Latest News | Read Our Blog

Andy Forsberg Recaps His Successful 2013 Season Racing for Three Separate Teams

11 Jan 2014

This is the F&F X1 360 Sprint Forsberg raced for Placerville track points and for the 360 CA Civil War Series.

The one thing every driver and car owner craves is success. Every decision they make is geared towards that single ambition. Success isn't black and white though, like life, it comes in varying shades. Where a top-10 finish may spell triumph for some, others have elevated their personal achievement bar so high that anything less than extraordinary falls short.

Forsberg lists winning the 1st annual Tyler Wolf Memorial in the A&A Motorsports No. 92, 410 Sprint Car as a 2013 season highlight.

The latter category is where K&N's Andy Forsberg finds himself. Over 2011 to 2012 alone, Forsberg has a combined 24 Feature wins, two Placerville Speedway and two Civil War Series Championships, to name just a few highlights. After a 66 race, 2013 season, driving for three different teams, the final tally confirms that Forsberg has now extended his string of extraordinary seasons to three in a row. This year Forsberg raced in the F&F Racing x1, the A&A Motorsports No. 92, and the P.T. Shocks 7c.

We caught up with the tireless Forsberg to get his take on how the year looks in his rearview.

When you look back on 2013, do you compartmentalize your successes by team, or do you weigh the overall season results in one pot. And how does this season stalk up in your opinion?

"I like to break stats down by each team to see where I need to improve. I'm very happy with this season, obviously I would have liked to have been a little more competitive in the F&F X1, but we had set the standards so high from the last two seasons of being so successful. The 2013 season stats for that team were good; we just want and expect to be better, and to outperform each previous year. I'm very competitive, and so is the F&F X1 team, so we constantly strive to be No.1 and get the wins."

"This is my family owned 360 non-wing sprint I race when the other three teams don't want to go racing."

What would you say brought you the most joy and/or satisfaction this season, and what were some of your biggest disappointments?

"Winning the 1st Annual Tyler Wolf Memorial race in Chico, California at the Silver Dollar Speedway was very special. And then to back that up two weeks later, racing with the World of Outlaws at the 60th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions, and running 3rd on Friday night, and 2nd on Saturday night was a pretty big deal for a local team with a volunteer crew. My biggest disappointments would definitely be the trip to the hospital in April. That cost me an entire nights worth of points for the Silver Dollar Speedway track championship."

With the F&FX1 team you mention struggling to find speed, consistency and finishes, have you been able to put your finger on why that was?

"There really is not a smoking gun with the X1. We still had a good year, it just wasn't up to the high standards we set in 2011 and 2012. I know I'm not going to be able to just march through every season without any ups and downs, it's part of racing, and this year we had some downs. You just try to keep working hard and get over the hump."

"This is the PT Shocks 7c 360 winged sprint car owned by Cody Gainey that I race at miscellaneous races when the other teams don't want to race."

After a 66 race season are you just happy to relax during the off season, or are you already working on next season plans?

"I wouldn't mind racing all year around. I'm involved with three good teams that could manage that, but I will say that having three months off is kind of nice to be able to re-group a little bit. Mostly I would say it's nice to get my sleep schedule back in order, racing two nights a week, and staying up late those nights, takes a toll on me after a while. During the winter months it's nice to be able to get right up in the morning, instead of pushing snooze three or four times, like I do during racing season."

"Thanks to everyone that has let me drive their cars, to all their pit crews, the fans, K&N and all the sponsors, and to my family and friends. This was a wonderful season, full of good memories, and I could not have been as successful without each and every one of you."

Forsberg's Combined 2013 Stats:
66 races
17 fast times awards
Qualified in top- 3, 32 times
12 main event victories
26 top-3 finishes
38 top-5 finishes
45 top-10 finishes
12 DNF's
Forsberg claimed his 14th overall drivers championship
5th at Placerville,
2nd in CA Civil War points,
2nd in 410 Chico CA track points,
Hot Coats Powder Coating 3 race Champion (Held at Chico)
Nor-Cal Champion sprints Champion (Internet Series that accumulates points for all winged 360 and 410 sprint car shows in CA)
115 Career feature wins to date

Related K&N News Articles about Andy Forsberg: Andy Forsberg Enjoys A Busy Weekend of Racing at Placerville Speedway; Sprint Car Racer Andy Forsberg Turns Crash at Silver Dollar to a Win for Cash in the Taco Bravo; Andy Forsberg Continues his Journey of Dominance in Open Wheel Racing; Andy Forsberg Earns 9th Win of the Year in a History Making 100th Win 2012 Season

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY K&N

Kevin McClelland Racks Up Super Gas Victory During NHRA SportsNationals at Las Vegas

11 Jan 2014

Kevin McClelland wheeled his 1927 K&N Ford Davis Roadster to the victory, his first NHRA win at The Strip at Las Vegas.

