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Driver Interview: Up-And-Coming Racer Hunter Smith - This Kid is Going Places

14 Sept 2010

Hunter Smith and his K&N sponsored kart.

What are most 14-year-old boys up to? Chasing girls, putting off their homework, and sleeping in every Saturday and Sunday? Well that's not Hunter Smith. This 14-year-old young man exhibits maturity and discipline well beyond his years. He races, plays sports, and somehow manages to balance a girlfriend and schoolwork in with all that and much more. K&N sponsors this exceptional young man and recently had the opportunity to ask him about his racing, busy schedule, and future goals. Here's what Hunter had to say:

Hunter tearing down the track in his kart.

How has your season been to date? What position have you achieved?
Our season has been very good so far. We are currently in the championship lead and we have 8 points-paying wins, and 2 non-point-paying wins to date. Overall, I can't complain.

Have you faced any challenges with kart setup? What's working well and what isn't?
We have faced a lot of challenges with kart setups. Camber, caster, toe, and weight distribution are the four challenges that have come up with most. The track we race on (Snydersville Raceway) is a very wide- slightly banked track and being that it is a dirt oval, the track changes with air temperature, weather, and how many karts are driving on it. Setups are constantly changing, so my crew chief (my dad) and I always have to be on our game and work with what we are given.

Coming out of the turn, Hunter focuses on the straight-away.

How does this season compare to last season?
I think overall, this season has been better. 2009 was our first year, so we didn't know what to expect. And miraculously, we won the championship! In our rookie year! In 2009 we won 8 point paying races, and 2 non- point paying races, which is equal to what we have in wins at this point in 2010 and the season isn't over! So in performance on the track, we are a lot better.

Hunter overtaking one of his competitors.

Communication between my dad and I has gotten a lot better too. However, last season we had a bigger points lead at this point, and we currently only have 25 points over 2nd place. We just need to work on getting a few more wins and securing championship #2.

What have you learned this year? Personal growth? Technical knowledge?
This year has been a big learning curve. I've learned how to handle people, work with sponsors, and a lot of technical aspects of the kart from aerodynamics to how a K&N Air Filter can give me maximum performance on the track. One lesson that sticks out in my mind is from NASCAR Whelen Modified driver, Burt Myers. He says you should count your blessings, not your problems.

Hunter throws some opposite lock to keep his kart under control.

At one point this season I was on a winning streak. I won 4 races in a row and my competitors started to get angry, so they came after me. We got roughed up a little bit, but fought through it. Like Burt said, I just had to focus on the good, not the bad.

How do you feel about the team's performance this year?
The team's performance this year has been absolutely amazing. My pit crew consists of my dad, Ed Prchlik, and Jake Odee. They are always giving a 100% effort. If I go out in practice and the kart is handling terribly, they set it up so I can win the heat and feature. They always know what they are doing, and I can't thank them enough.

What challenges are you expecting in the next race?
My competitors are all very fierce and hungry for wins, as am I. The track condition could always be different from last week. Hopefully we can go out for practice and see what we are going to have to do to make sure we can set the kart up and get win number 11 of 2010.

Being such a young racer, what challenges have you faced balancing, school, sports, girls, and racing?
Believe it or not, I haven't faced that many challenges. At this point my education does come first and thankfully my teachers have been rather supportive and understanding about my racing. I am very athletic- I race, I play soccer, I workout daily, and I have played basketball, baseball, t-ball, run cross-country and track. I was also awarded the physical fitness award in 8th grade. And girls? Well that hasn't been a problem at all. My girlfriend, whom I have been with for almost 7 months, is my biggest fan. She makes it to as many races as she can. She's always there to help me through those rough races, and celebrate when we have a good one.

Where does kart racing fit in to your life goals? Do you plan on racing professionally as a career?
I'm hoping to start sprint car racing in 2011. Kart racing has been great to me, and I'm ready to move up. And yes, I do plan on racing professionally as a career. Hopefully I can make it to any form of professional auto racing- NASCAR, IRL, World of Outlaws, you name it, I want to drive it.

