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K&N Pro Series Driver Nicole Behar Focuses on Finish Line in Last Three Races of the Season

Sep 28, 2017

Nicole Behar, NASCAR, K&N Pro Series West, Colorado National Speedway

Nicole Behar is in ninth place in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings after 11 races.

With three races remaining on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West schedule, Nicole Behar has a simple goal: Win a race.

The next race on the K&N Pro Series West schedule is Meridian Speedway in Idaho. She finished third at Meridian last year and she said she thinks it is a track she can win at.

“We had a good run at Meridian last year,” Behar said. “Hopefully we can do that again this year and come home with a win. Every driver wants to win. I really want to. We’re just trying to go in and win one of these last three.”

Behar has put together a successful season so far. She is ninth in the K&N Pro Series West standings after 11 races. She has two top-five finishes. For a small, family-run team, there have been some high points. She started the season with five top-10 finishes in a row and her team was building confidence.

“We’ve had some really good races,” Behar said. “We have some good races coming up. But we’ve had some down races. Not necessarily the best of luck. We’ve blown a motor. Sonoma, we knew we probably weren’t going to be the best there because we didn’t have a road course car. We bought one a couple weeks beforehand and just tried to get it the best we could.”

The 19-year-old Behar started the season with a 10th-place finish in the season opener at Tucson Speedway in Arizona. She posted her first top-five finish with a fourth-place at the first race at Irwindale Speedway.

“The first couple of races we went down there with all of our cars, be as prepared as we can, put our mindset to do really good in those races,” Behar said. “Those are the ones you want to focus on to start off good.”

Nicole Behar has two top-five and six top-10 finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

The race at The Orange Show Speedway in California in May started a string of poor finishes. She was 17th at The Orange Show in a car that she said was capable of winning.

“That’s a place where you’re either going to finish or you’re going to crash,” Behar said. “I was just hanging out, letting the leaders hit on each other, bang it out. Unfortunately the cars in front of me got tangled. I was almost around it and the 19 car (Derek Kraus) clipped me in the rear and put me in the wall.

“I think we were running like fourth at the time. I think we really had a car to win. Sometimes those things happen and you have to move forward. It really sucks, but you keep going.”

She blew a motor in the race at Colorado National Speedway and finished 17th again. Her team didn’t have a road course for the race at Sonoma Raceway in California, the only road course race on the K&N Pro Series West schedule. Her team bought one a week before the Sonoma race.

She came in 27th in race at Iowa Speedway, a race that pits the teams and drivers from the K&N Pro Series West and East.

“We’ve had some really good races. But we’ve alo had a few bad ones,” Behar said. “With everyone being so close in points, when you have a bad race, you drop pretty fast. Our first goal isn’t to go in and focus on points, it’s just to do the best we can. Where you end up in points, that kind of happens. When you put your mindset to the points, you don’t do really good anyway.”

Nicole Behar finished in third place in the K&N Pro Series West race at Colorado National Speedway.

She might have had her best race of the season at Evergreen Speedway in Washington in August. She was third in a car that wasn’t exactly set up for the Evergreen Speedway track. She crashed her primary car in practice and had to qualify in her team’s back-up car. She said her team had about 30 minutes to prepare the car and she qualified without turning a single lap in practice in it. She qualified fifth and finished third. The car that crashed in practice is in North Carolina for repairs. She wants to have that car to race in one of the final three races of the season.

Being on a small team, Behar said she needs all the help she can get, Having K&N as a sponsor and supporter of the Pro Series West gives her the help she needs.

“They’re always willing to help you, help with filters,” Behar said. “Every little bit helps, especially with a small team it adds up. Without K&N there wouldn’t be a series. Without them, the West Series probably wouldn’t be here. Us drivers wouldn’t be able to race the tracks, race the cars that we do. That means a lot.”

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Bradley Morris Standing on the Podium Multiple Times in His K&N Pro2 and Pro4

Sep 28, 2017

K&N Filters driver Bradley Morris celebrating his first win in his Pro2

The beginning of the season was a learning curve for the new K&N Filters Pro 2 for Bradley Morris. Then halfway through his rookie season, you would think that he was a veteran in the class with the confidence he showed in the Pro 2 and also his Pro 4 truck. Bradley and the BME Motorsports team has been busy these last few months traveling between the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and the TORC Series. He has raced three of the last four weekends in four different states.

