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Gary Gee Armstrong is Third in Pacific Northwest Dirt Drag Racing Series Sport Bike Standings

Aug 29, 2013

In 2010, at age 64, Gary Armstrong entered his first pro ATV drag race and won the event.

Gary "Gee" Armstrong has a drag racing championship to defend. Poor weather in the Pacific Northwest has made it challenging to begin that defense. Armstrong, the 2012 Pacific Northwest Dirt Drag Racing Series champion in Sport Bike Division 2, is off to a solid start after rain washed out the first four rounds of the 2013 schedule.

Gary Armstrong races a Yamaha-sponsored YFZ450 and is in third place in the Pacific Northwest Dirt Drag Racing Series sport bike standings.

He was second in the Sport Bike 2 races and fourth in the Pro 2 class races in Round 6 at the Albany Sand Drags in Oregon.

Armstrong, who describes himself as 67 going on 35, doesn't have much ATV drag racing experience, but he has become one of the top riders in his region.

"I haven't been doing it that long," said Armstrong, who lives in Florence, Ore. "When I retired and we moved up here to the dunes, there were a lot of tourists come and we always end up racing up dune faces. It sort of became a thing every Sunday afternoon whoever was out there knew what dunes to go to. We all just raced each other. We didn't even know each other." He didn't enter his first pro ATV drag race until 2010, when he was 64 years old. He won the first pro event he entered.

Gary Armstrong has seven career victories in the Dirt Drag Racing Series since 2010 and 18 podium finishes.

"My engine builder was back there playing," Armstrong said. "He invited me up to a track that he rented to do some engine testing. He said try it with the lights and the computer timing. I did it for a day and I loved it, so that was 2009. I started having him build race engines for me. In 2010, I entered the Oregon Off-Road Racing Association's Pro race and I won it. From there it's all history."

He races a Yamaha-sponsored YFZ450 and is in third place in the Pacific Northwest Dirt Drag Racing Series sport bike standings. He is in fifth place in the Pro 2 class standings. He has seven career victories in the Dirt Drag Racing Series since 2010 and 18 podium finishes. He said podium finishes are the way to a championship.

"I go into my races just wanting podiums," Armstrong said. "Sure, I'm out there to win, but I'm also just looking for podiums. I felt pretty good. I podiumed twice. I'm OK with that." But it took a while for Armstrong to notch those first two podiums. He had to venture away from the Dirt Drag Racing Series to find other ways to keep his racing skills fresh.

In addition to racing ATVs, Gary Armstrong said he surfs and rides mountain bikes to stay in shape and compete against much younger racers.

"We found some races south of us," Armstrong said. "It was just recreational riders and racers. Anybody could enter. We went just to practice. It wasn't about winning races. It was about getting some practice time in. It gives me a chance to have some fun and also shift gears, make sure everything's running right."

Racing recreationally paid off in his last event. He said his ATV needed some maintenance, his head gaskets were worn, and that led to his second-place finish in the sport bike races. Still, podiums are what he is striving for. It is a formula that worked well last year.

"I had a quite a few weekends where I had three podiums," Armstrong said. "Those all count for points in the championship series. That's what works. That's basically my same strategy this year too. This was a good start as far as I'm concerned, a couple of podiums right off the bat."

Using K&N air and oil filters also contributes to his success. "Whenever you're racing out there or on a track, it's nothing but dust, and it's nothing but sand in the air," Armstrong said. "I depend on K&N filters and I always have. Yamaha is one of my sponsors and I know they have their own filters. I still use K&N filters and they don't mind."

In addition to racing ATVs, Armstrong said he surfs and rides mountain bikes to stay in shape and compete against much younger racers. "I haven't really been a racer until I started riding ATVs up here in the dunes," Armstrong said. "In the championship series, most of the racers are in their 20s and 30s." He also helps promote races at tracks throughout the Pacific Northwest. One is at the Orange Dunes Raceway at the end of August.

Related K&N News Articles about Gary Armstrong and Pro ATV racing: Gary Armstrong Wins 2012 Pacific Northwest Sand Drag Series Championship; A Podium Filled Weekend For Pro ATV Sand Drag Racer Gary Armstrong; ATV Pro Class Team H&M Motorsports Takes Victories at Buffalo Bills in Primm, Nevada; K&N Helps Pro ATV racer Josh Frederick and Team Motoworks in Victory at WORCS: Round 6 at Cahuilla

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K&N Co-Founder Norm McDonald is Honored with Induction Into AMA Hall of Fame

Aug 26, 2013

K&N Co-founder Norm McDonald will be officially inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame this October in Las Vegas.

