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Jordan Pellegrino, driving #4585, for Team GenRight in Modified 4500, swims through the wet corner at the end of the sand wash during Friday practice at Glen Helen Raceway, San Bernardino, California.

The sixth running of the 4 Wheel Parts Glen Helen Grand Prix brought more than 100 4wheel racers in five classes to Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. The racers set out to pursue personal bests and a $10,000 purse in this, the second event of the 2016 Ultra4 Trail Gear Western Regional Series.

Out in the clear during the main, Pellegrino could make excellent time and begin lapping the pack after the first few circuits of the course.

As the series’ final visit to Southern California for the year, the 4 Wheel Parts Grand Prix represents an opportunity for competitors to earn an invitation to the King of the Hammers event, as well as accumulate points toward the Nitto National Championship.

The grand prix format at Glen Helen combines short course, motocross, and enduro tracks and each competitor runs their own race under timing. Drivers are sent out in pairs at 5-second intervals. The winner is the driver who completes the most laps in that class' time frame.

In Friday practice, coming out of the tight s-turn at the end of the sand wash, the corners were especially wet and slippery which was a surprise, and sent some cars drifting around the first corner. Saturday qualifying, which was open to the public, was equally entertaining as a bit of attrition set in and the classes solidified for the main. The main had drier conditions, but was equally challenging for all.

The prelim on Saturday was the perfect opportunity for Pellegrino to get the feel for the track conditions and grooves. The confidence that he acquired boosted him to a second-place finish that day.

At end of the day, atop the podium in the 4400 Ultra4 class was Paul Horschel in car #19 completing 21 laps in 18:52:22 minutes. Among the Legends 4800s, it was Rick Waterbury in #444 with a time of 16:19:53 for 11 laps. The 4500 modifieds were led by Jordan Townsend in #4580, with a time of 15:10:23 for 11 laps followed closely by 17-year-old Jordan Pellegrino in #4585 at 15:10:44 for 11 laps. In the 4600 class it was Albert Contreras #4605 15:13:28 with 9 laps. And the UTV class (running together as one class this year) the winner was Shane Chiddix driving #7, completing 11 laps in 13:19:12.

Big air, big moves for 17-year-old Jordan Pellegrino as he motors to a solid second place Modified 4500 class finish in the June 10-11 4Wheel Parts Grand Prix at Glen Helen.

For second-place 4500 driver Pellegrino of Team GenRight, sponsored by K&N, this was an especially significant weekend. He placed second in qualifying out of a field of 16 cars registered to race in the 4500 class. With a very smooth run he did not have to push the car very hard to maintain position. Throughout the weekend the FOX suspension tuner worked to dial the King of the Hammers purpose-built car into short course-style track conditions.

Jordan Pellegrino shares smiles, exciting race moments, and thank yous for support from K&N for his second place in 4500 Modifieds at Glen Helen.

Pellegrino grabbed a second in the prelim race and prepped the car for the main with some minor shock changes. When the main came around, he started in the first row in the field of 13, with two cars starting every five seconds. By the end of the race he had lapped almost the entire field.

"We were pushing the car to the limits the entire race and it paid off," Pellegrino said. "We can’t wait to prep for the next race. Without support from companies like K&N this would not be possible."

Jordan's dad, Tony Pellegrino, founder of GenRight added, "He drove a great race, with lap times that would have put him in the top 15 in 4400 class. Debbie and I are very proud of him!"

For competitors participating in the Ultra4 National Championship Series, the next stop is June 24-25 at Badlands Off Road Park, Attica, Indiana, followed by Dirty Turtle Off-Road Park in Bedford, Kentucky on July 29-30.  As for Team GenRight, K&N will have their back as they solidify their plans to be in Reno at Wild West Motorsports Park by Oct. 21-22 for the series finale.

K&N's signature oversized, red-gauze high-flow air filter is protected by a heat shield but given lots of space to draw in plenty of air directly into the tube.

When General Motors brought back its Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups with complete redesigns and an efficient 2.5L, inline 4-cylinder engine, they left the compact truck segment to fill a new role in the midsize arena.

The first generation Colorados and Canyons ran from 2004 to 2012 as a smaller truck and was also sold internationally as the Holden Colorado in Australia, the Chevrolet S10 in Brazil and, Isuzu i-Series in North America. The 2015 redesigned Canyon, introduced in 2014 at the Detroit Auto Show, and the Colorado debuting at the Los Angeles Auto Show, are all-new and have been competing well in the U.S. among 'tween-size on-road and work trucks from leading manufacturers that have not been refreshed in recent years.

