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Gray Gaulding Wins at Phoenix International Raceway & Derek Thorn Grabs Series Championship

15 Nov 2013

2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Champion - Derek Thorn Showing off the Torphy at Phoenix International Raceway

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season finale at Phoenix International Raceway produced a couple of first-time winners.

Gray Gaulding won his first race and Derek Thorn won his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series championship.

Gaulding, a driver from Colonial Heights, Virginia, became the youngest winner of a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race. He is 15 years, 8 months and 30 days, breaking the mark set by Dylan Kwasiniewski, who won his first race when he was 16 years and 2 months.

Gray Gaulding in Phoenix International Raceway's victory lane celebrating his first win

"That's probably the hardest I've ever drove, Gaulding said. "When I got out of the car, my hands were shaking. What a good night though."

Thorn, from Lakeport, California, won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship by six points over Cameron Hayley.

Gaulding led only one lap in the race, the final lap, and battled with Cole Custer for the win. Gaulding tapped Custer, who led a race-high 49 laps of the Casino Arizona 50, sending Custer spinning out of control on the final lap at Phoenix International Raceway.

Multi-car accident at Phoenix International Raceway during the Casino Arizona 50

"I knew what I needed to do on the last lap," Gaulding said. "I was closing and closing and closing. I had to take advantage of it, no doubt about it. A few guys came over to me and said a few words. I hate having to take somebody out, but as close as it was, and as fast as we were, it was a huge battle and I knew I had to take advantage of it."

Custer, who also won the pole, slipped to sixth place after spinning out. Gaulding and Custer are regulars in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

"All those guys set the bar high for us," Thorn said. "We on the West Coast tend to be more in a bubble. Competition is what drives the sport. It keeps everybody competitive. It keeps everybody moving forward. These guys always come out and give us a rude awakening."

Cole Custer wins the Pole in the Casino Arizona 50 at Phoenix International Raceway

There were only two caution periods in the race. The first was a red flag on the opening lap because of multi-car crash. The race resumed on lap 5.

Rookie Jesse Little finished in second place, followed by Hayley in third. David Mayhew was fourth and Brandon McReynolds was fifth.

Thorn entered the season finale with a 16-point lead over Greg Pursley in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings. Thorn finished in 15th place in the race at Cole Custer wins the Pole in the Casino Arizona 50 at Phoenix International Raceway. Hayley's third-place finish cut the lead to six points, but not enough to catch Thorn.

"This championship is by far an all-time high," Thorn said. "Hopefully it's not the end of my career. At the same time, I've been trying to cherish every moment. Racing itself is tough right now. It's tough for any kid."

Pursley, the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion, finished in third place in the final series standings. Michael Self, who was ninth in the race at Cole Custer wins the Pole in the Casino Arizona 50 at Phoenix International Raceway, came in fourth place in the West Series standings. Rookie Dylan Lupton was fifth in the final series standings.

Related K&N News Articles about Phoenix International Raceway: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Driver Greg Pursley Wins at Phoenix International Raceway; Eric Holmes Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Phoenix International Raceway

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Greg Pursley Wins NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield

15 Nov 2013

Greg Pursley chasing No. 21 Michael Self in the closing laps

Greg Pursley won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield and put himself in contention to win the series championship.

Pursley won his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West leading fifth race of the season. It was the 18th NASCAR K&N Pro Series West win of his career.

It also put him in second place in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings with one race to go.

Celebrating his 5th win of the season - No. 26 Greg Pursley

Pursley won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship in 2011. He trails Derek Thorn by 16 points with the season finale Casino Arizona 50 at Phoenix International Raceway coming up on Nov. 9.

Pursley was able to cut into Thorn's lead at Bakersfield. Thorn finished in sixth place despite starting on the front row and leading the first lap of the race.

"I'll tell you what, lapped traffic was very interesting here," Pursley said. "I split a couple cars a couple times. It was hairy a few times, but everybody did a great job. It's a great series to run."

Pursley battled Michael Self over the last 30 laps of the race. There were only four cautions for 24 laps in the inaugural NAPA Auto Parts 150. The last caution period proved to benefit Pursley, but he didn't exactly want to see the race interrupted.

"I didn't want to see it and I did," said Pursley, driver of the No. 26 Ford for Gene Price Motorsports. "I knew we were good on the outside there and I knew once I got a good start and could get away from him that he'd have to chase me back down. Fortunately it worked out for us and we came home with a win here."

