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Celebrating Paul Brown and a Life Well Lived

Oct 24, 2012

Sometimes mourning the passing of life just doesn't feel right. Life should be celebrated, and some lives simply burn a little more intensely than others, as though their sole purpose was to exemplify the beacon of light reminding us of that reality. That Paul Brown had an extraordinary talent for driving is evidenced by his remarkable catalog of motorsport accomplishments, yet what we really honor is his intrinsic gift for living.

Champion Racer Paul Brown

Racing concentrates life into instantaneous, incontestable ingredients, while discarding distractions, much like adding heat to a sauce produces a reduction with magnified flavors. Every time Paul got behind a steering wheel, and he blissfully teased the outer limits of horsepower, rubber and asphalt, he intensified the taste of existence for everyone that followed his journey. That was the world he lived in and generously shared.

"The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Paul is what a great ambassador for motorsports he was," remembers K&N's Sports Marketing Manager, Tony Yorkman. "He was someone that continued to ride that line between keeping racing fun and competitive, yet he also understood it as a business. He reminded me quite a few times how lucky he was to be able to do something he loved."

"My first interaction to Paul was almost five years ago, right before K&N became the primary sponsor for his Porsche 997 GT car that he competed with in the Speed World Challenge, and immediately I knew he was someone K&N should align with. Being new to motorsports myself, he set the bar for all others in my eyes, based on his total professionalism and dedication to the sport in which very few have been able to achieve anywhere near what he has. At last year's Optima's Ultimate Street Car Invitational, Paul piloted the K&N G35 as a chase car for the TV program. He was in that car for 12 hours straight until the car finally gave up. I remember he got out with a smile, and said he was glad it gave up before he did! He will definitely be missed, and I am convinced the racing community will not be the same without him, even though he has taught so many, so much."

"I met Paul at a SCCA World Challenge GT Race in San Diego back in 2000. Since then we grew to become great friends," calls to mind K&N R&D Manager, Dave Martis. "Paul was a guy you could depend on for help no matter what. He was honest and friendly with everyone. He had a cheerful attitude and a great sense of humor. He made friends with people all around the world."

Paul had a skill driving a race car that provided him with many opportunities throughout his professional career. His driving ability, charisma and his loyalty to the K&N brand was the reason he was sponsored by K&N and chosen to drive the G35 road race car in 2010 and 2011. We are deeply saddened by the loss of not just a friend, but also a great man."

Indeed, honor the good and the bad of what there is. Grieve, rage, and celebrate, and embrace it all together as it coexists. "The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain."

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.

2012 AAPEX Show: Roland Sands Custom Victory/RSD Capone Scheduled for K&N Booth

Oct 23, 2012

Capone is on of many custom bikes produced by Roland Sands

A new year brings new products and new designs to the AAPEX show in Las Vegas. The advancement of technology in the motorcycle industry has brought more power, better materials and, of course, better fuel economy to consumers. Yet with new technology comes the responsibility to pay tribute to the ideas and inspirations that propelled this industry to the level it is today. The legendary designer and bike builder, Roland Sands, of Roland Sands Designs, will be displaying one of his newest creations, the Victory Capone, in the K&N booth (# 2874). Built on the advancements of new technology with old-school styling, the Victory Capone is one cool bike. Taking cues from several different eras of motorcycle history, this bike blends the old with the new, and does it well.

Look for Rolands Sands' custom morotcycle, the Victory Capone, in the 2012 K&N AAPEX booth

From its intricate paint job to its eye catching lines, the Victory Capone is sure to add some extra flare to the K&N booth. Nearly everything on this bike is custom from its leather stitched seat to the custom fuel tank to its one off exhaust, this bike is surely a rolling work of art. With many vehicles that will be on display at AAPEX, the Victory Capone is surely one that makes the list of "must sees" at the event.

AAPEX encompasses a diverse array of markets within the automotive industry and provides opportunities for attendees to interact with industry leaders in classroom learning sessions scheduled throughout the event. Several different associations, including the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Association and the Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association, will be in attendance sponsoring educational sessions ranging from the benefits of rebuilt and remanufactured engines to a session on the outlook of costs relating to fuel and raw materials.

Stop by and visit K&N Filters at the 2012 AAPEX show. We hope to see you there!

