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Rothbauer's weapon of choice is a Honda CRF450R modified for Supermoto.
The reason why Supermoto racing is such a huge fan favorite is because it unites many of the more spectacular components of motocross and road racing. Typically tracks are configured of 70-percent road and 30-percent dirt, requiring a finely-tuned hybrid set of skills stemming from both racing venues in order to succeed. K&N's Team Honda Austria continues to be one of the premier international Supermoto teams around, with International Supermoto stars, Florian Wedenig and Andi Rothbauer.
Andi Rothbauer began to come on strong towards the end of the season after his injury at the end of 2010.
The current Honda Manufacture supported Supermoto team formed in 2006. However, the original Team Honda Austria (THA) first got involved with Supermoto back in 2000, and they have always supported private Honda riders. The team has good reason to believe that 2012 will be another season for them to rule the European Supermoto landscape.
Last season former State Champion, Andi Rothbauer, had several third place finishes and made it to the podium four times in all. He was battling for third overall up until the very last race. "In the beginning it was all about recovery of my very bad shoulder injury in 2010, Rothbauer told K&N. "But the kick-off events went very well. I was getting stronger and faster with each race, starting to really challenge at some new event. At the finals I was all focused on getting a top-three end year result. But always going 'all-in' means you're open to making mistakes. I made a very bad turn at the finals and injured my knee. So instead of third I ended up in the hospital and finished fifth overall in 2011 in the S-Open Pro."
Stunt and Supermoto demonstrations are a stress-free favorite for Rothbauer.
The newest team member, Florian Wedenig brought his expertise in motocross, cross country, as well as Supermoto Junior Cup experience to the team last year. Wedenig adapted quickly to his first full season aboard the 450 Honda, and by mid-season he earned his first podium finish.
"I was always eager to get this thing going. Race after race I was having more fun and getting more confidence in my bike," commented Wedenig. "At the end of the last racing season I accomplished 4th position in the overall results S1 Professional. This means I have once again made my goal finishing top 5!"
Florian Wedenig calls his first ever Supermoto podium finish the highlight of 2011.
"Andi's four podiums proved to him that he was always competitive," added team marketing spokesperson Claudia Rothbauer. "Some of the team's highlights were also attending a lot of expeditions and doing some real cool Supermoto and Stunt shows for several sponsors."
"I love doing stunt and Supermoto Shows," Andi chimes in. "During racing events we are all focused on our race-performance. However at expeditions we can just enjoy the cheering crowd and represent our sponsors at our best!"
For Wedenig last year's highlight was landing his first podium. "This was just a dream come true. Two years ago I was still in junior cups riding against kids," said Wedenig. "Now I am challenging my former heroes. Finishing top -three in Kaltenbach showed me the awesome progress I've made since joining Honda Austria team."
Wedenig came to THA with familiarity in motocross, cross country, as well as Supermoto Junior Cup experience.
Claudia feels that as a team they have grown stronger and more competitive. "We continue to compete at a very high level and we are always a threat to our competitors. Injuries can happen at any time, but our riders are in great physical condition and they remain focused and strong, which helps them recover very fast." Rothbauer has already started full conditioning workouts, while Wedenig is already attending some indoor events.
"We will again mainly use Honda CRF450R 2012 motocross bikes, which we will remodel to Supermoto weapons. Honda Austria is giving us a great base for competitive bikes. The main components such as high power K&N Air Filters (HA-4509XD) and Oil Filters (KN-116) will not change. Those are always a big part of our success," says Claudia with a smile. "At the moment we are testing some more tires companies and suspension components, to bring more power on the track. By the time the new championship will start in April, we are sure to have all components figured out and will be ready to win!"
Team Honda Austria will begin race testing at events in Italy beginning in March. "Around Easter holiday we are expecting the first test sessions in Austria," Claudia adds. The International Austria Championship will kick-off on April 22nd.
Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki has expereinced a stellar season in the AMA Arenacross Championship Series.
Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki recently pulled into the Kansas Expocenter at Topeka, with anticipation of continuing a winning streak.
Although the opening night of the race fell on Friday the 13th, the team had no intentions of letting superstitions get in their way of pursuing success in the AMA Arenacross Championship Series.
Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki recently earned positions on the podium while racing in the AMA Championship Series at the Kansas Expocenter.
Manning his Kawasaki KX 250F, Chad Johnson made a showing early on, when he earned the victory in the "Dash For Cash". Although experiencing success during his first ride of the event, Johnson then crashed in the main event, finishing the race in seventh place. Returning the following night, he experienced a stellar ride, earning his second trip to the top of the podium during the season.