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Has returneds to Bakersfield, CA as the NAPA Auto Parts 150

Cameron Hayley was also able to cut into Thorn's lead a little. He was fifth in the race at Bakersfield and trails Thorn by 18 points in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings.

Pursley started the race on the second row, behind Thorn and Gray Gaulding, the pole winner. Gaulding, from Colonial Heights, Va., is the youngest driver to win a pole in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. He is 15 years, 8 months and 16 days. He is also the youngest driver to win a pole in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Gaulding passed Thorn for the lead on lap 2 and was out front for the next 54 laps. Pursley and Gaulding battled for the lead until lap 63 when Pursley took over for good.

Winner of the 21 Means 21 Pole Award - Gary Gaulding

He led the final 89 laps of the race and won by 0.178 seconds over Self.

"We were so free on restarts, scary free," Self said. "We dropped back a couple positions there a couple of times. It took us a good five or six laps for us to go. Thankfully this was a long-run race. We were able to catch back up to him a couple of times. Those last 20 laps were probably the hardest laps I've ever logged there."

Gaulding's car cut a tire and he crashed into the wall on lap 112. He finished in 21st place.

Eric Holmes was third, followed by David Mayhew in fourth.

"I was hoping Michael and Eric would mix it up a bit and give us a shot at it" Holmes said. "I'm really proud of the NAPA team. Kinda struggled all year long and we got it turned around here at the end of the year. We got some really fast NAPA Toyotas right now."

Related K&N News Articles about NASCAR K&N Pro Series West: Cameron Hayley Celebrates 1st NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Victory at All American Speedway; Greg Pursley Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at NAPA Speedway in Albuquerque; Andrew Ranger Celebrates Another NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Win at Miller Motorsports Park ; Greg Pursley Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Spokane County Raceway

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Dylan Kwasniewski Wins 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Championship

15 Nov 2013

Dylan Kwasniewski and Geoff Lee, Road Atlanta's track president, in Victory lane

Dylan Kwasniewski won the race and the championship, becoming the first driver to win the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West titles in consecutive years.

Number 98 - Dylan Kwasniewski leading wire-to-wire pulls off a win

"I knew my dad would have wanted me to do it," Kwasniewski said. "He was the one who started it. He told somebody that my son is going to become a NASCAR champion one day. Now I can say I am a back-to-back champion."

Dylan Kwasniewski and Brett Moffitt entered the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season finale at Road Atlanta in Georgia separated by five points in the championship standings.

Dylan Kwasniewski celebrating with his team at Road Atlanta in Victory Lane

Kwasniewski won six races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, the most since Brad Leighton won six races in 1999. Ricky Craven holds the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East record with 10 wins in one season in 1991.

It was the first K&N Pro Series East championship for Turner Scott Motorsports, which made its debut in the series in 2013.

Dylan Kwasniewski and George Silbermann, NASCAR Vice President, in the Victory Land at Road Atlanta

Dylan Kwasniewski and George Silbermann, NASCAR's Vice President, in the Victory Land at Road Atlanta

Kwasniewski easily won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship when Moffitt fell out of contention with a transmission problem on lap 6. Moffitt finished a distant 24th and Kwasniewski won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship by 33 points.

Kwasniewski had two poor finishes in the previous two races. He was 24th at the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and was 29th at the race at Dover International Speedway in Delaware.

Car owner Harry Scott of Turner-Scott Motorsports with Dylan Kwasniewski in the Victory Lane

Those two races allowed Moffitt to close the gap on Kwasniewski in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings.

Dylan Kwasniewski and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship trophy

"It just shows that he never quits," said Mardy Lindley, Dylan Kwasniewski's crew chief. "We never gave up. It was just a great day today. It just showed how our season went. In the beginning it was up and down. When it was up, it was really up."

Moffitt moved within striking distance of Kwasniewski for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship in the last race of the season. But Moffitt's car conked out early in the race leaving little drama in the championship race.

Number 97, Jesse Little, received the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors

"We were coming into this last race with two horrible races," Kwasniewski said. "It could have been either way. We bounced back. We knew that we had the championship locked in. We knew that we had the car to beat."

The 18-year-old Kwasniewski is the third youngest driver to win the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship. Joey Logano and Ryan Truex won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title when they were 17.