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.

2012 SEMA Show, Hot New Products and Hotter Custom Rides in the K&N Booth

Oct 22, 2012

K&N 2012 SEMA booth will have this performance modified Harley-Davidson FXCWC Softail Rocker C

2012 has brought about many changes and newer technologies to the automotive industry. The use of composite materials to save weight and increase durability, growth in the full-electric segment, and smarter technology making smaller motors with more power have all seen rapid advancement this year. Since its first show in 1963, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has been dedicated to bringing all of these advancements and more together into one place. This year in the Las Vegas Conventions Center, from October 30th to November 2nd, every segment of the automotive industry, from the biggest manufacturers to the newest parts and services around, come together to show off their best to the world.

2012 SEMA will show this 1967 Camaro by East Bay Muscle Cars

K&N Filters will be there with an abundance of hot new performance intake systems, air filters, oil filters and heavy duty products, and best of all, the hottest custom cars in Las Vegas at booth 22943. "K&N is very excited about SEMA 2012," reported K&N Brand Manager Lucio Tapia. "We will be introducing some very special applications to our High-Flow Intake line. In our booth, we will be showing our Camaro ZL1 and Corvette ZR1 Intakes on display for the first time. These intakes incorporate carbon fiber components, all done in-house in Riverside, California."

East Bay Muscle Cars' (EBMC) 1967 Chevy Camaro - 2012 K&N SEMA booth vehicle

East Bay Muscle Cars' 1967 Chevy Camaro - 2012 K&N SEMA booth vehicle

"The SEMA show is the ideal place for us to meet with K&N dealers, show car builders, and supporters from around the world," said Tapia. "We will have displays with some of our most popular products physically mounted, along with useful company and product information. Our booth will also host a number of custom cars and bikes featuring our high flow air filters and wrench-off oil filters."

Tapia also mentioned that SEMA time is a welcome challenge year after year. "For me personally, it starts with planning in July and continues up until I arrive in Las Vegas and get ready for the show to start. Once the show starts on Tuesday, I realize that the stress and long hours leading up to the show were all worth it. SEMA is not only a trade show, where we showcase our products and educate our dealer network, it's an epic "car show" where I get to see the latest and greatest in the automotive scene." "I was that enthusiast that would read car magazines any chance I got and always knew about the SEMA show and hoped one day I would be able to attend," reported Tapia. "Year after year, I get home after the show full of motivation and excitement from all the great people I got to speak with and all the custom vehicles I was able to snap pictures of."

K&N SEMA vehicle - East Bay Muscle Cars' "Tenacity" is an 800 horsepower 1967 Camaro sporting a twin turbo LS motor

For those who dig the old with the new, East Bay Muscle Cars (EBMC) has lent their 1969 Camaro, nicknamed "Tenacity" to the K&N SEMA booth. Where does that name come from you might ask? Well, its got a monstorous 650 horsepower LS3, backed by a T-56 tranny, stuffed in a G Max chassis. Plenty of hours went into bringing this labor of love retro-classic muscle car to life. Debuting at the Goodguys PPG Nationals from July 6-8, EBMC took their Tenacity to the exclusive top 5 for the Street Machine of the Year award. "It features a handcrafted air intake system that receives fresh air from in front of the car and passes through dual K&N filters before going into dual 4" air induction tubes to meet at the engine," says EBMC's Steve Keefer. Also scheduled to make a show stopping appearance at booth 22943 is the multiple award winning track racer, Stephanie Cemo and her 2010 Corvette ZR1.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 48 modified café racer will be in K&N's 2012 SEMA Booth

For the two wheel fanatics, K&N will also be representing two one-of-a-kind bikes from California builder, Performance Machines. The "models" stopping by the booth this year include the 2008 Harley-Davidson FXCWC Softail^® Rocker C which is fitted with a completely custom gas tank, rear fender, seat mount, and DLC coated front fork as well as several other mods. K&N will also be presenting Performance Machines' Sportster^® 48, a redesigned and modified café racer guaranteed to look as fast in the booth as it does on the pavement.