Praised for their increased interior space, technological advances, and overall refinement, they now feature just three cab styles: extended cab with a 6ft-2in long bed; extended cab with a 5ft-2in bed; and a four-door crew cab with either the 6ft-2in or 5ft-2in beds. The entry level trim is Base and the next step up is Work Truck (WT). The Base trim starts with improved sound insulation, standard rearview camera, air-conditioning, vinyl upholstery and floor covering, a power-adjustable driver seat with manual recline, front bucket seats (no more rear jump seats), a tilt-adjustable steering wheel, power windows, and a six-speaker AM/FM audio system with a 4.2-in color display, plus USB and auxiliary audio input jacks. The WT adds, among other things, a well-thought-out convenience package with an EZ-Lift tailgate, keyless entry, cruise control, and a theft-deterrent system.

Designed, engineered and executed in metal, the K&N 77-3089KP fits precisely onto the OEM mounts, the factory mass air sensors and crank case vent hoses.

Both are a significant advancement from their previous iterations. They are accomplishing this with the Ecotech 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission that develops 200hp and 191 lb-ft of torque as standard across all packages.

Although smaller and lighter, this new high-revving powerplant makes these trucks nimble in town and confident on the freeway, and can also pull their weight (up to 3,500 lb). So if you are doing light construction chores, deliveries, small-scale farming and some long hours on the highway, how would it be to give this engine a little more authority and make its life easier? A 77-series performance air intake system from K&N can do this for you.

By straightening out the airflow from filter to throttle body and sending it through an oversized filter, the K&N 77-3089KP performance air intake can, according to dynamometer testing, increase horsepower in the 2015-2016 Colorado and Canyon by an estimated 12.43hp at 5,105rpm, and increase torque by an estimated 7.95ft-lb at 3,699rpm. K&N's dyno lab used a stock 2016 Colorado with 1,950 miles on the odometer, and while other test results and actual performance can vary, the K&N 77-3089KP is guaranteed to increase horsepower and torque.

The 77-3089KP can be installed in about 90 minutes with no special tools required; its silver powdercoat finish is attractive and long-lasting.

The 77-series performance air intake system is one of K&N's biggest success stories for its simplicity and efficiency and is available in a kit that can be installed with no special tools.

The heart of the intake is a metal tube, designed and engineered to fit precisely to the Colorado and Canyon's stock intake mounts and accommodates the factory mass air sensors and crank case vent hoses.

In addition to more power, this air intake system improves the 2.5L's already admirable acceleration note with even deeper acoustics – a fun perk that alerts fellow drivers in traffic that the you're coming through.

It is finished in a durable silver powder-coat and is topped by K&N's unique oversized red cotton-gauze high-flow air filter. The filter, in turn, is protected by a chromed top and a heat shield, that installs directly into the original air box space.

In addition to more protection, the cone-shaped air filter is washable and reusable. It can go for up to 100,000 miles before servicing is needed (depending on driving conditions). Just remove the filter, spray with cleaner from K&N's 99-5000 filter care service kit, rinse, let air dry, and re-oil, then reinstall. It should last the life of the vehicle, but it is also backed by K&N's Million-Mile Warranty.

The K&N 77-3089KP air intake can be used on the following Chevrolet and GMC vehicles:
2016 GMC CANYON 2.5L L4
2016 CHEVROLET COLORADO 2.5L L4
2015 GMC CANYON 2.5L L4
2015 CHEVROLET COLORADO 2.5L L4

You can view all the air intakes that K&N makes for these vehicles at the Air Intake Systems for the GMC Canyon and Air Intake Systems for the Chevrolet Colorado page. You can view all the air filters that K&N makes for thse vehicles at the Air Filters for the GMC Canyon and Air Filters for the Chevrolet Colorado page. You can view all the K&N performance products for any vehicle by using the Search by Vehicle tool and you can find a local K&N retailer by plugging your location into the K&N Dealer Search as well.

This K&N metal sign would be the crowning touch for any rec room, man cave, garage or shop.

Kids used to ride their Schwinn Sting Ray bikes to the local full-service gas station and beg the attendant for stickers. Anything automotive was acceptable: oils, fluids, tires, whatever. But the real gems were the stickers from the brands heavily involved in auto racing. Times have changed, but the desire remains among enthusiasts to be connected with brands participating in motorsports. And it's no longer stickers plastered to a banana seat, but metal signs, calendars, and banners for the walls of garages, rec rooms, man caves, and even offices that today's enthusiasts seek.

A must-have for fans of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, this banner can be hung on the wall or displayed at the race track.

A must have, and a good first item for a new collection, is the K&N 89-11839, a 72-inch by 42-inch nylon screen print banner with metal grommets in each of the four corners as well as one top center and another bottom center for a sag-free installation. It looks great in garages and shops as the size is proportional to the amount of empty wall space.