"I went into this race, just like the last race at Phoenix, knowing that I was the one to beat at this race," Kwasniewski said. "I was the one that they were going to be chasing. I just had to have that mentality, it's not a cocky mentality, it's just a confident one that you know you can go out there and win every single weekend. That's what I did."

Qualifying for the Road Atlanta 115 was rained out. The starting grid was set by championship points. Kwasniewski started on the pole alongside Moffitt.

Dylan Kwasniewski led every lap of the race. Daniel Suarez was second, with Bryan Ortiz in third.

Related K&N News Articles about the Road Atlanta Racetrack: Torrential Rain Forced Officials to Halt Petit Le Mans on Road Atlanta Circuit; Daytona SportBike Race One Series at Road Atlanta in the books for Rider Chaz Davies

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Increase Horsepower & Torque on 2007, 2008 & 2009 Dodge Ram Cummins Diesels with K&N Air Intake

14 Nov 2013

K&N Air Intake under the hood of Dodge Ram 3500 Pickups

In the land of turbo-diesel motors for pickup trucks, Cummins motors are the elder statesmen, but that doesn't mean they're outdated by any means. The 6.7 liter inline-6 cylinder powerplant in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 models produces a respectable 350 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque to the flywheel and benefits from the inherent balance of a straight-6 motor. Large amounts of horsepower and torque are the name of the game with these diesel pickup trucks and now, owners of 2007-2009 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 6.7 liter diesel trucks can have an increase in horsepower, torque, and performance with the K&N 71-1557 Blackhawk Induction™ air intake system.

K&N Air Intake System for Dodge Ram 2500 & 3500 Pickups

The 71-1557 air intake utilizes an aluminum intake tube to help increase airflow to the turbo. A black powdercoating finish is applied to the tube to give the system a sleek look under the hood. The tube comes with a welded K&N engraved plate for just a touch of shine. The tube is also designed to accommodate the factory filter minder gauge if your truck has one. A lot of heat is generated under the hood, especially from the big turbocharger, so the 71-1557 comes with a heat shield to help keep inlet air temperatures cooler. A Black K&N RU-5177HBK air filter is fitted to the inlet of the intake tube, helping to provide excellent filtration efficiency without sacrificing airflow. The filter employs K&N's Dryflow synthetic filter media which doesn't require any oil. It's washable and reusable and can go for up to 100,000 miles between cleanings, depending on driving conditions.

Dyno Chart for K&N Dodge Ram 2500 & 3500 Pickups Air Intake 71-1557

The proof of performance is on the dyno. The 71-1557 air intake produced an estimated 9.2 horsepower at 2950rpm and 19.1 pound-feet of torque at 2250rpm to the wheels. That's a noticeable gain in performance that will help your Cummins-powered Ram get up and go more quickly and easily.

The 71-1557 Blackhawk Induction air intake system maintains all necessary factory connections and can easily be installed in about 90 minutes using basic hand tools and the provided step-by-step instructions. It's also backed by K&N's Million Mile Limited Warranty, giving customers the confidence that they're intake system is a worth-while investment.

Whether your Ram Cummins diesel is a faithful workhorse, weekend toy-tower, around town truck or show pony, the 71-1557 Blackhawk Induction air intake system is one upgrade that will provide a noticeable increase in performance while looking great under the hood.

The K&N 71-1557 will fit the following Dodge Ram 2500 & Ram 3500 pickup models:
2009 Dodge Ram 3500 Pickup 6.7L diesel
2009 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup 6.7L diesel
2008 Dodge Ram 3500 Pickup 6.7L diesel
2008 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup 6.7L diesel
2007 Dodge Ram 3500 Pickup 6.7L diesel
2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup 6.7L diesel

For all K&N Dodge Ram 3500 Pickups air intakes visit the Air Intakes for Dodge Ram 3500 Pickups page on KNFilters.com.

Related news story: Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 Diesels Gain Estimated 20 HP with K&N Air Intake Kit

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Shea Racing Caps Off the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Season on the Podium

13 Nov 2013

Shea and her dad, team co-owner Jeff Holbrook, were all smiles after the team's stellar season-ending performance in Huston

Shea Holbrook and her dad, team co-owner Jeff Holbrook, were all smiles after the team's stellar season-ending performance in Huston

The fading months of 2013 draw to completion Shea Holbrook Racing's fourth season in the highly competitive Pirelli World Challenge Championship. Furthermore, it marks the first successful year for K&N's Shea Holbrook as a driver, and multi-car team owner.

