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K&N Racers Larry Cummings and Gary Stinnett Among Victors at Tough NHRA Division 4 Event

May 14, 2012

Cummings saved his best light of eliminations [.004], to run Peery way under his dial and take his first NHRA Division victory of the season.

In drag racing winner's circles all across the country the cars and the drivers are as about as diverse as you can get, but the one thing that seems to remain consistent across the board is the way the winners are choosing to protect their engines. Whether it's a Super Stock entry or a large cubic inch power plant that is found in so many of today's Super Comp dragsters, the winners choose K&N. Such was the case at the most recent NHRA Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas where both Larry Cummings, in his 2008 Super Stock Cavalier, and Gary Stinnett, in his Super Comp dragster, pushed their entries through numerous rounds to win their respective titles, doing so with the confidence that their engines were being filtrated by the "World's Best" air and oil filters from K&N Engineering.

After an uncharacteristic rough start to his NHRA championship chase at his season division opener in Houston, family patriarch of Cummings Motorsports, Larry Cummings drove the team's freshly painted 2008 SS/BM Chevy Cavalier to the Super Stock win during his second NHRA Divisional outing of the 2012 season.

First placing his Moser/K&N Cavalier on the Super Stock qualifying sheet at number eighteen, Cummings waded through six daunting rounds of competition, first sending home Ricky Marshall and his rare 1982 VW Beetle in round one to move on to taking down the 2012 Mustang of P.B. Candies in round two. The Hammond, Louisiana resident then met up with Norvell Bowers in round three, where he would not have the starting line advantage but was able to easily drive by Bower's and his 1983 Firebird when Bower's was unable to run close to his dial.

Next for Cummings would be one of the oh-so-important opportunities to earn the scheduled bye into the final, as he met up with his next matchup on the ladder, Keith Mawhee, in the quarterfinals. With a five thousandth of a second starting line advantage going to Mawhee, again Cummings had a better handle on the dial for his K&N Cavalier and drove around him for a very narrow finish line margin of just .009 to take the round win and grab the bye into the Super Stock final.

Also battling his way through the rounds on the other side of the Super Stock ladder was one of Cummings sons, Slate in his own 2008 K&N Cavalier and a chance for a father-son battle in the final. While Larry took his earned bye in the semi-finals, Britt took too much stripe by just the smallest fraction and his 9.029 on his 9.03 dial cost him the shot at racing his dad for the Wally.

Pete Peery had sent one Cummings packing, but for this event it wouldn't be two as Larry avenged his son's loss from the round before. Cummings saved his best light of eliminations [.004], to run Peery way under his dial and take his first NHRA Division victory of the season.

Reigning NHRA Super Comp National Champion Gary Stinnett used some of his awesome driving and tuning skills to whittle his way through six nail-biting rounds of Super Comp before finding himself with a shot of taking it all in the seventh and final 8.90 index class round. First taking down Carter, Pevey and A. Williams, Stinnett next faced Michael Van Winkle in round four and with yet another double-oh light at the start, he notched another round win, putting Van Winkle away and inched even closer to the championship round.

His next round competitor, Jeff Lopez was able to nearly match Stinnett at the starting line with his .016 to Stinnett's .015, but that's where it would end as the multi-time champ ran dead-on the index all while pushing Lopez to a 8.896 breakout. Next Stinnett would get the tune-up run he needed on his way to the final when Wayne Purser miscalculated when pushing the tree for any advantage he might get and clicked it .004 red, sending Stinnett down the Texas Motorplex quarter on a free pass into the final.

Both Stinnett and Westley Scott brought their "A-games" to the line for the Super Comp final, leaving within two-thousandths of each other and both within a blink of an eye of perfect reaction times. But it was K&N's Stinnett proving why he still remains the driver with the number one on his car as he masterfully cut Westley loose at the stripe for an 8.914 to 8.898 victory.

The NHRA Division 4 race at the Ennis, Texas facility was the first 2012 division event for Stinnett and with the win he looked to secure his place representing Division 5 in the 2012 JEGS All-Stars later this summer.

Super Stock, Super Comp and everything in-between, these winners and more choose the full line of K&N products to protect their high dollar race cars to get them from one round, one race and one championship to the next.

