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2012 marks the third season that Linus Sundström has donned the K&N colors.
Swedish speedway racer Linus Sundström signed on with the Peterborough Panthers, the Sky Sports Elite League of racing in 2009, becoming, at age 18, the youngest rider to ever don the Peterborough colors. Sundström continues to impress his team(s) and pretty much everyone else by kicking off the 2012 season with a hugely impressive victory in Coventry, a borough in the county of West Midland England. It was an incredibly tough and competitive Elite League first event featuring five Grand Prix riders, including 2011 World Speedway Champion, Greg Hancock and three-time World Champion Nicki Pedersen.
Sundström impressed everyone with a colossal season opening victory in Coventry, England.
"In my first meeting at Coventry I enjoyed one of the best nights of my career so far, and to win the meeting in front of 6000 people made it even more special," remarked Sundström. "It was a perfect way to start the season and I hope I can keep the momentum going!"
Sundström started out racing 80cc speedway bikes at age nine, then stepped up to the 500cc bikes when he was 16. But his love of two wheels really began when his dad bought him a motocross bike when he was just five years old. One day when the motocross track was in no condition for riding, they headed over to the speedway track instead, and the rest, as they say, is history.
CaHeading into the 2012 season Sundström's goals include earning a place into the coveted 2013 World Championship series, finishing in the top-four in the Swedish finals, and collecting as many points as possible for the clubs and sponsors he represents.
He was been riding as a professional since his breakout year in 2009. "That's when I first went to the UK to race in the Premier League with the Rye House Rockets," says Sundström. "Today I represent five different clubs in four countries, which include Piraterna and Masarna in Sweden, Grindsted in Denmark, Lodz in Poland and the Peterborough Panthers in Sky Sports Elite League in the UK."
Avesta, Sweden, roughly 150 kilometers north of Stockholm is where Sundström was born and still resides. "When I'm in the UK I stay with a great family in a small village called Puckeridge, just outside Hertford," explains Sundström. "They help me out with all my racing when I'm there and they mean a lot to me. This coming season I will compete in between 90 to 100 events and my season runs between March and October."
2012 marks Sundström's third season of wearing the K&N colors along with his other palette of clubs and sponsors. "Don Marshall first helped me out during the winter of 2009," says Sundström. "I'm proud to be a part of such a big and professional company as K&N and it means a lot to me. But it means even more to my engines, since they remain cleaner inside; they perform better and with longer intervals between servicing."
"My goals for this coming season are to fight for a place in the 2013 World Championship series and to finish in the top four in the Swedish final. I also want to continue to be an important team member and score as many points as possible and help my clubs to earn medals and success."
We've had a long off season to say the least. I'm ready to get back behind the wheel and go racing.
It's not often professional athletes get to share their sport with a superstar from another sport. So when Red Bull approached 2011 TORC Pro 2WD champion Bryce Menzies about sharing his trophy truck with fellow Red Bull athlete and two-time National League Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, Menzies jumped at the opportunity.
The two got together at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, while Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants were in nearby Scottsdale for spring training, and Menzies took "The Freak" for a ride around the ultra-fast track before handing the controls over to Lincecum for a few laps.
"Red Bull approached us with the idea at the beginning of the year," Menzies said. "Our team thought it would be an amazing opportunity to reach others who might not know much about off-road racing and also give Tim an opportunity he might never get again."
Charlotte was pretty good to us last year, between the crazy racing and the ecstatic fans, we can't wait to kick the season off there.
A video of the event, produced by Red Bull, has made its round on the Internet, and Menzies was right when he said Lincecum was a fast learner. The World Series champion jumped right in and appears fearless behind the wheel. "Tim was an easy going guy," Menzies added. "When he got behind the wheel, it all came pretty naturally to him. Red Bull thinks of some fun things to do with their athletes and this worked out really well for the team and me."
