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Golden's main focus is to be more aggressive on the track this year.
Women have been riding and competing in motocross for every bit as long as men, ever since the wide, first-turn sweeper, narrowed to thin the pack and the Coliseum turnstile jump upped the excitement ante. Yet, it wasn't until 2009 that the newly branded Women's Motocross (WMX) Championship delivered the sort of popularity, legitimacy and acceptance that the sport deserved. Last month, less than two years later, the bar was raised once more when Vicki Golden went toe-to-toe with the men in the AMA Arenacross Lites Class in Denver, Colorado.
K&N sponsored Vicki Golden was the first ever woman to compete in a professional Arenacross Lites Class event.
"I have been racing the WMX Pro Nationals since 2009," said the Temecula, California resident. "I also did the ESPN X Games last year. But the Denver Arenacross in January was my first time racing in an AMA Pro class (the men's). Being the first girl wasn't really why I decided to race, but it was definitely a bonus! I do get a lot of publicity, which is helpful to me, my sponsors and women's racing as a whole, but I really just wanted to be able to race year round. The WMX Nationals run May through September. I also love the more technical side of Arenacross."
Reentering the earth's atmosphere Golden searches for a proper landing site.
In 2008 the K&N sponsored racer crowned her amateur career by winning a woman's class title at the Amateur National Championships. In 2009 Golden exploded onto the professional motocross circuit at the age of 18. She was a contender from the first moto, but an injury end her first full season prematurely. In 2010 she was back, finishing the season fourth overall in the championship. Golden says she spent most of last year finding a way to bring her faster training speed to the actual race.
A pensive Golden says she just wants to be a good role model on and off the track.
"My 2010 season went somewhat differently than the year before. I did finish a lot more races last year, so that was good. But my race speed has just not been the same as my practice speed, so I've just been struggling some with that. If I could figure out how to turn my practice speed into my race speed, I know that I would be doing a lot better."
And every indication has that Golden, who's still at the very beginning of her career, has found a way to put it all together in 2011. Speaking about the particular challenges she faced racing in the men's pro class Golden says, "Well, guys are naturally stronger, so in that sense I had to work harder, but my program hasn't changed that much. I ride on Supercross tracks with a few men pro races several times a week, and I workout with a trainer for strength and endurance. I am working on being a little more aggressive overall."
"My brother and dad had bikes, and I wanted to be just like them, so that's when I first wanted a motorcycle too," explains Golden when asked what inspired her to get into racing.
"Growing up my results as an amateur weren't that special until my last Amateur race, the AMA Loretta Lynn's Amateur National, that's when I won the Women's Championship.
Did she feel any extra pressure being the first girl to compete in the pro Arenacross Lites Class?
"I didn't really. I just want to be a good role model on and off the track. The outside pressure never really gets to me, in any event. It's more the pressure I put on myself that hinders my performance at a race. I just want to focus on making main event and learn to be more of an aggressive rider. I was amazed by how the other riders treated me though. They all had nothing but nice things to say to me, and even helped me with tips on line choices."
As for her racing goals for the 2011 season she says, "For Arenacross I'd like to be making main events and start scoring points toward my Supercross license, but I'm taking this more as a learning opportunity than anything. It will be something I can carry over to the WMX Nationals, where I'd like to be on the podium consistently, and get my first National win. I also really want to win an X Games gold medal this summer in Women's Super X."
Christian Mohr won the last race of the season and finished third overall in the mini division.
Last week we posted a story about K&N sponsored Jürgen Mohr, the two-time European and four-time German quad racing champion. Mohr's powerful competitive fire continues to smolder within, as his sights are clearly focused on winning his fifth German quad title in 2011. Mohr is also systemically preparing himself for a serious run at the podium in the 2013 Dakar Rally. After a closer examination of this exemplary champion and his demeanor, it's becomes clearer what drives him, and how he continues to feed the flames of his racing passion.
Eight-year-old Christopher Gnan, the youngest member of the Mohr Junior Racing Team, won the mini division in a hotly contested last race of the season.
"I'm the coach and mentor of my own Mohr Junior Racing Team," says Mohr. "Eleven kids ranging in age from seven to fourteen years-old are on the team, and they all have the same two basic characteristics - they are all very talented, but more importantly - they are also nice little people."
Mohr hasn't only created a European quad racing farm league for the next generation of fast and furious competitors, he has positioned himself as a sort of Yoda for racing and life etiquette. Mohr teaches by means of positive enforcement, not by creating undue pressure in the lives of young kids.
Team member Max Haefker clearly enjoys the mud over video games.
"Having fun and doing your best is what comes first, I don't believe in putting so much pressure on the kids," says Mohr. "I really enjoy passing on my experience to the next generation."
His approach to teaching speak for themselves, in 2010 the Mohr Junior Racing Team won four of nine German championships. "I'm very proud," he adds.
Mohr says he gets back as much out of teaching his young racers, as they get from being taught.