It may have felt like a long time coming, but even Mother Nature couldn't stop Kevin McClelland from charging his way to the Super Gas winner's circle during the Eighth annual NHRA Pacific SPORTSnationals at The Strip at Las Vegas. Between the wind, the rain and even dust storms, McClelland wheeled his 1927 K&N Ford Davis Roadster to the victory, his first NHRA win at the Nevada track.

Kevin McClelland and his 1927 Ford Davis Roadster plan to race NHRA national, divisional and big money bracket races in 2014.

"That place has been a thorn in my side," said McClelland of the Vegas track. "Racing out in the desert, the weather changes so much. You'll look at the conditions and your weather station and you'll make assumptions and you can still miss it by two or three hundredths. In the past, I would be going along in eliminations and get to third or fourth round and just miss the quickly changing weather."

"I did win one race there running a car that belonged to a friend of mine." He continued. "It was a race around Thanksgiving, where they run the bracket finals, and that was back in 2011." Sporting a 524 ci BBC between the frame rails, McClelland, who is the Director of OEM Business for K&N Engineering, has a long history with his 1927 Ford Roadster.

"I've had the car since 2001," he pointed out. "Don Davis saw the car at the Vegas Spring Fling earlier this year and said it was probably the second or third car that he ever built. It was his house car and the one that he did all the development work on and refining the different things on back in the 90's when he built these cars. I completely rebuilt the car about three years ago. I took it all the way down to the bare frame, magnafluxed all the welds, re-powdercoated it and updated it with a new Racepak and more."

Coming into the Pacific SPORTSnationals, McClelland was still searching for his first win at the Vegas track and with the every-changing weather conditions, he knew it was going to be a tough one.

"The first couple of rounds we were dealing with a huge tailwind, to the point of four to eight hundredths performance gain," he explained. "I made it past first round and then second, I had to run Vince Campa and he has a very fast roadster. I was .003 on the tree and he was .012 and then third round I had to run Jerry Denton, but that didn't happen right away."

McClelland and Denton were under the tower to be the next pair of Super Gas to pull out, but a quick rain shower went through and officials sent everyone back to their pit area to wait it out. "When they called us back up, we still didn't get to make the run," he said. "We were all suited up and ready to pull out and all of a sudden a windstorm hits. It completely covered the track with dirt and to the point that Mike Rice stopped the racing, of course and about thirty minutes later, called all the drivers up for a meeting."

Officials gave drivers several options to complete the remaining rounds during some of the upcoming events on the NHRA tour, but for McClelland and his tight schedule, he really hoped to wait it out and get the event in.

"Working SEMA for K&N, I didn't have the time available to be there for the points meet," he explained. "I'm like, I want to race today and is there any way we can just wait this out a little bit. He sent us off to go discuss everything within our classes and within a half hour, the weather was back to normal Vegas conditions."

Officials had been working the track during this time and McClelland took note that it looked like they should be able to resume racing. "I went to Rice and said hey, this looks like we can get back at it, what are we doing standing around. He called the tower and within fifteen minutes, we were back at it."

Again, drivers were faced with the dilemma of exactly how to dial their cars after the lengthy amount of time and changes since their last lap down the track and it wasn't going to settle down anytime soon.

"The barometer changed tremendously between third round on and just between fourth and fifth round, the DA (density altitude) dropped almost a thousand feet, and that happened within thirty minutes," he noted.

McClelland outdrove Jerry Denton in round three by forcing him to take more stripe than he wanted and came out on the good side of a double breakout. That would send him on to face Jesse Serna in round four, who would go red and allow McClelland to run it out on his way to the semifinal round.

