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Dave & Tony Elrod Double Top Dragster Final Weekend at Mountain Park IHRA Division Event

Aug 30, 2011

Dave Elrod points out that the new K&N 2nd Gen Dragster Scoops helped their cars gain ET and MPH, including his Top Dragster.

With a long family history of drag racing successes, it should come to no surprise that Dave Elrod and his son Tony each took their respective Top Dragsters to the final round during the final IHRA Summit Pro-Am events of the 2011 season at Mountain Park Dragway in Clay City, Kentucky.

Tony Elrod launches his Top Dragster during day number one of the IHRA Div 3 event at Mountain Park Dragway.

Harrod, Ohio resident, Tony Elrod made his way to the Top Dragster final during the Saturday division race with his 2008 Adkins dragster loaded up with a 632 big block Chevy.

"I first want to say what a difference we have seen in all our team cars this year with the addition of the K&N scoops," he pointed out. "It is just amazing the amount of air that the motors are being fed now. We all run big motors and it's important to get as much fresh air in as you can. Our cars have picked up not only ET but also mile-per-hour."

"I was really happy with my group of lights," Tony said of his string of great reaction times in eliminations. "And I didn't take more than a hundredth of the stripe all weekend."

Tony took care of business in round one and by his round two win over Chris Moore, he had his car right where he wanted it. Thanks to having the best reaction time of the round, Tony earned the bye in the quarterfinals and took an easy stroll down the track to save it for the semifinal round.

"My car was just great all day," he commented. "From time runs to eliminations, the car only varied six thousandths of a second in my sixty foot times. I pretty much kept it dialed on a 4.75, except for one round. For the semifinals, that made it a heads up run against Todd Stredling. I knew as long as I had a fifteen or better light, I could get in on him and take the win."

Tony did take the starting line advantage and with his dead-on 4.753 ET, he took the stripe by .009 and on to his family's first final of the double IHRA weekend.

When so many races are won and lost by just mere thousandths of a second, Tony missed having a perfect light in the final by literally less than a blink of an eye with his .003 red.

Elrod Racing was far from done for the weekend. With a stable of five team cars, team leader and multi-time IHRA World Champion, Dave Elrod did his own nice piece of driving during the second divisional event of the weekend on Sunday.

Like son Tony, Dave was also entered for the weekend's events in Top Dragster and behind the wheel of his 2006 American Race Cars dragster also equipped with a 632 big block Chevy, plowed his way to the final on day two.

Dave was also quick to point out how pleased he is with the addition of K&N products to their team cars this season, "well despite whatever rumors there are about the scoops slowing the cars down, it couldn't be further from the truth. All of our cars picked up quite a bit after adding the K&N scoops with the air filters. One car picked up as much as five mile-per-hour. It's like they not only get more air into the motors, but they also seem to distribute the air more evenly and the cars all seem to be a little more consistent even."

Dave also put together a string of great lights during his trek to the Top Dragster final on Sunday. In round one, his .004 starting line advantage parlayed into a squeaker at the stripe over David Barr and a .002 margin between the two crossing the finish line or only five inches.

He continued to have extremely close races right into round two, where his years of experience carried him into the semi's after a double breakout when he forced Travis Nelson to go under his dial by just one thousandth of a second more.

Dave used his huge .031 starting line advantage in the semifinal round to easily skate by Jonathan Barr and into his team's now third final of the weekend. Son Jacob Elrod was also having a good race day and was off to his own final in the team's Corvette Roadster over in Super Rod.

Just as so many of the rounds before, the final proved to be another tight one at the finish line. While Dave was .006 on the tree, he was already .004 behind and with a .008 margin at the finish line, garnered the Top Dragster Runner up honors for race two of the weekend.

"It was a tough day and it was hot," he noted. "We just couldn't do what we do without the entire family. You have to have crew with just one or two cars, but to run five like we do you have to have help. Basically the family is the crew. Not only Tony and Jacob, but even Jamie. She was running herself ragged over the weekend just trying to keep up with everything that needed to be done."

"Being with them is why I still race," he admitted. "Seeing both Jacob and Tony do well is great and I really enjoy helping them, I enjoy seeing them win as much as winning myself and I guess I would rather see them win than myself even."

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K&N Sponsored Adam Ellis Scores Second Place at Miramont de Guyenne

Aug 29, 2011

The 4000 strong crowd was thoroughly impressed with the teenager's display of skill and afterward he had a lot of autographs to sign.