Menzies and his team are on their way to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the season opening rounds of the 2012 TORC season, where Menzies Motorsports will attempt to improve on an incredible 2011 season which saw Menzies himself capture a championship and also featured a championship performance from Ricky Johnson in Pro 4WD. "We've had a long off season to say the least," Menzies said. "I'm ready to get back behind the wheel and go racing. Charlotte was pretty good to us last year, between the crazy racing and the ecstatic fans, we can't wait to kick the season off there."
Tim was an easy going guy. When he got behind the wheel, it all came pretty naturally to him.
The biggest challenge for Menzies and Johnson has to be not letting their 2011 success get in the way of their 2012 goals, and Menzies knows that. "I always set high expectations for myself but by no means am I going into the season thinking I'm better than anyone else just because I have the number one plate on my truck (awarded to the defending series champion). Everyone is going to be trying to take that away from me, so I need to be on my game again this year."
Menzies isn't sure if winning in 2011 puts more pressure on or relieves some of the stress heading into Charlotte. "I haven't figured that one out yet. I guess after we get the first race out of the way, I'll know. I need to see what everyone else is bringing to the table first."
Menzies was quick to thank K&N for their support of his team, stating, "We have been running K&N for over five years now in both our trucks and buggies. Without a doubt, they have helped out team succeed and consistently be on the podium."
Terry McCarl is looking forward to experiencing a successful season in 2012 and hopes to ultimately earn a spot in the Knoxville Nationals.
After starting the season strong in Georgia, Terry McCarl and team T-MAC Motorsports Inc. ran into some mechanical issues. McCarl and his crew have since diagnosed and repaired the electrical problem and recently experienced yet another great night of racing at the Thunderbowl Raceway.
Rolling into Tulare California, the driver and his crew anticipated how the #24 car would perform with the needed repairs behind them. McCarl had experienced his fair share of success at the Tulare Bullring during previous World of Outlaw events, and if his car performed to what they expected, they were likely in for a pretty good night of racing.
Of the twenty five drivers scheduled to run in the 410 Sprint Class, the Altoona, Iowa driver was the seventh quickest, but finished at the very back of the pack during the qualifying event. Although the car was not performing to par during the beginning of the event, McCarl had the benefit of an experienced crew on his side. Between runs, McCarl, Brad Goebel and Paul Silva, whose driver was presently racing "Down Under," continued fine tuning the engine. In turn, as the night progressed, McCarl's success did also.
After finishing second in his heat race the driver and his team were satisfied with a third place finish in the dash. With confidence starting to pile up terry McCarl prepared for the main event. Starting in the third position, the driver was perfectly aware that he had a battle ahead of him.
At the waving of the green flag, the driver on the outside immediately shot out to the front, leaving the remaining drivers battling for second place. During the beginning of the event, McCarl held the fourth place spot and was in contention, but Craig Dollansky worked his way around him in the first lap. Terry McCarl is not one to let up though, and as the field got into traffic, he took advantage of the opportunity to start working his way toward the front. McCarl got situated on the high side of the track, as the field grew increasingly tighter.
After experiencing electrical problems early in the season, Terry McCarl and team T-MAC Motorsports Inc. have the problem resolved and recently experienced success at the Thunderbowl Raceway.
As a series of caution flags flew, McCarl managed to work his way to the runner-up position, but a slick track eventually took its toll. Not only did he loose traction at the bottom of a straightaway, but he also gave up his second place spot. In fact, McCarl was in the fourth position at the waving of the checkered flag.
Although barely missing a podium finish at Thunderbowl, Terry McCarl and his crew were satisfied with their cars overall performance, and have high hopes of what lies in store for the remainder of the 2012 season. "We definitely had a top five car all night long," explained McCarl. "We had a great finish on a real racy track." When asked if there we any upcoming races in particular that he and his team are looking forward to, McCarl said, "We just take them as they come."
