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Jason Patison loves racing anything and everything
At the age of 26, Corona, California native Jason Patison regularly showcases a plethora of eclectic interests and enough talent to challenge them all. Patison has a Business Administration degree, yet he's an accomplished artist, specializing in oil paint, charcoal and ink. He works full-time as Chief Editor for Team Lucas (Oil) Magazine, but he's constantly and consistently working towards his big-time aspirations of one day being a full-time driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, Nationwide and/or Sprint Cup series. In '08 he competed full-time with Speed Wong Racing in the NASCAR Camping World West Series, and part time in a Porsche GT3 Cup car, a 360 dirt Sprint Car, and in a Super Late Model.
Jason Patison Racing debuted in the NASCAR Camping World East Series
This year Jason Patison Racing traveled to Greensville, South Carolina, where Jason made his debut in the NASCAR Camping World East Series. Not only was this Patison's first race as a full-time driver in the East Series, it was also his first race as a team owner. He finished one spot out of the top ten that day. In his next two races he overcame a faulty radiator cap at the Tri-County race in North Carolina, and a flat left rear tire at the John Silver 200, still finishing 11th and 12th consecutively.
"I started racing at the age of 15, at Victorville Auto Speedway, my father
and Forrest Lucas (owner of Lucas Oil Products Inc) used to go out there and
race mini-stocks for fun. They brought me out for a practice one day and I
ran pretty well, so they put me in a mini-stock," recalls Patison. "In my first full season I won the Track Championship and Rookie of the Year honors. From then I slowly worked my way up the ranks, from the local dirt tracks to the NASCAR Camping World Series that I run in now."
During day-job as editor of Team Lucas Magazine, Patison says he does pretty much everything, from page design, to article writing, to final page layout. It keeps him busy he says, "but I really enjoy it."
Jason Patison plans to compete in the 2010 NASCAR Camping World East Series
When it comes to racing Patison says he really doesn"t have a favorite series at this point. "I love racing anything and everything," he adds. "I currently use K&N air and oil filters on all my race and personal vehicles. They provide the ultimate performance and protection and I would never use another brand. My relationship with K&N is great. Everyone I've ever talked with is friendly and helpful, and they're just great to work with."
"In 2010 I plan to run the NASCAR Camping World East Series again, along with some Helen Super Late Models at Toyota Speedway (Irwindale, California), and maybe some NASCAR Camping Word Truck races too. My future plans and goals for next year," reflects Patison - "are to make it to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series."
The precise details are a bit sketchy, but the generally accepted story has it that sometime in the mid to late 70's, a group of Sacramento area racers first came up with the Pro Gas format - word spread south and the So Cal Pro-Gas Association was born.
Pro Gas Racer Gregory Ventura is also the So Cal Pro-Gas Association President
To get a clearer picture of what's happening with the So Cal Pro-Gas series we spoke with Gregory Ventura. Ventura's day job is Material Lifecycle Analyst for K&N - in his spare time, and on weekends, he's Pro-Gas series driver and association president.
"The Southern California Pro-Gas Association was formed in 1978 by a group of racers wanting to hold races on a fixed index, and at the time, that was on a 9.80 index. When the NHRA saw how popular this class was getting, they started a class called Super-Gas. The Super-Gas class competed at the NHRA events, and they had a 9.90 index. So, once this started, the association at some point followed suit," informs Ventura.
Ventura's foremost responsibilities as association president include representing and supporting racers as a collective group. He secures race dates at the various venues and gathers investment partners in the association, such as K&N, to help fund costs. K&N not only provides support for the association they also sponsor one of the racing events during the year.
"I oversee the financial end of the association and look for ways to raise money to help this association to keep growing," he says. "I also have four other board members to assist me. For all intents and purposes this is like running a business, but not getting paid for it. Doing it only for the love of the sport."
The final Southern California Pro-Gas Association event was held at the Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, on the 24th and 25th of October. Many of the racers in the Super-Gas class on the NHRA circuit competed in this final event.
