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In a mere five years the Swanson brothers have already combined for four USAC Western Sprint Car Championships.
Spoiler alert! While this particular Swanson Brothers race story ends with Tanner winning and Kody right behind in 2nd, it has an unlikely beginning with both drivers spinning out coming off turn-4 after the start of the race.
"I wish I could tell you what exactly happened on that start, but I don't really know," Kody told K&N. "A number of people told me that one of the cars left a trail of oil when it pulled off the track prior to going green. It's really tough to say exactly what caused it, but I do know that Tanner and I rarely make a major mistake like that on pavement and I can't imagine both of us spinning on the start at the same time without some kind of explanation. But, that's what happened. Tanner and I both spun off of turn-4 coming to the green. In the confusion, cars back in the pack ran into each other and really made a mess on the front stretch. Because I had stopped in turn-4, I had to go to the tail as part of the accident while Tanner got to keep his position (in the front row) because he didn't touch anyone or stop on the track."
Finishing first and second isn't new for Kody and Tanner, in 2009 alone they pulled off the one-two sweep seven times.
Over the course of the last five years Kody and Tanner have combined for a total of four USAC Western Sprint Car Championships, a plethora of wins, and in 2009 alone they finished 1st and 2nd an astonishing seven times! Yet, until this year, they had never been able to pull off the elusive one-two finish at the Turkey Night Sprints. At the checkers and after leading all 40-laps, it was Tanner picking up his first Turkey Night and USAC Sprint Car win at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, while Kody put on a show coming from 21st to finish 2nd behind Tanner.
"After such a wild start, I had no idea how far I could make it through the field after restarting," admitted Kody. "With Tanner restarting on the front row and me at the tail, there was a Swanson on each end of the field but we never really saw each other."
"It couldn't have been more than 2 laps before I was into the top-15, and then things got exciting. I didn't really have a particular line; I was just going where the cars in front of me weren't. I ran high, low and through the middle, and was well into the top-10 before lap 8. I had some space to make up between cars, but I think I passed from 7th to 4th in two laps, all while we had entered lapped traffic. It was really crazy. I was just doing what I could to get the job done. When I got to 4th, 3rd was nearly a full straight-away ahead of me, and I couldn't even see 2nd. So, to run those guys down and still cap off a Swanson brothers one-two after starting last was really something."
Although the 2011 season wasn't always kind to the Swanson brother, their Turkey Night finale leaves them on a positive note looking towards 2012.
"Winning that big of a race is always so gratifying, but this year especially," commented Tanner. "We have been fast there the past couple of seasons but I've just never been able to seal the deal at Irwindale. So that makes it nice to pick up my first win there, especially during such a prestigious event like Turkey Night. After grabbing the lead early and gently stretching my margin, I had no clue that Kody was putting on the show behind me. My spotter just kept telling me how big of a lead I had over 2nd, so my biggest concern was just keeping a comfortable lead and not using up my equipment. But after the checkered, when my crew told me it was Kody that ended up 2nd, I couldn't think of a better way to cap off the year for not only Kody and me, but for the entire TK Motorsports team."
For the lucky crowd in attendance the exhilarating action was an early Holiday gift. "We stopped on the front stretch after the race and we could hear the crowd over the roar of the cars. Then when the announcer introduced us later, the cheering started all over again," added Kody. "You never know if they're actually watching or not, but after seeing and hearing that reaction, it was clear that most of them were well aware that I had just driven from 21st to 2nd in a 40-lap race without the help of a caution. It was definitely one of my favorite moments from after a race."
After a tumultuous year that saw Tanner surrender his USAC Silver Crown points lead midway through the season after a rash of bad luck, and Kody missing nearly half the season after a particularly violent crash early on, their Turkey Night finale was a most fitting way to cap the season. "I still think it was a positive building year," said Kody, "and we're definitely looking forward to 2012."
Antonia wanted this SEMA featured 2011 Scion tC to have a feminine touch and still be sporty at the same time.
SEMA may be all cars and car lovers, but one can't accuse them of forgetting to devote some time to worthy causes, or at least while this pink and white 2011 Scion tC is sitting prettily nearby. With a modest list of external mods that run from the pink Scion symbol at the back to the breast cancer awareness symbol adorning the nose, this vehicle has remained a very clean build and an exceptional example of what a first project vehicle can become. Influenced by the modifications present on her first vehicle, Antonia decided that, "I wanted my car to have a feminine touch and still look sporty at the same time."
2011 Scion tC at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada
The list of suspension and wheel modifications includes KSW wheels, R1 concept rotors, MPG caliper covers and Tein springs. With a K&N intake being the extent of the under-hood modifications the engine will be retaining all of the endurance that Scion is known for, with a modest increase in horsepower. And yes, that pink color scheme extends into the cockpit of the vehicle in the form of pink seat belts and a pink and black leather and suede interior.