For Adam Ellis, the 15-year-old, K&N sponsored, French Speedway racing hot-gun, 2011 continues to be the kind of season that reconfirms current ambitions and redefines future dreams. In the last round of the French Speedway Championship at Miramont de Guyenne, Ellis competed on his 250cc motorcycle in the 500cc Open class, and pulled off an inspiring second overall finish, beating 17 other 500cc riders in the process.

"I had a great meeting at Miramont de Guyenne, France on Sunday night, when I rode my 250cc in the 500cc Open category," said Ellis. "My original aim was just to make the final, as I was up against some good riders and had the disadvantage of only half the engine power.

Ellis was also the only 250cc rider invited to participate in a grass track demonstration at the MTV Festival at Valleiles on the 23rd and 24th of July.

I thought the meeting would just be good experience for me, but I ended up doing much better than I'd ever imagined."

In his first heat Ellis finished second behind eventual winner Richard De Biasi, and beat the favorite, Kevin Salanova. In his second heat, Ellis missed the start, but worked his way up through the field to finish second once again. In his third and final heat, Ellis beat local rider, Guillaume Comblon, to take the win.

After qualifying in third place for the final, Ellis upgraded his game plan slightly, and decided to aim for a podium place.

The 2011 Speedway season is clearly the best year the younger racer has had, with his second place finish at Miramont de Guyenne, Ellis now holds a commanding points lead in the championship (Ellis on right).

"In the final I made a good start out of gate three to finish the meeting in second place," Ellis said. "It was a great night of racing and I really enjoyed myself."

Two days after his impressive race at Miramont de Guyenne, Ellis got a call from Phil Morris, ex- Speedway rider for Belle Vue Aces in the United Kingdom.

"He had heard how well I rode at Miramont and wanted to invite me to ride in the 250cc support class at his Testimonial meeting at the Birmingham Speedway track in Perry Barr, United Kingdom on September 1st 2011," Ellis explained. "I can't wait, as in the main class there are riders that I admire like Jason Crump, Tai Woffinden, Chris Harris, Lee Richardson, Lewis Bridger and Rory Schlein. It will be great just to be in the same pits as those guys."

The K&N sponsored rider currently leads the 250cc class of the French Speedway Championships.

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's Gary Stinnett Racks Up Another Super Comp Wally in Brainerd

Aug 29, 2011

Reigning national champion Gary Stinnett gets Super Comp victory.

Proving to be one of Gary Stinnett's favorite stops on the NHRA tour, Brainerd International Raceway played host to the latest Super Comp victory for the reigning national champion. Stinnett drove his K&N Undercover dragster to the win for the fourth time during the 30th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.

The Emporia, Kansas engine builder put together seven winning rounds over the course of the three day event, in which once he made it to second round, he would remain on quite the roll all the way into the championship round on Sunday afternoon.

NHRA Super Comp Racer Gary Stinnett at Brainerd International Raceway

In his second round, Stinnett would line up against South Dakota's Dustin Long. Long would miss the tree and give Stinnett not only a huge .025 advantage, but also not be able to run anywhere near the 8.900 index. Stinnett was able to take full advantage of both ends of the track and easily parlay that into a safe 8.975 win and on to round three.

If one thought Stinnett's reaction time was good in round two, he would continue to tighten it up for his third round pairing with Craig Clark, who just didn't seem to have a handle on the tree. Stinnett's .008 to Clark's .046 was more than enough window of opportunity for Stinnett to push Clark under the index and on to round four.

The remaining Super Comp rounds, for the 30th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, would be held on Sunday, and even though there may have been a night in-between, Stinnett did anything but cool off.

The air and track conditions on Sunday morning proved to be even better than the last time that the Super Comp class went down the track, with the only entry not running under the index during fourth round being K&N's Don O'Neal. O'Neal enjoyed his earned bye run and made a very soft pass, saving parts and of course, not showing his hand, while all other remaining competitors battled it out for their shot into the quarter-finals.

Stinnett was able to take full advantage of both ends of the track and easily parlay that into a safe 8.975 win and on to round three.

Stinnett, like his other competitors, had Saturday evening to study his next round match up and while he didn't have the better reaction time this round, he certainly had read the track and air conditions better than that of Tom Nygaard. Both competitors running under the index, but Stinnett closer to the 8.90 dial with his 8.888 compared to Nygaard's 8.867.