"For some reason when it gets dark at Las Vegas, my lights go away and I just wasn't brave enough to pull more delay out," he said of his reaction times in the later rounds.

By the time the semifinal round rolled along, McClelland was blow away by how fast everyone was running and it made for an interesting lap with John Ross. Ross, way late on the tree with his .050 to McClelland's .026, just didn't have the room to back off from the throttle. McClelland did a great job at the stripe, taking only the slightest of margins [.008] and again came out on the right side of a huge double breakout.

Now, it was on to the final where he would face Pete Bothe.

"The last person I wanted to see in the final was Pete," admitted K&N's McClelland. "He's a fixture in this area and based on his lamps [reaction times], on paper he had me whopped. Luckily, at that point I didn't know what his rounds had been before the final. I just went up there and raced him like I normally would. I was basically on a 10.048 [10.05 Super Gas adjusted index], if I would have run it out."

With only .003 separating the pair as they sailed past the tree, McClelland dumped to a dead-on 10.055 to Bothe's under the index 10.040. The spilt second decision parlayed into a first Las Vegas NHRA victory for McClelland.

"I ran him down as far as I felt I could," he said. "I only scrubbed off five to six mph."

The NHRA National Event win was the fourth for McClelland and his first in thirteen years. "I don't get the opportunity to race much on the national and divisional level due to my work schedule," he pointed out. "I bracket race a lot, but I just don't get the chance to run many of the other events."

Like McClelland, so many who work for K&N Engineering are involved in competing in some form of motorsports. "Racing here at K&N is synonymous, circle track racers, road racers and of course, many of us are drag racers. Being able to work with and race with Steve Williams and his commitment to NHRA racing, K&N is such a welcome place to work, especially with being able to go out and participate and use so many of the K&N products."

Air, oil and more, if it goes into the power plant on McClelland's national event winning ride, a K&N product filters it.

The win meant so much to McClelland and he was quick to thank the people who were a part of his efforts. "First I want to thank Steve Williams, for all of his support and everything that he does. I want to thank Charlie Allen and of course my son Daniel, who was there racing but because everything ran late, had to leave to catch a flight to Detroit the next morning. Huge thanks to my wife Lisa, Kyle Seipel and Greg Ventura."

The NHRA Super Gas national event win at Las Vegas capped off the 2013 season for McClelland and for 2014 he hopes to maintain the same type of schedule that he has enjoyed over the last several years with a good mix of NHRA national, divisional and big money bracket races on the horizon.

Related K&N News Articles about Kevin McClelland, NHRA and Las Vegas: K&N's Kevin McClelland Wins Back-to-Back at Fontana Dragway; 2013 K&N Horsepower Challenge Champion Allen Johnson Sweeps NHRA Event in Las Vegas; K&N's Luke Bogacki Scores First Victory of 2013 at Las Vegas NHRA Divisional

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY K&N

Paul DiMauro of Paul's Rods and Restos Finishes the Dream of a Fallen Solider

10 Jan 2014

The unvailing of Major Jeffrey Calero's Pontiac GTO that was finshed by Paul's Rods and Restos

Sometimes, life isn't fair. Sometimes, people are taken from us too soon. Sometimes, those people leave behind unfinished projects in order to protect this country, and are never given an opportunity to come home and finish what they started.

Paul DiMauro is tired of life not being fair, and he's set out to make sure unfinished business gets finished.

The owner of Paul's Rods and Restos decided enough was enough and he wanted to do something about it. When DiMauro learned the story of Major Jeffrey Calero, a member of the 1st Battalion 20th Special Forces Group of the National Guard, who died in Afghanistan in 2007 while on patrol, he decided he was going to help finish the job.

K&N Air Cleaner Assembly and Engine of Major Jeffrey Calero's Pontiac GTO

Prior to his deployment, Calero had purchased a 1970 Pontiac GTO and was in the process of restoring it. He dreamed of one day having a hot rod that would turn heads. However, this would never happen when he did not return from the war. So when DiMauro found out about the what had happened, he knew he couldn't let Calero's dream go unfinished.

"Having lost both my brothers to tragedy and feeling loss of loved ones, it was easy to say yes," DiMauro said. "But still, I never saw what I was committing to restore, and that I was heading into the unknown."

"We restore cars only one way, so there were no short cuts here…What an unbelievable journey throughout the build."

