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Lucas Oil/K&N Filters 1967 Chevy Chevelle Driver Ron De Hoop

16 sept. 2011

The Lucas Oil/K&N Filters sponsored Chevelle has run as quick as 10.19 at 133mph in the quarter-mile.

It's a story that could be told a thousand times, at a thousand different drag strips, and about a thousand different drivers. A young man (or woman) borrows a car, takes it down the drag strip (circa 1960's), and a half-century later they are still hooked. But the beauty of telling these stories is that each one has a different wrinkle somewhere; every driver is different and they all have a moment or two that makes true drag racing fans remember and reminisce on the sport they love so dearly.

Ron De Hoop's Lucas Oil/K&N Filters 1967 Chevy Chevelle

Ron De Hoop is one of those drivers.

The California native got his start at the legendary Lions Drag Strip in Los Angeles. His first pass came in 1969 behind the wheel of his father's pickup truck, and after a day worth of racing, De Hoop "was addicted."

Today, more than 40 years later, De Hoop has established himself as one of the most respected and talented drivers on the West Coast. Starting in 2002, De Hoop has been terrorizing competitors in the Pacific Street Car Association (PSCA) in both the Mean Street and Open Comp divisions. In 2010 De Hoop completed his most memorable season yet.

"Last season was by far the highlight of my career," De Hoop said.

The CROSSmembers Racing Team captured its second Mean Street Championship (his first came in 2007) and also finished runner-up in the Open Comp class. De Hoop also captured victories at Sin City Shootout and the Golden State Challenge, proving his dominance in the overall point's battle was no fluke.

This year, De Hoop is looking to defend his Mean Street Championship, and so far, he's on the right track. De Hoop's 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle has powered him to the points lead with just two events remaining. His quest for duel championships has taken a hit with key early round defeats in Open Comp, but De Hoop is confident he can finish strong.

"I'd like to continue to qualify well and go rounds in Mean Street...I'd also like to step it up in Open Comp and finish the season on a positive note by getting into the top six in points."

"The season started off a little slow, but with strong showings the last three races, we are looking good," De Hoop continued.

The CROSSmembers Racing Team is a vast one. Started in 2004, and with five drag cars, a drag bike, and an Off-Road truck in the stable, the group of longtime friends and racers have made an impact in the win column. But aside from earning trophies and having fun, De Hoop's CROSSmembers Racing Team has a different goal.

"Our mission is that, through our words and our actions, we may spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those racers, crew members and fans that we come in contact with at the races."

Aside from racing, De Hoop also operates CROSSmembers Racing Products. De Hoop (and often times his car) travel to various events promoting and selling products from Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Doug Thorley Headers, Mickey Thompson Tires, and more. He and wife Ruth can usually be found in the pit area of Toyota Drag Strip at Irwindale, conversing with fans and offering great deals on parts.

One moment sticks out more than others in De Hoop's racing career. In 2007, while pursuing his first championship, De Hoop needed only to go two rounds at the PSCA Finals in Fontana. If he didn't go two rounds, his closest opponents could not go two rounds more than he did. But in Qualifying, his Chevelle suffered a catastrophic and freak engine failure.

"I had planned on packing up, and just hoping my competitors didn't advance two rounds. Fortunately for me, many of my friends had different plans."

Mark Rapp instructed De Hoop to pull his motor, or what was left of it, from the car. Rapp was already on his way back to his shop in Huntington Beach to get a replacement.

"I told myself 'this isn't going to happen', but within a few minutes, a dozen people, including competitors in my class, showed up to lend a hand. To make a long story short, we thrashed all night long, and I went two rounds the next morning for my first ever championship."

The Lucas Oil/K&N Filters sponsored Chevelle has run as quick as 10.19 at 133mph in the quarter-mile. The car features a 434 SBC that is naturally aspirated with a Holley 950cfm. The car is a four-link with a 9" Ford rear end and a Hughes Turbo 400 transmission featuring a trans. break and a Hughes 5600rpm stall torque converter.

