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NHRA Lucas Oil Super Comp World Champion Gary Stinnett

22 Dec 2010

NHRA Divisional Champion Gary Stinnett

While there is no such thing as a truly "easy" class at any level in drag racing, many would agree that one of the toughest is the 8.90 index class called Super Comp, a class for many where winning NHRA national events remain a lifelong dream and obtaining just one national championship is a major feat.

NHRA National Event Winner Gary Stinnett

For Emporia, Kansas resident and K&N racer Gary Stinnett, who ran out of fingers to count his various NHRA divisional championships on many years ago, when the 2010 season began it didn't seem to him like it would be his year to reach for another national championship in Super Comp.

"With Ray Miller and Luke Bogacki starting off the season red-hot, before I had even fired my engine, I could see that the world championship in Super Comp was out of reach," confessed Stinnett. "I felt it was already over, so I never really thought about it and it was almost kind of a relief.

NHRA Lucas Oil Super Comp World Champion Gary Stinnett

Those guys had such perfect scores so early in the year, I thought well I don't have to worry about that, I'm just racing to get into the top ten [nationally]."

Stinnett, who hasn't missed a season competing in Super Comp since he began in 1989, plowed his way to the top of the heap in NHRA Division 5 Super Comp with semi-final finishes at both Brainerd and Las Vegas and a win in Topeka.

His success would help him claim his sixteenth NHRA Division Championship, although the NHRA history books only show twelve.

"Our division has a Super Shootout Series and if you win at the end of the year and you are division champ, they give you the same trophy, the same jacket, the same money, everything is the same as the other classes, but NHRA does not count those four other championships toward my total," Stinnett pointed out. "So, I tell NHRA all the time, well I have sixteen trophies and sixteen gold cards at home, so while they say twelve I'm, saying I now have sixteen divisional championships."

Stinnett currently holds the NHRA record for the driver winning the most double division championships in the same season by doing so four times prior to 2010. He almost added number five to his record when in addition to acquiring his 2010 NHRA Division 5 Super Comp championship; Stinnett came very close to doubling up again by finishing second in his division in Super Stock.

By the time the season rolled into August, Stinnett went on a winning spree, in his K&N clad dragster, with back-to-back Super Comp wins starting with his victory at the NHRA National at Brainerd and followed it up with the aforementioned divisional win at Topeka.

"I am a hot weather racer," Stinnett claimed. "You can look, I don't race well when it is below sixty. It's cold, I'm miserable and I'm shivering in the car, so I don't drive well. But it could be one-hundred and four, I'm soaking wet and I drive like crazy."

"Plus I'm an engine builder and this time of year I am swamped and I don't get to get out there and start my season until April or May after people like Tommy Phillips and Bogacki have already been out since February kicking butt," he continued. "So it usually takes until June or July until I get my stuff sorted out and then it gets hot. And when it does get hot, it's just very conducive to my driving style."

A track that was very good to Stinnett in 2010 was Brainerd, where he did well at both the divisional and national events. "I cannot tell you how many races I have won at Brainerd over the years," said Stinnett. "In just my most recent memory, the last four times I have been there, I have been in four final rounds. Won two and runner-up in two. It's just a really comfortable place for me."

As the season continued to play out, Stinnett learned that a shot at the 2010 NHRA National Championship that he had originally dismissed was starting to fall his way and feels his final at Topeka was the big turning point.

"I broke a roller lifter in the semi-final and I heard it when I started it up at the top end to drive back to the pits," he reflected. "I hurried to try and change it, but it was stuck and I couldn't get it out. So I was going to have to run one of my customers in the final and I was going to give up and just let him win it. Until I thought, you know that one round could make the difference in the points. I didn't know when or what, but it could."

"I hammered the lifter back down, put the rocker cover on and limped it back up there," he continued. "I rolled thirty numbers out of the timer, we left and when I came off the stop and ran way out in front of him then I just started whomping on the throttle. We cross the stripe and my light comes on and I had run an 8.90."

That "never-give-up-attitude" moved Stinnett up to third in the NHRA Super Comp National points chase and some light at the end of the tunnel.

"When I went to the Vegas divisional, I knew I had to go six rounds to go past Luke [Bogacki]," explained Stinnett. "I remember when I won the fifth round, everyone started coming over and congratulating me. I told them that I hadn't won it [national championship] yet since I knew I needed to win the six round to clinch it. Well, I lost the sixth round so then I go to Pomona and I have got to sweat out [Edmond] Richardson."