Everything started after Utah in June, where Bradley got his first win in the K&N Filters Pro 2 leading every single lap of the race. This is where Bradley started feeling great behind the wheel. At this point, it seemed like everything started to click with Bradley, and the team was getting the trucks to mesh with Bradley’s driving style. He also got comfortable with throwing the Pro 4 sideways into a turn at high speeds and not hesitating, thinking he was going to roll. This did happen, however, in Crandon, Wisconsin, where he barrel-rolled five times in the turn before the finish line.

Show casing the K&N Filters Pro2 and Pro4 at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri

In Missouri, the races were held at the brand new track that was built at the Lucas Oil Speedway. It is about one and a third miles long and has just about everything you could put into a track from fast banked turns, huge jumps, tight turn sections, and fast straight-aways. The main jump on the track has the trucks jumping over 200 feet and up to 260 feet with a smooth landing. Bradley really enjoyed the track design and was very fast, he said, "The new track was designed with everything you want in a track, I was having fun jumping the back jump. I haven’t jumped that big since I broke my neck, with the landing built correctly I was able to do it with no issues or pain.”

Soaring the K&N Filters Pro4 over the mega jump in Wheatland, Missouri

In his Pro 4, he was very fast all weekend with him battling at the front in both rounds, where he finished on the podium in third place in Round 7. In Round 8, he would slide up the track in a very slick corner after the huge jump while battling for the lead, which had all the trucks behind him slam into his truck and disabling it, ending his race. In his Pro 2, Bradley would battle hard in the third place position where he was on the inside heading into the tight S turn, where he came in just a little too fast and the second place truck having some issues losing all speed, would cause Bradley to hit the rear bedside of the other driver causing it to roll. Bradley would get a black flag and have to go to the back of the field with only a few laps remaining. With the amount of speed that Bradley was showing, he was able to get all the way back towards the front just missing the podium in fourth place.

The team headed to Reno with only the Pro 2 and saved the Pro 4 for Crandon, but Bradley still got to drive in the Pro 4 races. Fellow racer, Rob MacCachren, would end up having a family emergency and would have to leave the races. With Rob only two points from the Championship lead, he asked Bradley if he would drive his truck and be his replacement. Bradley couldn’t believe that he was about to drive for his favorite driver who he has looked up to his entire life. The first time that Bradley would sit in the truck would be during qualifying for Saturday’s race, where only in three laps Bradley would end up in third place for the start of the race.

K&N Filters Bradley Morris fills in for Rockstar Energy Rob MacCachren in the Pro4

During the race, Bradley would get shuffled back a few spots while trying to get comfortable in the truck and also not trying to damage it. Bradley would get Rob some crucial championship points finishing in sixth place. On Sunday, Bradley was enjoying the setup of the truck and would battle hard and fast where he would finish on the podium in third place in the Rockstar Energy Pro 4. He said, “Not very often do you get to drive your favorite drivers truck. I have looked up to Rob my entire life, and to be able to drive his truck to help him get points for the championship was a big honor.” Bradley wasn’t only fast in Rob's Pro 4, he was also pushing it in his own Pro 2.

Bradley Morris captured a second place finish in his K&N Filters Pro2 in Reno

Starting on the second row on Saturday, Bradley would be up to second place after turn one, and the leader and Badley would put a gap on the rest of the trucks in a very short time but unfortunately, Bradley would end up having mechanical problems that would end his day. Just knowing how fast the truck was and what it could have been, gave Bradley more determination to go the following day. Bradley would find himself in the same situation with the leader and himself checking out on rest of the trucks. Bradley would stay right with the leader until the end of the race when he was slowed down by a driver a lap down but still trying to race the leader, giving the leader the gap they needed to keep Bradley in second place which also gave Bradley his third straight weekend with a podium in his Pro 2.

Flying by the massive crowds in Crandon Wisconsin at the Amsoil Cup

With less than a week before the next race the team left from Reno, Nevada, and drove straight to Crandon, Wisconsin. They arrived there on Wednesday and had practice on Thursday for the TORC event at the Crandon World Cup and the Amsoil Cup Race where the Pro 2s raced against the Pro 4s. Bradley would start third fastest in practice and while trying to get faster he ended up rolling five times after throwing it into a turn and it catching some traction in the soft cushion of the turn. Luckily, the team was able to get everything fixed and ready for the races. In the first race, Bradley would get pushed to the back after turn one and would make him battle the entire race, finishing sixth. In the Amsoil Cup, Bradley would battle with the top TORC drivers for fourth place of the Pro 4s. They would battle while passing all the Pro 2 trucks except two who were next. With Bradley being fourth in the Pro 4 and sixth overall, Bradley would have electrical issues ending his race as a result of the crash during practice.