When Ventura puts his association hat down and becomes a racecar driver, he's finally in his element - the place that all his other efforts ultimately lead towards. "I've been around racing all of my life and have actually been racing since 1993. One of the challenges I face while running the association is staying focused. During many Pro-Gas events I'm presented with obstacles that are sometimes distracting, but once I get in the car, put the seatbelts and helmet on, I zone-out, and focus only on the task at hand."
"The smartest thing I've ever done was coming to work for K&N a year and half ago," declares Ventura. "I've always used K&N products, long before I worked here. The products we make are awesome components that make any vehicle run better and more efficiently. Whether it's my Honda Civic that I drive to work everyday, or my Ford Diesel F-350 dually that I tow my racecar with, or my 1100 horsepower racecar. Everything I drive has a K&N air filter and oil filter on it. I don't view my career at K&N as going to work. I'm a gear head and I love being involved in this industry. How many people do you know get up in the morning excited to go to work? I'm definitely one of the lucky ones."
After the race this weekend Ventura heads off for the Las Vegas National - Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. "Then we have the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in Vegas again the following weekend (Nov. 5-8)," he adds. "Then there's the season ending NHRA AAA finals Nov. 11 through the 14t - I hope out of all those events, I can bring home a victory for the K&N team."
SpeedWorld Off Road Park in Surprise, Arizona hosted the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series in front of a standing room only crowd. Drivers in buggies, Karts, 850hp trucks and UTVs tried to conquer the 9/10 mile dirt track.
RJ Anderson of Walker Evans Racing goes through the UTV racing field at a LOORRS event in Surprise, Arizona, courtesy of JnL Photo
Walker Evans Polaris Razor is equipped with K&N air and oil filters, courtesy of JnL Photo
Riverside, California teen RJ Anderson drove the Walker Evans Racing Polaris Razor UTV in side by side, door banging action. “On Saturday we had trouble,” said Randy Anderson, RJ’s father. “But on Sunday, RJ was the fastest qualifier and ended up in second place.”
Riverside, California high school student RJ Anderson (left) on the podium after taking second place in LOORRS Race at SpeedWorld Off Road Park, courtesy of JnL Photo
16-year-old RJ Anderson is the third generation in the Anderson Racing Family to use K&N air filters on their vehicles, courtesy of JnL Photo
The high school sophomore has raced UTVs for two years. He started out in Go Karts and moved up. “Our background is in racing,” said Anderson. “I was a crew chief and manager at Walker Evans for years. I have 186 wins overall as a crew chief and we’ve used K&N products in every one of those wins. K&N gives us extra power and filtration and protects our engines from track debris. K&N is also easy to service. We use K&N air intake kit part number, 63-1120 and K&N oil filters, part number KN-198.”
Anderson said his son has raced at 22 main events this year. RJ is currently 2nd in points overall in the TORC Off-Road Series and took the series UTV win in the M4SX Series in Perris, California.
“Racing is a lifestyle for our family,” said Randy Anderson. “My dad worked on vehicles and my brother and I raced. Now it’s my son RJ’s turn.”
Anderson said RJ will be driving Legend cars next. “My brother and I ran in the Legends Series for about ten years,” he said. “We sold all of the cars except for one and we’re going to put RJ in the Legend car that we raced. This is a stepping stone into the next generation for us. My dad taught us about racing and now my son is learning. RJ not only races, he also has to work on the vehicles. When RJ understands the mechanics of a vehicle he can communicate more effectively with the crew if there are problems during racing.”
RJ’s next event is a Lucas Oil event in Primm, Nevada in November.
Veteran off road racer, rock crawler and open desert racer Kevin Yoder has a 129 point lead in the VORRA Sportsman Championship Series. He is expected to seal the deal for the series win Halloween weekend in Prairie City, California.
VORRA Sportsman Championship Series leader Kevin Yoder is ready for the season finale Halloween weekend in Prairie City, California, photo by Speed Bump Racing
The VORRA series combines desert racing and short course racing. “We run in four short course races and three open road desert races and tally the points at the end,” said Yoder. “Our buggy can reach speeds of 120 mph, but it’s a handful to drive
at that speed. I’ve had it at 100 mph.”