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.

2012 to 2016 Chevrolet Impala with 3.6L Engine Gets a Lifetime of Performance from K&N Air Filter

May 14, 2012

Replacement Air Filter for the 2012 to 2016 Chevrolet Impala 3.6L

Replacement Air Filter for the 2012 to 2016 Chevrolet Impala with 3.6L Engine

Two cars drive down the street, one is a new silent running hybrid and the other is a totally pimped-out, tailpipe rapping 1964 Chevrolet Impala, a real SS with a 4-speed 327 V8. Which ride is going to pull more double-takes from people on that street? It's a rhetorical question because that's really not a fair contest. Since the very first Impala rolled off the Chevy assembly line in 1958 few other cars have ever captured the American imagination like the Impala. Over the course of six decades the car named after the African antelope has become one of the most recognized and customized automobiles in history, they have been lowered and bedazzled for cruising, or pumped up and jacked for racing.

Which model is the most popular has then been a matter of much discussion for over 50 years, be it the 1959 with the flamboyant rear wings or the legendary 1967; you can't be a true car aficionado without having an opinion. The Impala has consistently delivered proven sedan excellence for millions of loyal owners. Never content to rest on their reputation however, Chevrolet continues to work hard to earn it. With the 2012 to 2016 Impala, Chevy delivers a new blend of full-size car comfort and midsize car efficiency, offering up to 30 mpg on the highway. The new 3.6L V6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission combine for well-appointed smoothness in all conditions, along with producing more power which make passing and merging effortless.

Restriction Chart for 33-2475 Air Filter

By simply upgrading the existing stock factory installed disposable air filter from a new 2012 Impala with K&N's 33-2475 high-performance resuable air filter, your passing and merging prowess becomes even more effortless. Additionally, this will be the last air filter you'll ever buy for your Impala, being that this replacement air filter is backed with K&N's Million Mile Limited Warranty.

Depending on driving conditions, you won't even need to think about cleaning your K&N 33-2475 air filter for up to 50,000 care-free miles. Then, when it is time to clean the filter, it's easily washable and reusable. This air filter is a direct replacement for the OEM panel air filter your Impala came with from the factory, making the installation procedure identical. So, by investing the same amount of time and effort it would take to swap out the stock air filter, you could be increasing performance while giving your 2012 to 2016 Chevrolet Impala 3.6 liter engine ourstanding protection with a reusable air filter designed to last a million miles or more.

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.

Catching Up with K&N-Sponsored, LOORRS Racer and Young Gun Cody Rahders

May 14, 2012

When I was 10, I clipped a double while practicing, and landed square on my head and suffered a Grade 3 concussion.

They say racing is in the blood. With young gun Cody Rahders, it's pretty easy to believe. "I started racing both motocross and BMX when I was 5 years old," Cody explains. "Dad was racing MX so I wanted to do what dad did." Yet, success in racing doesn't come without its cost. Shortly after competing in the 2003 KTM Challenge at the San Diego Supercross where he rode before 65,000 fans, Cody broke his femur keeping him grounded for 6 months.

Undaunted, Cody returned to the motocross course, sweeping both motos during his first race back, beating out 12 other racers. Unfortunately, Cody suffered yet another severe injury. "When I was 10, I clipped a double while practicing, and landed square on my head and suffered a Grade 3 concussion," stated Cody. It was a year and a half before he rode an MX bike again. "I wanted to start racing MX again, my mom said 'Play ride all you want, but race something with a cage.' We decided to race UTVs. I was 13 when I raced a Super Stock Yamaha Rhino at the M4SX series and finished the season in 5th place. The second year we bought a used modified Rhino, fixed it up and won the M4SX Armature Championship. My 3rd season we converted the Rhino from a UTV to the SR1 platform (two-wheel-drive with a 1000cc street bike engine) and raced at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series; I finished out the season in 5th place."

My mom said, 'Play ride all you want, but race something with a cage.'

Cody's impressive record- including winning every race he entered during the 2009 M4SX Amateur Series, his first win in his SR1 at Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORRS) in 2010, and sweeping rounds 5 and 6 at Glen Helen in 2011- was capped this past seasons with three first places, three seconds, and two third finishes, landing him a fourth place for the season.