Jumping the K&N Filters Pro4 in Crandon Wisconsin during the TORC Event

With a one weekend break between races, this gave the team only about five days to get both trucks ready for Glen Helen after all the travel time. Glen Helen is one of Bradley’s favorite tracks, where it used to be called Morrisville back when Bradley raced Pro Lites. This is something that Bradley wanted to continue in his Pro 2 and Pro 4. Bradley was fast in both trucks during practice and qualifying. In the Pro 4, Bradley would battle hard the entire race, until the last few laps where he ended up breaking his rear shocks while in third place. Bradley had to do everything he could to stay on the podium, so he would give it everything the truck had on the straights and slow it down some in the corners. Then he would have to slow it all the way down going over the jumps. At the end of the race, he crossed the finish line in third place with fourth place right behind him.

Bradley Morris shooting flames in his K&N Filters Pro4 at Glen Helen Raceway

With that momentum, he would jump in the Pro 2 where he was starting on the front row. Bradley would jump out to the front and take the lead where he would put a gap on the second place truck. After a caution, everyone was right back on his bumper, but he would jump ahead once again with Rob MacCachren on his tail in second place. While battling, the two of them would separate themselves from rest of the trucks. With only a few laps left and right after a caution, Bradley would over rotate just a tiny bit, where Rob was trying a new line down low and would cause him to run into Bradley taking both of them off the track. They were both able to get back going, and with their speed, both of them would get back to the podium with Bradley finishing in second.

On Sunday, it looked like the same race after the second lap, but Bradley started further back in the group of trucks but was able to work his way up to second where it was once again Bradley and Rob battling for the top spot. Three-fourths of the way through the race the two of them would jump side by side over the large table top and when Bradley landed it would snap the drive shaft ending the race for him but what an incredible race to watch up to that point.

K&N Filters Sponsored Bradley Morris leading in his Pro2 in Glen Helen

Racing the way that Bradley has been doing has put him just five points from taking the lead in the Rookie of the Year points race for Pro 2. It is also giving Bradley and the team the mindset that they are going in the right direction and have the capability to be on the podium every race if not the top of the box. With only one more race weekend in the season being held at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Arizona, it is going to bring determination to be on the top podium. Bradley will also be chasing the Rookie of the Year title to add to his Rookie of the Year in the Pro Lite and Pro Buggy classes. So watch for the BME Motorsports K&N Filters Pro 2 and Pro 4 to be on top of the podium with a huge smile on Bradley’s face holding up his trophies and his replica RC Truck.

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K&N-Sponsored Cal Poly Pomona Broncos Stampeded to the SAE F1 Competition

Sep 27, 2017

The K&N-sponsored Cal Poly Pomona team spent extensive amounts of time testing the chassis

For twenty-one years California Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP) has participated in the annual SAE (Society for Automotive Engineers) Formula 1 competition. This year was no different. With teams hailing all the from Boston to Chile, CPP students got the opportunity to put their skills to the test against top schools from around the globe.

CPP's team comes from a range of age groups and fields of study, ranging from 1st-year freshmen students to recent graduates, all of whom have an intimate interest in the automotive craft. While most of the team members are Mechanical Engineering majors, there are a few Business students concentrating in Computer Information Systems and Business Administration as well as Aerospace Engineering majors. These are useful skills as the competition involves more than just building the car, the project must then be “sold” to a group of judges acting as mock “investors” for the teams project, this is where the business skills come in useful, truly a multi-faceted, multi-talented team.

Reliability issues cost the team points in dynamic events and the CPP team placed 30th overall

Beginning right after last year's competition in Germany, CPP's team spent the better part of the past year working on design concepts and eventual manufacture of their F1 car. The team was quick to begin but the design phase posed a particular challenge. The team was rather new, having lost 20 members the previous year. This was the first time many of the team members had worked on CPP's car as full team members. Nevertheless, they learned how to communicate with each other and cooperate on building a car together. The shared experience will, no doubt, prove pivotal as they prepare for next year's competition.

The CPP team works out the kinks in the F1 chassis before the competition

Once designs were completed and approved, the process of actually building the car began to take place. The build phase progressed very well with sponsors supplying the parts and materials required to make the ambitious design a reality. Over the course of 6 months, the car came together with 85% of the car being made in-house. While the car came along well, there were two performance issues that cropped up during testing. The issues arose in the front hub and front wing. The hubs were a quick fix and were handled immediately, the wing issue turned out to be a bit more vexing. It was dropped from the final design, with the possibility of being reexamined for a future design. It really was a chance for these budding mechanical engineers to gain practical experience in their chosen field. Utilizing programs such as Solidworks, ANSYS, Simulink, and AEM the students were able to apply the lessons they were absorbing in class to a real-life situation.