Antonia Maldonado's Scion tC on Display at 2011 SEMA Show.
With a build time (so far) of only a year, this car remains a daily driver and work transportation for Antonia. In the future, Antonia sees herself trading out those black KSW rims for a new set of pink and white rims. And when asked about the most difficult part of the build she answered that the front splitter was the single hardest installation on the vehicle.
As an after school provider and an aspiring car builder that considers her specialty to be building themed cars, Antonia is particularly thankful for the sponsorships she has received. Even though this is Antonia's first time to SEMA, she doesn't intend to let it be her last. One of her main goals for the coming year is to win some show trophies for that car. Automotive enthusiasts can expect to see Antonia and her brightly trimmed Scion at many local shows in the future.
Not every vehicle that attends the SEMA Show was built to be simply a show car. Gary and Monika Wescott attracted much attention to their custom truck, which is equipped to handle just about anything life could throw at them on the road. For over 40 years now, Gary has committed his life to traveling around the world. To do this, he had to make sure his vehicle could stand up to the extreme elements as well as carry all his necessities. This inspired Gary to make upgrades to his vehicles throughout the many years of travel. Today, Gary and Monika Wescott trek across the world in a Ford F-550 with a customized camper shell on the back. It has all the amenities and comforts of home minus the square footage.
Gary and Monika Wescott's Ford F-550 with a custom camper shell at the 2011 SEMA Show
K&N had a chance to ask Gary some questions about SEMA and his adventures:
What was the process of getting the truck ready for SEMA?
Continuous maintenance and preparations at our shop, like taking all the tires off and cleaning the back side, design and modifications for two show cards, 12-hour drive to Las Vegas, $10 in the car wash followed by two days of waxing, Armor All, and nitpicking detail. This year, Chuck Swartz marked us a VIPs, so we got to move in a day early in a reserved spot we have used for several years. The funny thing is, everyone always wants to know where we have been and where we are going, but at SEMA, the truck has to look like it has never been off the road. With 130,000 miles on it now, that gets increasingly difficult.
Have you received any awards or had any magazines feature The Turtle Expedition truck?
We were recently inducted as Fellows into the Royal Geographical Society, and we have been nominated for induction into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. I write for Four Wheeler, Trailer Life, MotorHome, Truckin', Truck Trend, Diesel Power, 8-Lug HD Trucks, Power Stroke Registry, Overland Journal and Turbo Diesel Registry, so travel and tech features are ongoing. The next issue of Four Wheeler will have the history of all The Turtle Expedition trucks. Overland Journal is planning a series called "Living Legends", which we will be part of.
2011 SEMA Show featured The Turtle Expedition Ford F-550 outside of the Central Hall
How long have you been involved with The Turtle Expedition?
39 years - 40 in 2012
Why did you use K&N products in your vehicle?
Our extended adventures are measured in years, not weeks. The life of our engine and truck in general are the most important aspect of our day-to-day life on the road after our health. We cannot carry 10 air filters, so being able to wash our K&Ns and reuse them is a huge saving of space. Back in the early 80's when we first met Ken Johnson and later John Shelton, we were impressed by the quality of the K&N Filters. K&N has been an important sponsor for over 20 years.
What has been your experience with K&N?
Not much to experience except their ongoing product support and the confidence that we are using the best air filters available. We recall having lunch and taking a tour of the plant with Ken Johnson back before K&N really started to grow.
This SEMA featured Turtle Expedition truck can go just about anywhere.
What does the vehicle do when it's not traveling?
Aside from ongoing modifications in preparation for The Trans-Eurasian Odyssey, driving from Lisbon, Portugal to Shanghai, China through 26 countries and following the legendary Silk Road, The Turtle V is used for tech stories and travel/adventure features for the various magazines I write for.
How long have you been going to SEMA?
Chuck Swartz and I figured out that it has been about 24 years.
What are your goals for the coming year?
Finish final preparations on The Turtle V. Place The Turtle IV in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, NV. Pack up all our belongings in our garage. Drive east to ship the truck to Europe and the start of The Trans-Eurasian Odyssey.
For further updates on Gary and Monika's Turtle Expedition and The Trans-Eurasian Odyssey, visit their website: http://turtleexpedition.com. 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.
What could be better than having your dream car become a reality? Having two of them! One for racing and one for show! Two years ago, Ed Stikeleather and Richard Andrews established Extreme Auto Concepts in El Mirage AZ, right outside Phoenix. Before that, they dreamt of having two wildly modified 350Zs and went to work. At this year's SEMA Show they brought two well-done Nissan 350Zs to SEMA this year and they were really, and I mean really cool.
