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3rd Annual Highway Earth Car Show in Beverly Hills Brings Out LA's Custom Car Culture

1991 Nissan Figaro at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

1991 Nissan Figaro one of 200 imported to the U.S. Powered by a 3-cylinder turbo motor.

Summer is car show time, a season packed with public and private events throughout the country, especially in the epicenter of car culture, Los Angeles. They range from benefits for local causes, to club gatherings, to venues for serious Pebble-Beach-aspirants to layer on some provenance.

Closing out the month of June was the third Highway Earth show in Beverly Hills, an eclectic and egalitarian gathering in an atypical corner of the 90210 code, Franklin Canyon Park. The 605-acre preserve surrounding the three-acre reservoir is a world of its own, protected as a part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and a perfect site where the vehicles are grouped in the turnouts and positioned along the paved park road. Visitor admission is free.

Creators and organizers, photographer Evan Kline and creative executive Thomas Miltch, describe the event as a community for classic car enthusiasts to share their passion for cars. That may be the description for just about any show in any town, but when it takes place in the birthplace of the custom movement, the event is a little different.

Alfa Romeo Club Concours ribbons for winners at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Alfa Romeo Club Concours ribbons await winners in three classes plus overall and people's choice.

Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Like family at a picnic, Highway Earth exhibitors are gathered up for a group photo.

Clean ICON machine at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Clean ICON machine. One of several at Highway Earth.

The duo are true enthusiasts themselves, and truly enjoy this project, welcoming upward of 150 like-minded owners to get together for a day. The idea is an outgrowth of Klein and Miltch's work, and the concept certainly seems to work.

This year's theme was "Made in L.A." and the entries from local craftsmen included an exquisite outlaw Porsche 356 from Rod Emory Motorsports; three Wasteland cars built by artists as an homage to Mad Max (a Mercury, VW Baja Bug, and Mustang that are on their way to becoming a zombie patrol film); an ICON restomodded Plymouth Roadmaster, and at least two terrific ICON 4x4 trucks. Surrounding those were marque groups including English Morgan three-wheelers; Italian Alfa Romeos meeting for a concours-within-a-show with 19 examples all running on the same day; a French Deux Cheveau and Traction Avant; a Swedish 122 sedan and 220 wagon. Oh, and the new Acura NSX was here, next to the wonderfully unique (one of 200 never formally sold in the U.S.) Nissan Figaro. And Elvis Presley's 1971 DeTomaso Pantera from the Petersen Automotive Museum was there, along with a pair of Corvair buses.

Elegant Traction Avant in French car grouping at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Elegant Traction Avant in the French car grouping.

Carl Stubbs of Bellflower at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Carl Stubbs of Bellflower will be back at Highway Earth next year.

Evan Klein at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Evan Klein sets up for the group photo.

What could be a dizzying array of machinery seemed completely natural tucked under the shade of native scrub oaks and taller, introduced pines, and touring the show required a healthy one-mile walk around the reservoir.

It is a non-juried event, but sponsor Hagerty Insurance asked their volunteers, members of the local Boy Scout troop, to be youth judges and perform a "people's choice" evaluation – a way to get the next generation involved with cars. The boys identified their top three favorites: first, an immense Cadillac Fleetwood; second, a Dodge Phoenix; and third, a 1956 Ford F-100 pickup with a 2000 5.0-liter V8 Explorer engine, owned by Carl Stubbs of Bellflower.

MadMax homage Ford Mustang at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

MadMax homage Ford Mustang ready for its close-up.

Mister Vintage Machine at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Mister Vintage Machine custom is quintessential rod-building.

V8 Ford at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Nothing beats a V8 Ford.

"This is the third iteration of the truck," Stubbs said. "I completely re-did it again, this time with the Explorer engine, fuel injection, new differential, and Philippine mahogany bed. The tones in the wood really work with the new paint. I also put in this 135 db horn made from motorcycle and automotive components." The horn was very authoritative. The truck was gorgeous, a two-tone, cherry-plum on top, silver-gray below with pinstripe details and philosophy hand-painted on the tailgate and front fender. He was pleased the kids appreciated his work. It is a driver and Stubbs and wife, Pam, participate in a full calendar of club and regional activities.