The K&N 89-0019 is an embroidered K&N patch that can spruce up that old jacket you have hanging in the back of the closet.

If your preference is for a metal signs, either for aesthetics or for durability, K&N has two options for you to consider. First is the K&N logo metal sign, part number 89-11837-2. The metal sign is 20 inches wide by 9 inches tall and features the K&N logo embossed in color. If you're looking for a little more flash, the same sized metal sign is available with the K&N logo and the caption "Superior Airflow. Superior Performance." That sign is part number 89-11837-2. Each sign already has small holes drilled in each corner so it can be pinned or nailed-up for display. Two strips of double-sided tape are also included as a mounting option.

If you're a fan of the K&N NASCAR Pro Series - East or West - a primary stepping stones for young drivers fighting to move up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, K&N has a banner for you. The part number is 89-11843, and it's a 72-inch by 42-inch nylon screen print banner featuring the official K&N NASCAR Pro Series logo. Mount it in your garage or man cave, or roll it up and stash it in your RV so you can display it proudly at the next race you attend.

If you are looking to sticker up your toolbox, garage fridge, or fender, K&N has a large selection of decals, like 89-11831 which is a collection of 7 decals.

Visit K&N.com to view the wide variety of clothing options that K&N offers.

K&N also offers a large selection of decals to adorn your tool box, bumper, trailer, or anything else you want to sticker bomb. You can see the whole selection of promo gear by visiting K&N's promotional item page.

So the time is now. You may have missed out of that one sticker you wanted for your bike as a kid, but you can make up for it by ordering the K&N metal signs, banners, and calendars that will perfectly complement your man cave, rec room, shop, garage, RV, or office.

You can also view all the K&N performance products for any vehicle by using the Search by Vehicle tool and you can find a local K&N retailer by plugging your location into the K&N Dealer Search as well.

Matt Long, #55, takes on a rival in a late model Dirt Track race.

37-year-old, Concord, North Carolina resident Matt Long is immersed in racing. Not only does he compete in late model dirt track racing events from West Virginia to Georgia, he also is involved in the business of racing as the Senior Director of Business Development at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. He has been selling sponsorships and luxury seats tickets for the track for 12 years.

On weekends, when there are no races scheduled at Charlotte, he's off racing with his team. He tries to compete in 35 to 40 races a year that are sanctioned by a variety of organizations including SECA, FUEL, and Fastrak. He also participates in a few unsanctioned events. He has earned more than 20 wins during his racing career.

Because of his job, it is difficult for him to compete for points championships. However, he does focus on three to four major events a year including the Outlaw Showdown held at Charlotte Speedway during the weekend of the Coke 600; the Shriners Benefit events; the Pro Nationals on Labor Day weekend at the Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Virginia; and the Fasttrak Grand Nationals at the Virginia Motor Speedway, in Jamaica, Virginia.

His most memorable racing moments include being a two-time winner of the Shrine 100 at the Carolina Speedway, in Gastonia, North Carolina, and winning several Fastrak Regional Touring Events. Born in Cambridge, Ohio, Long's first memories are watching his father, Tye Long, race late models.

"I went with my grandparents to the race track to watch my dad race. He would race two to three nights a week," said Long. His dad raced for 25 years and won about 300 races. "I grew up in a racing family," he continued. "I didn't race myself until much later, but I got involved in my father's team recruiting and working with sponsors and helping to maintain the car."

His work on his dad's team was instrumental in his decision to study the business of racing in college and to go on to graduate school at Ohio University, where he received two masters degrees –- one in Sports Administration and the other in Business.

Part of the graduate school requirements was enrolling in a two to three month internship. He satisfied the requirement working in the Corporate Sales Department at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The track hired him fulltime after he earned his degree.

Matt Long, friends and crew stand with his trophy after a victory at the Friendship Motor Speedway, in Elkin, North Carolina.

He started racing after getting the job with the speedway and "got some money in my pocket," he said. His racing team, Matt Long Racing, includes friends and family, some of whom have made their own mark in racing.

The group includes his wife, Amber Long and their 2-year-old daughter Madison. The crew chief is Matthew Logan, who is also the Dirt Market Specialist for JRi Shocks, and has done some late model racing; Brian Lambert, who was a dirt track racer; and Travis Bennett, a graduate of NASCAR Technical school.

Companies sponsoring Long include K&N Filters, Mello Yello, Circle K Convenience Stores, Polar Pop, Heintz Brothers Performance, Team Clay, FK Rod Ends, VP Racing Fuels, Fragola Performance Systems, Port City Racing, Keyser Manufacturing, JRi Shocks, Stock Car Steel & Aluminum, SRI Supplies, Flag to Flag, Accu-Force, Hoosier Tire South, Dirtwrap, Jim Cook Transmissions, ButlerBuilt, and Simpson.

