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Jason Gross and GR Motorsports Are Happy With Their Performance

11 Jul 2011

GR Motorsports' Jason Gross had started last in the heat and managed to work his way up prior to the final lap and earn the victory.

When the green flag waved at New Richmond, Wisconsin on Thursday night, June 16, Jason Gross, who had started last in the heat, managed to work his way up prior to the final lap and earn the victory. Starting up front in the feature, he had possession of the lead early and never looked back. Racing at what they consider their home track, Jason and the crew were confident going into the race, and anticipated a win. That said, he performed even better than expected. Jason had begun lapping the competition by the eighth of the 20 lap race, and by the competition's end had a comfortable 3/4 lap lead on the second place driver.

Jason Gross had possession of the lead early in the race and never looked back.

Of course, the race was of great importance to Jason and his team, as every victory is a motivator and confidence builder. On the other hand, they were also aware that the weekend was a far cry from over.

With Thursday's victory behind them, Jason Gross and GR Motorsports were on the verge of competing in the race they had been waiting for since the beginning of the 2011 season. The USMTS drivers were scheduled to be at Cedar Lake. Jason and the crew knew that the cars would be fast and the race furious. This was the perfect opportunity for Gross to line up against the "Big Dawgs", and get a good indication of where he stacked up against the USMTS drivers.

Jason started fourth row in his heat and was up against drivers such as Ryan Gustin, Cory Dripps and Kelly Shyrock. Although he didn't make it into the top three during that particular heat, which was required to advance to the "A" Main, Jason performed well in the "B". Starting 12th, throughout the race, the driver muscled his way up to fourth, earning a spot in the show.

Starting 27th of twenty-eight cars, Jason and the GR Motorsports team were excited and anxious to get the 40 lap race underway. When the green flag waved, the competition was on, and Jason began making a showing. In fact, by the twentieth lap, Gross had already worked his way up to 14th place and reached tenth by lap 31.

With only nine laps to go, coolant began blowing from the overflow of Jason's car. Watching as the temperature gauge continued to climb, he finally opted to pull over and shut her down. Upon a closer investigation of the engine following the race, a hairline crack was discovered in the head.

Although disappointed that mechanical malfunction demanded that Jason call it quits early, the driver and his team were satisfied with the outcome and the performance of their car. When the dust settled it had been established that they were fast and had the ability to run with a very stiff caliber of competition.

When asked if they were happy with the overall performance of their car and their success throughout the season, GR Motorsports team member, Justin Gross, said, "Overall we're happy with where we're at, but will never be satisfied, as there's always room for improvement. You're never fast enough."

Obviously, each and every driver and their teams are going to be plagued with occasional mechanical problems as Jason was on Friday, June 17, due to the fact that engines are pushed to their limits during every outing on the track. Although such failures are inevitable, the GR Motorsports team is acutely aware of the importance of maintaining clean and well-lubed motors. In fact, according to Justin Gross, they are fans of, and have been using K&N products for the past five years, "I wouldn't use anything else," explained Justin. "I also use them in my personal vehicles; my parents use them in their vehicles, and my brothers use them in their vehicles. I think they're a superior product, and am confident that we wouldn't be where we're at today if not for K&N."

In closing, Justin said, "None of this would be possible without the support of our sponsors and fans, and we'll always go out there and do the best that we can."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Sheldon Gecker Wins Top Dragster for the Second Time This Season

11 Jul 2011

NHRA/IHRA Racer Sheldon Gecker and son

After competing in the NHRA Divisional, Sheldon Gecker, of Surprise, Arizona, had one more stop to make before returning home. Sheldon rolled in to Salt Lake City on June 26 having already won one race in the Top Dragster class during the 2011 season, with anticipation of experiencing another successful outing. Just as the driver had hoped for, at the end of the weekend, he had managed to win yet again in the Top Dragster class at the IHRA event.