That was a very important round win for Stinnett and by doing so earned himself a bye into semi-final, where he would meet up with fellow K&N racer, Don O'Neal. At this point in the game, neither driver took the other lightly and both had their best reaction times of the event. O'Neal with a very nice .006 and Stinnett with a near perfect .001, it was a close race between the pair from wire-to-wire. Stinnett dropped O'Neal hard at the stripe and came out on top when O'Neal broke out by a mere two-thousandths of a second.

Stinnett was now off to the final round to face Rodney Thompson.

Not wanting to go red in the final, Stinnett tweaked his starting line approach and backed off his reaction time, as did his competitor, Thompson. Nearly dead even at the hit, the pair each made their quick decisions as they headed to the stripe, where once again it was the reigning Super Comp Champion, Stinnett prevailing in the double breakout.

The round was about as tough as they come and goes to show why NHRA Super Comp is one of the toughest classes in drag racing. The margin of victory at the stripe was a minuscule one thousandth of second or one seventh the time it just took you to blink.

Gary Stinnett, a long time K&N product user from oil filters and air filters to the new K&N composite scoops, was now a twenty-two time NHRA National Event winner. Many of the wins coming in other NHRA classes, but this win during the 30th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals made his twelfth in Super Comp and his fourth at Brainerd International Raceway.

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.

Menzies Motorsports Walks Away From Charlotte with Two Wins and Great Memories

Aug 29, 2011

Ricky Johnson, with Menzies Motorsports recently earned a checkered flag at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Concord, North Carolina.

Upon learning that rounds five and six of the TORC Off-Road Racing Series were scheduled to be held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway , in Concord, North Carolina, team Menzies Motorsports was excited, to say the least. The entire team was perfectly aware of the rich history of this particular venue. It was a location where big names in the racing industry had been made, and the fans were known for their enthusiasm. Menzies Motorsports would have to battle temperatures well exceeding the century mark, but that was a small price to pay, as they would be involved in some of the best racing they had experienced in their entire racing careers.

Luke Johnson and Menxies Motorsports were excited upon learning that rounds 5 and 6 of the TORC Off Road Racing Series would be held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Racing in the Pro-Light class, team member, Luke Johnson and his Menzies/Red Bull #14 were the first to embark upon a race on the dirt track. Starting tenth, it didn't take long for the driver to muscle his way toward the front, as with every turn came confidence and a faster lap.

After a mandatory caution, Luke continued racing with fire in his eyes, but unfortunately, his truck was stricken with "unpreventable mechanical issues" and he had to give up his sixth position and pull out of the race. "He was making his way through the competition," recalled a fellow team member. "We will never know if he had a chance to win, because the competition is tough in this class, and there were a lot of great drivers."

Crew Chief, Ian Beaman, went to work on the truck immediately when it came off of the track, and when the green flag dropped on the following day, Luke took to driving with his misfortune behind him and success on his mind. In fact, during the first lap, the driver made up three positions and as the race continued, logged some his fastest lap times. When the dust had settled and the checkered flag had swung, the driver had finished in the top five.

Ricky Johnson, with Menzies Motorsports recently earned a checkered flag at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Concord, North Carolina.

Racing in the Pro-2WD class, Bryce Menzies was the next member of the team to race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Recently finishing in second place during round three of the series, at Crandon, Wisconsin, Menzies was foaming at the bits to get out there and "show everyone what he is made of." After qualifying second he would line up right beside mentor and one-time team member, Rob (Mac) MacCachren, which would likely make a victory even sweeter.

From the second the race was declared underway, Menzies went to work, and had already earned the lead position in the first turn. From there on, Bryce never looked back, as he and his #7 Menzies/Red Bull Pro2 began to increase their distance from the other drivers. Although leading Mac by 10 seconds near the halfway point in the race, the trucks gathered up during the mandatory caution. When the race was once again deemed underway, Menzies found himself in a fierce battle with MacCachren for the checkered flag. As luck would have it, with only two laps to go, the temperature gauge began to soar, and in the best interest of the truck Bryce Menzies opted to pull out of the race.

When asked if it was disappointing to see Bryce fight so hard and have to drop out of the competition so late on the race, a fellow team member explained, "It definitely was, because he would have most likely had the win. But we all know that is part of racing, and just because you're leading on the last lap, doesn't mean you will finish that way."