Every self-respecting, old school motorcycle devotee has a short list of idols indelibly etched onto their recollections, two-wheel pioneers that cleared a trail so the rest of us could see where and how to follow. With their injections of pure cool and expertise, these intrepid individuals stared down the shortsighted conventions of their time and forever changed the nature of motorcycling's approval rating. Steve McQueen, Malcolm Smith and Norm McDonald sit atop that cerebral list for many.

Norm McDonald has been an ambassador for motorcycling his entire life, as a racer, promoter, teacher, sponsor and advocate for motorcyclists' rights and safety. Norm is also the "N" in the internationally recognized K&N logo. And, on Friday October 18, during the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legends Weekend, in a star-studded celebration at Las Vegas' Green Valley Resort & Casino - Norm will be a member of the elite Class of 2013 officially being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

"Being inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame was a surprise and a shock and I'm extremely honored," remarked Norm. "I learned of the nomination from a long time friend, John Ulrich of Roadracing World, but I didn't think it would go any further."

What Norm didn't know at the time was that two of his sons, Phil and Pat and Phil's wife, Cindy, had compiled a thick, comprehensive book about Norm and his accomplishments and sent it to the AMA for consideration. "I was numb and speechless when I first got the news," he added.

Were it not for a fortuitous twist of fate K&N would have flourished in an entirely different direction.

The king of air filters and the icon for motorsport legends the world round, K&N Engineering as it's known today, flourished from Norm and his humble roots, aided by a simple twist of fate.

"When we first met I was racing a BSA Gold Star and Kenny was the head mechanic at the shop I rode out of. Kenny started helping me on my bike in the evenings, and at the races, and we became very good friends," recalls Norm. "I worked for a surveyor at the time, and I had designed a carrier for the crews."

Simplicity is the root of all genius, believed Albert Einstein, and Norm was doing his part to validate that assertion. What Norm had invented was a stake and hatchet carrier for the chainman to carry when they were laying out a road or subdivision. "The K&N lath and stake carrier will save up to 45 minutes per day. Per survey crew," read the advertisement.

"Kenny said let's build and market them, so we started building them in my garage every night. The carriers sold well until we went to patent it and the attorney wiped out what little money we had. So we decided to open our own motorcycle shop with about $200 and three used motorcycles. Kenny and I opened K&N Motorcycles in 1957 in Loma Linda, California."

"Kenny ran the shop and I kept my surveyor job for three years, by then we had moved to downtown Riverside. We were Royal Enfield, BSA dealers and took on Yamaha in 1958. Frank Cooper was the distributor. In the 1960's we also made high fenders and brackets for Yamaha street enduros and Honda models, and fork braces, handle bars and fairings for roadracers. Then in the late 1960's and early 1970's we built SouthWind 21 ft. ski boats with 454 GM motors too, because I had started into racing SouthWind boats. Jim Youngblood owned the company and we bought into it after I started racing for him."

Do it right and keep it simple has been Norm McDonald path to success since the beginning.

Ken and Norm moved the shop from Riverside, California to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1971 and after 55 years they're still going gangbusters. K&N Motorcycles is today the world's oldest Yamaha dealership in the country. Norm continued to race motorcycles all through the 1970's, competing in desert Hare and Hounds, endurance events, scrambles, TT and some flat track.

"I raced modified midgets and mini sprint cars from 1985 until 1995, that's when I flipped end-over-end and broke both of my hip replacements. That ended my racing," recounts Norm. "Bob Frazier and I built and sold over 50 race cars during that time, but like I said, all this never seemed like a big deal, it was just my life. But my kids say it is."

Norm and his wife Lucy have been married for 58 years; they have three sons, one daughter and 22 grand and great grand kids.

Norm McDonald was inducted into the Hall of Fame during AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legends Weekend

"I am very happy and proud to have been able to help my three sons, Phil (AMA National Number Flat Track, Roadracing and three-time winner of the AMA Gold Wrench Roadracing award), Pat (cross country and motocross) and Sam (AMA 250 National Champion in 1982, and second place 250 and Superbike finisher in 1984). My grandson Tyler is also a CMRA Roadracing Champion."

Norm's inspiration and influence spread far beyond his family however, over the years he has sponsored hundreds of racers through his shop, with more than 30 of them going on to the national level.