For Richardson to pass Stinnett in the points, he would have to be the last man standing in Super Comp at the World Finals in Pomona. "Most people were saying, ‘ah, he's got to win the race, not runner-up but win the race'. Well, they must not remember the Edmond Richardson I remember," said Stinnett. "I've been racing with him since '89. He can win any race he rolls into."

For Stinnett, the 2010 NHRA Super Comp National Championship was his before the end of the first round of competition at Pomona, as Richardson fell in defeat to Jimmy Lintz.

Now a three-time national Super Comp Champion, Stinnett reflects on how this year differs for him than previous seasons.

"You know in a way, to be honest I feel like I kind of snuck in and stole one away because 630 points shouldn't win the championship," he admitted. "It sure doesn't feel like it did in '05 when I had 700 points. I kinda feel like I got lucky and got this one by default."

"But, it kinda makes up for the one in 2003 after I had led the points all season and [Jack] Beckman snuck in there at the end and got around me", he added.

Well before any dust settled from the 2010 season, the newly crowned champion was already hard at work on his plans for 2011, which include a brand new dragster for Super Comp competition and a return to the same Super Stock car he has been driving. "We are going to run the same schedule," Stinnett said of his upcoming season. "We will run the same tracks and the same classes and go out there and try to win another championship."

Stinnett is quick to thank all those who continue to help him in his chase throughout the year, from those who go on the road to the folks at his shop.

"Thanks to Dennis Musch, I don't have to think of a lot of things while we are at the track," he said. "He takes care of it all. My wife Joyce and a couple of guys who come by the shop and help out, Dick Ross and Steve Wilson. Also thanks to my employees who run the business while I'm away, Jason Ruge, Luke Siebert and Ryan Burd."

"I really want to thank Steve Williams and everyone at K&N for all their help," noted Stinnett of his long-term relationship with the company. "The thing I really like about K&N is that Steve, Bob Harris and Greg Boute, they are all racers. They are at the track and they are in our categories, so they know exactly what we are doing and they are not just participants, they are contenders. Steve, for example, could win a championship in any given year."

"Working with K&N is very different than many of the other companies that I deal with, just because of their involvement in our sport," he added. "That means a lot to me and other racers."

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.

Black Stallion Racing's Michael Vaters Voted Promoter of the Year 2010 by MTRA

20 Dec 2010

Vaters' Monster Motorsports was awarded the "Promoter of the Year 2010" by the Monster Truck Racing Association (MTRA).

At a time when many are creatively trimming their overhead, the Black Stallion racing team, and their event production business, are looking for ways to deal with the joy of growing pains. Over the past year they have added another truck to their stable and an additional driver to their team.

Vaters' two new flame spewing jet 4-wheelers fit in perfectly alongside his monster trucks, they're about speed, noise and destruction says Vaters.

They now have three monster trucks and two very cool jet powered 4-wheelers. And, the icing on the cake for team, owner Michael Vaters and his production company Vaters' Monster Motorsports was awarded the "Promoter of the Year 2010" by the Monster Truck Racing Association (MTRA).

The number of events produced by Vaters' Monster Motorsports has been growing each summer, and this year they had a record breaking number of shows.

The Black Stallion racing team added a third truck this year, until a more permanent name is announced next year, it too will be known as Black Stallion.

"This is great news for all involved, but it is taking us a while to catch up and adjust to the growth," admitted Vaters for his home in Hagerstown, Maryland. "The first quarter for next year is already booked up with the Monster Jam series and we will be working on maintenance and updates to our equipment throughout the rest of the year."

What do Michael and Denise, his wife and team co-owner, attribute their burgeoning success to?

"I would have to say product sponsors and hard work. We have many product sponsors who help us with parts, services, and things we need to make everything work. A&C Racing Engines here in Hagerstown does all of our motor work. K&N helps us out tremendously with filters for all of our equipment. They even sponsored our driving suits this year, which we are very grateful for. If you add up all of our product and service sponsors it equals a large portion of our annual budget."

"If it weren't for our product sponsors we wouldn't be making it out here, especially with the economy the way it is now. The other key is our 'in-house work.' The Black Stallion team performs about 90 percent of our work in our shop. We build and repair just about everything; fiberglass body parts, chassis, rear-end housings, and transmission rebuilds. We fabricate parts and components for the trucks that most truck owners just buy."

The team's new jet powered 4-wheelers are 1990 Suzuki Quadzilla's, stretched out and modified to house a T58 General Electric jet helicopter engines. The engines are converted from jet turbine drive to full thrust power with an afterburner installed. Both jet 4-wheelers were built by Tim Arfons, the son of the legendary Art Arfons, who held the land speed record for many decades.