A peek under the hood of the "1956 Explorer" revealed Stubbs' meticulous installation, complete with a K&N engine air filter. "Is there any other filter to have?" he declared. "They make it so easy to install and use. It does help with power. Oh, and, it looks like it's time to clean this one again." Maybe, but it seemed fairly spotless on this day. It was Stubbs's second year at Highway Earth, and he is looking forward to a third. He wants to bring his El Camino next time, another example of the custom movement, made in L.A.

Rod Emory outlaw art at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Rod Emory outlaw art is made in L.A.

Stubbs' 1956 F-100 with 2000 Explorer 5.0L with K&N air filter at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Stubbs' 3rd iteration of the 1956 F-100 brought in a 2000 Explorer 5.0L and a K&N engine air filter.

Stubbs philosophy painted on 1956 F-100 at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Stubbs philosophy painted on his 1956 F-100.

Organizer Klein has announced the show with, "Well, they (the Parks Service) let us come back again!" But it is also the word of mouth enthusiasm and the spirit of sharing that has let the show continue. "We live in a town where people can afford just about anything they desire, but sometimes the car you restore with your Dad or best friend is the priceless one," Klein wrote in his event publication's welcome page. "Everyone has an opportunity to bring whatever they like. As long as you dig the show, we'll keep going." They will.

Philosophical painting Carl Stubbs' F-100 at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

Some more philosophical paintings from Carl Stubbs' F-100.

Stubbs 1956 F-100 at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

The paint can't shine in the shade, so you have to take a closer look, and it's worth it.

Stubbs 1956 F-100 at the Highway Earth car show in Beverly Hills

The Stubbs 1956 F-100 has a 2000 Ford Explorer 5.0L under the hood.

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K&N-Sponsored Greg Adler and His Run at King of the Hammers

Satellite photo of Hammertown showing the massive scale and size of this pop-up town.

A satellite view of Hammertown, the Off Road Pop-Up Community, host to more than 35K spectators

Since 2008, the Means Dry Lake Bed at Johnson Valley in Southern California has transformed every February from a dusty, barren landscape into a pulsing, neon-lit “pop-up” town where tens of thousands of spectators converge to witness off-road icon’s compete in the spectacle that is King of the Hammers. With dozens and dozens of vendors and more than 300 plus race teams, this week long event is the ultimate in Off Road Festivals, making the likes of Stage Coach and Coachella pale in comparison!

What Dave Cole and Jeff Knoll started as a single race that combined rock crawling and desert racing has evolved into a week-long event featuring five distinctly different challenging races held throughout the week. For K&N-sponsored driver Greg Adler and his 4 Wheel Parts team, the event represents a quest for the King of the Hammers Ultra4 title when they take on what is widely considered the toughest one-day race in the world.

Photo of Chocolate Thunder early in the day before the race. Still parking available.

Chocolate Thunder trail early on race day. Look there's still a place to park!

The course, which averages about 200 miles each year, tests the limits of man and machine. Competitors are treated to a different course dynamic each year as they take on elements of high-speed open desert racing combined with technical rock crawling through canyons scattered with boulders, some the size of the mini vans! This years event boasted the addition of a short course in main pit that was used for last chance qualifying and turned out to be great vantage point for spectators to see their favorites as they made their way from the start, through laps two and three, and finally the finish line. Additionally the new track layout had our competitors heading out from the start/finish line in the opposite direction from years past.

Photo of Ultra4 Cars staging.

Ultra4 Staging at the King of the Hammers - also known as the calm before the storm!

4 Wheel Parts President and CEO and K&N-sponsored Driver Greg Adler, traded his seat at the desk for a seat behind the wheel of his Ultra4 Jeep at the 2017 running of the Nitto Tire King of the Hammers Powered by OPTIMA Batteries. Adler and teammate Rob MacCachren crossed the finish line of what has been called the world’s toughest one day off-road race.

In past events, Adler managed to keep his Ultra4 Jeep at the front of the pack. In fact, Adler has run in the top 5 for most of the race the last couple of years and lead the race in 2015. However, he suffered mechanical setbacks that added him to the list of those forced to retire early, in the race that boasts the highest attrition rate in all of off-road competition, the past two years.