The car also features K&N Filters on every applicable component. De Hoop says K&N are the only filters he's run on the car since it was purchased in 2002. He is especially fond of the 1" filter nut on the oil filter, making removal simple.

"Not only do K&N's oil filters work under extreme pressure, but they clean better than any other filter on the market while allowing maximum oil flow."

"I also purchased a K&N hood scoop filter back in 2006 and I have to say it is one of the greatest products I've ever installed on my car. With a plate installed on top of my motor creating a seal between the carburetor and hood and the filter installed in the scoop there is no possible way that any dirt, bugs, or debris can get into the motor. A clean motor is a happy motor and we've experienced no loss of power. Thank you K&N Engineering!"

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.

2010 to 2015 Triumph Thunderbird Motorcycle Owners Get K&N Performance Air Filter

14 sept. 2011

Replacement Air Filter for 2010 to 2015 Triumph Thunderbird

Triumph Motorcycles got their start back in 1902 and have been producing unique and attractive motorcycles for over 100 years, making them one of the oldest motorcycle manufacturing companies in the world. Their legend has been one of ups and downs but one truth has always remained - timeless style, design, and performance.

Restriction Chart for TB-1610 Air Filter

One of their more popular models, the Thunderbird, made its debut in 1949 and has been a popular model for over half a century and the new 1600cc Thunderbird and 1700cc Thunderbird Storm don't disappoint. The powerful, distinct, customizable, and well-mannered Thunderbird received the prestigious award of 'Cruiser of the Year' from Cycle World Magazine and the brand-new Thunderbird Storm is the rock-and-roll sibling - more power and aggression, and covered in black.

K&N released an air filter, part TB-1610, for the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 1600cc Triumph Thunderbird and the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 1700cc Triumph Thunderbird motorcycles. This precision engineered motorcycle air filter is designed to fit in the factory airbox without any modifications to the airbox or to the bike's mapping. The TB-1610 air filter utilizes K&N's famous pleated oiled cotton gauze filter media to provide the bike with outstanding airflow, excellent filtration efficiency, and high dirt capacity. K&N TB-1610 is designed to increase horsepower and torque by allowing the bike to breathe easier.

The TB-1610 air filter is washable and reusable so owners will save money from never having to replace it. Simply wash and re-oil the filter up to every 50,000 miles depending on driving conditions using a K&N Recharging Kit. And of course, the TB-1610 air filter is backed by K&N's industry-leading Million Mile Limited Warranty.

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 Randall Lawson Wins Div. II Championship at Zandvoort Trophy of the Dunes

14 sept. 2011

Lawson gets great satisfaction from pitting his driving skills against the more powerful and younger competition.

The NET Services Touring Car Challenge, Zandvoort Trophy of the Dunes, contested at Zandvoort Racetrack, is one of the oldest and most fabled events in Holland. This year's running of the historic race featured 47 cars, racing bumper-to-fender, in arguably the two most exhilarating races of the series for all of 2011. It seems only fitting that the last race of the ten race series would produce the most entertaining competition, after both the first and second races spectators were literally moved to give the drivers a standing ovation.

Randall Lawson and the little pink Renault that could, battled fiercely, and came away with another Division II Championship, and an incredible third overall at Zandvoort Trophy of the Dunes.

"For my team the weekend went okay," said team Jaronn Equipe founder and driver, Randall Lawson. "My teammate in the green Renault Alpine A310 V6 blew his engine in free-practice and for him the weekend was over. For myself, I also had big problems with the engine in free-practice, but my good mechanics repaired it and in qualification I got 8th place overall. The first race was very good with close racing against some newer cars from the Division III (1984-90 cars) like Porsche 964, BMW M3 and Porsche 944.

Lawson takes enormous pride in his role as a giant slayer, pitting his pink Alpine A310 against the younger, stronger big guns. "The result in the first race was even better, a 6th place overall, and first in my class (Division II 1976-83)," added Lawson.