"We use the jet 4-wheelers as a side act at the monster truck shows," says Vaters. "It goes fast, shoots out flames, makes a lot of noise, and can turn a salvage car into a flaming inferno. They go right along with monster trucks….speed, noise and destruction." With so many shows this year, are there any highlights that stand out?

"The poor economy has hit most sports ticket sales hard, which is not the case with the monster truck events, and it's probably because the tickets are more affordable. This past year the Black Stallion competed in 77 events, which is a record number for our team. All of the events were great, but if I had to choose one it would be the Monster Jam in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. It was filmed by the Speed Channel and over 70,000 fans were in the stands. I got third in my favorite competition…freestyle. I met a lot of great fans tailgating in the parking lot before the show and tasted a lot of good food too."

"A couple of exciting things are going on starting out in 2011," adds Vaters. "The Black Stallion team is introducing our third truck into competition this year. We will have two Black Stallion's, the second one being driven by James Tracey, and he will be competing at different venues this year. Monster Jam has booked us at more stadiums next year and they are normally filmed by the Speed Channel. We are working on a more permanent identity for the third truck and we will be announcing that later on in the year. We are all looking forward to another great year of competition that promises to be bigger and better than ever."

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.

Slicks Garage Builds Ultimate Hot Rod for 2010 SEMA Show

17 Dec 2010

Slick bought the perfectly matched K&N air filter from his local parts store.

Everything old is new again - Sha Na Na, Teen Angel, hot rods and hoods - it's all good at Slicks Garage. At Slicks they practice the lost art of creating classic cars from scratch. The custom and classic car shop located in downtown Palmetto, Florida, opened its doors in January of this year.

The 1932 Ford grill shell contains encapsulated tubes with air holes for distributing hydrogen gas through acrylic tubes which are filled with red dyed water for a 1950's Rockola jukebox look when it bubbles.

The 13,000 square-foot facility is a one-stop shop for local car enthusiasts and collectors and it's currently being featured on a local TV series titled "Tail Fins and Chrome". A new segment of the series called "Slicks Tricks," features garage owner Slick, demonstrating his tricks of the trade to the home car enthusiast.

"Thank you so much for your interest in "The Ultra" as it is an honor to be associated with K&N, given that I back your products regularly, so having an article done kind of brings things full circle," commented Slick when we contacted him.

The Ultra's matt black paint exterior is matched with high-grade red leather for the seats and panels.

First-things-first, why Slick?
"I am always asked how I got the nickname 'Slick', it started out in high school with my hair, as I was a greaser and had (and still do) so much stuff in my hair it looked like I was keeping the oil companies in business, and it just stuck."

The dash was hand-built with a 30's cockpit style in mind, complete with "knee holes."

Talk a bit about the Ultra; give us a few details about the car and what went into building it?
"I built The Ultra as a tribute to what hot rodding has been over the years and what it has become. We hand-built the body, which was first designed in shop, before a mold was made of it. The Ultra at SEMA 2010 was the first one from this new exclusive Slicks Garage mold, which features a hideaway top, along with hidden frame rails and extended front end, and has the option of smooth hood sides.

"The Ultra is the latest addition to our 17 hand-built fiberglass body styles. All bodies are made to order and can be ordered as traditional Fiberglass or as a low VOC (lower styrene content and acetone free cleanup) option; this Ultra was built as low VOC. The Ultra is available to order as a rolling chassis, or as a full custom assembled vehicle."

"I wanted this car to be different and not something that would blend in anywhere. Not a street rod, nor a rat rod, but a hot rod, done my way, with all the things that I liked about hot rodding."

"The interior needed to be a flat shade to tie into the matt black paint from House of Kolor's used on the exterior, so I chose a high-grade red leather for the seats and panels. Then I found a matt red paint to match from Valspar for the one piece dash and center console."

"I decided to design the interior with a new/old mix. So the dash was hand-built with 30's cockpit style holes for your legs (my girlfriend has nick-named them knee holes). Then we flowed the dash into the console, making it one piece, wrapping it around the backs of the seats similar to the '50's 'vettes. To bring it into the present, it has heated lumbar in the seats, digital gauges, and a/c controls from Dakota Digital that we blacked out and had Dakota convert to red for me. Alongside that are red illuminated billet buttons from Autoloc for the power windows and power top."