This season, Terry McCarl will own his own team. That said, he is acutely aware of the importance of each and every member of T-MAC Motorsports, and the job they perform. Experience has also taught McCarl that enough can't be said for maintenance. "They call it motorsports for a reason," said the driver. "The guy with the best engine is having the most fun. You just have to keep the dirt out of those engines of you want optimal performance." That in mind, Terry McCarl depends upon K&N products to ensure the internal components of his engines remain contaminant free. Referring to K&N products he said, "It's the best filter out there."
Although Terry McCarl has a competitive nature, and is always a force to be reckoned with, he also appreciates the bonds and friendships he has acquired during his racing career. "You're competitive against each other, but once the race is over, you're just one big family. It's a great family sport and all of the competitors are like one big family."
Throughout many years of racing, Terry McCarl and T-MAC Motorsports have acquired many fans. When asked what his fans could expect from Terry McCarl in 2012 he said, "Hopefully, we'll experience a successful season and in turn, will have a shot at winning the Knoxville Nationals."
The Jason Johnson Racing team's primary focus is capturing the ASCS National Championship. Photo by Timothy Passmore.
Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, New Mexico is where Jason Johnson Racing and Stenhouse Jr. Racing recently completed their first ever ASCS 305 Sprint Car Shootout together.
"The opportunity for Stenhouse Jr. Racing to compete in our first ASCS 305 race was an education to say the least," commented Johnson. "Coming from the 360 ranks, the 305 ASCS class is very limited on power. The smoother driver, who keeps up his momentum, is definitely the fastest guy. We would like to thank Mesilla Valley Transportation for finding us a competitive engine to be able to compete while traveling through. We always enjoy our time out in Las Cruces, especially being how beautiful the weather is at this time of the year."
From left to right: Crew Chief-Philip Dietz, Tim Courmier, Emily Annett, Jason Johnson. Down front: local fan Chevy Coleman, and Bobbi Johnson. Photo by Timothy Passmore.
Jason and the crew bolted the 305 engine into their Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Gleco Plating Inc. No. 41 and went racing. In Friday night's action, the "Cajun Sensation" finished 5th in his heat and in the A-Main, missing a lock in position for Saturday's race by one spot. The crew woke up early Saturday morning and worked all day to prepare their sprint car for Saturday night's final round of competition.
In Saturday's action Johnson ran third in his heat and finished 9th in the A-Main. According to Johnson, the entire team had a lot of fun racing in Las Cruces. After a quick break the team next headed to Mesquite, Texas to compete in the 39th Annual Spring Nationals at Devil's Bowl Speedway. With Johnson back behind the wheel of a familiar power-curve he was able to notch his second win of the 2012 ASCS National Tour season.
"To capture our second victory of the season with Roush Yates Ford power under the hood of our Stenhouse Jr. Racing Maxim chassis was fantastic," said Johnson. "The Ford engine has great power on the top end, and with Devils Bowl Speedway being a bigger venue, we got to showcase the power Roush Yates has developed. These Stenhouse Jr. crew guys have worked their tails off all winter long looking for more speed, and it is great to begin the ASCS National Tour season off with such success."
Jason Johnson scored his second 2012 ASCS National Tour win at Devil's Bowl Speedway driving his Roush Yates Ford powered car. Photo by Timothy Passmore.
For 2012 Stenhouse Jr. Racing has four Maxim Chassis assembled for Johnson to compete in anywhere from 70 to 90 events throughout the racing season. "With the ASCS National Tour as our main priority, we enjoy filling in the off weekend with racing with other organizations," said Johnson. "One of the benefits of racing under the ASCS banner is there always a regional race we can attend. Included within our schedule for 2012, Stenhouse Jr. Racing looks forward to showcasing the 410 Ford powerplant assembled by Roush Yates Racing Engines. With one common equation to all the varieties of series and engine combinations, K&N products are used exclusively by me and the Stenhouse Jr. organization."
"For the 2012 goals, our main focus is to capture the ASCS National Championship. Along with the championship, we would like to win as many races as possible, with a goal of 25 victories or better. We realize these are tough goals to achieve, but we feel we are up to the challenge!"