While Johnson took the victory, his teammate, Tyler Bowers had aspirations of his own. Bowers showed up at Topeka tied for the points lead, but had full intentions of leaving the event as the sole leader. In fact, in spite of clipping the gate with his front tire, the rider grabbed the holeshot on Friday night and never looked back, as he took his seventh win of the season.
Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki anticipates continued success in Arenacross racing.
During his heat on Saturday night, Bowers skidded out and went down upon an attempt to make a move to the inside corner, but still managed to finish in the sixth spot. Starting in the second row for the main event, the rider immediately started working his way forward off of the gate, and was situated in fifth place during the first corner. Bowers continued muscling his way toward the front of the pack, and eventually crossed the finish line in second place behind his teammate, Chad Johnson, ending the event with a twelve point lead in the series.
When asked the key to their success during the 2011-2012 season, team manager, Denny Bartz said, "I think the whole program has a lot to do with the success of the team. Eddie Babbitt and I want to win, and we try to provide the riders with the tools they need to win." Referring to Chad Johnson and Tyler Bowers, he continued, "Both riders are capable of coming from the back to the front to be on the box consistently."
As one might suspect, although experiencing a stellar season, Team Babbitt's is no different from any of their competitors in the fact that they have experienced low points as well. In fact, during a previous event, the wind was let out of their sails when Bowers lost twenty two points. On the other hand, the stroke of bad luck was obviously short-lived as the team has dominated the series, winning eleven of the fourteen events in which they have raced this year.
Talent and skill has played a crucial role in the team's success, but they are also aware that to continue their winning streak, maintenance must always remain a priority. That in mind, Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki depends upon K&N air and oil filters to keep the internal components of their engines properly protected from the rigors of Arenacross racing.
"Maintenance is a must in our program," explained Bartz. "We have been with K&N since we started in 2006." The team manager continued by explaining that upon using the products, they showed a one horsepower gain on the dyno.
As the season nears its end, Team Babbitt's has full intentions of continuing their winning streak. When asked the key to continued success, Denny Bartz answered, "Podium Finishes." Referring to the AMA Arenacross Championship series, he continued, "It's the best bar to bar racing in AMA.
The 1700 pound Sniper accelerates from 0-60mph in a mere 3.2secs.
For European motorsport fans in need of an action fix, January begins all too bleak and still. Thoughtfully though, the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England cares enough about the motorsport blues to wave the metaphorical green flag, signalling the start of the new race season. The annual Autosport International Racing Car Show held at the NEC in January alerts fans that it won't be much longer before the Formula-One teams begin revealing their new cars. As always, the 2012 event pulsed with superstar drivers and teams, framed by stunning European models, creating enough energy and eye-candy to shatter through even the most severe case of the winter doldrums.
The Saker Sniper display at the K&N booth created a large amount of positive buzz at the 2012 Autosport International Race Car Show.
At this year's event Holland's Saker Sportscars generated some buzz of their own by displaying their all new Sniper at the K&N booth. The Saker Sniper is a steel, space-framed track car with a GRP body shell. The Sniper sports a 2.0L Subaru engine with a TD05 turbo, producing 270 hp, and considering the car weighs less than 1700 pounds, that's an impressive weight-to-power ratio, allowing the Sniper to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.2secs. The Sniper in fact holds a lap record at the famed Zandvoort racing circuit in the Netherlands.
Last year K&N's European Motorsports Sponsorship Coordinator, Marcel Blom visited the 2011 Professional Motorsport World Show Expo in Cologne, Germany to meet with Herbert Boender, Managing Director for Saker Sportscars. The two discussed fine-tuning the air filters on Saker cars, being that Boender didn't feel the original filter was maximizing Saker Sportscars full potential.
Regardless of how you view it the K&N themed Sniper looks speedy.
At the time Boender admits that he didn't believe making a change to K&N would create a difference, saying "Normally I don't believe in horsepower for free." That was before their subsequent next meeting in the south Netherlands, in Eindhoven, where they conducted dynamometer tests of various air filters on Saker cars. Tests that proved the K&N air filter clearly produced the best test results. The following week the Saker Sportscars team raced in Belgium sporting the K&N filter and Saker finished third in class.
As a result, the close cooperation that developed between Saker and K&N during the course of 2011 has now grown into a full-on love affair going into 2012. All new Saker Sportscars are now sold with K&N filters as standard equipment, with the Saker Factory race team exclusively running K&N's High Flow air filters.
The Sniper's open top configuration allows for excellent driving awareness while eliminating blind spots.
"Getting more power out of our engines wasn't even the goal," commented Boender. "However, durability of the engine and affordable maintenance and running costs of the car is one of the most important things for Saker. But having even better output of the engine means being able to give less turbo boost, which saves the turbo, lowers temperatures of basically everything, saves fuel and thus makes the car even more reliable, durable and affordable."