"To make it more intimate I put in red led light strips in the door pockets, under the console and in the 'knee holes.' There's a Pioneer touch screen stereo with navigation and built in gyrosphere, accelerometer, DVD and Bluetooth. The sound is then pounded out through Vibe's new 'Slick' line speakers and amp." I didn't want to clutter things up with some big shifter so I went with Master Shifts one wire paddle shifter and blacked it out to match better with the interior."

"The frame is the heart of a car in my opinion, so I decided to give it strength and also some weight, to help keep it on the ground at high speeds, so we built it with 1/4 inch thick 2x3 tubing with driveshaft loops, and the roll bar ties directly to the frame, as does the whole body's steel skeleton."

"The Vortech V-7 YSi supercharger with cog drive made it possible to get over 1000 horsepower. without losing our daily driver goal and it doesn't hurt our fuel mileage either as it's more efficient. To keep the supercharger from premature breakdown we kept clean air coming in thanks to a K&N air filter."

"A hydrogen system we developed with our scientist helps us achieve 60 miles-per gallon and produce a cleaner emissions pull than that of a new car. The grill shell is our customized 1932 Ford grill shell with encapsulated tubes with air holes distributing the hydrogen gas evenly through the acrylic tubing which is filled with red dyed water for the 50's Rockola jukebox look when it bubbles."

What is your background with building hot rods, has it been a long time passion?
"I have been lucky enough to have a hot rodder for a dad, and have been working on cars since I was 15, and before that on go-carts, before that on r/c cars, before that on model cars and before that on every Hot Wheels and Matchbox I could get."

"The hobby is a way of life that has helped me to be an artist, historian, mechanic, upholsterer, electrician, and hopefully a teacher for the next generation of hot rodders. I've had close to 400 cars that I've played with over the last 22 years, and those were just my toys, the number of customer cars I couldn't even begin to tell you."

"My parents and my brothers and I have had car lots, junk yards, wrecker services, mechanic shops, tire shops, even a car insurance agency. If you love what you do, you immerse yourself into all aspects of it, and learn all you can to better yourself and to provide a better service to your customers."

Why did you choose to go with K&N and how did that connection come about?
I decided to go with K&N because I can't think of another company that can provide the quality I want and has the proven track record to back it up. K&N has helped change and support our hobby for years. My local Advance Auto Parts had just the K&N air filter I needed to complete this project; it even looks like it was meant for my car!"

Are you working on anything else that you'd care to talk about?
Be sure to watch for my newest projects, the American Graffiti's 1932, five window coupe, and the 1955 Chevy for the Hillstrand brothers from the Time Bandit on The Deadliest Catch. These are going to be their personal cars and they are thinking about a remake of American Graffiti with a twist for TLC and Discovery. We are also currently building a 1932 Ford Vicki with a 496 blown injected hemi for a customer, and for a pass down the salt flats to get his 200 M.P.H. jacket."

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.

Freestyle Motocross Rider Lance Coury Teams Up with K&N for 2011

17 Dec 2010

"I have been using K&N filters on my truck for years, now I'm using the filters on my CRF250R and CRF450R. The reliable air flow and look are awesome!"

Freestyle Motocross Rider Lance Coury

Freestyle sensation Lance Coury has just signed on with K&N for 2011. Lance is only 20 years old, but is already recognized worldwide for his Freestyle Motocross career. He has competed at huge freestyle venues such as Red Bull X-Fighters, Swatch 4 Freestyle and AFMXA Nationals, but he is not going to stop here. Lance is quickly becoming recognized as a heavy hitter in the FMX (freestyle motocross) world.

Lance Coury

His plans for 2011 are to be a top contender in all the major action sports stages including the highly sought after X-Games. Lance is confident in this proposition as he states "his riding has never been this good."

Lance has been riding motorcycles aggressively since he was 4 years old. He has always been competitive, but not always in freestyle. He started his career in racing and shifted gears to FMX when he was around 15 years old. He quickly rose through the ranks of this FMX battling with obvious challenges. When you're 15 years you're not full grown or at full strength but in FMX you're on a standard 200 pound bike jumping a standard 75 plus feet.

Lance Coury

Despite these challenges Lance worked his way up in the FMX world, riding shows and demos and was one of the youngest riders to land the back flip consistently. Currently Lance has all the high level tricks down. From the back flip kiss of death (rider kisses the front fender as he makes a ruler out of body and bike) to huge turn down tail whips, Lance does it all and does it with that extra flair you need to win events.

