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South America hosted the 31st Dakar for the first time in the race’s history. Organizers changed the location from Africa to South America in 2009. The 2008 event was cancelled because of terrorist activity along the race’s route in Mauritania. Organizers were determined to have a rally in 2009.
Michel De Groot drove the Mc Rae Enduro in the 2009 Dakar Rally
One of the best Dutch female drivers, Gaby Uljee, navigated through 9,000 km of different terrain in South America for the Dakar Rally
Nearly 850 racers with 500 vehicles spent their last day before the
January race in the Argentine capital readying for an extreme adventure between two oceans. The round trip started and finished in Beunos Aires.
The Dutch Vicking Team used K&N filters to help get through Chile's Atacama Desert in the Dakar Rally
The 2009 Dakar started in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Patagonia, into the Andes Mountains and then Chile's Atacama Desert back to Buenos Aires
Competitors faced a number of different terrains and obstacles south to Patagonia, to the Andes Mountains and then through Chile’s Atacama Desert. Dakar Rally drivers are familiar with the problems of sand in the African desert where eight of the fifteen stages of the rally were held in previous years.
K&N sponsored racer Michel De Groot finished the Dakar twice on a motorcycle in 2006 and 2007. The Dutchman hit the South American continent in a car for the first time in 2009. He said he does not have a preference between motorcycles or cars, he just had to wait longer to race a car in the Dakar because it cost more to operate. De Groot was teamed with fellow Dutchman Gaby Uljee, a navigator who finished the Dakar in 2007. The Dutch Vicking Team car was built by Alister McRae, brother of the famous WRX champion Colin McRae.
De Groot and Uljee hit the first stage of the race in La Pampa. They faced more than 400 km of rolling routes and vast plains. The second stage of the Dakar was 837 km from Santa Rosa to Puerto Madryn and was the longest of the stages. It was full of difficult sand. De Groot has been a proud user of K&N for several years. He is familiar with the engine protection and filtration K&N filters provided through the dust, silt and sand.
The Vicking Team encountered a big change in the terrain in Patagonia with more hills, and lakes that border the route during the 694 km stage three from Puerto Madryn to Jacobacci. The Rally course was 9,000 km with seventeen stages. The Dutch team said there main goal was to finish the Dakar and they did. Overall they placed 39th and first in their class (T3).
The AMA Supercross West Coast Lites Series will host round three in Anaheim, California where Fun Center Suzuki is looking for a top ten finish.
Fun Center Suzuki Team Rider Cole Seely ready for AMA Supercross West Coast Lites Series in Anaheim, California, courtesy of TonyScavo.com
Fun Center Suzuki Team Rider Michael Lapaglia has recovered from his injuries at the AMA Supercross West Coast Lites in Phoenix, Arizona, courtesy of TonyScavo.com
Fun Center Suzuki’s Michael Lapaglia, Cole Seely and Brady Sheren had a rough start during round one of the series in front of more than 45,000 fans in Phoenix, Arizona. In the first practice session Lapaglia was hurt. Another rider smashed into him and sent them both to the ground.
Fun Center Suzuki Team Rider Brady Sheren on his 2009 Suzuki RMZ 250, courtesy of TonyScavo.com
2009 Suzuki RMZ250s equipped with K&N air and oil filters for Fun Center Suzuki Team, courtesy of TonyScavo.com
“Michael went to the mobile medical unit on site and was diagnosed with a stage two concussion,” said Gregg Lynk, Fun Center Suzuki’s Owner and Team Manager. “He ended up taking a few days off and will be ready for Anaheim.” Lapaglia finished the 2008 West Lites Series with two top ten finishes.
During heat one Sheren took a late jump off the gate and rode to 15th for a trip to the LCQ or last chance qualifiers. Sheren struggled with timing at the gate in the LCQ and finished 16th. “I know what I need to do to put my Fun Center Suzuki in the Main next time,” he said.
Seely got a great start on his 2009 Suzuki RMX 250 during heat two and came around the first turn in sixth place. He worked his way up and finished in fourth place. This was Seely’s first main event as a pro. “For my first Main Event I felt really good out there,” said Seely. “I’m looking forward to the next event and bettering my results.”
Fun Center Suzuki uses K&N air (YA-2506XD) and oil filters (KN-207). “We did a lot of product testing and K&N has the best performance products,” said Lynk. “K&N works better than anything we’ve ever used.
Bracket racer Luke Bogacki captured his second Mobile Footbrake Nationals victory in three years behind the wheel of his Chevrolet Vega.
IHRA Sportsman Class Racer Luke Bogacki
Bogacki maneuvered through a talented field of Sportsman Class competitors to reach the final round in Mobile, Alabama. He took a .012 to.037 starting line advantage and crossed the finish line first by the slimmest of margins. Bogacki took a 5.827 (5.80 dial in) victory over Terryl Paul’s dead-on 6.153.
Mobile Footbrake Nationals Win for Luke Bogacki in his Chevrolet Vega
Luke Bogacki claimed 4 IHRA National Event Titles in 2008 and at least $50,000 in Bracket money
This 2009 kickoff race marked Bogacki’s third consecutive final round appearance at the annual event. The Alabama resident won the opening day of the Mobile Footbrake Nationals in 2007 and took runner-up honors to Mark Taylor last season.