How have K&N products helped your kart?
K&N products have helped our kart a lot! K&N air filters are so durable and never clog. K&N's filter oil and filter cleaner keep our filters clean, so we can get all the clean air we can going into the engine. Thank you K&N!

14 years old and he's already balancing and managing more things than people twice his age. Hunter Smith is a bright and growing star in the racing world. He has his head on straight and with his talent and a little bit of luck, Hunter Smith will be on television sets across the country every weekend on a NASCAR circuit. K&N is proud to sponsor Hunter and his team and hopes that our relationship with and support of Hunter will continue for years to come as he continues to grow and progress through the racing ranks towards his career goal of professional racing.

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 Team High Lifter - Polaris Racing Wins at Lower Place Motorsports

14 Sept 2010

K&N sponsored Team High Lifter - Polaris is very confident going into the last two races of the season.

While most of us are careful to maneuver around mud puddles, Team High Lifter - Polaris continues to be very successful at racing smack through them. A huge crowd of ATV enthusiasts were in attendance recently to catch the mud-whomping action at Lower Place Motorsports in Martin's Mill, Texas.

JW Otwell earned a third place finish in the Pro A Class on a Polaris Sportsman 850.

It has been a very triumphant year of racing indeed for the K&N sponsored Team High Lifter - Polaris, as they continue into the final stretch with plenty of momentum, capturing seven podium finishes so far, including two wins at Lower Place Motorsports.

Team racer Brian Robertson took first place in the RUV Class on his Polaris Ranger XP. His wife and teammate, Maggie Robertson, placed second in the Women's Class, riding a Polaris Sportsman 850, while team racer, JW Otwell, pulled out a third place finish in the Pro A Class on a Polaris Sportsman 850. The big winner of the day however was the newest member of Team High Lifter - Polaris Racing, Brian Haughton. Haughton took first place in the Bogger Class, on his Polaris Sportsman 550.

The Bogger Class name originally comes from a class used in the mud truck racing industry. It is a type of tire designed specially to be used in extreme mud driving. For ATV's it denotes the middle-class sized engines, single-cylinder 500cc and up. In the ATV mud racing industry the class criteria continues to evolve as the OEMs constantly make changes and we try to keep the requirements for each class as even as possible.

Haughton wasn't content with just the one victory though, he also took third place in the Open Class, on his Polaris Sportsman 850, and another third in the RUV Class, aboard a Polaris Ranger RZR-S.

"I'm very proud of the team's accomplishments this past season, remarked team manager Tracie Engi. "I believe one of the main reasons that we've done so well this year is a combination of a great group of dedicated racers and our fine tuned Polaris machines. Our team members spend a lot of time with their bikes making sure they are maintained and in top running condition at all times."

The 2010 High Lifter PSR tour heads into the final stretch with only two races left for the season. The next race takes place in Splendora, Texas at Splendora Motocross Park on September 11th , with the final race concluding the series on September 25th, at High Lifter Off-Road Park in Shreveport, Louisiana.

"I am looking forward to the final race this season for a few reasons," adds Engi. "First, it is going to be held at High Lifter Off Road Park in Shreveport, Louisiana, which has great trails for after the races. Second, it will be great to see what individuals will be on top and win the series for their classes. Everyone has worked hard all year and this is the race they prepare for. Everyone will come bringing their best in order to get those final points." "It's been a great racing year for all the members of Team High Lifter-Polaris Racing. Without incredible Sponsors, such as K & N Engineering, the success the team has had this season would not have been possible."

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.

Resurgent Ryan Kaplan Pushes into Late 2010 with New Energy

14 Sept 2010

K&N-sponsored midget and sprint racer Ryan Kaplan (of Kaplan Racing) has returned to his best form, and as of August has gathered a fine new pile of on-track success. Following a BCRA Midget win at Silver Dollar Speedway in August, Kaplan plucked a fifth in the winged sprinter, and then took a fourth in the same car in Antioch at the Golden State Challenge.

