3
"I've struggled a lot over the past year and half on restarts," said Ryan Truex, driver of the No. 00 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing. "I was joking over the radio, I told them I finally figured out how to get a restart done and it only took a year and a half. It's just a matter of getting the right jump on everyone and keeping it out front. Once we got out in that clean air, we just set sail and they had nothing for us."
Ryan Truex posted his fourth top-five finish in five East Series races in 2010. It was also his first career East Series win at New Hampshire and the fourth of his East Series career.
"I'm just happy to get a win here, this feels like the Daytona 500 for me," Truex said. "I think this is the biggest race of the year. You're in front of the (NASCAR Sprint) Cup Series guys, and you can show off your talents and abilities to them."
His brother, Martin Truex Jr., is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and his dad, Martin Truex Sr., raced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the old Busch North Series.
"It's just awesome, so special to win at such a historic race track," Ryan Truex said. "The East Series has been here so long and had so many great winners. I'm just happy to add myself to the list."
Ryan Truex lost to Matt DiBenedetto last year at New Hampshire when he was passed on the final lap of a green-white-checkered flag finish. Ryan Truex had the lead for the green and white checker flag, but DiBenedetto got around him on the final lap. Ryan Truex finished second.
"I felt like we kind of got one stolen away from us last year," Ryan Truex said. "Pretty frustrated about that. To come back this year and dominate like we did, once we got out front, we never gave it up."
Rookie Kevin Swindell finished second, posting a career-best finish in the East Series and his first top-five of the season.
"We didn't qualify as well as we thought we would after as good as a mock lap as we had. The rain messed us up a little bit," said Swindell, driver of the No. 9 Curb Records/Nos Energy Drink Chevrolet. "Mangaged to get a couple spots in the pits. It was just a matter of trying to race with that 00. I was just too tight behind cars to really make a run at him."
Rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. was third. He was making his East Series debut at New Hampshire. His car blew an engine in practice and he had to start the race at the rear because his team had to replace the engine.
"It's been a rough two days for us," Wallace said after the race on Saturday. "First time at the track. I didn't really how to get around here. Still kinda clueless going into the race. We just had to wing it for the first 50 laps or so until I finally started getting a line down. Once it came in, we were fast."
Pole winner Brett Moffitt led the first two laps of the race and another 37 more from laps 32 to 59. He fell back late in the race and finished fifth.
Ryan Truex extended his lead in the East Series standings to 33 points over Wallace, driver of the No. 6 Chevrolet for Revolution Racing.
The next East Series race is a road course race at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut on July 3.
McCarl says this first 410 victory was also for Cory Miller, Steve Fitzpatrick, Jeff Morris, TJ, his dad and his brother Carson.
In racing, as with love, the first cut is the deepest. "My first win was awesome! I want to do it again," exclaimed Austin McCarl, the seventeen year old up and comer from Altoona, Iowa. McCarl notched his first ever 410 Sprint Car victory at Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa last Saturday night. This was McCarl's second trip to "Rocky" this season; he finished fourth there back in May.
The entire T-MAC Motorsports Inc., team worked exceptionally hard for this win.
"This was great for my confidence and my team," added McCarl. "I love the guys who help me, Cory Miller, Steve Fitzpatrick, Jeff Morris, TJ and my Dad and brother. They all work really hard and this was for them too."
A late race incident gave McCarl a fortuitous spot in the feature redraw. "We were running fifth there on the white flag lap," he explains. "Robby (Wolfgang) trashed a motor and gave us a gift fourth that put us in the redraw."
The draw put McCarl on the inside of row two for the main event. "I just went into it trying to put the heat behind me," he said. "I went out there and just did my job! I ran third for about three laps and (second place John) Cressman drove off the track."
That left him to track down the race leader (Donovan Peterson). "I drove into one and two and hung with Donovan, and I was able to slide by him in three and four," explained Austin.
"It was really slick. At the middle stages, I was running the top of one and two and the bottom of three and four." After passing the leader, it was clear sailing for McCarl, and the celebration was on.
McCarl started racing go-karts when he was 11 years old. He would only race a little in winter because his dad was always racing, so there wasn't much time left during the summer. When McCarl turned 15 he got into a 360 Sprint Car for a few races, and then moved into 410 racing at Knoxville when he turned 16. This marks only his second year at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa.
"My relationship with K&N is going very well and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them. We use their carbon fiber air box, air filter oil, filter cleaner and engine oil filter. All the K&N products are great, I have been around racing all my life, and I have learned from my dad that you should always use the best products, cutting corners is not the way to go with racecars and K&N flat-out has the best products."
Like so many young racers competing today McCarl would like to end up in NASCAR someday, but first he is looking to get a Knoxville Championship. "My dad has six, so I would love to get at least one. But if I can't get all the way to NASCAR, I would love to have a good career in Sprint Cars."
