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Dan Fletcher, three time NHRA National Champion, is color blind. "I'm so color blind, it's not even funny. If I couldn't count to three, I'd have no idea when to leave the starting line," says Fletcher. Color blindness aside, the Churchville, New York resident has racing in his blood. "Racing has just always been a part of my life. Like going to the grocery store, it's just something that you do. My Dad always raced and when I turned 16, I was able to start racing myself, a moment that I had dreamed of my entire life. Now that I have three children, I can see that it will probably be the same for them."
Dan Fletcher's 1969 Camaro once belonged to his father
Fletcher even races a 1969 Camaro that belonged to his father. "The Super Stock car has been in the family nearly as long as I have," says Fletcher. "My father bought it brand new and it's been a racecar from day one. It is actually the winningest car in the history of NHRA with thirty five National Event victories. He also races another '69 Camaro that he actually drove to High School. "My Stocker isn't that far behind with 16 victories, and I've owned it since I was 15."
In addition to these National Championship wins, Fletcher has also won six NHRA Divisional Championships, as well as 56 individual NHRA National Event titles. These wins place him tenth on the all-time NHRA win list and he's won national events in Super Stock, Stock, Super Gas, and Competition Eliminator.
Fletcher is sponsored by K&N and says he feels honored to represent them. "K&N is a first class company with first class products. I know with K&N that I have the best air and oil filters on the planet. The pit area where we operate is a dirty environment and occasionally we experience parts breakage. Even with something minor like a valve spring, contaminants can get in the oil. I need filters that do their job. The proof is in the pudding. My engine bearings come out after hundreds of runs looking just like the day they went in."
The Top Dawg at Ramona High School in San Diego, California is a red, white and blue 1994 Chevy Camaro with a 598 cubic inch Dart engine with Crower internals.
NHRA Sportsman Class Racer Chip Rumis drove 1994 Chevy Camaro for Speed TV
Automotive students worked in overdrive to get 1994 Chevy Camaro with a 598 cubic inch big block engine ready to race in twelve weeks
A lot of teenage testosterone went into overdrive and built Top Dawg from the ground up in a very short time. It was an answer to a call from SPEED TV for the reality show, Drag Race High.
Reality show Drag Race High will feature Camaro built by Ramona High School Students on SPEED-TV
Top Dawg Crew from Ramona High School in California
In the show, two rival high schools are challenged to build a dragster that works in only twelve weeks. In the final episode, two professional drivers face off, and the winner claims victory for the high school.
Ramona automotive high school students went to work. “The kids built the car as a team,” said Robert Grace, Ramona High School Automotive Instructor. “They worked hard to build a top quality race car from concept to completion as cameras rolled.”
Students received donated parts and found sponsors for Top Dawg. K&N contributed a
K&N hood scoop. K&N is in a class of its own when it comes to hood scoops. The unique design of the scoop is that it’s also coupled with the use of K&N air filters. K&N is proving with its patented design that K&N air filters actually increase horsepower on race cars.
“Automotive people know K&N and its effectiveness,” said Grace. “We were happy to get the K&N hood scoop to make Top Dawg go faster. K&N also contributed a case of K&N oil filters.”
Ramona High School automotive students also interviewed drivers. They picked NHRA Sportsman Class Racer Chip Rumis to race for them. No Wally in this run, but major bragging rights to the winner.
“The Drag Race High experience was educational,” said Grace. “It also prompted a new level of interest in automotive engineering. The students also balanced their daily school schedules as they worked before, during and after school.”
Nearly 200 students attend automotive classes at Ramona High. “We start with small engine repair and move up from there,” said Grace. “We also promote job shadowing, mentors and college.”
The automotive students are more than reality television stars, they won first and second place in the NHRA Career Fair in Fontana, California. “They had work stations with simple tests and electrical work,” said Grace. “They also had to do precision measurements and in the final round dead time a small block 350 cubic inch Chevy engine by ear. I’m proud of my students.”
The first episode of the ten week Drag Race High series will air on February 18. The results of the race have not been released yet.
James Buescher will take on the Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Circle Bar International MaxxForce Diesel team will use chassis CB-8 this week. The truck is designed to compete on the two superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega and was updated by crew chief Jamie Jones in the off-season.
No. 10 International MaxxForce Diesel Power Ford F-150 ready to compete on superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega, courtesy of Ronda Greer
“I have a high confidence level this week,” said Buescher. “But I’m more anxious than anything because I haven’t had any seat time with the team and I haven’t worked much with the guys or Jamie.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway will be televised on SPEED-TV, courtesy of Ronda Greer
No. 14 International Truck and Engine Ford F-150 will be driven by Rick Crawford at Daytona International Speedway, courtesy of Ronda Greer
Buescher said he is anxious to see the handling differences between the trucks and cars. He competed in six NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2008 and has won national championships in Legend Cars and Late Models.
“One of the biggest differences between cars and trucks should be the closing rate in the draft,” said Buescher. “The trucks will suck up faster than the cars, and I’m preparing myself for that.”
Buescher, 18, will team with veteran Rick Crawford, who will drive the No.14 International Truck and Engine F-150. The Circle Bar International Truck and Engine team will use chassis CB-4 this week at Daytona. It is the team’s workhorse on the superspeedways and was raced to a fifth place finish last year at Daytona.