With all of these fantastic vehicles and new products, K&N is ready for the Vegas showcase at SEMA. Making special appearances at the SEMA show this year include Chip Foose, TV personalities Rich Evans of Hot Rod Designer and Stacey David, host of Gearz TV. Also attending the 2012 SEMA show are NHRA drag racers John Force, Allen Johnson, Warren Johnson and Formula Drift Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. among other celebrities. So clear the calendar and set the heading for the Las Vegas Convention Center October 30th through November 2nd to see what K&N and the best of the automotive industry has to offer for the new year and beyond.

Some other similar SEMA show vehicles from prior years include the 2011 SEMA 1969 Chevy Camaro, 2011 SEMA Custom Camaro SS, 2010 SEMA 2010 Camaro SS, 2010 SEMA RCH Designs' Camaro SS, 2009 SEMA RealWheels Maui Jim Camaro and the 2009 SEMA Roland Sands Custom Choppers.

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.

Tommy Phillips Earns Second Career Double Win Event at AAA Texas NHRA Nationals

Oct 19, 2012

Tommy Phillips and his CBS ArcSafe/K&N team got the double win at the Texas Motorplex and they were awarded the Best Appearing Car honors for the weekend

The fickle finger of racing fate, as it's been prone to do, once again pointed smack-dab at its native son, Tommy Phillips at the AAA Texas NHRA Nationals. Coming off his Super Comp win at the "Grand Daddy of them all," the US Nationals in Indianapolis, Phillips topped off his 2012 mantle collection with an extremely rare and highly coveted double victory at his hometown track, the Texas Motorplex.

"It's pretty incredible how quickly things can turn, particularly in this sport," admitted Phillips. "I'll be the first to tell you that the first half of my racing season was basically a disaster from a performance perspective. The cars were not very good and I was even worse! I don't feel like we're doing anything drastically different now, things have just clicked."

Keep in mind that we are talking about perspectives here, what Phillips considers an early season performance disaster, many others would see as a strong race season overall. The humble Forney, Texas, Texan already had a pair of national event runner-up finishes in the bag (Super Comp in Pomona, California and Super Gas in Chicago), he took part in the annual Jegs All-Stars competition, and he sits in the elite top-ten standing in the NHRA Lucas Oil points chase. But it was at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, that Phillips marked yet another career-defining weekend by winning both Super Comp and Super Gas at his home event.

And, while clearly a double victory is an extraordinary achievement, Phillips is no stranger to this level of triumph in his stellar NHRA drag racing career, as this was his second double win weekend. Phillips also doubled up on the Wally's at the Jegs Cajun Sportsnationals two years ago in Belle Rose, Louisiana. So, to put the K&N racers accomplishment into perspective, Phillips is one of just twelve competitors who have ever won two categories at the same NHRA national event. Plus, he's now one of only six drivers who have achieved that feat on more than one occasion.

In the Super Comp final, driving his virtually iconic status CBS ArcSafe/K&N backed TNT dragster, Phillips posted a near-perfect .007 reaction time and 8.907 ET to stop Austin Williams and claim the event title. Overall in the seven rounds of Super Comp eliminations, Phillips posted two perfect 8.900 ET's and never left the starting line with a reaction time slower than .022.

This was the second time Phillips collected double W's, the first time was at the Jegs Cajun Sportsnationals

"I felt good about Super Comp, but I got some breaks," confessed Phillips. "Lloyd Parfait nearly got me in round three; he fed me a bunch of finish line, but I was fortunate to run 8.900. That could have easily been 8.899. And of course I was very concerned for my run against Riley; his car has been great lately, I was actually driving it when I won in Indy, and he's doing a great job behind the wheel. In all honesty, I raced a lot of really good drivers, I was just lucky when I needed to be, and made good runs when I had to."

Phillips second win in Super Gas was as much a display of masterful racing as it was of incomparable sportsmanship. His round 4 matchup was with K&N's, Steve Williams, only Williams' car wouldn't start. Rather than run alone, Phillips waited while Williams' crew hustled to overcome the problem.

"(NHRA Starter) Mark Lyle told me that I could take a single, but I said I'd give him time to fix his car so we could race," Phillips explained. "In most circumstances, (NHRA officials) would have probably forced me to take a competition bye run, but we were the last pair of the last class on the track that night; so we weren't holding anyone up. I just told Mark that I would wait until they told me I had to stage or be disqualified. We've all been in that situation, and it's a terrible feeling when mechanical issues force you out of a race. I would rather get beat in a good race than take a win because of my opponent's misfortune."

