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Josh Lucas Racing Notches 3rd Win of 2011 at Richmond Speedway

3 Oct 2011

Lucas isn't certain why he and his car like Richmond so much, but he generally knows right after taking hot-laps whether he has the car to win on any given night.

There are several things we have comprehensively established about New Haven, Kentucky's Josh Lucas - he's a devoted family man, he drives the No.78 dirt modified, and he really loves to compete at Richmond Speedway.

"This was our third win at Richmond Speedway. We set fast time (16:591), we won our heat race and sat on the pole for the feature. Then we again lead all 20 laps of the feature," Lucas told K&N Race News.

Josh Lucas and his K&N sponsored N.78 car won three times in 2011 at Richmond Speedway.

Lucas says that every win is special and feels just like the first one. "I guess it's because it's just my dad, my mom, my brother and me that work on it. Mom and dad do a little more during the week than me. And my brother Shawn comes to every race and helps us at the track. It's a family affair and it just makes the win that much more exciting."

The K&N sponsored driver doesn't over-analyze the what-not and whys regarding his repeated success at the three-tenth of mile, clay surfaced Richmond Kentucky track, he just drives. "This car really likes the Richmond track for some reason, I don't know if it's because it is a small track or what. After hot-laps I can pretty much tell if we have the car to win and I felt another win coming on that night."

"Dad always says the car can be faster, so we are always making changes," continued Lucas. We try out things in hot-laps, if we don't like it, or the car doesn't like it, we change it back."

Lucas is all about family and he sends a special shout-out to his dad, Gerald, for everything he does.

For Lucas Racing 2011 has great season of racing, with three trips to victory lane "and lots of top-five finishes," adds Lucas. "We traveled some this year, and when you go to different tracks, it's hard to beat the local drivers. But overall we have been happy with our results."

The season ended a bit sooner than Lucas had planned when he flipped his car last Saturday at Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Kentucky. "It was an easy roll-over and I landed back on the wheels, but I did do quite a bit of damage to the front suspension." With only two races remaining on their schedule, the decision was made to tear down the No.78, evaluate the damage and start rebuilding for the 2012 season. "We haven't really talked much about next season, but I am sure we will be visiting Richmond Speedway several times next year along with traveling to some different tracks."

"We had a good year and we want to thank K&N for all their support and the great products that we use throughout the year like filters, filter oil and the cleaner. You really have the best products on the market today. I also want to give a big thank you to my dad, he is always trying to make the car faster, he does a lot of the work every night, and he is also the money man behind the car. Thank you DAD!"

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Jonathon Payne Wins His Third Consecutive Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League Points Race

3 Oct 2011

Of his last eight races of the 2011 season, Jonathon Payne managed to walk away with six victories.

Winning the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League points race for the previous two seasons, Jonathan Payne and team Major Payne went into 2011 with aspirations of taking the title one more time. Well, Payne and his crew were once again successful. When all was said and done, they walked away with 261 points, exceeding the second place driver by sixteen points.

Jonathon Payne and Major Payne Pulling recently won the points race in the Lucas Oil pro Pulling League for the third consecutive season.

As the season's end drew near, Payne and his crew focused on holding on to their lead in the points race. As far as they were concerned keeping his Major Payne Ford running strong and making the right gear choices were two essential ingredients of the recipe for success. Evidently, Jonathon and Team Major Payne were able to do just that throughout the remainder of the season, as the driver managed to earn six victories during the final eight pulls of 2011.

Throughout the entire season, Jonathon Payne has gone toe to toe with his fellow competitors from the seat of a 2005 Ford extended cab Ranger. The 485 cubic inch engine nestled between the fender welds was fueled through a single four-barrel carburetor. Gripping the dirt were four 31-15.50-15 Dick Capex Pulling tires.

Granted, all of Payne's fellow drivers sported impressive trucks, engines and tires as well. That said though, Payne's rig differed a great deal in one aspect in particular; he was one of few drivers manning a Ford. In fact, According to Jonathon, he was pretty well the only competitor in the Lucas Oil Pro Pulling league throughout Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, pulling with a Ford while one other driver from Illinois who attended pulls on a consistent basis shared his make of pickup.

Jonathon Payne and Major Payne Pulling have depended upon K&N filters to protect their engine from dust, dirt and grime for the past twelve seasons.

When asked why Chevy's seemed to be the most popular makes of trucks in the league, Payne said, "Parts, new and old, are more plentiful for Chevys and less expensive." Explaining why he chose to drive a ford, Payne continued, "My dad and grandpa always drove Fords. My first truck was a 1979, F250 four-by-four, with a 460, that I drove to school. I started driving them on the farm and cutting firewood, before I had my license."

When asked what he considered as his strong point as a driver, Payne's answer was short and to the point, "Consistency." That said, although Jonathon's driving skills play a huge role in his success, he is quick to agree that his team is also of importance. Referring to his team, the driver said, "It's nice to have help, and someone that will give me an honest opinion."