The first up, is aforementioned 2005 Nissan "1WIDEZ" 350Z. It has a never ending list of aftermarket components; not to mention, endless hours of hard work put into it. Each build has its challenges and Stikeleather claims,
Extreme Auto Concepts' wildly modified Nissan 350Z at SEMA
"The most difficult had to be the body work and twin turbo setup." The custom one off body kit is made by Donlyson Auto Concepts and all of the performance upgrades were done by Extreme Auto Concepts.
Here is a brief list of aftermarket components used on this vehicle:
SEMA Feature Vehicle 2004 Nissan 350z called "Felony Z"
The next cool ride Extreme Auto Concepts brought to SEMA 2011 for its debut was the recently completed 2004 Nissan 350Z. The so called "Felony Z" has been gutted and rebuilt with the help, again, from Donlyson Auto Concepts. The goal was to complete a great looking time attack car and it is exactly that. Now that SEMA 2011 is over it is time to test and tune the car for the 2012 race season.
Highly customized 2004 Nissan 350z at the 2011 SEMA Show.
Here is a brief list of aftermarket components used on this vehicle:
It is not a coincidence that both vehicles use K&N products. Ed claims, "K&N is most argueably the best performance air filter available for street and track use. No other product for our application even crossed our minds. We have used K&N products on every daily driver, and performance vehicle we have worked on."
For more information on these vehicles be sure to check out: www.ExtremeAutoConcepts.com. 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 car began as a 1959 Chrysler Imperial but was transformed to this Imperial Speedster at SEMA.
Positive and negative responses normally arise when it comes to building a custom show car and that is part of what makes building a show car so exhilarating. Most custom car builders go through numerous hours of designing and re-designing in hopes of creating something truly amazing and it's infinitely rewarding when an on-looker appreciates the completed product. The negative feedback that comes with putting your ideas out there allows a designer and custom builder to consider what could possibly make the build more exciting. Building a show car would not be worth the time and money without both positive and negative feedback.
The 2011 SEMA Show featured this all-original Imperial Speedster.
Murray Pfaff runs Pfaff Photo Rendering and Designs out of Royal Oak, Michigan. Founded in 2002, the company helps builders make sure they see the light at the end of the tunnel before a project begins. Pfaff claims his duties are to, "Illustrate, render, and design cars for builders, automotive aftermarket companies, magazines, and individuals across the country." The design process is done with digital imaging tools. The Pfaff Designs website explains how they can, "take an existing photograph of your vehicle or one similar to it and make any modification you can dream of to make it shine, stand out, or simply be unique." Understanding the end result during a custom build is crucial.
For this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Pfaff showed up with his one-of-a-kind Imperial Speedster. The car originally began as a 1959 Chrysler Imperial. Pfaff designed a shorter, narrower, two seat version of the vehicle and ran with it. He claims that his inspiration for this build evolved from the fact that, "Chrysler never produce a two-seat sports car until the Dodge Viper in 1992." Once the design was drawn out, the build process began. With helping hands coming from all around, Pfaff claims the build took a total of 10,000 well documented hours. The body work is the makeup of the vehicle that gives it the unique look but, aftermarket performance parts allow the vehicle to be driven like a sports car. Pfaff claims to have put 1,400 miles on the vehicle last year. Just to get an idea, here is a list of a few aftermarket products used on the build:
Pfaff's Imperial Speedster equipped with Dayton wheels and whitewalls at SEMA.
6.1 SRT HEMI crate motor
Aeromotive fuel system
Ohio Generator alternator
Phoenix Transmission
Mopar headers
Flomaster Hushpower mufflers
Summit Racing exhaust hardware
K&N High Flow air filter and wrench off oil filter
Dana 44 differential
Dayton wire wheels
Goodyear tires
2009 Dodge Viper suspension
Raybestos brakes
One-of-a-kind Imperial Speedster was a big hit at the 2011 SEMA Show.
The 6.1L HEMI breathes through one of K&N's universal high flow air filters and the oil is filtered through the premium wrench off oil filter. K&N lists a wide array of universal air filters for automotive applications and offers products for just about every vehicle on the road. Pfaff said that he used his first K&N filter, "20 years ago when I bought my 1988 Mustang GT and now I have them on all of my vehicles!"
All of this hard work has earned the Imperial Speedster the following awards: Mother's Choice Award in 2011, Barris Award, Winifield Select Award, Miguire's Magnificiant Masterpiece Award, Most Unique Award - Goodguys Columbus Nationals, and an eight page feature in Hot Rod Magazine. The Imperial Speedster has received a lot of attention since its completion and one would have to stare long and hard to find areas of improvement for this build. The next goal for Pfaff is to get a Hot Wheels version of the Imperial Speedster put into production.