"There's definitely a different emotional feeling between being a driver and a team co-owner," Holbrook reflects. "Being a driver, there's a lot of self-gratification, because from the green to the checker, it's all up to the driver to get the job done. The saying 'there's no I in team' absolutely holds true when it comes to being a co-owner. Everything you do is just one piece of the puzzle. Being it was our first year as a multi-car effort, I honestly couldn't be happier with our end results. We proved we can run out front. We built quality racecars and never had any major issues. We had solid drivers behind the wheel, and the teams overall work ethic was fantastic. Some may say we're the underdog in this game, but we're running without a leash, and we're looking to build upon what we have for the 2014 season."

P.J. Groenke and Shea Holbrook were tireless signing autographs for all their fans

Shea Racing Team capped off their season on a high note by earning their first podium finish at the Grand Prix of Houston. P.J. Groenke, the driver of the No. 66 Mulligan Gold, Tundra Technical Solutions, Verax.ca, Honda Fit finished 4th in race one, and then secured his first Pirelli World Challenge podium in the second race with a 3rd place finish, positioning him 6th overall in the Touring Car B-Spec Championship. Groenke was also awarded the "Grassroots to Glory Award" for the strides he's made this season.

"Very gratifying," was Holbrook's reaction to the podium finish. "And I'm extremely proud of the effort the whole team put in to achieve that. Many times Shea Racing drivers were in positions to secure podiums, but unfortunately the things we can't control, seemed to get us up until the last race. P.J. Groenke charged to the front in practice and in the race, and it was a very deserving 3rd place finish."

In their inaugural year as a three, and sometimes four-car team, Shea Racing completed the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge season with three top-10 finishes in the Touring Car and Touring Car B-Spec Championships.

(L to R) Brian Fowler, P.J. Groenke and Shea Holbrook celebrated their podium finish in the last round of 2013 Pirelli World Challenge

Holbrook, piloting the K&N supported No. 67 TRUECar, Hendrick Honda, Lucas Oil, Radium, Honda Fit, ran as high as 3rd in race one in Houston, before an incident caused her to slide back to sixth where she ultimately finished. Despite the first-year adjustment period of being pulled in various directions, Holbrook managed a solid 7th place finish in the championship.

The team's third top-10 championship was delivered by Jon Miller, driver of the No. 68 Titan Motorsports, loudbasstard, TRUECar, Honda Civic Si. Although Miller was unable to attend the final race, he still finished 4th in the Touring Car Championship.

Brian Fowler in his No. 65 TRUECar, Tundra Technical Solutions, Ford Fiesta, had his best finishes at the demanding Huston street course, securing an 11th and 12th place finish respectively. Despite running a partial season, Fowler still finished 19th in the Touring Car B-Spec Championship.

"It can be pretty stressful," Holbrook remarked about her first year multitasking duties. "We definitely had more highs than lows though, which is a great thing, but there were things I came across that I'll handle better next year, having now gone through it. This year was a great learning process and I definitely know how to be better prepared for next season. When you have good people to stand with you, and they share the same vision, then collectively you can get the job done."

"There's no secret that I'm always making sure our drivers and crew are being taken care of. I take pride that Shea Racing is a place where a driver can find a sense of family, increase their marketability, and to present a stage where the driver and sponsors can uniquely build their own brand using us as a platform. If we can help a young driver land a sponsorship deal to come racing with us, we'll do that. In turn, they've helped me to refocus my attention on the corners ahead, instead of just seeing the one in front of me."

About the remainder of 2013 Shea Holbrook says "Racing-wise getting in the car as much as possible during the off season is crucial. I'm focusing my attention on the 2014 season, which will take up a lot of time, and we're already ahead of pace. Next year should be a really great year for me. I've been looking forward to doing some other things, and with the support from partners, my family and fans, I think we'll achieve the goals we have set out. In January I'm also re-launching the social media campaign I started this year – Steel Ovary Nation! It should be really cool!"

Related K&N News Articles about Pirelli World Challenge & Shea Holbrook: Shea Holbrook Racing Earns Pirelli World Challenge Championship Points at Lime Rock Grand Prix; Shea Holbrook's Team Fast & Furious Top the Fireball Run and Raise Awareness for Missing Children; Shea Holbrook's Newly Expanded Team Starts 2013 Pirelli World Challenge Season Strong; Pirelli World Challenge Racer Shea Holbrook Prepares for 2013 Race Season

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