“Since there was a ban on off-season testing this year, I’m happy to be back at Daytona for the start of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season,” said Crawford. “I’m looking forward to the first laps on the high banks with the Internationals Truck and Engine Ford.”
Crawford will make his 298th start this weekend at Daytona. “Having a teammate at Daytona is always a plus,” he said. “We’ll work together and hopefully the two Circle Bar Fords can push each other for the win.”
“I’ll lean on Rick for advice,” said Buescher. “I think he’ll be able to help me out a lot and that’s a plus at a place like Daytona.”
Circle Bar Racing only uses K&N Filters in its Roush-Yates engines. “Our engine tuners performed dyno testing off season,” said Buescher. “We know K&N gives us maximum horsepower and reliability in our Fords.”
The 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts February 13 at Daytona International Speedway. It will be televised on SPEED-TV.
K&N supported, Campbell, California native, Brandon "Bud" Kaeding has his sites set on Manzanita Speedway in Arizona. "I'm really excited to be competing in the Silver Crown race at Manzanita. I think our chances are really good," said Kaeding. With a second and fourth place finish at Copper on Dirt at Manzanita over the last two years, Bud has his eye on the podium. As Kaeding put it, "The BK Motorsports team is ready to go!"
Bud Kaeding has his eye on championship at Silver Crown race at Manzanita Speedway in Arizona
The U.S. is struggling to cope with tough economic times and racing has felt the crunch. This leaves teams like Kaeding's looking for alternative avenues for racing. BK Motorsports, like many others, realizes the cost of traveling to and from races can have a crippling effect on already tight budgets. Rationalizing the situation Bud told K&N "I am looking for a sprint or midget car ride because towing from California, to Phoenix, then Las Vegas and finally back to California would cost around ten-thousand dollars." Kaeding is in search of an empty driver's seat already at the track. "I don't care what I am racing as long as I am winning," he said.
Kaeding's last race was the Tulsa, Oklahoma Chili Bowl at the Quicktrip Center. "Our result was not what we hoped for, but with 300 cars we definitely didn't have our heads down," he said. The competition at the Chili Bowl was second to none and it really came down to pure luck. Kaeding qualified 14th which earned him a spot in the C-Main. A notable 6th place finish there moved Kaeding into the B-Main that evening. Bud fought his way up to 9th in the B-Main before car trouble prematurely ended his night.
With the Copper on Dirt at Manzanita approaching, Kaeding is looking for a chance to make up for the ill-timed car trouble that ended his race early at the Chili Bowl. He looks to K&N for support and superior protection for his engines. "I run K&N for the increased performance and a cleaner running engine," he said. "K&N products clean up on engine rebuilds easier and there is a noticeable increase in horsepower on the dyno."
Keep an eye out for Kaeding and his team at the upcoming Sand's Chevrolet Copper on dirt at the Manzanita Speedway on February 20th and 21st. With a full season of USAC races, including Las Vegas, Nevada and Perris, California, Kaeding is sure to turn some heads in 2009.
Monster Jam brought out the wild horse spirit in Michael Vaters at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
Iron Warrior takes second place in Freestyle event at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York
Monster Jam's Black Stallion rears up across a line of cars
Vaters faced off against some of the most competitive trucks in years at a non-dirt style show. He drove the Black Stallion and competed with Dennis Anderson in the Grave Digger, current world freestyle champion Adam Anderson in Taz, Dave Rappach with Rap Attack, Black Stallion teammate Trey Meyers in Iron Warrior, Damon Bradshaw with the Air Force Afterburner, Lindsey Weenk in Blue Thunder and George Balhan in An Escalade.
Black Stallion rocked the house throughout the Monster Jam Show
Black Stallion will next compete in Monster Jam at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio
The first round of racing paired Grave Digger against Black Stallion. Vaters lost the victory to Anderson by a photo finish. In the Freestyle portion of Monster Jam, Vaters came out of the pit area with a vengeance, and completely rocked the house pushing Black Stallion past the breaking point. Vaters launched the truck high off the car stack and come down so hard one of his rear axles broke. “The broken axle then lodged itself,” said Vaters. “That caused one of the rear wheels to lock up.”
Vaters stopped his run short and repaired the problem. “It was for safety,” he said. “Also, to prevent further breakage during the weekend’s four shows.”
The next day a pit party brought out more than 6,000 fans to meet the drivers. Vaters won the afternoon racing competition. Adam Anderson was out for the win that night after losing to the Black Stallion earlier in the day. That night Vaters and the Black Stallion rocked the house in the freestyle event, and edged out Taz in the finals.
Vaters uses K&N air and oil filters on his Monster Trucks. “Over my many years in this business I’ve used a lot of products, but K&N is the one that can handle the dirty and dusty environment during Monster Jam competitions,” said Vaters. “We are known nationwide for our wild and crazy driving and the ability to push our engines to the limit. We’re hard on our motors and K&N gives us the protection we need for competition.”
The team is traveling to Cleveland, Ohio this weekend to compete in Monster Jam at Quicken Loans Arena.
