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The sliding ragtop and carefully riveted sheet-metal required hours of detail minded attention - SEMA 2012
What is art? Leo Tolstoy wrote "Every work of art causes the receiver to enter into a certain kind of relationship both with him who produced, or is producing the art, and with all those who, simultaneously, previously, or subsequently, receive the same artistic impression."
Art whips up emotions, it inspires conversations, and it moves you. Semantics aside - Misha Munoz is an artist and Divine One Customs is his studio. Think of him as fashioning combustible sculptures, poetry in motion, rock and roll with actual torque and horsepower.
"For me every build must be equal parts creative and mechanical, and I believe my specialty is both," said Munoz.
The chopped roof and olive-drab paint provided the Tudor with a appropriately menacing profile - SEMA 2012
Munoz and Divine One Customs opened their doors in 2006 and every year since they have displayed their automotive art at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. They have in fact developed into southern Nevada's premier "one-stop" full auto customization shop. Their 2012 SEMA production was a crowd stopping 1951 Ford Tudor, created for the car's owner, Thomas Joseph Lavin, better known as T.J. Lavin. Lavin is a BMX rider, professional musician, and host of MTV's "The Challenge."
This 1951 Ford Tudor was not much before its arrival at the 2012 SEMA Show
"T.J. called me one night and said 'I found the car.' He had been searching for a 'shoebox' type car for a few years. Something for a 'rat rod' type of build," explained Munoz. "I drove to his house, hooked up a trailer, and we drove to Bakersfield, California to arrive at a private residence at 2 a.m. This car was in bad shape. Rust, a horrible chop job, bad bodywork, and no interior. I knew we had a serious project on our hands."
For the duration of their drive from Bakersfield back to Vegas T.J. and Munoz had already thrown around a bunch of ideas. The design and creative process had officially started before they had even taken the car back to the shop. "He wanted a WWII type of bomber plane look," said Munoz. "We bounced a few ideas off each other during the course of the build, but ultimately he let me 'do my thing.' We actually didn't even talk about the car for six months or so and when he came back from his latest MTV filming shoot I had something concrete for him to look at, and he loved the direction I was headed. A few months after that the car was complete and ready for debut at the 2012 SEMA show."
No detail was missed while Misha Munoz put this 1951 Ford together for SEMA 2012
The finished 1951 Ford features a newly chopped roof, shaved keyholes, custom handles, and custom created trunk and wipers. The military inspired olive-drab paint scheme with airbrushed pinup artwork and lettering captures the WWII Bomber theme perfectly. And the air-bag suspension and sliding ragtop hints at the contemporary technology hidden beneath the historic camouflage. "It takes a team of dedicated individuals with a commitment to perfection to build a car for SEMA," remarked Munoz. "And getting ready for SEMA involves long hours and attention to the details."
It's hard to imagine that only six months before the 2012 SEMA show this 1951 Ford bomber was a rust bucket
During the show the interior details of the vehicle received the most attention, with the Kicker CVX 10" woofers designed as bombs, the meticulously riveted sheet-metal door panels, bomber style gauges and aircraft carrier seats. Center stage under the hood Munoz positioned a K&N chrome air filter. "Because when it comes to filters, K&N is the best," he adds. Munoz and Divine One Customs have only used K&N products since the day they started.
Munoz's fascination with cars surfaced early. "I started getting hands-on at the age of 14 and continued doing it as a hobby until I started my company in 2004. Then Divine One Customs opened in 2006 and the rest is history I guess."
TJ Lavin's 1951 WWII themed sled caught much attention at SEMA 2012
"I think our specialty is the attention to detail we put into each and every build. We build anything and everything. We have been called to the design table to do a number of off the wall designs, and or to come up with creative ideas for jobs that don't necessarily have anything to do with vehicles. But cars and trucks are my passion and I try to surround myself with individuals who I can work with that feel the same."
Auguste Rodin looked at a hunk of rock and saw "The Thinker," Munoz was given a tarnished four-wheel heap and envisioned a show stopping custom Tudor. Given the choice between a painting of a soup can or a bowl of fruit, Munoz's form of artistic expression wins hands down.