The Saker Sniper with its distinguishing K&N paint scheme looked fast standing still, accomplishing what it set out to do at NEC, to draw European motorsports fans to the benefits of maximizing engine protection while minimizing air intake restriction.
For 21 years the Autosport International Racing Car Show has successfully moved forward, helping to advance motorsport technology by displaying opportunities for a more efficient automotive future. After this year's extravaganza Show director, Ian France commented "Autosport International 2012 has been our most exhilarating event yet. Outstanding exhibits have been complemented by fantastic live action and insightful interviews from some of the biggest personalities in the sport. We now turn our attentions to making next year's show even more impressive."
Motorsport fans should reserve January, 17-20, 2013 in their schedules for Autosport International 2013.
The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Week™ is seen as one of the most exciting events of the year for the drivers and the fans! With the various fan events leading up to the race and Blake Shelton kicking-off the event with a pre-race concert, you won't want to miss out...then let the 100-lap battle for the $1Million paycheck begin!
To enter the sweepstakes, click here. THIS SWEEPSTAKES HAS ENDED.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Sweepstakes ends @ 2:00 pm ET on 4/23/12. Participant must be a resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and 18 years of age or older to enter. NASCAR, Inc. and Sprint are not sponsors of this promotion. Sweepstakes subject to full Official Rules available at www.knfilters.com. Void where prohibited.
RC drift car takes a ride on K&N Factory conveyor.
We are seemly at odds and bickering about nearly every little thing these days, yet there's one lasting invariable, and it's our love affair with cars. As with all affections it can be a love-hate relationship, what with traffic jams, gas prices and accidents, yet overall it's been an enduring and fascinating ride. We are a nation with more cars than drivers so it should come as no surprise that this love affair has been going on for 126 years, since 1885 when Karl Benz built his first gasoline powered three-wheeler.
Vaughn Gittin Jr. chasing RC drift car through K&N Facility.
We worship all things about our rides, from the new-car smell, to the head-jerking power and roar of acceleration. We'll drive gigantic blinged-out cruisers and amusingly tiny gas-sipping dink-mobiles, but mostly we exist somewhere in the Goldilocks' middle. We adore movies about cars doing absurdly unnatural stunts and we live vicariously through racers, spinning them into heroes. Few venues embrace our admiration for vehicular shenanigans, race idols, and our need for immediate gratification anymore succinctly than viral automotive videos. They are miniature quick-fix action flicks, without the unnecessary back-story bogging it down.
Two weeks ago K&N Filters launched an automotive video of muscle car burnouts and roaring engine sounds combined with a fast miniature radio controlled underdog. The end of the video promotes a sweepstakes on K&N's Facebook page where fans can actually win a Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. RC Drift Car. So far the viral automotive video has over 450,000 views on YouTube. The video appeals to all our automotive senses by simply being a fun watch, without hitting viewers over the head with some overly contrived message.
Vaughn Gittin Jr. has the co-starring role with the lead going to the limited edition Monster Energy, Falken Tire, 2011 Ford Mustang GT RTR E10 Drift RC car. This cool little radio control model is a 1/10th scale version of JR's 2011 Formula Drift car, which is one of the sport's most identifiable cars, being that Gittin is one of drift racing's most iconic figures.
Gittin is identified by his aggressive, foot to the floor, big smoke driving style and being a fearless competitor. He is still the only American to win a D1 Grand Prix event, not just once, but twice. In 2005 Gittin stunned the drift racing world when he won the D1GP USA versus Japan. Then two years later he brought home the gold once more by winning the D1GP World Championship. In 2010 Gittin earned his first Formula Drift Championship, becoming the second-ever Champion with a strictly-drifting only background.
In the engaging viral video Gittin's gift for driving is on full display as he careens around K&N's crowded storage yard and warehouse buildings attempting to catch the evasive little RC bugger. The cartoonish action sequence is made that much more compelling because of the onboard car footage provided by Contour HD Cameras, which highlights the diminutive RC car going slide-for-slide with Gittin.
The remote camera manufacturer, Gittin's sponsors, the RC Car manufacturer and K&N partners have promoted the video on their websites, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, and by every indication the Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. RC Drift Car Sweepstakes video has reset the viral automotive video benchmark. It's also been a good way to drum up some Formula Drift 2012 excitement before the season.
Adding further to this video's intriguing nature is your chance of winning one of the Limited Edition Vaughn Gittin Jr. HPI Remote Control Drift Cars. The HPI Racing team only produced 5,000 of these little gems and K&N has already given two of them away to sweepstakes winners. Three more will be given away through the sweepstakes at the rate of one per week up until March 2, 2012. You can find the details regarding how to enter the sweepstakes at www.knfilters.com/rccar/. If nothing else you'll get three-and-half minutes of viral automotive video happiness. The outtakes at the end are worth watching too.