Sheldon Gecker grabs Top Dragster at 2011 IHRA Nitro Jam

According to Sheldon, 25 cars showed up at the event, and the competition was stiff. "For the most part, the competition was more than I expected, considering they don't usually run that category at that track," shared Gecker. "In that area of the country, there aren't a lot of racers competing in the Top Dragster class, but people showed up from different areas of the country. It was a different group of people than we normally see for the most part at the NHRA events. There were some pretty fast cars, cars that ran around 200 miles per hour at altitude. I was impressed," he continued.

When asked the importance of his recent win, Sheldon said, "It was important. With fuel prices around $4.00 per gallon, it's expensive to go down the road, so we're not competing in as many races as we would like.

"It's a good feeling getting caught up and starting to win some rounds. We were feeling pretty good going into this race, and were runner up just last week in Fallon, Nevada." explained Gecker.

Referring to the key to success during his most recent win, Sheldon suggested that regardless of venue, success depended a great deal upon having rapport with your vehicle, and knowing how it will perform under various track and weather conditions.

Sheldon stated that experiencing success throughout the remainder of the season depended partially upon actual time behind the wheel, and keeping your vehicle in one piece. "If you sit out too long, you tend to get a little stale," explained Sheldon. "If you start changing combinations and changing engines, the learning curve becomes too steep in a short season."

Sheldon said that his race car has been performing well throughout the season. According to the driver, of the five races they have competed in, Gecker and his crew have earned a spot in three finals. That said, the driver is aware that properly maintaining the internal components of their engine is of utmost importance. Speaking of K&N products, the driver said, "we use them on the air cleaner and the oil filters. We've been using K&N products for about 15 years, and have had very good luck with them. I think in any scenario, they're hard to beat," he continued. "Their filters are all-around good filters, and we've never had any problems with them. We use them on our support vehicles also."

Sheldon Gecker and his crew are presently in the process of preparing for upcoming divisional and national events to be held in Sonoma, California. According to the driver, the NHRA divisional race is scheduled for July 22-24, and the NHRA national event will take place one week later, beginning on July 29, and continuing through the 31st.

Sheldon Gecker stressed the importance of his team, and was quick to show gratitude toward his sponsors and fans. "Most of the products we run, we've used for the past fifteen or twenty years, because they're the most reliable products out there, and we can depend on them," shared Sheldon. In closing he said, "I'd like to thank our sponsors and fans for all of the support that we have received throughout the years."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

K&N Sponsored Adam Ellis Leads French Speedway Championship

11 Jul 2011

Ellis believes that 2011 may be his best season so far.

European Speedway fans have a bright new star to illuminate the racing future of their sport. Adam Ellis is only 15-years-old, and after the first four rounds of the French Speedway Championship, Ellis has the points lead. The talented young racer took second place at Ledbury, United Kingdom, a third at Morizes, he won in Artigues de Lussac, and earned another second place in St. Macaire, the last three all being in France.

After the first four rounds K&N sponsored Adam Ellis leads the French Speedway Championship.

For those not up-to-date on Speedway racing, it generally involves four to six riders, racing four explosive counter-clockwise laps on hard dirt, grass, or loosely packed shale oval tracks. Adding to the controlled pandemonium is that speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes.

Clearly Ellis is an extreme sports fanatic, as his hobbies include surfing and snowboarding. Ellis in fact looks like he's straight out of Central Casting with his laid back Southern California appearance, although he calls Taillecavat, South of France his home. Ellis has more in common with So-Cal teenagers then he has differences, his favorite food is Chinese, his favorite song "Free Fallin" by John Mayer, and his movie of choice is "Jackass 3D." Ellis' biggest fans are his mum Julie, his dad John, and his sisters Leigh and Jasmine. For his racing ambitions Ellis simply says "To be the best!"

Ellis has finished on the podium in all of his first four races this year.

"In my first heat I had a bad gate, but I managed to work my way up to finish in second place, said the K&N sponsored rider, referring to the fourth round at St. Macaire. "The second heat went much better, and I led from start to finish, beating the current World 250cc Champion (Richard de Biasi). In my third, and last heat, I crashed while fighting for the lead, but neither me nor the bike was badly hurt, and I still had enough points to finish second overall in the meeting."