Jonathon Payne and Team Major Payne are obviously considered by their competitors as a force to be reckoned with, as they have walked away victorious too many times to be considered as anything less. That said, the team is acutely aware of exactly what it takes to win on a consistent basis and one can rest assured that proper maintenance is on the top of their list. "I use the K&N 6X14 high flow air filter on my pulling truck," explained Payne. "I use their oil filter and air intake system on my 2008 Ford F350 tow vehicle, and my 700 Yamaha Rhino. Having a great sponsor like K&N and using their products for the past twelve years means I don't have to worry about any air or oil filter related problems."

Referring to his fans, the 2011 Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League champion continued, "Thanks for your support and encouragement. Even though my truck is loud, I can still here the crowd cheering at the end of the pull."

As one might suspect, Jonathon Payne, and Team Major Payne are looking forward to the upcoming season. That said, if all goes as hoped for, Payne fans might see somewhat of a change, as the driver is currently on the hunt for a major sponsor to assist in a move up to the Modified Four-Wheel-Drive class.

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Jason Meyers and Elite Racing Earns a Victory at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Canada

3 Oct 2011

Jason Meyers and the Elite Racing Team recently expereinced a win at the Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Canada in the 410 class of the World of Outlaws Series.

Jason Meyers, of Clovis, California, and the Elite Racing Team, recently embarked upon their annual journey to Edmonton, Canada, where they would compete in the 410 class of the World of Outlaws series in the Oil City Cup and Commonwealth Clash.

Jason Meyers resently set a track record prior to winning the feature at the Castrol Raceway, in Edmondton, Canada.

Arriving on the first night at the Castrol Raceway, Jason Meyers immediately got down to business in his number 14 GLR Investments KPC car, as he set quick time and established a new track record. Finishing fourth in his heat race, Meyers lined up fourth on the dash and worked his way to the third place position before the run's end. Starting in the third position in the feature, the driver was confident he was in an ideal spot to challenge his fellow drivers for the checkered flag.

"Castrol Raceway is a beautiful facility, and the track is known for great racing," shared Meyers. "We went out and set a track record on both Friday and Saturday night. Setting a track record does give you a lot of confidence," he continued, "but you also have to have everything else go right during the night in order to turn a track record into a win. Having Charlie Garrett horsepower on any race track is an advantage, and it is what helped us get a few track records this season."

Meyers said, "The dash draw really went our way, since they either invert the top four, six, or eight cars. Having the four car be a diversion did help. During the dash, I was able to feel out the track, and gained position. That set us up to start third in the feature. You want to move up as many positions as you can in the dash so you can have a good start in the main event," explained Meyers. "It's like you are essentially laying the groundwork for the main event during both the heat and the dash."

Lining up beside Donny Schatz in the thirty-lap main event, Meyers began to work his way to the front upon the waving on the green flag. Although fellow driver, Jason Sides, got the jump and passed Meyers in lap one, he continued his quest for the first place position, and by the end of the fourth lap had already made it to the runner-up spot. At that point, the 83 car of Paul McMahan was the only obstacle separating him from the first place position. The 2010 Oil City Champion continued to pursue McMahan, and ultimately took the lead in lap eighteen. Although Donny Schatz challenged him in the final laps, Meyers managed to hold the lead, earning his fourth victory of the season.

"We had a really good start in the #14 GLR Investments KPC," recalled Meyers. "By the fourth lap of the race, we had cleared Jason Sides, who had started in the second position, and were starting to track down, Paul McMahan, who was the leader at the time. Donny Schatz got past McMahan, and had a shot at us on a late race restart. We were able to find a little more speed at the end of the race to pull away for the win."

Having led in the points race since July, Jason Meyers and his team believe that consistency is the key to continued success. "We have not had a lot of wins this season, compared to the past two years, but we've been consistent" explained Meyers. "This is why we are leading the championship."

"We have been trying to go out and win as many races as possible, but it comes down to those top-five finishes and staying out of trouble. If we are able to finish the rest of the races consistently this season, and stay out of trouble, the points will take care of themselves."

Referring to the importance of proper maintenance, Meyers said, "We have been using K&N's products since 1993. We use a variety of K&N products on our race cars and street cars. They make the best products on the market."

When asked what he enjoys most about the sport of racing, Jason Meyers said, "I just love competing. I love that thrill of the intensity it takes to win races and the focus you have to maintain to win championships."

When asked if there was a message that he would like to relay to his sponsors and fans, Meyers answered, "Thank you DDNI, GLR Investments, Media Tile, Allstar Performance, K&N and everyone who makes this happen. My guys just keep digging, and the results show that."

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Brett Moffitt Wins K&N Pro Series East Race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

29 Sept 2011

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Racer Brett Moffitt

New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been the site of a number of runner-up finishes for Brett Moffitt. He finally broke through with the first win of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East career at the track on Friday in a rain-shortened race. Moffitt, who finished second three times in five starts at New Hampshire, led his Revolution Racing teammates in a 1-2-3 finish and trimmed the lead of K&N Pro Series East standings leader Max Gresham to 21 points with one race remaining.

Brett Moffitt wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

"Before the race I was thinking about how many times I had finished second here, and I wanted to get that off my back, so we did," Moffitt said. "Although we didn't run the whole race, I feel like we would have been there at the end either way."