Long added that K&N Filters has been sponsoring him for 9 years. "I've been using their big 14 x 5 air cleaner filters and their valve cover breathers," he said. "I've had great results with the products. I have a great relationship with those guys."

He volunteered that his dad used K&N racing products, but was not sponsored by the company. He added, "I learned how to clean K&N air filters when I was 8 years old."

Long noted that there are about 25 more races on his schedule including the Shrine 100, the Pro Nationals, and the Fasttrak Grand Nationals. He plans to continue racing after this season. "I plan to race as long as I have the fortitude to do it, I can afford to do it, and as long as I have the time to do it," he concluded.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. giving the fans some three wheeled action in his K&N Filters equipped Ford Mustang

In his K&N Filters backed Ford Mustang, Vaughn Gittin Jr. won the Formula Drift event at Road Atlanta and moved into first place in the Pro standings. He lead was short-lived after the Formula Drift event at Orlando Speedworld, in Florida, but Gittin Jr. is off to a good start. His team has a new car and it didn't take long for Gittin Jr. to find his comfort zone and the first-place spot on the podium.

Dominant in Atlanta, Gittin Jr. left all of his competitors in a haze of smoke as he slid into first place for his first win of the 2016 season.

"This year we debuted our new Mustang," Gittin Jr. said. "We've been developing and building this car all last year. It's a new S550 Mustang. Atlanta was just our second event with it following testing and development. I was feeling really good and connected with the car. It was just amazing."

Gittin Jr. had a successful run at Road Atlanta, in Georgia, in May. He won all four of his rounds including against Daijiro Yoshihara in the final. Gittin Jr. won in the first round against Geoff Stoneback. He beat Tyler McQuarrie in the quarterfinals and Chris Forsberg in the semifinals. He said his run against Forsberg was the most competitive.

"I already knew we were on the podium," Gittin Jr. said. "I had just beaten Chris Forsberg, who I was positive it was going to be my hardest battle of the night. I was just in that zone. I knew immediately that Dai was not going to be able to beat me. I had that feeling. When we have that feeling, we're pretty tough to beat."

Gittin Jr. called Yoshihara one of his biggest rivals. The two have been racing against each since 2004 in Formula Drift.

"Without a doubt we were the dominant force that weekend," Gittin Jr. said. "Honestly, we hope to have more of those this year."

According to Vaughn, the most important aspect to an engine is air and fuel. K&N Filters helps him on the air side of things.

In Round 3 of the Formula Drift season in Orlando, on June 4, Gittin Jr. was off to a similar start. He was the number 1 seed and he said his Ford Mustang was running as good as it did in Atlanta. But his team didn't have the right tire strategy for the Orlando track and it caused him to run into problems during his runs.

"We were pretty dominant in Orlando early on," Gittin Jr. said. "We qualified first again. I was thinking to myself, man could this be a repeat? I was feeling really good, I was driving pretty fast."

But the length of the course caused severe tire wear. Gittin Jr. miscalculated how the track was wearing on his tires and he lost traction during his second-round run. He lost to Jhonnattan Castro, the number 17 seed, in the quarterfinals. Gittin Jr. admitted that he probably drove the car harder than he should have during his runs.

With a fast car, good lines, and a great team Gittin Jr. was able to take his first victory of the season at Road Atlanta, in Georgia.

"Tire wear was a real big challenge for all the teams because of how long the course was, how aggressive you had to drive it," Gittin Jr. said. "I had basically used up all my tire. When I went to drive the car off-bank, it just wouldn't go. I saved the car from going off course, but my competitor, he opened up a nice gap. I just wasn't able to close it."

The next stop on the Formula Drift schedule is at Wall Speedway, in New Jersey, starting on June 17. Gittin Jr. enters the event in second place and 12 points behind Fredric Aasbo, the leader in the Formula Drift Pro standings. Aasbo took over the lead in the standings after winning the Formula Drift event in Orlando.

"We're definitely in a really, really good place at this point in the season and I am feeling pretty awesome," Gittin Jr. said.

He added that K&N Air Filters have played a big role in his team's success, especially in the team's new car. Gittin Jr. doesn't only use K&N products in his race cars, but other vehicles he has.

"I put them on everything," Gittin Jr. said. "The thing with our sport is your constantly driving and your engine is essentially sucking in rubber. We use the best air filters in the world for a reason. We make sure there is clean air going in our engines at all times. Air and fuel are the most important things in the engine. K&N has been a big part in our success any time our car starts up."