In the Super Gas final Phillips bested fellow Texan Jimmy Lewis for the coveted double victory

Once Williams' K&N Corvette fired, Phillips came out on the good side of an exceedingly close double-breakout matchup, 9.877 to 9.875. The final round fittingly came down to a showdown between fellow Texans. Adding to the high drama was the fact that Phillips adversary, Jimmy Lewis, was also competing for a double victory. Lewis had already scored a win in the Top Sportsman final.

However, in final pass it was Phillips that got a slight jump at the starting line, .017 to .018, and held on for a 9.911 to 9.921 victory. "It's all still sinking in to be honest," said Phillips whose victories marked the 26th and 27th national event crowns of his career. "A double-up is what we all dream of, and to do it here at our home event makes it even more special.

Phillips and his CBS ArcSafe/K&N Engineering team were also awarded the Best Appearing Car honors for the event.

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.

Gerit Callies Savors A Perfect Night At Hagerstown in AMA Pro Singles Class

Oct 19, 2012

Gerit Callie recently earned a spot atop the podium at Hagerstown, Maryland

Gerit Callies and his crew recently rolled into Hagerstown, Maryland Half-Mile Clay Track around noon with eagerness, and high hopes of what would transpire in the hours to come.

Although the temperature had already climbed above the century mark, Callies had no intentions of letting the stifling heat adversely effect his desire to experience a great day of racing. Referring to the conditions, he said, "Temperature doesn't really bother me; hot or cold."

Racing in the AMA Pro Singles class, the rider had his 2008 Honda sitting on the back burner, and made a few last minute changes on his KTM SFX450 to get it dialed in prior to the main event. After tweaking the suspension, making a few changes to the gearing and fine tuning his air pressure, Callies was chomping at the bit for the race to be deemed underway.

"My confidence level was pretty high," recalled the rider. "I had placed second there the year before on a 2009 Honda, and I like that groove one-half mile. My season was going great, and I already had two wins under my belt."

At the waving of the green flag, fellow rider, Stephen Vanderkurr, took the holeshot, and in turn had the early lead. Callies didn't let up though, and continued his pursuit for the front position until a red flag came out in lap six, calling for a stagger start. As soon as the race resumed, Callies made his move and took the lead position. For the final ten laps the rider went uncontended, earning his third victory of the season and his rightful spot atop the podium.

Riding professionally for three years, Gerit Callies has determined that hole shots are an essential element of success, as a rider simply races differently when they start out with the lead. That said, experience has also taught him that one can still walk away victorious without being first out of the gate.

"When I didn't get the holes hot, I was shocked," recalled Callies. "But I still had a lot of confidence that I could win it. I just stayed calm and rode my race. I knew I was catching up with the lead rider before the restart."

In spite of a recent serious accident, Gerit Callies is already anticipating a successful season in 2013

"After I took the lead, I was confident that I could win it, because my team had my KTM SFX450 dialed in" he continued. "Once I got around Stephen Vanderkurr, I was not really challenged by anyone for the remainder of the race. It felt really good, but now I would like to win a one-mile race."

Gerit Callies' record is a testimony to his riding skills, but he is quick to credit his team for a portion of his success. "I couldn't do it without them," he explained. My brother, Nick, is the main mechanic, and does everything I need. My dad kicks in and helps a little bit too."

"Maintenance on the bike is key," he explained. "You got to take care of your bike if you want it to run right. If you respect your bike, it will respect you back." The rigors of his sport are demanding on his equipment, to say the least. That in mind, Gerit Callies and his crew depends upon K&N products to keep the internal components of his engines running at peak performance and contaminant free.

"We've been using K&N's universal filters for five years," he shared. They work really good at keeping and adding horsepower to the engine. They also help the bike breath better.

With a victory at Hagerstown under his belt, Callies moved on with confidence and an anticipation of success throughout the remainder of the season on his side. But a stroke of bad luck followed at Peoria TT Track, in Peoria, Illinois when the rider was involved in a serious accident, not only putting him out of the chase, but taking him out of competition for the remainder of the year. Although 2012 ended on a sour note, Gerit Callies is on the mend and already anxious to get the 2013 season underway.

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.