Turkey Night Grand Prix Tradition in Irwindale, California Highlights K&N Racers
- Dec 3, 2008
Bobby Santos won the main event on Turkey Night
Bobby Santos made history at Irwindale Speedway on Turkey Night in 2007 driving the first Sprint car with Toyota horsepower and K&N filters
K&N Development driver Caitlin Shaw drove the No.89 K&N Esslinger powered car on Turkey Night
Nic Faas of Western Speed Racing drove a Western Speed Racing K&N Filters Toyota on Turkey Night
The Chili Bowl will be Nic Faas' next racing event for Western Speed Racing and K&N Filters
Billy Wease of Western Speed Racing drove a K&N Filters Toyota on Turkey Night
Santos and Faas competed with the best of America’s Midget racers for the final event in the 2008 USAC National and Western championships. Faas is from Huntington Beach, California. He is a fourth generation racer. "It was great to clinch the championship on Turkey Night," said Faas. "As a rookie I was happy to come through for K&N and all my sponsors."
Santos is from Franklin, Massachusetts and is the grandson of Bobby Santos, a former modified racer. "I've wanted to win at Irwindale Speedway on Turkey Night for five years now," said Santos. "It was a great way to end the racing season. Our Toyota had a ton of power thanks to our K&N air filter and this was a great way to end the season." Both Faas and Santos had Toyota powered sprinters with K&N filters.
“We are proud of Bobby and Nic, they both have a lot of talent,” said Kevin Gerhardt of Western Speed Racing. “We plan to take Nic to the Chili Bowl next year and we also plan to use K&N products. K&N gives us an edge on the track.”
Other K&N sponsored racers that competed in the Mopar National Midget Championship Series on Turkey Night were: C.J. Sarna of Palm Desert, California, Ryan Kaplan of Chico, California, Chad Boat of Phoenix, Arizona, Michael Faccinto of Hanford, California, Paul Zimmerly of Ridgefield, Washington and Billy Wease of Noblesville, Indiana.
K&N development driver Caitlin Shaw made her debut in the Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix in a 35 car field at the half-mile paved oval. There were the usual USAC front-runners in competition as well as several drivers from the ranks of NASCAR. “It was a tough field, but great to compete at this level,” said Shaw who drove the No. 89 K&N Esslinger powered car. “I appreciate the extra effort each one of my sponsors put in to support me this year.”
The K&N sponsored racers for the USAC Western Sprint Car Series Roster on Turkey Night included Shane Hmiel of Pleasant Garden, North Carolina, Porter Smith of Aztec, New Mexico and Laura Hayes of Wilton, California.
K&N sponsored drivers that competed in the USAC National Ford Focus Championship on Turkey Night were Jessica Brunelli of Hayward, California, Charles Maier of Hayward, California, Mike Maier of Hayward, California, Brendan Langlois of Kamloops, BC, Canada and Cody Swanson of Norco, California.
“It’s great to be a part of a long standing tradition for so many K&N sponsored teams who are part of the K&N family,” said Tony Yorkman, K&N Sports Marketing Manager. “It’s a testament to K&N to know that most of the teams that race on Turkey Night choose to settle for nothing less than K&N.”
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.