The popular Dutch Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge Series, in which Randall and his team completes, is for cars from the 1970's and 1990's. "We made the decision to race with an unusual car, our Renault Alpine A310 V6, which was not intended as a circuit racer, but as a rally car. We took up the challenge and created a circuit winner," commented Lawson after winning the 2009 Championship. In winning his division at Zandvoort, Lawson also won the 2011 Division II Championship, yet he wasn't completely satisfied with that. "It's nice to have that trophy," Lawson told K&N Race News, "but it would be more interesting to try to get also a podium in the overall standings of the Championship. And for that I had to finish inside the top-ten in the second race."

For the 2012 season Lawson will be racing with 60hp more and a specially designed air-box that K&N Holland will be assisting him with.

As in the first race, fierce competition once again dominated the race action. Lawson, up against cars decades younger and with an average of 120hp more, showcased what driving skill could accomplish. "I had a lot of fun," said Lawson, "8th place was the best I could do. The first race took too much toll out of the rear Dunlop tires, so the car was sliding much more and drifting than I would like. But it was enough for another Trophy, much nicer than the championship in Division II. Third place overall, with a car as small as the Renault Alpine A310 is a very, very, good result. The first two podium finishes where for ex DTM BMW M3 cars, with almost 150 bhp more under their bonnet. Impossible to beat. But to finish before some newer Porsche 964's, BMW M3 and even a Big Rover SD1, is letting me feel very good about this year."

"For 2012 we already have a new engine ready with 60 bhp more in it. Next season is going to be interesting; maybe I can win the overall championship with it. We have a lot of work this winter to test and prepare the car for a new battle though. With K&N's help over here in Holland, we are going to make a special air-box for it. This is not going to be so easy, because we don't have a lot of room between the inlets of the Kugelfischer injection system and the rear bonnet of the car. But problems are there to be solved, and with the technicians of K&N, I think it's going to be something we will have no problem managing. That is one of the best parts of having fun with 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.

Brad Zaskowski Clinches Super Stock Victory at Mid-Michigan Motorplex

14 sept. 2011

Bill's Super Stock 1966 Chevy II Nova best run to date is 10.27 @126 mph -.76 under GT/J index.

If we've unearthed any patterns over the years regarding race team dynamics, the statistics indicating that families that race together, tend to stay together, would top that list. Clearly it has something to do with spending time together and honing the ability to problem solve as a group. Case-in-point, Zaskowski Motorsports, their Belding, Michigan team consists of Brad Zaskowski, his dad Bill, and brother Shane. In Super Stock at the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, North Central Division, event at Mid-Michigan Motorplex in Stanton, it was Brad that took home the win this time around.

Zaskowski Motorsports is a family affair, Shane, Brad, and Bill (Left to Right)

"Mid-Michigan is our home track and it's just 35 minutes from the shop," Brad told K&N Race News. "I have raced there since I was in high school, and I did a bunch of bracket racing there when we were not following NHRA and IHRA races. I finished second in bracket race there, and have had some pretty good success there at the NHRA races too."

Brad was the Super Stock runner-up in 2003 and earned his first ever divisional win at Mid-Michigan the following year. In 2006 he was runner-up again, only in Comp Eliminator this time, and this year he won once again. "My brother and dad have had success there also. Dad has been racing there since before I was born, and won best appearing car in 2009 with his restored Super Stock Chevy II, the same car he has been racing there since the late '70's. Shane has won two Jr. dragster races there and made it to the semi-finals of Stock Eliminator in 2009."

After an admittedly slow start to the 2011 season, Brad is now back in the hunt to defend his Division 3 Super Stock Championship. "I'm currently sitting in third place, just one round out of the lead, with three races remaining," he adds.

When the Zaskowski car's aren't winning races they're being honored for Best Engineered car for the Stocker and Best Appearing car for Bill's Chevy II.

"My dad is now done for the season; we had a problem with Shane's Stocker in the beginning of the year and were unable to race it until the Mid-Michigan race. Dad raced at just about all the races we went to in the beginning of the season and now Shane gets to do the rest of the races. We struggled with dad's car this year breaking transmission parts at a couple races and that held him back a bunch in the winning department. It seemed like when he was driving great, the car would let him down, and when he would falter a bit, he would be on the losing end of a close race. Next season will be a fresh start for him and the car, with a different engine and transmission."