During Bogacki’s 2008 racing season he claimed 4 IHRA national event titles on route to top ten national finishes in three Sportsman Class categories (Stock, Top Dragster and Quick Rod). He was also awarded the IHRA Sportsman Driver of the Year Award.
Bogacki uses K&N air filters. “K&N helped my engine perform the way it should,” he said. “I can also count on K&N for additional power and great filtration.”
Bogacki also had a diverse run of strong bracket finishes pocketing at least $50,000 at several different events in 2008 and hopes to do the same in 2009.
K&N provided a Custom Air Intake System for American Heroes Camaro
Project American Heroes 1969 Camaro will be auctioned in April
Project American Heroes 1969 Camaro was built at Route 66 Motorsports in 118 days
American Heroes 1969 Camaro SS on one of K&N dynos in Riverside, California
The aftermarket automotive industry equipped this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro with only the best to benefit American soldiers
BFGoodrich tires and Intro Wheels are part of the Project American Heroes package
All good deeds have a starting point. This good deed started with a 1969 Camaro Rally Sport
and a 427 LS7 block engine. It was built under the name Project American Heroes and will be auctioned off at the 7th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car auction in Florida. All the proceeds will go to the Armed Forces Foundation to help active-duty and retired military who must cope with difficult circumstances.
The build began with Bill Jelinek and his crew at Route 66 Motorsports in New Lenox, Illinois. The Camaro was built in 118 days, which included construction and coordination of donated parts from automotive aftermarket suppliers. K&N in Riverside, California was one of forty automotive aftermarket sponsors who donated time and product to this worthwhile project.
The parts on this Camaro are some of the most advanced products on the market. The aftermarket industry equipped this Heroes Red 1969
Chevy LS7 with nothing but the best for our soldiers.
Some of the equipment includes:
High quality sheetmetal from Classic Industries
The subframe is from Detroit Speed & Engineering including DSE rear four-link with up to the minute Baer brakes
Route 66 Motorsports mixed the custom Heroes Torch Red color which works well with the stinger hood
Turn Key Engine Supply LS7 427 motor
Custom K&N air intake system
BFGoodrich Tires
Intro Wheels
The Barrett-Jackson auction will take place in West Palm Beach, Florida in April, 2009. Project American Heroes raised $130,000 to benefit the Armed Forces community in 2008 with a custom-built 1957 Chevy convertible.
Boxing Day is an Australian Holiday and a racing tradition at Brisbane International Speedway. Each year Sprintcars race around the dirt track for the title.
Michael Carber in center swept USA Nights at Brisbane, QLD, Australia
USA Night 1 was a huge success for Michael Carber and the John Weatherall owned USA 1 Sprintcar. Carber won Boxing Day’s 30 lap race. “This was my third attempt at victory on the historic holiday,” said Carber. “It was also Night 1 of USA competition. There were three scheduled USA Nights before the World Series of Sprintcars.”
Boxing Day at Brisbane International Speedway in Australia
MAXIM Chassis Sprintcar with a 410ci motor and K&N products driven by American Michael Carber for Australian John Weatherall and Motorguard Motorsports
The three nights are a preview of the talent imported from the USA for the large crowd of fans. Time trials, heat races and a dash took place in the preview. “I averaged high enough in points to make the dash,” said Carber. “In the dash I placed second and that placed me on the front row of the Feature event. I took the initial jump off the start and lead every lap of the 30 lap Feature event.”
Getting the jump off the start gave Carber everything he needed. The track was single file throughout the qualifying events but proved to be a bit racier in the feature event. Carber battled heavy lap traffic early on but quickly gained his momentum and pulled straight away from fellow American Brent Kaeding and Australian native Darrell Hodges.
Carber’s second win in Australia took place on New Year’s Day. “It was almost a perfect night,” he said. “I was unable to set quick time during time trials or else it would have been a perfect sweep. I won both of my heats as well as the dash. I also started out on pole position for the Feature event. I once again lead every lap of the 30 lap Feature event for Night 2 of USA competition at Brisbane International Speedway.”
Carber was able to run both the top and the bottom to work though lap traffic. “Lap traffic is crucial at Brisbane because you catch it fast,” he said. “At home in the states lap traffic usually occurs later in the race.” In Australia, most of the race tracks are smaller than the track Carber races on in the United States. “I was really happy to have a second victory at BIS,” he said. “I also was able to sweep the USA Nights this year after rain cancelled night 3.”
The USA1 MAXIM Chassis Carber drove was put together at Carber’s race shop in Pipersville, Pennsylvania. It was purchased by John Weatherall of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and shipped to Australia for the races.
“I have used K&N products on my Sprintcars in both USA and Australia and it is great,” said Carber. “Since we started using K&N products there have been no flaws on anything we’ve tried. I will continue to use K&N since it helps us maintain winning race cars.”
Carber races a MAXIM Chassis Sprintcar with a 410ci motor in Australia and will race a 360ci motor with a MAXIM Chassis Sprintcar in the United States for the 2009 season.