"I started to build a junior racing team three years ago, that's when I got to know some really fast kids running in the German youth races. I had the opportunity at that point to bring the fastest German youngsters together and to pass along some of my experience, and to work with them on improving their own performance. But, it is not so easy to become a member of my team. The kids need to display strong talent, but equally as important, they must be very fair on the track."
Mohr says the kids on his team would rather play outside in the dirt and muck, as kids were designed to do, rather than stay inside trancing-out on video games. For Mohr the real measure of performance is steady and constant progress. He doesn't want kids riding on the "edge of risk."
Max is 13-years-old one of strongest riders on the team.
This is how he approaches racing, by working hard to systemically push back the edge of risk, and to continually raise the bar on his own skill level.
Christian, Mohr's ten-year-old son, made the cut for the team, "Of course he came into the sport because of my activities," says Mohr. "He won the last race in the 2010 series, and placed third overall in the kid's championship. Our team member Raffael won that class, winning two of three races."
At 14 Moritz is the oldest rider on the team, and along with Max they will race in the Hessen Motocross Cup 2011, in the adult class.
In the kids mini division rider Christopher Gnan, the youngest team member at eight-years old, clinched the title after a particularly hotly contested last race. Before the last race Gnan was in fourth place for the championship. "He fought hard, like a seasoned adult racer and he won the race and the mini class championship," says Mohr.
Max and Moritz are 13 and 14 respectively, and they are the team's strongest and oldest riders according to Mohr, and in 2011 they will both compete in the Hessen Motocross Cup, in the adult class. "As our ultra strong young racers they are ready to beat the sports class riders, and they should be ready to enter the professional class in about two years," adds the quad racing Yoda. For Mohr and his team it's always fast and steady, one step at a time.
After yanking out the king-sized rat bed, Riddle shook out still more debris.
Okay, we get bats in the belfry, but rats in the air filter? Yikes. Chris Riddle from Ft. Worth, Texas, recently purchased a 2003 Chevy S-10 pickup that had been sitting in mothballs for roughly three years. After driving the truck for about 3,000 miles Riddle figured it was time to change the air filter. To his very auspicious surprise there was a K&N air filter in the truck, "Which probably saved the vehicle," commented Riddle.
The Chap Stick provides a reference point for the size of the rats nest Riddle removed from his air filter canister.
A Texas sized pack-rat had converted the truck's filter canister into his own private rodent condo, there was nesting material and trash crammed into every nook and cranny. At the very least a lesser filter would have been completely blocked. However, we've heard of other grim stories, were squirrels have eaten clean through a paper filter, and then when the unsuspecting driver goes to start the vehicle, any stored nuts or other debris is sucked into the engine.
"The K&N filter kept the truck running," said Riddle. "After knocking about a pound of trash out of the filter, it cleaned right up to be just like new again. I am a lifetime believer in K&N filters, and this just proves it."
"It is my everyday truck, it's how I go to work, the store, haul firewood, or take the kids to get a haircut - that truck is how I get there. It has 99,200 miles on it, and with all the junk in that filter, I was still getting around 20 mpg. I can't wait to see what I get now that all of that stuff is gone."
Riddle explains that he used to work for Genuine Parts Company, the parent company of NAPA Auto Parts, so he was very well aware of K&N filters, and as he puts it "Their superior reputation for a good long while now." Riddle says he has also used the air and oil filters in several of his vehicles over the years. "After seeing what I saw, all the trash that was in that filter canister, and how the truck still kept on running - I will never buy any other brand ever again."
And Riddle wasn't the only one in his family moved enough to buy only K&N, "My father-in-law purchased a K&N air filter for his F-150 when he saw the sheer volume of junk that shook out of mine. He was immediately convinced, as I am, that K&N's reputation for quality is well deserved."
Once again, irrefutable proof that K&N air filters allow your vehicle to breathe better, they last for like a million miles, and they are Texas pack-rat resistant.
Meyers hopes the new look will help in defending his 2010 World of Outlaws title. Photo of Sprint Car in Indiana, CA
After winning the 2010 World of Outlaws title, K&N sponsored Jason Meyers added even more devotees to his already hefty fan-base. Admirers from as far away as Australia began commenting on his Facebook Fan Site, and Australians do love sprint car racing, nearly as much as they like beer. It's viewed as a mix of brave sports heroes going into battle, who more often than not are "working stiffs" spending their weekends on the road. To kick off his 2011 racing campaign, Meyers took part in three of the classic sprint car races "downunder." With the help of Steve Caunt Racing, Meyers experienced not only a solid week of racing, he even pick up his first victory of the year.
The Elite Racing number 14 car will be sporting a new paint job in 2011.
"I was approached by Steve Caunt through Glen Beaton, who works with us, and is from Ballarat, Australia, said Meyers. "He offered to bring us over for a quick trip to include the Presidents Cup, the Kings Challenge and the Classic, which is the Knoxville Nationals of Australia. I have wanted to race in that race for a long time in order to get qualified for the World Challenge event at Knoxville in August, so it was a great opportunity that I could not pass up."