Bret crested his final hill of the season in Boise in front of 13,000 screaming fans
"Why did you want to climb Mount Everest?” This was asked of British hill climber George Leigh Mallory in 1924
- "Because it's there” - was his to the point response. It's in our genetic hardwiring to be curious about what's on the other side of the mountain. However, there are those not merely content with making it to the top of the hill, these individuals share a highly developed and specialized set of motorcycle skills that insure they nearly always get there first. No group has proven to hold any greater prowess at getting atop the heap first than Yorba Linda, California's Team Peterson. Team Peterson Racing is simply the most victorious professional motorcycle Hillclimb team on the planet.
2012 was a nine class win season for Bret Peterson
"This has definitely been the most successful and rewarding season in our team's history and it has set a historic bar for the N.A.H.A.(North American Hillclimbers Association) and the sport of Pro Hillclimbing,” confirmed five-time Hillclimb World Champion Kerry Peterson. "Bret's nine class win season and three out of the four championships, along with Chelsea's woman's title provided Team Peterson with one of those ultimate years that all those in racing strive for."
Team Peterson’s new engine and suspension package provides their riders with the increased confidence to compete at the highest level of the sport
At the final event of the 2012 season held in Boise, Idaho, with 13,000 passionately crazed fans in attendance, Kerry's son Bret, blasted his Malcolm Smith Motorsports/Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil / Race Tech/K&N backed KTM's to the top of the mountain and the podium in 450 Pro and X Climb, capping off the most extraordinary season in N.A.H.A. history.
"2012 was a year of refinement for Team Peterson with very extensive pre-season testing and enhanced working relationships with our many long term sponsors,” Kerry said. "Our new engine and suspension packages provided our riders with much greater confidence in competing at the highest level at all the venues. Bret was convinced before the first race that this was going to be his year; the execution of his plan with the exceptional results was a sight to be seen."
Austin Fox, and Johnny and Chelsea Saylors are the newest Team Peterson members. Austin has been plagued with injuries the last few years, but still came through with top-10 finishes in all classes for 2012. "And Johnny is a promising rookie with a bright future in the sport,” Kerry adds. "The N.A.H.A. included a Woman's Pro Class for 2012 and our own Chelsea Saylor's (Bret's girlfriend) captured the title winning two of the five rounds of competition. Racer X Magazine has already given her the title of ‘Queen of the Hill.'”
The father and son team of Kerry and Bret Peterson made N.A.H.A. history by winning three out of the four championships
"From my personal experience in competing for almost 30 years and winning many championships, it has always been harder to defend my titles, than win them for the first time. Our rider's are very aware of this and will be working much harder than ever before in the off season to be prepared for the challenge. As well, many of our sponsors have stepped up and increased support for the 2013 season to allow us to build additional bikes and continue to refine and improve our program. Team Peterson is grateful for the partnership in success with K&N. We have always had great confidence in our filtration with maximum horsepower."
The 1968 Chevy C10 breathes through a massive K&N high flow air filter
"Unfinished Business" was the name given by builders Gary Watson and Chris Matye from Creations N' Chrome for their 1968 Chevy C10 SEMA Show Truck; however, the Truck appeared to be anything but unfinished at the 2012 SEMA Show. Gary explained to us; "The truck first came into our shop for some minor suspension work, and it looked great from 15 feet away, but the closer you get to it the more flaws you could see." Gary & Chris eventually decided to do a complete frame-off restoration on the truck. "We have literally built a completely new truck and didn't leave anything out".
This 1968 Chevy C10 received a frame-off restoration for SEMA 2012
Gary Watson is owner and painter at Creations N' Chrome and Chris Matye is the director of marketing and co-builder. Gary has been approached by Manufacturers such as Ford to build vehicles for their SEMA display in the past, and he has completed 3 Ford builds since then. It started with a 2009 Focus, then a 2011 Mustang GT Convertible was completed, and a 2012 Mustang GT Coupe was displayed in the Ford SEMA booth last year.