Photo of Adler and MacCachren hit the open desert after replacing a broken fitting in the fuel cell

Adler and MacCachren hitting the open desert after a mechanical issue tried to cut their day short

Planning and preparation can and will make the difference between winning, finishing, or ending the race early. Our K&N-sponsored driver felt confident this year that he and his team had the car that could go on to earn them the title of King of the Hammers. Adler said, “It’s a tough race and there are a lot of things that can go wrong over the course of the day, so it’s important to find our pace and take care of the equipment to ensure we’re running at the end.”

This year, Adler was joined by off-road racing icon Rob MacCachren. Even with his vast off-roading experience, multiple championships and array of off-roading titles, MacCachren admits that the Nitto Tire King of the Hammers powered by OPTIMA Batteries presents a new challenge for him. “Rob is a tremendous asset who’s going to bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team,” said Adler.

Photo of Greg Adler maneuvering his 4 Wheel Parts Ultra4 Jeep masterfully through the rocks.

K&N Driver Greg Adler maneuvering his 4 Wheel Parts Ultra4 Jeep masterfully through the rocks.

The 4 Wheel Parts Team was off to a strong start with Rob MacCachren tearing through the field to put them in a top five position. But a fitting broke in the fuel cell right at mile marker 60 and stopped the car. The race team got the situation fixed but sadly had them at almost three hours off the race pace. It was then they decided to mentally shift gears to “finish mode” and make sure they crossed the finish line. MacCachren found his race pace and settled into the work at hand.

At about the race halfway point, Adler took over behind the wheel and got to work attacking the brutal trails that have become synonymous with this event. Familiar with the trails, Greg made short work of Sledgehammer, Chocolate Thunder, Jackhammer, and one of the newest trail additions, Full of Hate. After making it through the trails that have made The Hammers famous worldwide, he headed out to the open desert and on to the final trails, Resolution and Backdoor, that stood between his team and the finish line. Adler and MacCachren worked their way through those obstacles, down into the short course and crossed the finish line with an official finishing time of eleven hours and twenty seven minutes. Rumored to have been the largest field in the history of KOH, of the 123 Ultra4 vehicles to take the start earlier that day, car number 210, Team 4 Wheel Parts, was one of just 50 official finishers in this year’s legendary race with a final position of 31st.

“This certainly wasn’t where we wanted to be in the final standings today,” said Adler, “but in a race like this, where the odds are stacked against you, to finish is a great accomplishment for this team.”

Congratulations to Greg Adler and Rob MacCachren for their success at this years Nitto Tire King of the Hammers powered by OPTIMA Batteries. They met adversity head on and made it their mission to overcome it.

Photo of Adler and MacCachren after crossing the finish line in 31st position.

After a broken fitting put them 3 hours behind, Adler & MacCachren crossed the line in 31st

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K&N Team Driver, Danny Popp Earns "Three-Peat" at the 2016 OPTIMA Invitational

OUSCI competitors cars in OPTIMA Alley in front of the rig.

Just a taste of the incredible hardware in OPTIMA Alley

OPTIMA’s ULTIMATE STREET CAR INVITATIONAL also know as OUSCI took place the weekend immediately following SEMA. The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry's brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center.

SEMA, formed in 1963 by Roy Richter, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, Robert E. Wyman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand, Jr., Al Segal, Dean Moon, and Vic Edelbrock, Jr. and now consists of 6,383 companies worldwide, bringing together aftermarket manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), media, car dealers, specialty equipment distributors, installers, retailers, and restoration specialists.

A mix of old and new cars on road course making up the OUSCI field

A diverse field makes up the competition at the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational

After an activity-packed week at the Las Vegas Convention Center the Optima’s Ultimate Street Car Invitees including the Golden Ticket Winners, the 2016 Qualifier Event winners, the Spirit of the Event winners along with the Top Points earners hop in their killer rides that are conveniently parked in OPTIMA Alley and lead the parade of cars that head to SEMA Ignited, the ultimate SEMA afterparty. Here the shows attendees have an opportunity to see the cars up close and get a chance to meet the owner/drivers.

After an evening of meet and greet the invitees need to focus on their competition, OUSCI, that takes place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Cam Douglass, Director of Marketing at OPTIMA Batteries, Johnson Control, had this to say about the OUSCI, “We created this event nine years ago, and although the industry has changed, the reason we created this event still stands – to see what the incredible cars from garages across the country and the SEMA show floor are really capable of using the show’s high performance parts.”