K&N-sponsored midget and sprint racer Ryan Kaplan of Kaplan Racing

When he's not running a tractor at the family farm (fastest pistachios in California?), Ryan Kaplan has refocused his efforts on a strong end to his race season, both in the Kaplan Racing 410 car and their USAC/BCRA Midget.

On August 6, Kaplan won the Bay Cities Racing Association race at Silver Dollar Raceway in Chico, CA, putting a fine point on his return to form. After sweeping his heat in the Chrysler-powered #20 BCRA Midget, he started eighth in the main, and won that too.

Kaplan's win in the midget was from a field of 29 BCRA cars, which packed Silver Dollar's quarter-mile with twitchy little four-wheeled hornets. He waited until the final lap of 25 to scoot low on Ryan Margeson, and took his first win in too long.

The current Chrysler motor in the midget is a 380hp four-banger, turning 8700rpm at peak, but the Kaplans will be returning to the Esslinger-prepared Ford four for the rest of the season. Everything Kaplan runs breaths through K&N Filters. Kaplan says, "We love the K&N products because they keep the engine clean - that's all we need. We run the air filters and oil filters too, and all we need to do is wash them out after a race."

As of late, Kaplan's focus has been on his father, who surprised everyone - including himself - with triple-bypass surgery in July. He's doing a lot better now. "It's a big weight off my shoulders," Kaplan added. "The midget race was his first race back since his surgery, and it was really nice to have him out there to see my win."

On the day this release was written, Ryan Kaplan and Kaplan Racing were headed for a weekend at Calistoga Speedway in Calistoga, CA, to run the #20 with the USAC Midgets. On Wednesday, Kaplan Racing was going to be at Silver Dollar in Chico again, to run #20 in a BCRA race for the start of the Gold Cup. He's also racing the team's 410 car in the Gold Cup Race of Champions on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Busy guy, and he's stayed in school as well.

The Kaplan Racing 410 car, also #20, is family-owned. Kaplan Racing's main sponsor is K&N. Kaplan would also like to thank Simpson Race Products, FK rod ends, JE Pistons, Fuel Safe, Met Tec, and Redline Oil.

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.

Nick Folk Caps Summer Swing with Stock Victory at US 131 Nitro Jam

14 Sept 2010

When racing flows through your blood it can often appear to consume everything else, yet at the same time, it can define your world with such clarity and detail, that you may otherwise have missed it. It becomes then the most welcome of obsessions.

The Folk family racing team has shared great success at the IHRA Nitro Jam event, Brian and Nick each won in 2008, and Nick won again this year.

Case in point, the Folk family race team, like most months, they spent much of the last month on the road, attending big dollar bracket events in Atco, New Jersey and Stanton, Michigan and the annual IHRA Nitro Jam event at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan. At that race Nick Folk, the youngest son, secured his second Stock victory in three seasons at the event, and once again hoisted the IHRA trophy.

"That whole part you mentioned about a busy month is very true," commented Nick. "We are now headed to the Million Dollar Bracket Race in Indianapolis, Indiana. We just finished attending the U.S. Nationals at the same location, with far from impressive results. I guess when you race every weekend that has a tendency to happen."

The team's patriarch Ron Folk, Ron has been racing for four decades, since the age of 15. Brian got started in Super Class Racing, with a string of successes from his entry in 1995 until the present. He has also been a national event winner in IHRA top dragster. And Nick started at age 16. His website states that he is the last person any stock eliminator driver wants to see in the other lane.

The Folk family has had huge success at the IHRA Nitro Jam event in the past, as Brian and Nick each won in 2008. Plus, the event annually features one of the richest and most prestigious shootouts in all of sportsman racing, the Moser Engineering Axle Mania Shootout. Between the two Folk brothers, the team had three entries in the Axle Mania Shootout - Brian in both Top Dragster and Super Rod - and Nick in Stock. Brian advanced each of his entries to the quarterfinal round before dropping both decisions in that frame.