This 1968 C10 Chevy looked great at SEMA 2012 with a black and chrome finish
The 1968 Chevy pickup wasn't the only Creations N' Chrome build that attended SEMA this year. Their Ford Mustang Coupe debuted at the show as well. This build didn't require as much work as the 1968 pickup to get it looking beautiful, but an equal amount of work was accomplished nonetheless. They wanted this one to be "Top Notch", Chris explains. "The Mustang is essentially a race car masquerading as a barely legal street car." Chris claims that "Top Notch has better power-to-weight ratio than supercars such as the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, Ferrari's Enzo based FXX, and the Koenigsegg CCXR, due to its 1000+horsepower, and its 2400 lb weight."
This is one sweet 1968 C10 that was displayed at the 2012 SEMA Show
When asked about engine components, Gary and Chris both agreed that K&N was the only way to go when it came to air filters. "Installing a K&N air filter is always the first modification I make to any new vehicle" says Gary. "I like that K&N offers applications for just about everything, whether it be my Mustang, tow truck, motorcycles, or dirtbikes, I can always find air and oil filters at just about any auto parts store."
K&N is infamous for having die-hard fans. Fans that invest their heart and soul into their cars. Fans like Gary & Chris. Chris elaborated further, "18-20 hour days are the norm here in the 3 weeks prior to SEMA. When my body goes into Zombie mode, that's when I know it's time to stop and put the wrench down." They have a sign in their shop that reads: "NOTHING LESS THAN PERFECTION" and it seems that is just what they have accomplished here.
Chris says his plans for 2013 include expanding the business and remaining at the top of the list. They have just added a Dyno, two new CNC machines, vehicle scales, and lifts to their shop. While they continue to grow and use different brands of products for different builds, that won't be the case with air filters. Gary stated that "K&N's reputation and superior filtering" was the deciding factor for this body shop.
1968 Chevy Pickup Modifications:
• K&N Air Filter mounted to Vortech YSi Supercharger
• GMPP
• Ram Jet 502
• Vortech YSi Intercooler
• HRE Performance Wheels
• Falken Tiires
• Hotchkis
• TVS suspension
• Wilwood Disc Brakes
• Gloss black wood bed
Mustang Modifications:
• K&N Air Filter mounted to Vortech JT-trim supercharger
• Ford Aluminator Coyote Engine
• HRE performance Wheels
• Wilwood Disc Brakes
• Motor City Solutions carbon body panels
• Maier Racing widebody fenders
• JME billet aluminum SLA inboard cantilever suspension w/ JRi Shocks
• Falken Tires
• G-Force GF5R transmission
• RPS billet cover triple disc clutch
• Sparco seats
• APR carbon splitter
• JME polished billet front suspension
Black 2012 Jeep Wrangler built by Alex Andrade for SEMA 2012
Las Vegas, Nevada is well known as an entertainment capital of the United States, but for 1 week in early November each year, the Las Vegas strip and conventions center transforms into an eye popping showcase of the hottest cars on the planet. Every year, make, model and concept can be seen cruising Las Vegas Blvd, or parked outside SEMA, the world's largest automotive trade show, giving any car enthusiast a reason to pack up the family and head to sin city for 4 days.
A K&N air filter sits underneath the hood of this 2012 Jeep Wrangler that was dsiplayed at the 2012 SEMA Show
With locations across the US and Canada, Aries Automotive is a supplier of fine aftermarket parts and accessories for many popular Jeeps, trucks and SUV's. Builder, designer, and Aries sales manager Alex Andrade is no rookie when it comes to show vehicles. With 25 years of vehicle customizing experience under his belt, Andrade has tackled a new challenge for the 2012 SEMA Show. Bringing this 2012 Jeep Wrangler JK 3.6 liter V6 to show room condition was quite an accomplishment for Andrade. Also included in this build is a whole outfit of high end mods, the focal point being the SKYJACKER 6" suspension lift. Among the customizations made to the 2012 Wrangler, Andrade also included a K&N performance air cleaner, to ensure excellent engine protection and great performance wherever this Jeep may roam.