Earlier this year, LOORRS announced the end of the SR1/UTV class at the National level, so Cody picked up a Polaris RZR570 to compete in the Production 700 class at the World Off-Road Racing Series (WORCS). With the exception of the roll cage, the RZR was all stock, stock motor, stock suspension, stock wheels and tires, stock clutch, so placing 4th overall in a completely stock RZR against the highly modified regulars in the Production 700 class was a true feat! As the season progressed the RZR570 had been modified to level the playing field and he won the Round 4 of WORCS. Cody's also currently racing a SuperLite Truck at both the Lucas Oil Regional Series (LORORS) as well as the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORRS).

In fact, it was after Cody took the win during Round 5 at LOORRS last season that K&N Filters' Thomas Walden stopped by Cody's pit to chat. Cody remembers, "He saw we were already using K&N products and has been helping support our racing with the best filters ever since." The use of K&N's filters have proven invaluable during last season as their Yamaha R1 engine regularly turned 13,500 RPM, "At that speed the last thing I needed to worry about was my oil filter," Cody remarked, continuing, "This season in our WORCS car I've raced in both the muddiest race and dustiest races I've ever competed in, K&N filters keep my oil and air clean and dry."

Cody would like to extend thanks to Polaris Industries, Cognito Motorsports, UTVunderground, Superchips, Black Rhino Performance, Pro Armour, RacerX Race Radios and especially K&N Filters for all 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.

David Oenes Reflects on the 2011 NHRA Season and Looks Forward to 2012

May 14, 2012

David Oenes is looking forward to competing in more events during the 2012 season.

In the military 20 plus years, Master Sergeant David Oenes, is presently a special purpose vehicle mechanic in the Colorado National Guard. After turning bolts day-in and day-out, some folks might stray away from hobbies requiring mechanical issues during their free time. Oenes doesn't have that mindset though, as he spends a portion of his time away from work manning an alcohol burning/supercharged 526 cubic inch Chrysler hemi-powered dragster in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Racing in the Top Dragster class at national and divisional events as well as at Bandimere Speedway, his local track, the driver experienced his fair share of success during the previous season. In fact, Oenes set his career record quickest elapsed time last season, a 6.26, and exceeded his fastest speed in 2012 as well, running 220 miles per hour. Both feats were accomplished at the Arizona Nationals.

The NHRA driver and his team attended ten races last season, two of which were divisional races and one was a national event. "We struggled to begin the year," recalled Oenes, "but once we figured out where our weaknesses were and addressed them, we came from fourteenth in points at the midway point of the season and finished sixth."

David Oenes is no different from his competitors in the fact that he and his team have experienced their ups and downs. Referring to his worst race of 2011, he said, "The Super Chevy race at Bandimere was horrible. We struggled with smoking the tires throughout the event. Having to pedal the car when you're not used to having to do that is aggravating. We put new rear tires on the car, and it solved the problem. You live and learn. Turns out the side walls were weak, causing the tires to smoke."

The driver then shared one of the more enjoyable races that he experienced last season. "The Arizona Nationals last year has many fond memories. It was my first national event and we qualified well with a 6.26 at 220 miles per hour. Pretty impressive, because the weather was over one-hundred degrees every day."

A military man for twenty years plus, in spite of a busy schedule, David Oenes finds time to pursue his passion for drag racing.

Not only had Oenes spent many years in the military, but he is also an old hand at the sport of drag racing. In fact, he has been driving the family race car since 1989. When asked what keeps him enthused about the sport, the driver explained, "The thing I enjoy most about racing is the competition, and the amazing friendships that can be cultivated. One of the coolest people on the planet, whom I met through racing, is my friend from Manitoba, Canada, Clif Bakx and the Wild Cow Racing Team."

Although his responsibilities in his military career can have an effect on the number of races that Oenes can attend, he and his team are anticipating a busier schedule in 2012. "Sometimes being in the military affects what races we can attend. My boss at work supports our racing effort, gives me time off when he can. I am also thankful that our sponsors understand my military commitment and are still gracious to support our team."