DiMauro received contributions from 37 different companies and organizations. In addition, he and his crew also spent countless hours restoring the car on top of the time spent during regular business hours helping out customers. DiMauro said that on top of the businesses that donated, several of his customers made contributions to the project when they would see the car in the shop.

The list of companies donating is staggering, and includes powerhouses from inside the automotive world and out: K&N Filters, Pepsi, Edelbrock, 3M, Pepboys and PPG are just a few names that stand out on the list.

Ultimately, the hardest part of the restoration wasn't the time, it wasn't finding parts or even a difficult part of the car to fix; rather, the hardest part of the renovation came when the car was finished.

"Not being able to see Jeff enjoy the car for himself," DiMauro said. "But seeing the satisfaction through his family was a feeling I can't describe." DiMauro was beaming with happiness when asked if he thought the car appropriately remembers Major Calero. "Definitely!" DiMauro said with exuberance. "I love our design on the two-toned and the way she sits on those eighteen inch rims, but the artwork on the hood is amazing, symbolizing Major Jeffrey Calero." He continued, "I am thankful I was able to do it for the family and show our gratitude for what he has done for us."DiMauro said the car is home with Calero's family. It will be used in car shows to help commemorate the military and those lost in war.

While the GTO is finished, this is just the beginning for DiMauro, who sees an opportunity to help fulfill the unfinished dreams of other fallen soldiers now. "Already in motion. We will be reaching out for stories related to fallen soldiers, wounded warriors, the rest of the military, September 11th victims, and first responders who are muscle car and street rod enthusiasts."

It's hard to envision DiMauro not completing many more dreams. Dreams that deserve to be completed.

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY K&N

Midget, Sprint and LOORRS Racer Bradley Morris Enjoys an Action-Packed Season

10 Jan 2014

Bradley Morris experienced a stellar season in the Pro-Buggy class, earning the Rookie of the Year award.

One could safely say that 2013 proved a busy year for Bradley Morris. Along with attending high-school, and doing the things other sixteen-year-olds do, Morris was engulfed in a busy racing schedule. In fact, Bradley managed to juggle his time in a manner that he could race in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing series (LOORRS), as well as dedicate seat time to USAC sprint cars and midgets. While competing in the LOORRS, the young driver raced in three classes, two of which wold prove new experiences.

The opening event of the 2013 LOORRS season, Bradley Morris got his first taste of racing in the Pro-Buggy class. Of course anticipation was high as he rolled into the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. However, stiff competition was nothing new to the young driver. When the waving of the green flag deemed the race underway, Morris put all uncertainties behind him and focused on the race at hand.

A heated battle transpired in the laps to come, as the young driver remained steadfast in his pursuit of a win. In turn, Morris crossed the finish line leading the field of competitors, earning the coveted position atop the podium.

Along with racing Pro-buggies, Bradley Morris found time to compete in the Pro-2 and pro-4 classes of LOORRS.

Of course wins are the ultimate goal during each and every event, but this victory was especially big. "It was great," recalled Morris, "because it gave me confidence that we didn't have to improve much to perform well in the class."

As the season progresses, Bradley Morris continued a strong campaign in the Pro Buggy Class. He proved a force to be reckoned with. He swept the weekend in the class while racing at the Crandon International Speedway at the Wisconsin town, winning the World Championship of Off Road. At the season's end, Bradley Morris finished second in the points race and was also awarded with the title of Rookie of the Year.

As anyone would be, Bradley was elated about his accomplishments. In reference to his World Championship win, he said, "This is a huge accomplishment, and I am grateful I could do it at such a young age."

Although many drivers would be satisfied with success in one class Bradley Morris had no intentions of simply sitting idle when he could compete in other classes. In fact, the teenager had gotten a taste of the pro-lite experience the season prior and eagerly returned for more heated battles in the 2013 season.

"We built a brand new truck," recalled Morris, "and it took a while to get the bugs worked out. But when we did, the truck was fast. So we now we are confident going into next year that we can win the championship."

Driving in the Pro-4, Bradley Morris graced the record books, as he was the youngest driver to have ever competed in this class. Although plagued with bad luck during the final race of the season, his success throughout 2013 was more than enough to prove his worth as a driver and competitor.