As the air thickened with anticipation and the crowds stood on their feet, Bryce Menzies began the race on the following night with even more determination and confidence. The driver once again pulled away from the pack early and was in a heated battle with his mentor for first place for a period prior to moving several car lengths ahead. But this time the mandatory yellow had no bearing on his lead and when the dust had settled, Menzies was the victor.

Lining up in the Pro 4X4 class, Menzies Motorsports team member, Ricky Johnson, hit the track with anticipation of bringing home a win. As the green flag dropped, all seven trucks shot out of the gate with intentions of coming out of the first turn in the lead. Of course only one driver would be successful though, and it just so happened that the #48 Menzies/Red Bull Pro4 of Ricky Johnson filled these shoes. In fact, the driver never looked back and held the lead throughout the entire race until taking the checkered flag.

Johnson and Menzies Motorsports returned on the following night with anticipations of earning yet another win. But after a string of strange events lending to a race that will be talked about by race fans for years to come Ricky Johnson crossed the finish line in second place, behind Johnny Greaves.

Pulling away from the event Menzies Motorsports could hold their heads high, confident that they had made a showing in front of their fans and fellow drivers at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Their racing skills had shined, but the team was also aware that a portion of their success was due to their perseverance in keeping their engines well tuned and clean. That said, Menzies Motorsports has been depending on K&N products since they began racing as a team in 2007. When asked about K&N's performance, they said, "We wouldn't trade them for any other product. They simply are the best!"

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.

The Faccinto Brothers Make a Showing At Plaza Park and Lemoore Raceways

Aug 29, 2011

Mitchell Faccinto has had an impressive season thus far and is anticipating in finishing out 2011 strong.

One might suppose that as youngsters, Michael and Mitchell Faccinto were competitive against each other, but when it came down to it, they likely pulled together when someone else tried to outdo either of the brothers. Well, although they're both adults now, it doesn't look like there's been much change, as, although competing in the same class, the racecar drivers are both crucial components and members of Team Faccinto.

That said, through a succession of several weeks, the brother's have been making a showing at two California tracks in particular. Racing in the Super 600 class, eldest brother Michael has obviously found his groove at the Plaza Park Raceway, in Visalia, California.

Michael Faccinto has earned five checkered flags this season, three of which were at the PlazaPark Raceway, at Visalia, California.

Throughout the 2011 season, the driver has earned five checkered flags, three of which came from Plaza Park. When asked what he liked about Plaza Park Raceway, the Michael said, "because it's high banked and there's a lot of split-second reactions."

Michael's most recent win at the venue was during the Budweiser Outlaw Nationals, on May 24. Since his victory during the Budweiser Outlaw Nationals, the driver made a trip to Deming, Washington, where he took the checkered flag at the Claycup Nationals, on July 23.

Michael's younger brother Mitchell has been making a showing in 2011 at the Plaza Park Raceway as well this season. I fact, he has yet to finish lower than top five, including earning two quick times.

Recently rolling in to Lemoore, California, Mitchell took his second win of the season at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino Nationals at the Lemoore Raceway. Referring to his victory, Mitchell said, "The win felt good, because it continued the momentum for the second-half of the season."

When asked the key to winning on that particular night he continued, "Not making any mistakes, and knowing when to be patient and when to be aggressive."

Both brothers have seen their fair share of good fortune at this particular track this season. Mitchell's first victory of 2011 was at Lemoore, and Michael has experienced top five finishes in seven races there as well.

When asked the key to his success this season, Michael explained, "Being competitive week in and week out." According to the driver, with success came confidence, and he has full intentions of continuing his winning streak. In fact, both drivers have high hopes of experiencing a successful second-half of season and agree that the key to doing so is remaining focused, and consistency.

As one might suspect, upon taking a checkered flag, Michael and Mitchell Faccinto are the one's who are recognized by the fans, but both drivers are acutely aware that their team plays a huge role in their success. "They're really important," explained the brothers. "We make it a habit to work on cars every week and have a strong relationship."

Team Faccinto Motorsports depends on K&N products to keep their racecars running at their optimal performance. In fact, they have been depending upon K&N air and oil filters for ten years. Racing on dirt tracks it is obviously essential to use the products most capable of keeping the internal components of their engines well-lubed and dust free. When asked about K&N's performance the team said, "They are a reliable product and perform well."

In closing Michael and Mitchell Faccinto left a short yet meaningful message to their sponsors and fans. "We would like to say thank you, and we could not do it without all of the support."

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.