"I'm also very happy and proud to have helped Malcolm Smith, both with racing and getting started in the business. Malcolm came to work for us while he was still in school and when we first bought the shop in 1971. Others were Swede Savage, who rode for us from the time he was 12-years-old, up until Dan Gurney got him in to Indy cars. Mike Kidd rode for us three years and Gary Scott for one year, both went on to become AMA No 1."

Norm's list of protégés reads like a who's who of motorsports stars, he worked with World Champion Barry Briggs for one year on the AMA National short track circuit, and Walker Evans, who went from motorcycle racing to pickups. "Ralph White rode our flat track bikes and roadracers and Freddy Edwards won many races for us throughout the US," Norm adds. "Donnie Castro rode our flat trackers and TT bikes for one year, and then Yamaha signed him the next year. Randy Cleek was Phil's team mate for three years, roadracing and flat track racing. We counted up as many as we could remember and it was over 250. Plus, trials rider, motocross, ATV and some car racers."

"I also worked with other bike builders, back when you had to design and build your equipment, instead of being able to buy everything. Don Vesco, Floyd Emdy, Mel Denison and Red Daily and others. What great times those were."

Norm McDonald continued to race motorcycles all through the 1970's, competing in desert Hare and Hounds, endurance events, scrambles, TT and some flat track.

In 1992 Norm and his son Phil started the Motorcycle Training Safety Center (MTSC) and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) and over 8500 riders have graduated from those programs to date.

"I am still very involved in the CMRA," says Norm. "I have been on the BOD since 1992, president four times, and I'm still the treasurer. We have over 700 roadracers. My son Pat and I have also put on the Oklahoma Gold Rush for 17 years and last year we had over 800 riders." That event happens annually on November 1-3 and K&N Engineering has been a sponsor for the last four years.

The man is indefatigable, he's also the most sincerely genuine and unassuming person imaginable. Legends live in rarefied air, and far too often they become victims of their own myth. Norm is not that guy. Not by a long shot. Which is why when he's asked to speak publicly at schools and clubs, people continue to listen.

"I rode until three years ago and I have to have another hip replacement this year, so I hope I will be able to ride again. I think it is wonderful, and I am very proud K&N Engineering is so very successful," he reflects, "And that I was part of it ,and they continued to carry the name that me and Kenny started with."

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Dylan Lupton Wins His First NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Evergreen Speedway

Aug 24, 2013

Dylan Lupton heads to the finish line at Evergreen Speedway for his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West victory.

Dylan Lupton won his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race and went to a series veteran for some pointers on an unfamiliar track. Dylan Lupton, making only his 12th career start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, won the race at Evergreen Speedway in Washington. Before the race, he asked 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Greg Pursley for some advice on how to race around the .646-mile track at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe.

Cameron Hayley wins the pole for NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe Washington.

"This is my first time at Evergreen Speedway," said Lupton, the leading contender for this year's Sunoco Rookie of the Year title, on Saturday night after the race. "I struggled all day long. It was funny. I asked Greg Pursley earlier today for a little bit of advice. I said, 'Greg I'm lost out here. I need help.' He gave me a little bit of advice. I never in a million years would think that I would be battling him for the win."

Dylan Lupton led only six laps, the final six laps of the NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Toyota, after starting on the fifth row in ninth. He passed Eric Holmes on a restart on lap 144. Derek Thorn and Holmes crashed in turn 1 and set up the final restart of the race. After a red flag caution period to clean up the track, Dylan Lupton was out front on the restart with Pursley in third and Thorn in fifth. "With a few laps to go, Derek and few others got into each other and I wound up in first," Lupton said. "We were able to bring it home."

Pursley finished in second place, but he was not happy about how the race ended. "I would like to say it was a good night, we finished second - but we killed the car," Pursley said. "We got in a wreck down there. With three to go the (No.) 6 car (Thorn) turned the (No.) 16 car (Holmes) and came off the wall and got us pretty hard. We were racing hard there at the end and blew a tire going in there and killed the car."

Dylan Lupton and his team made it to victory lane at Evergreen Speedway despite it being only his 12th career start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.

Thorn, the leader in the K&N Pro Series West standings, was third. After the race, Thorn said the multi-car crash with Holmes was his fault. "It was just a perfect storm," Thorn said. "I drove it in too deep, no air on the spoiler, too much rear brake. I couldn't save it, got into him. I tried to lean on him equally, to where I was pushing him up and not spinning him out. I ended up knocking him around. It seemed like everyone behind him got collected in it too. I just feel bad, the NAPA guys put on a great, great show here and they sponsor a lot of our races. I hate it for them and Bill McAnally Racing." But Thorn added if the race unfolded differently, Lupton might not have been in position to win.