Along with crediting his boss and sponsors, David Oenes was quick to give his team a thumbs-up. "The Oenes Motorsports team is compromised of the Oenes family," he explained. "I would not want to, nor could I race without their support. It is a total team effort. We have fun competing and winning as a team," he continued. "I am blessed to have the support that I do."

When asked if he considered maintenance an important factor of racing Oenes said, "Back in high school drag days, checking the oil and putting gas in the car was the maintenance. At the level of competition we are at today, championships are won and lost by how well the vehicle and engine are maintained. It is probably the most important aspect of winning," he continued. "But not only does the car have to be maintained, the driver should be doing his part so he can maintain his focus."

While David Oenes maintains his focus, K&N products are successful at maintaining and protecting the internal parts of his engine. In fact, the driver and his team have been using the K&N HP-5001 oil filter for as long as he can remember. "From the million mile air filter to the oil filters that can be removed with a wrench, money can't buy a better performing product," explained the driver. "I whole-heartedly endorse K&N products. They've even started making filters for large engines, which is perfect. We can even maintain the motor home with K&N filters. Maintenance wins championships. When we won the 2010 Purifoy Chevrolet Fast 16, K&N played a major role by keeping the oil free of debris."

When asked what fans could expect from David Oenes Racing in 2012, the driver said, "Race fans can expect me to give 110 percent. I will also maintain a positive 'can do' attitude! This year I hope to win a WALLY! Although we have won many trophies, the one that has eluded our team so far is the coveted WALLY! It's what every drag racer lives for!"

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.

KNFilters.com Wins 2012 AAIA National Catalog Managers Association Gold

May 11, 2012

To be an effective online catalog entails far more than pictures and text slapped on a page - creating a website that provides product features, specifications, applications and brand awareness takes strategic thinking and great design that never stops evolving. This year no one did it any better than K&N, as they once more sit atop the podium representing the gold standard for the Most Outstanding Web Catalog. This is the fourth time K&N has been honored with this prestigious award.

"The National Catalog Manager Association (NCMA) President's Catalog Excellence Awards recognize the best examples of electronic cataloging in the automotive aftermarket," explained U.S. Auto Parts Network's Brian Rowland.

"Winners were chosen from among 25 entries and recognized at the Knowledge Exchange conference recently held in Las Vegas. The submissions were evaluated on criteria such as design, navigation, use of technology, innovation, interactivity, and quality of content. This year, the NCMA is happy to recognize K&N as the best among the 25 electronic catalogs that were submitted. K&N scored particularly well in technology and quality of content. Our congratulations go out to the K&N cataloging team for a job well done!"

The NCMA is the only professional organization dedicated exclusively to the interests of automotive aftermarket catalog managers and they are made up of catalog, product management and marketing professionals from manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Founded in 1974, and over 200 members strong, the NCMA officially became a professional society within the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association back in 2007. This is an award then, presented by a panel of peers, making it a considerably esteemed honor. K&N's Internet Business Manager, Mike Garner, has been at the helm of the successful award winning website for all four gold medals.

"To me it means our team has done a great job making sure our product specifications, applications, images, installation instructions and other data are up to date and accurate. We want to be a known as a product data leader in the automotive industry, so the NCMA award for Most Outstanding Web Catalog tells us we're definitely on the right path," said Garner. "We have more product data, installation videos, and news stories available than in past years. This information helps educate consumers so they are confident in their selection. One ongoing challenge is to provide data in industry standards that change from time to time. With so many different manufacturers and products it is vital to have data standardization, but it takes a commitment to stay current."

"It is very important to have a team that works well together, pays attention to the details and takes action when they see a problem. We listen to feedback from our dealers and consumers to help anticipate what data might help users be confident they are getting the right part, understand the benefits of the product, and the ease of installation. Our website and our customer service department do a great job of gathering this feedback so we can take action as needed."

The silver medal went to DENSO and the bronze went to Standard Motor Products. The companies that compete for this award are highly successful and very well respected, further adding to the impact of this great achievement.

Tim Martin, K&N Vice President of Communications remarked, "Congratulations and thanks to all of our staff who contributed to software development, website design, product information, installation instructions, product test data, photography, news and video production, and other information that was part of the overall award assessment criteria. Great teamwork!"

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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