Now with his sights on winning more events Lance keeps his head down training at the Red Bull Compound in Wyvern Canyon. Aboard a CRF 250 soon to be a 450 Lance differentiates himself from the rest of the FMX field in riding a 4-stroke fuel injected motorcycle. The HA-4509XD is the two piece X-stream top filter that Lance will be running in his open air box 450.

Lance Coury

The filter like Lances bike sets him apart both for its looks and performance. K&N is the leading manufacturer of pleated, non-foam, cotton gauze media air filters that are high flow and offer excellent filtration. "I have been using K&N filters on my truck for years, now I'm using the filters on my CRF250r and CRF450r. the reliable air flow and look are awesome!" Lance says.

This filter not only looks cool, it performs better as well. In with all of his bikes modifications Lance will have one of the most high performance motorcycles on the freestyle field.

Lance Coury

This performance is necessary for the differentiating venues and conditions. No matter what the run up or conditions launching the bike 75ft plus from jump to jump is necessary to win and Lance's bike will be capable of that.

While other riders get into other sub-disciplines of the sport such as dare devil like stunts and FMX shows, Lance wants to be known as the best. He is willing to sacrifice it all to be known as a true competitor. With Lance a part of the K&N family we hope we can do everything we can to help Lance get to the top!

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 Holmes Motorsports 2010 Glen Helen Pro-Buggy Class Champion

17 Dec 2010

Pro-Buggy Racer John Holmes

The Lucas Oil Regional Off Road Racing Series has been very successful with their efforts to unite the burgeoning short course off-road racing series throughout the country under one umbrella. The flagship series in the organization are the Arizona Short Course Championship based in Phoenix, Arizona, the Glen Helen Short Course Off Road Racing Series based in San Bernardino, California, and the traveling General Tire TROPHYLITE Series.

Baja 1000 Champion John Holmes

John Holmes, the K&N sponsored Pro-Buggy racer and Baja 1000 champion is a huge fan of the Glen Helen Short Course venue, and with good reason, the Riverside, California racer is the reigning 2010 Glen Helen Pro-Buggy Class Champion.

"The win this season was a hard fight right up to the final race," said Holmes. "We had several great drivers competing this year, some of which came from the pro series, and battling with them was so much fun, not just for me, but for all the fans."

Reigning 2010 Glen Helen Pro-Buggy Class Champion John Holmes

The Lucas Oil Regional Off-Road Series is a new and exciting form of off-road racing, designed purposely to be a family-friendly. And, round seven of the Glen Helen Short Course Off-Road Racing Series delivered, with a little something for every off-road racing enthusiast, with classes ranging from UTVs and two-wheel drive trucks to 1600cc and larger Baja Buggies to Trophy Trucks.

The regional contestants competed on the same short course that the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series raced on back in August.

"Yeah, they both run on the same track, and it is a great new track this year," adds Holmes.

Located in the pristine hills of Devore, just north of San Bernardino, California, Glen Helen Raceway Park is located in the Glen Helen Regional Parks and Recreation Area, only minutes from legendary Route 66.

In the Pro Buggy Unlimited Class, driving his number 915 buggy, Holmes faced some strong competition from Phil Bollman and Myan Spaccarelli, as well as the rest of the talented field, but at the checker it was Holmes that took the championship.

"The biggest contributor to our winning has to be these new shocks we put on the car - it just seems to drive like a whole different car," commented Holmes.

After winning round six on the same track Holmes said he was pleasantly surprised that simply bolting on some new front Fox Shocks could make such a significant improvement. "We knocked off almost a full second and a half from my original times," remarked Holmes after that race.

Holmes said that the entire team felt terrific about winning the championship and ending the season on a high note. "I had a terrible flip early in the season that luckily did no damage to the car. I had some healing to do though, but I'm fine now."

Holmes was chasing down first place in an early round event and made a move to pass, his right front wheel caught some soft dirt and it turned his car sideways right before he was about to hit a six-foot jump. The car did two complete flips and landed back on all four wheels, never touching the roll cage. "It knocked the wind out of me and I thought the car was damaged," said Holmes. Remarkably there wasn't a scratch on the car, the only damage was to Holmes.

Next season Holmes plans on running only in the Lucas Oil Off-Road races close to home, which definitely includes Glen Helen, and depending on race finances he may head out to the Las Vegas events as well. "Due to the expense we are unable to run the whole series at this time, but we do want to be set up and ready," said Holmes

"Thanks to everyone involved, we were able to put together a solid season. I especially like to thank my family and friends that came out to support our team. And of course thanks to K&N and all my other sponsors for all their support."

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.

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