With all the bolt-ons this 2012 Jeep JK can tackle just about anything and was on diaplay during SEMA 2012
All Andrade's 2012 Jeep Wrangler modifications are listed below:
Aries front bumper
Aries rear bumper
Aries security lid
Aries 4" side bars
Aries 3rd brake light relocator
Aries tire carrier reinforcement kit
Aries tow hooks
Aries front doors aluminum
Aaries rear doors aluminum
BMF Rehab wheels 20"x9" death metal black
K&N high performance air cleaner
Toyo Open Country 2 tires 35"X12.5"x20"
Custom wheel spacers
Gibson/Metal Mulisha exhaust
Vision X 4" round lights
Many automobile enthusiasts attend SEMA to see vehilces such as this 2012 Jeep Wrangler
Vision X 20" light bar
Vision X 50" light bar
Ramsey 9500lb winch
Skyjacker 6" suspension lift
Bushwacker flat fender flares
Katzkin black leather
Aries Kagu floor liners
Thule rack
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Brett Moffitt and Tyler Reddick made contact which ended up putting them out of the race
Kyle Larson chalked up winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship to luck and consistency. He needed a little of both to win the season finale race at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina.
Larson finished in sixth place in the Classic 3 Championship presented by RCR Racing Museum after the leaders collided and knocked one of the K&N Pro Series East Series championship contenders out of the race.
Larson won his first K&N Pro Series East championship by 15 points over Corey LaJoie.
Corey Lajoie celebrates his victory
Rookie Tyler Reddick, a 16-year-old from Corning, California, won the race in his K&N Pro Series East debut. It was only his third career start on asphalt. His previous two starts came in the ARCA Series.
Reddick was battling Brett Moffitt for the lead on the last lap of the race. Moffitt and Reddick's cars made contact coming out of turn two and knocked Moffitt out of the race. He entered the season finale in second place in the K&N Pro Series East standings and would have won the championship if he was able to hold on to the lead.
Corey Lajoie comes home with the trophy after K&N Pro Series East Championship Race
"All in all it was a really good race," Reddick said. "It's a shame me and the 11 (Moffitt) got together. I had a really good run coming off of (turn) 4. I got along side of him going into 1 and 2. I don't know what happened, but he should have known I was going to be right on the outside of him. He just kinda of run me up the race track and I wasn't going to give it to him."
LaJoie was also in contention for the K&N Pro Series East championship and finished in second place.
"I thought I had Tyler and Brett was pretty much gone," LaJoie said. "I didn't think he was going to get there, down the front stretch, I was like, uh-oh, this this might be interesting. I might get lucky."
Kyle Larson lights the tires up in celebration after winning the 2012 Pro Series East Chamionship
LaJoie made it through the crash, but so did Larson who finished high enough to secure the K&N Pro Series East championship.
"I've been lucky a lot this year," said Larson, who joins Joey Logano and Ryan Truex as the only drivers to win the rookie of the year and the K&N Pro Series East championship in the same season . "Just made up for Corey and Brett's messes that they gotten into a lot this year. Gained some points and stayed consistent and got the championship. It feels great."
Vicotry lane attop the #6 car driven by Kyle Larson
Larson won two races and had a season-high, 12 top-10 finishes in his championship season.
"This track is great," said the 20-year-old Larson from Elk Grove, California "You can run it from top to bottom and run side by side. You can run anywhere on this track and be just as good. It's a lot of fun. I wish there were more race tracks like this."
Reddick joined an elite group of drivers in the K&N Pro Series East. He is the first driver to win in his debut since Nelson Piquet Jr. won the 2012 season opener at Bristol Motor Speedway. Darrell Wallace won in his NASCAR debut at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Caroline in 2010.
Tyler Reddick had a great season in the Pro Series East
But Reddick's win was not without controversy.
"If you're racing for points, you just don't take that type of chance," Reddick said. "If someone's alongside of you, you know they're going to be right there with you coming off the corner. I just wish he would have left me a car length. I wish it had been a clean race. It had been all day for us, but it just didn't turn out that way."
Moffitt led 15 laps in the race, taking over the lead on lap 85 of the 100-lap race. He ended up in 21st place after colliding with Reddick.
The last race of the 2012 K&N Pro Series East was filled with plenty of tire smoke
LaJoie won a series-high five races and was in the top-five in 10 of the 14 races on the K&N Pro Series East schedule.
"All in all, it's been a great season," LaJoie said. "I can't say enough about all the people who help us. It's been a long year. It's been a fun year. I was just glad to be a part of this deal."