The Cal Poly Team with the team lead, Professor Stover

Results from the competition were good considering the relative experience of CPP's team. The team made design finals where they placed well. Reliability issues cost the team points in dynamic events. However, the team ended up in 30th place, overall. While not the result the team had been striving for, the experience was one that no team member would have wanted to miss out on or will ever forget.

The team members took many lessons away from the experience. Along with design changes, they learned to speak up when they had opinions, even if they differed from the group. Differing opinions only serve to strengthen the overall design of the project. They learned to focus more on the fundamentals – the engineer's most valuable tools. The group agreed that the experience was about the best practicum any of them could have experienced at CPP and they know that the experience will aid them in the future for years to come.

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Catching up with K&N-Sponsored UTV Racing Champion Mitch Guthrie Jr

Sep 27, 2017

Mitch Guthrie Jr. racing in the BITD series

Desert racing is an all-consuming passion for Mitch Guthrie Jr

Mitch Guthrie Jr. is a rising star in the UTV racing world. The dynamic young racer’s Polaris RZR is consistently at the front of the pack in the Best in the Desert (BITD) and Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS). The Mint 400 champion talks to K&N about his family, his season, and his racing future.

A Winning Legacy

Mitch Guthrie Jr. shares a name and a competitive fire with his father, Mitch Guthrie Sr. The elder Guthrie is royalty in the UTV racing world with a half a dozen King of the Hammers championships, and a host of other notable racing accomplishments.

Racing is a lifestyle that often binds and defines a family, and the Guthrie clan exemplifies this trait in spades. Guthrie Jr. relishes the support of his family and his racing DNA.

Mitch Guthrie Jr. raising one finger after a UTV win

Mitch Guthrie Jr. is no stranger to the top of the podium in desert racing

“Racing has been a huge part of my life since before I can remember, so it really is all I know,” Guthrie Jr. says. “Off-roading with my dad and family when I was younger was where I first found a love for racing and off-road. So this has had a huge impact on my life from when I was younger to where I am now.”

For Guthrie Jr., racing transformed from a childhood obsession to a career. Some wise sage once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That pearl of wisdom fits Guthrie Jr. perfectly.

“Racing may be my job now, but I still look at it the same way I did when I was younger. I love what I do and one of the biggest parts of it is being able to do something you love, whether it be long nights preparing for a race with my dad or actually being strapped into the car racing, it’s all fun to me.”

Racing Update

When you win an event that carries the label, ‘The Great American Off-Road Race,’ it is surely going to be a career milestone. That defining moment for Guthrie Jr. came earlier in this racing season, and the historical significance of the title is not lost on the racer.

“The highlight of the BITD season for me has absolutely been winning the Mint 400,” reflects Guthrie Jr. “To win a race of that magnitude means a lot to me. Not only is The Mint a huge race, but it has been a huge race for so long and there is so much history behind it. Winning that race and following in the footsteps of many legends that have won - it is pretty cool. We are more than halfway through the season and my main goal is to fight for that BITD championship!”

The K&N decal on the Guthrie Racing truck

K&N is a major sponsor of Guthrie Racing

The return to the short course has been an adjustment for Guthrie Jr. However, the LOORRS series is something that is fun for the racer on many levels.

“LOORRS has been a little rough this year after taking many years off from short course racing, but the highlight for me would be overall getting back into the driver’s seat racing door-to-door,” Guthrie Jr. says. “It’s been a while and I really did miss short course racing. It’s been a good time racing with people who I grew up with, and it definitely feels like nothing has changed.”

Life Outside of Racing

While Guthrie Jr. clearly enjoys life both on and off the track, he is quick to admit the line between the two is usually blurred. That’s what happens when one makes a career out of a life passion.

“Like any normal younger guy, I have a great time hanging out with friends outside of racing and going to the river,” says Guthrie Jr. “But one thing I will say is a lot of the time, even if I'm not racing, I'm doing something which has to do with off-road, whether it be going to the desert or working on stuff in my free time. I love everything that has to do with off-road and even in my free time I have a great time doing those things.”

K&N helps keep Mitch Guthrie's RZR protected from the ravages of desert racing

Into the Future

Guthrie Jr. is on a fast ascent in the off-road racing world, and that chase for victory is all-encompassing. That doesn’t mean that he does not think about the future. Just as he has watched in his father, Guthrie Jr. envisions that future maturing into a life of racing.

“The career goals I have are to keep racing the rest of my life in some way,” says Guthrie Jr. “Different opportunities always arise, but I would love to stay in the field of racing and see where that takes me throughout the years."