With 2014 nearing, Bradley Morris is gearing up and will be ready for the opening race of the season. Of course, his driving skills and mindset will prove of greatest importance, but he is acutely aware that there are several other elements of success that must be considered.

In reference to those who work hand in hand with him, Morris said, "Without my team, I could not be where I am today. I see them as the most important part of my racing."

The young driver is also a strong advocate of keeping his race trucks and buggies well maintained. In turn, he depends upon K&N products to keep the internal components of his engines contaminant free.

"Maintenance is a top priority," he ensured. "You can't finish a race if your car falls apart or breaks. We've been using K&N air and oil filters, grease, oil, cleaner, air filter covers and fuel filters since I started racing, six years ago. K&N products are the most reliable on the market, and I have never had a problem with them. They are clearly the best."

Looking forward to the future, Bradley Morris concluded, "I want to win two championships next year. Race more race cars and get a rookie of the year in pro-2 or pro-4."

Related K&N News Articles about Bradley Morris & LOORRS (Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series) Racing: Bradley Morris Continues His Hot Streak in Vegas During LOORRS Rounds 13 & 14; Bradley Morris Wins TORC World Championship Race and Sets Crandon International Raceway Track Record; K&N Welcomes Team "Live Fast Play Dirty Motorsports" Onboard for the 2011 LOORRS; LOORRS Pro4 Unlimited Racer Kyle LeDuc Places 2nd in Seasons Final Race

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY K&N

1988 - 2016 Yamaha XV250 Motorcycles Increase Performance with K&N Air Filter Upgrade

8 Jan 2014

Side view of the K&N Air Filter for the Yamaha XV250

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. For the past 26 years the Yamaha Route 66/Virago/V Star 250 platform has confirmed the soundness of that philosophy. This downsized Yamacruiser has never appeared on anyone's Top-ten list, yet the fact that nearly every engine part has remained virtually unchanged over its lifetime, speaks volumes about mechanical resiliency.

K&N Replacement Air Filter for Yamaha XV250 Route 66, Virago & V-Star

Originally labeled the Route 66 from 1988-90, the bike returned to the Yamaha lineup as the Virago 250 in 1991. In 2008, it was renamed once again as the XV250 V-Star. The pleasantly detailed and accurately scaled-down cruiser remains a popular choice for beginning, and vertically challenged riders, because its low seat (27 inches) and light weight (324 pounds) make it virtually effortless for anyone to manage.

The 249cc, 60-degree V-Twin engine delivers enough power to comfortably run with traffic, while providing the classic, big-bike sounds that only a V-Twin can deliver. And now by merely upgrading the existing air filter with a K&N YA-2588 reusable air filter, you can add additional instant giddy-up to your Yamaha XV250.

Flow Chart for K&N Yamaha XV250 Air Filter YA-2588

Increasing horsepower and torque is as easy removing the washer and wing nut from the stock air filter and dropping in the K&N YA-2588 high-flow, high-performance air filter into the air box (simply follow the air filter replacement instructions in your service manual). That's all there is to it, no cutting or modifications of any kind are required.

In addition, the uniquely pleated material on the K&N YA-2588 air filter provides a large filtration area that continues to provide outstanding filtration for extended service intervals. Depending on your riding conditions, servicing intervals can go up to 50,000 miles before maintenance is necessary. When cleaning is called for, it's as straightforward as following the four easy steps on a K&N Recharger Kit, part number 99-5050. This will be the only air filter you'll ever need to buy for your Yamaha XV250 - K&N backs that promise with their renowned Million Mile Limited Warranty.

K&N YA-2588 fits the following Yamaha models:
2016 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2015 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2014 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2013 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2012 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2011 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2010 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2009 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2008 YAMAHA XV250 V-STAR 250
2007 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
2006 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
2005 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
2004 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
2003 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
2002 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
2001 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
2000 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1999 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1998 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1997 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1996 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1995 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1994 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1993 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1992 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1991 YAMAHA XV250 VIRAGO 250
1990 YAMAHA XV250 ROUTE 66 250
1989 YAMAHA XV250 ROUTE 66 250
1988 YAMAHA XV250 ROUTE 66 250

For all K&N Yamaha XV250 V-Star air filters visit the Air Filters for Yamaha XV250 V-Star page on KNFilters.com.

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH

WHERE TO BUY K&N