"I will have to admit that the Martin Nitro Jam has been very good to me," adds Nick. "With a win in Top Dragster in '06 and now Stock in '08 and '10 I have been very fortunate. The facility itself is one of the most impressive around, and the fact that it is reasonably close to home has a lot to do with my luck there."

The Folk family racing team will enjoy another busy month of September as well, as the team travels to O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis for the annual NHRA U.S. Nationals, and the Mickey Thompson Million Dollar Race. The team will wrap up the month with big dollar bracket events near their Durand, Illinois home.

"Sometimes it crosses your mind for a second - when will this year slow down? But if we really wanted that we'd only be kidding ourselves," says Nick.

The Folk family has been onboard with K&N for over six years. "Everything is always flawless from their product department," adds team leader Ron Folk. "When you make around 700 runs per-year, you cannot have marginal equipment, and they have helped dramatically in that department! We are now up to eight drag cars in the Folk Race Cars stable, and every car is equipped with every possible item from K&N."

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 UL-11 Hydroplane - Miss Executif Racing Wins Polson Regatta

14 Sept 2010

The unpredictability's of racing can be brutal enough, toss in an aggravated mother nature and you get a season poxed with cancellations and inconsistencies. Miss Executif Racing and their UL-11 hydroplane just got back to racing a month ago after a cancellation back in June.

The UL-11 Power Punch Race Team/94Five Roxy/K&N Engineering hydroplane is declared winner of the Polson Regatta.

"The Missouri River was flooded," said team owner Darren Bartels. "There was a lot of debris in the river and our pit location was under nearly ten feet of water."

The weather related cancellation of the race in Chamberlain-Oacoma, South Dakota further shortened an already abbreviated race schedule. However, when UL-11 does race, it does very well thank you.

The UL-11 Power Punch Race Team/94Five Roxy/K&N Engineering, with the Local Support of Ricciardi's Italian Seafood House, was declared winner of the Polson Regatta in Polson, Montana. The team won both preliminary heats on Saturday earning 800 points, which turned out to be huge.

With local support of the race uncertain, ULHRA officials worked hard lobbying with the Confederated Kootenai/Salish Tribes and held the race on tribal land and water. This however left the race course in more unprotected water, subject to high winds. The UL Final scheduled for Sunday was once again canceled due to weather, with winds gusting over 25 mph. With two teams tied at 800 points from Saturday's races, the tie-breaker was based on total points earned in 2009 and that put the UL-11 team on top.

"We really wanted to run the final," remarked Bartels. "Our belief is we would have done well enough to gain some points in the high point standings. We'll take the win, but we really wanted the opportunity to prove what we can do in competition." The win and the points moved Miss Executif Racing from fifth into fourth and within striking distance of second place according to Bartels.

"Consistency, or lack of it, has been the key all year long," explained Bartels. "We had a real bad weekend in the Tri-cities a month ago earning just 127 out of 1200 points available. Steering issues were our downfall that weekend. Otherwise we've been a strong contender. We got the second highest qualifying lap speed in Seattle three weeks ago, at over 108 mph and almost blew the boat over doing so."

The team won the heats on Saturday despite only running on seven cylinders. During an engine test on the trailer they discovered a rocker arm broken on the number seven cylinder "Luckily we had just got some spares and the other damage was minimal," added Bartels.

For rookie driver Kevin Eacret, This is the second win in four races this year, both called because of windy conditions. "We know the boat can win, we have the power. We wanted nothing more than to run the final. That wind today was wicked, it just wouldn't have been safe. We'll just have to show them in San Diego next month." said Eacret.

"It just goes to show that preliminary heats are just as important as the final. Without strong showings early on we couldn't have taken the title at the end of the weekend," added Bartels.

On the schedule next is San Diego September 18 and 19. "Sponsorship issues with the event organizers may cause some issues there too," says Bartels. "In terms of races this year, it's been pretty dismal. It may be only four races of six we had scheduled. We went into this year expecting six to eight race weekends, but with Mother Nature and the economy playing their hand, we're pretty disappointed."

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.