K&N is excited to support Mitch Guthrie Jr. in his current quest for racing championships as well his future goals in the industry.

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K&N XStream Air Filters Add Airflow for Motocross Motorcycles and Sport ATVs

Sep 26, 2017

XStream motocross air filter product view

The XStream line of motocross air filters add intake surface area for amazing airflow

K&N’s XStream filter systems blow the lid off conventional filter technology. Read on to see that that claim is not hyperbole. Both the XStream motocross filter and the XStream Powerlid for sport ATVs take airflow to another level by adding more surface area to your intake.

XStream Motocross Filters

There are times when a customer’s unsolicited review of one of our products speaks volumes. After purchasing, installing, and testing the XStream YA-2506XD filter in his motocrosser, Blake G. of Murrieta, California, told us what he thought.

“I give this product 10 stars out of 5,” Blake said. “The air filters are absolutely amazing. Hands down the best air filter I have ever (used). Such a crisp, accurate power on the bottom end and a stretch of strength on the top end. Never have I once in my life changed a single thing on my bike and got such a great outcome.

XStream motocross air filter installed in a motorcycle

XStream filters offer up power, performance, and easy installation

"I will continue to run K&N oil and air filters in my bike for as long as I can ride. It's so easy to feel the difference in my friend's standard foam air filters. There is just no comparison. And another big perk is the easy installation, I love everything about the filters and I'm blown away that riders still tolerate old fashioned foam filters. It is the best investment you could make.”

So what is so revolutionary about the XStream series of air filters? Let’s take a look. K&N has developed a filter system that replaces what would normally be a solid filter top with an additional open filter surface area. This additional filter cap provides a large surface area that adds significant airflow to the engine.

That added airflow results in the potential for more berm-blasting power, more hole-shot acceleration, and enhanced overall performance. That power does not come at the expense of engine protection. That same large filtration area adds up to a substantial dirt holding capacity. K&N’s oiled, cotton gauze filter media has been proven on racetracks for over 4 decades.

K&N makes XStream series motocross filters for virtually every popular motocross bike. If you ride a Yamaha YZ, the YA-2506XD is your likely performance solution. The part for your Yamaha WR is YA-4503. The YA-2506XD filter works on a number of Suzuki RM applications along with the SU-2596, and the KA-2504. Your Kawasaki KX will love the KA-2506XD, KA-2504, and KA-1297. Honda riders are not left out as the HA-4503XD, HA-4509XD, HA-4513XD, HA-2505XD, HA-1507, and HA-4502 have your CRF covered. The KT-4511XD and KT-5201 are the Xstream filters for many KTMs. Most Husqvarna models use the HU-1200 filter.

XStream Powerlid cutaway view for sport ATVs

The Powerlid replaces the restrictive stock air box lid and snorkel in a range of sport ATVs

All of the XStream filters are fully washable and reusable, making them ultra convenient in paddock or on the trail. Filter recharge kits like K&N’s convenient 99-5050 or 99-5000 make the job simple.

XStream Powerlid for Sport ATVs

The Powerlid shares the design concept of the other Xstream filters. The sport ATV Powerlid replaces the restrictive air box lid and snorkel with a K&N high-flow air filter cap. This additional surface area provides increased air-flow and protection in extreme conditions.

The added bonus is that each Powerlid includes a fitted K&N DryCharger for increased protection in severe conditions. K&N will also supply all necessary jets to properly tune your ATV for the increased airflow.

XStream Powerlid, DryCharger, and jet kit for sport ATVs

XStream Powerlids come with a DryCharger and jet kit

The K&N SU-4002-T fits some Arctic Cat DVX400, Arctic Cat DVX400 TS, Kawasaki KFX400, Suzuki LTZ400 QuadSport Z, and Suzuki LTZ400 QuadSport Z LE models. The K&N HA-4504-T, HA-4506-T, and HA-4099-T, cover most models in the Honda TRX 400 and 450 series. The Powerlid for the Yamaha YFZ350 Banshee is the YA-3502-T, the YA-4504-T for the YFZ450/SE, and the YA-6601-T for the YFM660R Raptor.

Note that when using a Powerlid, an internal air filter is still required. Of course K&N has the perfect filter for that purpose as well. A K&N filter teamed with a Powerlid ensures the ultimate in potentially power boosting airflow.

All of the game-changing XStream filters come with K&N’s One-Year Limited Warranty. Check the K&N website to see if your motocross bike or sport ATV is on the extensive application list. If so, K&N has an XStream filter or Powerlid for your ride. You can also use K&N's online application search tool for all of your other oil and air filter needs.

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