Shane has continued to be consistent, and has been doing well this year, in the races they were able to attend with his car. "We finally got the car running at the Mid-Michigan divisional race and Shane made it to the second round before getting beat," said Brad. "Then he raced at the IHRA Northern Nationals, where he made it to the third round before a -.008 red light ended his weekend."

At the Northern Nationals race in Martin, Michigan, the team also had the honor of being selected the winners of the Best Engineered car for the Stocker and Best Appearing car for Bill's Chevy II."

"We just got home yesterday from the NHRA US National Marathon week, I drove my Super stock car and Shane's Stocker. I won class eliminations in both cars, and in both class finals I had the slower car, yet won with the better reaction time."

Up next for Zaskowski Motorsports is a Division 5 points race in Earlville, Iowa, then it's off the JEGS Northern Sportnationals in Columbus, Ohio, at which time they will also complete a previous rained out Division 3 contest.

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.

Marsh Racing Takes Their First GT Division Grand Am Victory

14 sept. 2011

Marsh Racing is in their second season in the Grand Am series.

Grand Am is a road race series held at various locations throughout the United States, as well as making one stop in Montreal, Canada. A division of NASCAR, the series sports two classes, Daytona Prototypes and GT. Interestingly, both divisions are on the track at the same time, but are considered two separate races.

Competing in their second season of the GT division of Grand AM, the Marsh Racing team recently rolled into Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin to drive in the Road America race, a historic road course on Wisconsin highway 67, that has seen very little change since 1955 .

The Marsh Racing Team recently won their first victory in the Grand Am series.

Although they had grown accustomed to competing in this division during the past two years, one might suspect that they had their reservations about this particular race, and rightfully so.

Grand Am actually requires two drivers, and one member of the driver team, Boris Said, would be absent, as he was scheduled to compete in the Sprint Cup race, in Sonoma, California. Although Said, would be out of pocket, John Heinricy, stepped in to team up with driver, Eric Curran. Evidently the team worked as a well-oiled machine, as at the race's end, they earned the Marsh Racing team's first trip down victory lane in the GT division.

Along with eleven Daytona Prototypes, the Marsh Racing Team embarked upon a race in the timed event with 15 other GT cars. After a fierce battle, the Marsh Racing car took the lead in their Purpose Built C6 Corvette, powered by a LS-3 engine, in the final turn of the last lap.

Although in the lead, the battle was far from over, as John Edwards and his Mazda challenged them to the very end. In fact, Marsh Racing crossed the finish line with only fifty-five seconds to spare.

Marsh Racing owner, Ted Marsh stressed that the victory was of importance. Not only did the team experience their first Grand Am win, but their accomplishment also lent to great exposure for their sponsor, Whelen Engineering.

Of course with change comes a learning curve. That said though, with the team amongst their second year of racing in the Grand Am, they have grown more comfortable and familiar with the series. When asked his sentiments about racing in the Grand Am Series, Marsh stated, "Since it is part of NASCAR, the rules are consistent, and the playing field is leveled to the best of their ability. We are one of the most popular teams in the series, because of our sponsors and drivers," he continued.

Although the Marsh Racing Team experienced change upon choosing to race in the Grand Am series, each member would be quick to agree that regardless of the type of racing, preventative maintenance is always a definite element of success. That said, the team is acutely aware of the importance of keeping the internal components of one's engine dust-free and well lubed.

That in mind, they depend upon K&N products to keep their car running at optimal performance. In fact, a K&N air filter protects their engine from dust and other debris in the air, and the K&N oil filter they use is designed in a manner that it filters the oil yet allows the high volumes needed to handle the rigors of racing to flow freely.

When asked how long they had been using K&N products, Marsh answered, "Many years; since the early eighties. They are very high quality, and our air filters are washed and reused over and over."

In closing, Ted Marsh said, "The series is great fun, and the events are live on SPEED. It provides great return for all of our sponsors.

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.