"My next meeting is the 250cc World Championship in Tayac, France," adds Ellis. "I am in good form and aiming for a place on the podium to make this season my best season so far."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Hancock and Lane's Jeff Lane is Second All-Time in NHRA Divisional Wins

11 Jul 2011

If you're a drag racing fan, you know who John Force is; Don Garlits is a household name; and you probably have Don Prudhomme's diecast on your mantle. But unless you follow the roots of drag racing, the sportsman ranks, you probably don't know who Jeff Lane is.

Hancock and Lane's Jeff Lane is second all-time in divisional wins in the NHRA.

Lane and his partner, Jerry Hancock, have been terrorizing the sportsman scene for over 30 years. Their Hancock and Lane team have combined to collect 7 divisional championships in three different classes, 8 National Event victories, 18 national records, a win at the prestigious JEG's All-Star Race, and two Driver-of-the-Year awards. And if that wasn't enough, Lane is second all-time in divisional wins in the NHRA.

This season, the team is off to another stellar start. With wins at Mission, Canada and Spokane, Washington, they sit second in national points. A win at their next even, in Woodburn, Oregon, would put them at the top of the Competition Eliminator point's standings. Their Chevy has been dominant this season, winning from the pole in a repeat effort at Spokane.

"It means you are doing well when you repeat," Lane said when asked about his teams second consecutive win at Spokane. "It keeps your confidence level up when you're able to repeat year after year."

"Every race track is unique and each race changes from year to year. Last year when we won at Spokane, it was really hot and slick. It was a drivers race. This year, the track was cool, but we had a great performance advantage."

Lane expects his team to continue its performance through the season, but this year they face an even greater challenge in their quest for a National Championship. The NHRA reduced Comp Eliminator races on the west coast, making every race essentially a must win.

"To do well without having to travel back east means we need to do well at the limited races that are available to us," Lane added.

With their innovative approach, there is only one brand of filters Hancock and Lane rely on.

"K&N racing is always on board with innovation and cutting edge technology. Whenever we need something made, they have engineers that we can talk with to try and sort out solutions. Their shelves are always stocked with oil and air filters, which we use on our race engines and towing equipment. K&N products are second to none."

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.

Cody Rahders' Brightest Moment in 2011 Came at the Historic Glen Helen Raceway

11 Jul 2011

Cody Rahders' Podium at Glen Helen Raceway

In the ever growing world of off-road racing, one name sticks out when talking about the expanding UTV class; Cody Rahders. The youngster from Alpine, CA, is in his second season in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series' SR1 class. Last season, as a rookie, Rahders finished 5th in the championship chase. This year, he finds himself 4th, but the performance on the track is indicative of an even better season.

UTV Driver Cody Rahders is 4th in the 2011 championship chase

"I'd rate my season as a five on a ten scale," Rahders told K&N News. "We've had three victories, but far too many DNF's (did not finish). A blown hose at Firebird, a fire at Speedworld, two separate steering failures in Utah. That's just too many."

Rahders brightest moment in 2011 came at the historic Glen Helen Raceway, where he managed to recover from a rollover to win his race, earning a sweep of the weekend's events. "The sweep at Glen Helen showed me that I was able to come back from adversity and win. I feel it proved I'm a driver who never gives up."

Cody Rahders in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series' SR1 class

That quality must be true for Rahders. At round 8 in Utah, Rahders was walking away with the race, when his steering broke three laps from the finish. But he still has his sights set high for the rest of 2011. "My goal is to finish on the podium at every race for the remainder of the season."

And following Rahders to the podium will be K&N. "K&N makes my car perform faster and stronger. I have nothing to worry about. My air filter and oil filter always hold up under the constant strain of eleven thousand RPM. It lets me concentrate on one thing, winning!"

Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.