Veteran racer Kevin Yoder also competes in the CalRocks Series and has plans for King of the Hammers in 2010, photo by Speed Bump Racing
Yoder took fourth place at the VORRA short course race in Prairie City in mid October. Eleven cars competed for the win on the short course track that included high speed turns, long jumps and fast straightaways. During practice Yoder found a loose front-drive line and broken rear sway bar. Both were removed from the buggy and he had to race in rear wheel drive.
“It worked out pretty well actually,” he said. “I learned a lot more about entering and exiting the corners by sliding the car instead of using the brakes and 4-wheel-drive to pull me through. When a rock took out my rear brake line in the first moto, I wasn’t as affected because I was already sliding.”
It’s tough to stay competitive on a short course in a buggy. Yoder used his experience and knowledge of the vehicle dynamics and made a few adjustments prior to the event.
Yoder is the current Nor Cal Rock Racing Champion for the second year in a row in rock short course racing. He also competes in the CalRocks Series and finished the 2009 King of the Hammers race in 18th place.
“I’ve used K&N products for at least 20 years,” said Yoder. “I like K&N because I come up with the specs I need and go through the K&N catalog and find the K&N filter I need. K&N is also cost effective and gives me great filtration. K&N protects my engines from course debris in off-road racing.”
Yoder said he is looking forward to the 2010 racing season. “I have a full schedule next year,” he said. “I can’t wait for it to start.”
Vaughn Gittin Jr. took fifth place in the 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang
It has been a season of many ups and few downs for K&N drifters Chris Forsberg and Vaughn Gittin Jr. who finished first and fifth in the Formula Drift Championship, respectively, while making history in the meantime.
Formula Drift Champion Chris Forsberg and the NOS Energy Drink Nissan 350Z
The face of the Championship has flipped around a few times since the FD season opener in Long Beach back in April. Chris secured the first place spot with a huge points lead when he took the win at Round 5 in Seattle, his second win and third podium of the season.
Going into Irwindale, Chris and the NOS Energy Drink Nissan 350Z were in first place with a fairly big points lead over Ryan Tuerck. Chris's first place finish was confirmed during the round of 32 when he was matched with Doug Van Den Brink. By winning the battle and advancing to the top 16, Chris gained the points he needed for the Championship win.
Chris Forsberg takes the podium after his Formula Drift Championship win
Chris has made history for being the first Formula Drift driver to win the Championship with no previous background in another type of motorsport. Previous FD Champions Samuel Hubinette, Rhys Millen, and Tanner Foust all are seasoned drivers of different motorsports. For his outstanding driving throughout the year, as well as his commendable personality on and off the track, Chris was awarded the title of Formula Drift's "Driver of the Year" which was voted by fellow drivers and teams in the series.
"To finish first in Formula Drift, you need consistency," says Chris. "Whether it's in your car, your team, or your driving abilities - consistency is key. Using K&N Filters gives us one thing less to worry about when it comes to the car because we trust in their dependability."
Going into Irwindale, Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the 2010 Falken Tire Ford Mustang were in third place, with Samuel Hubinette hot on his trail and less than two points behind him. Adding to the pressure, Tyler McQuarrie followed in fifth only a few more points behind. Vaughn knew that the fight for third place in the Championship was going to be a brutal one. With Tyler's second place finish at Irwindale, he was able to slide past Vaughn in points, pushing Vaughn back to fifth place.
"We have had a great Formula Drift season and were high-risk contenders for the Championship right down till the very last event," says Vaughn. "Finishing fifth overall is no easy task, especially with a new car. I can't wait to implement all of our data with new improvements to chase down that gold in 2010."
Vaughn made history this year when he placed second at Round Three in New Jersey by being the first driver to put a 2010 Ford Mustang on the podium in any professional motorsport. "Driving the 2010 Mustang this year was simply incredible; it performed flawlessly and offered the most reliability I have ever had in my career out of any vehicle. A huge part of that reliability is due to K&N Filters," says Vaughn.
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.