Moffitt led a race-high 53 laps taking the lead from pole winner Darrell Wallace Jr. on lap 16 of the New Hampshire 125. The race ended after 78 laps because of rain and darkness.

"We knew we were way better than him," Moffitt said. "It was just a matter of getting the momentum off the corner here with these little horsepower motors. It's hard to do that."

Sergio Peña finished second, followed by Wallace in third. Gresham, who came into the race at New Hampshire with a 65-point lead over Moffitt, finished seventh.

"We knew the rain was coming, we were watching the radar all day," Peña said. "They were saying to go as quick as you can. We got up there to second pretty early and we were trying to chase down the (No.) 00 but Brett and all of those guys at Michael Waltrip Racing are always a fast car."

It was Wallace's best finish in four career K&N Pro Series East starts at New Hampshire.

"We qualified pole, set a track record," Wallace said. "We were leading those first couple of laps and getting those extra bonus points. But the car started to fade away. We had to fight for that lost two positions. Just sat there and rode in third. I was able to pull away from the fourth place car. I didn't really have anything to worry about behind me, just focus on the two guys in front of me."

There were two caution periods in the race, the second one coming on lap 70 when Scott Bouley spun out as the rain started to fall on the track. The race ended under caution on lap 78 with Moffitt in the lead.

"It was definitely getting slick," Moffitt said. "But as soon as that caution came out, I was just praying, let it rain."

Moffitt has won the past two K&N Pro Series East races at Dover International Speedway, site of the season finale on Friday night. He might need a third win in a row to chase down Gresham for the K&N Pro Series East championship.

"We had a dominant car and I think we definitely deserved this win," Moffitt said. "Now the championship chase is on going in to Dover."

The New Hampshire 125 will be broadcast on Speed on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

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Brad Springer Earns 2011 Angola Speedway Track Champion Title

29 Sept 2011

Brad Sprionger poses with his trophy after recently winning the 2011 points race at the Angola Speedway.

At the age of fifteen, Brad Springer began his racing career at the Angola Speedway, in Angola, Indiana. Although the driver has not actually raced full-time at this particular venue in over fifteen years, he still considers it as his home track. That said, there was no better location for Springer to end the 2011 season, racing in front of hometown friends, family and fans.

Brad Springer and Team Brad Springer Racing, recently won the points championship at the Angola Speedway, in Angola, Indiana.

Driving the #61 K&N Filters, TeamSE modified car, Springer entered the race in a good position. In fact, Springer led the points race by 65 points going into the event. Even though he had the luxury of a comfortable lead, the driver still had full intentions of earning a checkered flag. Beginning the day by setting the fastest pace in practice, the driver followed suit and qualified with the fastest time as well.

Everything had gone as planned thus far, but the team's luck suddenly went south going into the feature. Starting toward the tail, the driver experienced an ill-handling car throughout the race, and in turn, finished in seventh place, the worst finish he had experienced throughout the entire season. Fortunately, Brad's impressive lead going into the race was still enough to cinch the 2011 points championship anyway.

"I really felt good about our shot at another feature going into the race," recalled Springer, "but that was short lived after the feature started. The car didn't handle well at all. I came to the track with a different set-up than I normally run, and it seemed fast for the short run, but wasn't a good set-up for the long run. There were a lot of long green flag runs in the feature.

After begiining his racing career, at age fifteen, at Angola Speedway, Brad Springer return to race at the venue full time this season.

I was absolutely disappointed in a seventh place finish," he continued. "That was my worst finish of the year, and I wished I would have left the set-up the way it was, instead of trying something new. I'm always trying to find more speed, and in order to do that, you have to take risks. This one just didn't pan out."

Although Brad Springer and his team were unhappy with the outcome of this one particular race, the disappointment was short lived, as at the feature's end, they celebrated earning the title of 2011 Angola Speedway Track Champions.

"I have earned a track championship at M-40 Speedway, in Jones, Michigan, and the USA Modified Series Championship in 2010," recalled Springer. "This was my first championship at Angola Motor Speedway. I have finished second there a couple of times, way back when I first started racing, but have never earned a championship on that track before. It felt really good to bring home a championship from the track I like to call home. I have a lot of fans in the area and it was nice to be there regularly for them. The competition is always fierce at Angola. There are a lot of really good cars that travel a distance to compete at that track, and that makes for really good racing."

When asked about maintaining his race car, Brad Springer explained that he had been using K&N products for an excess of twenty years, The driver currently uses K&N wrench-off oil filters, air filters, and multiple breathers on the racecar, as well as their air intake system on his hauler. "K&N by far has the best product on the market," explained the driver. "I've seen a horsepower increase in the race motor, and fuels savings on my truck. I wouldn't use anything else."

When asked it his recent championship season will have a bearing on the upcoming season, Springer said, "I am really looking forward to the upcoming season. We will either return to Angola for a second championship, or travel with a new regional series and see if we can pick up another regional championship. Either way, this championship has definitely helped pave the way for future success."

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