Johnson is no stranger to winning championships, in 2010 he and his wife Bobbi captured the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Championship in their first year as team owners at Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) and they continued their success during the 2011 season by winning a series leading six races, and defending their owner's point title. Johnson and the JJR team are looking to continue their successful momentum in 2012.
Next up, the ASCS National tour moves down to Beaumont, Texas on Friday, April 13th, and Saturday, April 14th. Johnson added, "The very next weekend after Beaumont, we look forward to utilizing the Roush Yates 410 Ford powerplant for the first time in our home base state of Sedalia, Missouri."
After taking the win at Cowtown, Brady Bacon and Wilke-Pak Motorsports experienced mechanical difficulties on night two.
Pulling into Dallas, Texas, Brady Bacon and team Wilke-Pak Motorsports were geared up for a battle at "The Midget Stampede in Dallas" at the Cowtown Speedway. Racing in the USAC National Midgets class, the driver went into the first night of the event confident. "Going into any race, we always have a pretty high confidence level," shared Bacon. "I believe every competitor's confidence is pretty high before any event."
Driving the Wilke-Pak Motorsport #11 the driver started the night off with a bang, winning his heat race, a standard he planned to follow for the remainder of the night. "It's always a good boost for the night to win the heat race," he explained. "It lets you know that you have a car that is in tune with the track and you hope to carry that to the main."
Starting on the pole position after earning top points in a sixty-six car field, the driver took the lead early and never looked back. In fact, when the dust had settled, Bacon had managed to hold the lead throughout the entire race and at the waving of the checkered flag had scored a three thousand dollar victory.
Although holding the lead from start to finish, that was no indication that Brady wasn't contended. "We were challenged for most of the race," Bacon recalled. "It was someone I wasn't familiar with, but I'll tell you what, he was one heck of a racer." Referring to Cowtown Raceway, he continued, "It's a great track, and offers a driver with great skills the opportunity to really excel above the rest."
Brady Bacon recently earned the checkered flag at the Midget Stampede in Dallas, at the Cowtown Speedway.
With a win under his belt on Friday night, Bacon return to Cowtown on the following day with anticipation of continuing where he had left off. That said, his luck went south when the driver experienced mechanical difficulties. "It was a let-down to drop out of the Saturday feature, but it was a mechanical failure that not even we could prevent," explained the driver. "The brake line broke at the master cylinder. It's the first time in our team's history that this type of malfunction has happened. We would have been a serious contender for the win," he explained. "We had a great car, and although we got caught up in an early crash, we were up to seventh from last in just about seven laps."
Although the final day of the event was filled with disappointment, Brady Bacon and team Wilke-Pak Motorsports are more than ready to put that stroke of bad luck behind them and are looking forward to what might transpire during the remainder of the 2012 season. "In midget racing, a lot of the major events that used to hold a lot of luster have faded," recalled Bacon. "But we always look forward to such events like the 'Belleville Midget Nationals,' 'Night Before The 500,' and the 'Turkey Night Grand Prix.'"
When asked the key to success during future races, Bacon said, "Well, in any motorsports event, the main key to success is competing at a high level. But more importantly, you have to finish the race and have a good driver and reliable equipment."
The driver and his team are also aware that maintenance plays a huge role in keeping their equipment in optimal working condition. "Maintenance is a top priority at Wilke-Pak Motorsports," he explained. "There are few teams in the sport that are as particular and stringent on maintenance as Wilke-Pak." Referring to keeping their engines contaminant free, he continued, "We use the K&N Carbon Fiber midget air box, and their breather and oil filters. We have been associated with K&N for more than ten years, using their products religiously for our filter needs. Anytime you can have a quality product like K&N filters, it not only helps you achieve the highest probability of winning, but it gives you peace of mind. It's refreshing to know that your engine is going to be protected in the harshest of conditions."
Referring to what he and his team plans to deliver to their fans and sponsors in 2012, Brady Bacon concluded, "Wins and Records! Come out and support Midget and local racing!"