"I got to congratulate my teammate Dylan Lupton for an awesome run," Thorn said. "Had I not messed up like I did, and got into Holmes, I don't know if they would have won. I'm happy it all worked out. It's just kind of a bittersweet deal."

Thorn has a 23-point lead over Cameron Hayley in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings with six races left in the season. Hayley finished in 10th place at Evergreen Speedway.

Michael Self dropped from second place to third place in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings after the Evergreen Speedway race. His car experienced mechanical problems early in the race and he came in 16th place.

The NAPA Auto Parts 150 presented by Toyota will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 on Sept. 8 at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race is at Spokane County Raceway in Washington on Aug. 24.

Related K&N News Articles about NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and Evergreen Speedway: Eric Holmes Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Evergreen Speedway in Washington; NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Racer Greg Pursley Wins at Evergreen Speedway; Cole Custer Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at Iowa Speedway Leading Entire Pork Be Inspired 150; Derek Thorn Dominates NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Race at Colorado National Speedway

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K&N's Steve Gibson is Elected to the North American Council of Automotive Teachers Board of Director

Aug 22, 2013

K&N's Steve Gibson is Elected to North American Council of Automotive Teachers Board of Directors

Every summer, Automotive Technology instructors from across North America gather together during the third week of July to receive training on new technologies, methods to improve their curriculum, and creative ways to keep their students interested and engaged in the classroom. This annual conference is organized by the North American Council of Automotive Teachers, Inc. (NACAT), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the open exchange of information among teachers and the automotive industry, training, student involvement, and fellowship among its members.

The NACAT conference is held in a new location each year, to allow instructors from different geographic areas the ability to attend a conference without the need to travel long distances.

NACAT is organized and run through a volunteer process. NACAT members serve as President, Vice President/President-Elect, Treasurer, as well as a Board of Directors who provide direction for NACAT as an organization. This year, at the 40th annual NACAT Conference in Québec, K&N Engineering's Steve Gibson was elected to fill a vacancy on the NACAT Board.

"I am extremely excited to have this opportunity to serve on the NACAT Board" said Gibson. "The average age of an automotive technician is over 45 years old. It's important that we keep students interested and engaged in automotive technology. When our current technicians retire, we need to have skilled people ready to take their place. This is also true for the other segments of the automotive industry like manufacturing and parts. I feel honored to be elected by my peers to represent them on the Board and to give these topics a voice. It's a huge investment in the future of the industry."

Gibson has participated in the NACAT Conference as a training provider since 2009. In 2014, the NACAT Conference returns to the United States, being hosted at Greenville Technical College in Greenville, South Carolina. "The 2013 NACAT Conference set the bar high" said Gibson. "The team at Greenville has a tough job, but I know they can pull it off, and create an experience for our instructors which is unique and full of great information."

You can learn more about the North American Council of Automotive Teachers at http://www.nacat.org.

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Brian Binkert of Bink Designs Uses K&N Air Intakes and K&N Billet Oil Filters

Aug 21, 2013

"The K&N Air Intake Systems I use on my vehicles rock! I instantly noticed a horsepower gain, and would suggest them to anyone," said Binkert.

Since childhood Brian Binkert had a dream: a dream of off-road racing. His dream took flight at 16 years old when he got a 1993 Ford Ranger, which turned into a 10-year project full of upgrades and experiments. Through trial and error Binkert grew to trust and rely on K&N Engineering products.

Since its origin Bink Designs has evolved, from winning several photography awards and honors to securing an expanded racing clientele.

"The K&N Air Intake Systems I use on my vehicles rock! I instantly noticed a horsepower gain, and would suggest them to anyone," said Binkert. "Another cool thing is that I installed the K&N Billet Oil Filter, which is such a trick piece of machinery. The best part is that you never have to replace your oil filter again!"

Despite his enjoyment of all things automotive, Binkert followed a slightly different career path than was initially anticipated. He correlated his racing fascination and design skills into a more artistic career. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Media Arts, Binkert created his own premier graphic design company, Bink Designs, in San Diego, CA, in 2003. The range of graphic design services includes identity, print design, web development, apparel, and photography. Since its origin Bink Designs has evolved, from winning several photography awards and honors to securing an expanded racing clientele.

Throughout his exciting career journey, Binkert has cherished his partnership with K&N Engineering. "Ryan Fellman of K&N had caught wind of me through social Media and now we are growing our relationship," said Binkert.

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