Rosson Racing Engines Continue to Dominate Lightning Sprint Races

Stuart Hielscher Jr and the No. 9 Lightning Sprint Car
Stuart Hielscher Jr and the No. 9 Lightning Sprint Car
Shane Rosson has been building performance motorcycle engines since 1996. His engines go into Mini Sprint and Dwarf cars. "The tenacity of my work can be seen in the winner's circle," says Rosson. Coming from anyone else that might be dismissed as smack-talk – coming from Rosson though, it verges on understatement.
Kevin Drake will still be driving the number 14 Dwarf Car in 2010
Kevin Drake will still be driving the number 14 Dwarf Car in 2010


In '07 Rosson Racing dominated Mini Sprint races across the country, kicking tailpipes from one coast to the other. Rosson's cars finished the '07 season with eight Champions and two Rookie's of the Year. In '08 Rosson Racing was named Engine Builder of the Year by CNYMS (Central New York Mini Sprints) for the third straight year. They also continued to amass a freakish large amount of recognized accomplishments including:

Stuart Hielscher Sr and the No. 5 Sprint
Stuart Hielscher Sr and the No. 5 Sprint
Lightning Sprints

* Don ("Rocket") Harvey won his third straight CNYMS Championship
* Brent Sexton won the '08 California Lightning Sprints Championship
* Troy Ullery won the '08 Western Slope Lightning Sprint Championship
* Bob Reichert won the '08 Wisconsin Illinois Mini Sprint Championship
* Bob Reichert also won the '08 Wilmot track Championship
* Beau Heavelow won the '08 Midwest Outlaw Lightning Sprints Championship
* Alec Bender won the '08 California Lightning Sprints Rookie of the Year

Dwarf Cars

* Mike Van Acker won the '08 CDCRA Senior Championship
* Mike Van Acker was also the '08 Victorville Speedway Track Champion
* Mike Van Acker was also the '08 Bakersfield Track Champion
* Kelly Gutches was the '08 SODCA Champion
* Kelly Gutches was also the '08 Southern Oregon Speedway Track Champion
* Kelly Gutches was also the '08 Siskiyou Motor Speedway Track Champion

That sort of sustained track supremacy sparks curiosity, as in, what was up last season?

"I feel we had a great '09 season on a couple of different levels. First, in the California Lightning Sprint Series, our two house cars finished first and third in the championship points. The number five car driven by Stuart Hielscher Sr. won the Championship, and the number nine with Stuart Hielscher Jr. finished third."

"And second, I started a new Dwarf Car chassis company (D&R Chassis), and the prototype car won four out of its first six races. We started production at end of the year, and the first production car won its first night out. It was the number 14 car driven by Kevin Drake," explains Rosson.

"As far as Highlights go, with the Lightning Sprints, it would be watching Stuart Hielscher Sr. win at Santa Maria Speedway in California, he got it done in a purely dominating fashion. And in the Dwarf Cars, it would be me winning my first feature in only my second time ever driving a Dwarf Car."

Over the years Rosson has consumed a massive amount of K&N air filters and other products and now we have a better understanding why that is.

"In 09 the Rosson stable had two Lightning Sprints and one Dwarf Car. I use the K&N air filter element in a filter assembly that I manufacture, and I also use breather vents for a top-end breather kit, that I also make. The thing I discovered about K&N products is that they are so user friendly and they always function as advertised and as they should. I have lost count of the customers that have changed from other brand filters to mine, using the K&N element, because they couldn't keep the dirt out of their intake system any other way."

"I am very excited about the 2010 season. We will have the same cars as last year, as well as a few additions. I am looking to get back in a Lightning Sprint for a limited schedule, as permitted by my Dwarf Car schedule. I will be adding two more Dwarf Cars to the stable too," say Rosson.

"I will be driving the number two Dwarf Car, and my wife Angel, has expressed an interest in driving the number five Dwarf Car in the 2010 season as well. And Kevin Drake will still be driving the number 14 Dwarf Car."

"As far as Lightning Sprints goes it's, Stuart Hielscher Sr, Stuart Hielscher Jr. in the number nine car, and I'll be driving number two. I will also be helping out an up and coming superstar, Jonny Bluntach in the number 18 car. I want to take this opportunity to once again thank K&N for their support of my racing efforts. I look forward to promoting their great products in the future."

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