From Meyers' perspective the tracks in Australia are typically very small, similar to the short tracks in California that he grew up racing on. Meyers and Elite Racing are the first team from California to ever to win the World of Outlaws title. He in fact is only the eighth driver to win a World of Outlaws title ever.
"The competition in Australia has really stepped it up over the past five years," adds Meyers. "The caliber of equipment and teams in Australia has definitely started to catch up to the U.S. and it makes it very challenging. I can't say it's quite as tough as the states, yet, but they are well on their way."
"Winning the Australian American Challenge race on the Friday night of the Classic was definitely the highlight of the trip. Steve Caunt and his entire team were great to work with, and to get them a win was special. I have driven for Harry Delamont over the past few seasons in Australia, and he came up to watch too, so it was great to win for Steve and also have Harry and his family in attendance."
After his success on night one, Meyers was looking to capitalize on it during the second evening of racing. Saturday evening at Premier Speedway, night two of the Classic, after a restart, Meyers found himself defending his position from Joey Saldana for the second night in a row, only with different results this time. Saldana first went to the high line in an attempt to get around Meyers, but fell short at the line. Then, coming off turn two, on Lap 29 of the 40 lap feature, Saldana got to the outside of Meyers and the two touched wheels, ending Meyer's 2011 bid to win The Classic.
"It was very unfortunate, because we had a car that could win the race, and I was pretty upset that night, but that's racing and life goes on. The most disappointing part was I thought I could race wheel-to-wheel with the number 9 car, but as it turned out, that wasn't the case. So now I know," remarked Meyers.
With some time to reflect on his trip Meyers says "I absolutely loved the trip down under and I look forward to going back next year. The fan reception and hospitality is second to none. My wife and I want to go over next year with the kids and run a few events and make a vacation out of it."
Lowden and his crew spent countless hours making certain every detail of the Road Runner was perfect.
Big Hemi Customs' home is in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and it's owned and operated by Jason Bair, and Todd Lowden. Both huge custom car fanatics, Bair and Lowden started Big Hemi Customs to help restore muscle cars for other car enthusiasts. With over 6,000 square feet of shop space and over 40 Years of combined experience, Big Hemi Customs is a full restoration shop offering some of the highest quality restoration of high quality performance cars to be found anywhere. From rotisserie frame off to a simple paint job, or engine and power train upgrades, for them it's a labor of love, and their attention to the most miniscule details has won them fans nationwide.
Big Hemi Customs went with a K&N air filter because of performance and quality and because it just plain looks cool.
"I've had a love for cars all my life, from Hotwheels, to models, to the real thing," declared Lowden. "Just going to car shows and seeing all the nice cars, I wanted my cars to look that way, or a little better, and I wanted to show my own talents."
Lowden's talents were on display big-time, for all to see at the 2010 Las Vegas SEMA show, in the form of a sculptured 1969 Big Hemi Plymouth Road Runner; featuring a 472 cubic inch Mopar Performance headed stroker, fuel-injected hemi that pumps out 560 ponies.
The paint scheme is "Back in Black" by Barrett Jackson at Planet Color.
Lowden has built other show-stopping muscle rides, such as a 1970 Z28 Camaro, a 1972 Olds 442, or another Road Runner, a 1970 version, but this is the first time he and Big Hemi Customs displayed their creation at SEMA.
Lowden says his inspiration for the SEMA Road Runner was "To show the caliber of work we do at Big Hemi Customs, and hopefully to bring in some new customers." We have to suspect it's mission accomplished, as the Road Runner gathered many new fans and lots of respect at the show.
The wheels are American Racing Torque Thrust M Chrome - 22" x 9.5" in the rear, and 20" x 8.5" in the front.
I car sold immediately following the show and Lowden say the new owner intends on taking it to other shows to show it off, and to perhaps even drive it on the weekends.
This was Lowden's first ever SEMA show and he says there was a lot of long hours put in to making the car perfect. And, being that the shop is in Indiana it had to leave a week before the show. "We crossed our fingers that nothing happened while in transit to SEMA," said Lowden.
Lowden's tips for prospective car builders looking to get started, "Just try to do the best you can and learn from your mistakes. Get a game plan for the car your doing and try to stay in a budget. Then take it to some shows and get some feedback."
Lowden chose to go with a K&N air and oil filter in the Road Runner "First, because of performance and quality and second, because they just look good," he explained. "We have been putting them on 95% of the cars we restore the other 5% want the total stock way. I have been using them myself for about 20 years."
We asked him if he'd won any awards, or had his cars featured in magazines or other publications?
"Yes, we received first place in Modified at Mopars at the Strip (Las Vegas) in March of 2010. We were on the cover of the October 2010 Mopar Muscle Magazine and also had a small TV interview with Dan Woods of 'Chop Cut Rebuild' that aired on the first episode of the new season last fall."
Lowden's impression of the SEMA show, "Well, since it was my first time, one word says it all - WOW. It was awesome, so big I think the show should last for two weeks so I could see it all."
Lowden and the crew have every intention of returning next year. "Hopefully, we are getting ready to work on a '68 Charger to take to the show this year."