Leader Danny Popp with Rich Wilhoff behind on road course.

Rich Wilhoff on the hunt with Danny Popp never being one to give up an inch!

Since its inception the field has been thick with competition and diversity, showcasing some of the automotive industries most forward thinking vehicles. But if you’ve been following this series you will notice the field is comprised with a majority going to Chevrolet’s flagship performance vehicles, the Corvette and the Camaro. 21 Corvette’s from Greg Thurmond’s 1965 to the late models and C7s making up almost a quarter of the field. Add in the 19 Camaros ranging from the highly modified 1967 of Mike Dusold to the bevy of 5th Gens that were tough competitors and you see pretty quick that the Chevrolets have come in force!

Saturday saw the field divided between the Detroit Speed Autocross and PowerStop Speed Stop Challenge in the morning with a switch after the noon hour. Saturday evening for the Lucas Oil Road Rally the competitors would cruise the Las Vegas Strip to the Shelby Museum for a little dinner and music. Sunday our competitors would each receive four fifteen minute run sessions in the Falken Tire Road Course Time Trial. This afforded them a chance to lay down their fastest lap time. Scores would then be tallied and added to the Lingenfelter Design & Engineering scores to flesh out the Ultimate Street Car and crown the victor.

Rozelle and his '69 Camaro along with Wilhoff and his C7 waiting to be judged at Lingenfelter D&

Jake Rozelle and Rich Wilhoff lined up for the Lingenfelter Design & Engineering Challenge

In the end, K&N Filters team driver Danny Popp and his 2003 Chevrolet Corvette beat out nearly 100 of the nation’s top-performing street cars to win the 2016 OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational. This is Danny's "three-peat" or rather his third consecutive OUSCI win! “The field gets deeper and more talented every year – better cars are showing up and it’s exciting. We have a lot of people who help with this vehicle and extraordinary results are more easily accomplished through the efforts of many,” said Popp.

Each competitor received points as they competed in the challenges. This year, Ken Thwaits took second place overall competing in a 2006 Mitsubishi Evo and Rich Willhoff came in third place in a 2006 Chevrolet Corvette.

Ken Thwaits and his EVO at the Detroit Speed Autocross

2nd Place finisher, Ken Thwaits and his EVO, overcame major setbacks Sunday to make the podium

Rich Wilhoff's C7 in the Bull Ring at LVMS

3rd Place finisher, Rich Wilhoff at the POWERSTOP Speed Stop Challenge in the Bull RIng

OUSCI Winner, Danny Popp on the Falken Tire Road Course Time Trial segment at LVMS

OUSCI Winner, Danny Popp, makes the Falken Tire Road Course Time Trial look easy!

Podium shot with Danny Popp, Rich Wilhoff and Ken Thwaits

Our 2016 OUSCI Winner, Danny Popp, with 2nd place Ken Thwaits, left & 3rd place Rich Wilhoff, right

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K&N Air Intake System Squeezes Some of the Last HP from the 2016 Camaro SS 6.2L

The conical filter is attached to an intake tube with an attractive silver powder-coated finish

The increase in horsepower can be credited largely to the oversized conical air filter

The Generation V 6.2L small block V8 is the latest chapter in the long, historic legacy of the small-block Chevy engine that stretches back to the mid-1950s. The latest design provides the 2016 Camaro SS not only with immense performance but unheard of efficiency from such a powerful engine.

The 455 horsepower LT1 is similar in architecture to the LS family of small-block engines which it superseded, but with a unique aluminum block casting and aluminum cylinder heads, oiling system, and an aggressive 11.5:1 compression ratio. It also incorporates advanced technologies such as direct fuel Injection and continuously variable valve timing. And unlike many other auto manufacturers, GM believes there is plenty of development left in the traditional two valve push rod V8 and proves it with each new engine.

To draw an adequate volume of air an entirely new intake manifold design was developed, which provides a straighter path into the combustion chamber. With as much time and development effort that GM engineers put into the LT1, one would assume that the intake system would leave no opportunity for improvement. But it does. There’s an additional way to improve the performance of your 2016 Camaro SS: the K&N 69-4534TP air intake system, which has been chassis dyno-tested proven to deliver an estimated 15.16 rear-wheel horsepower gain over an otherwise stock 2016 Camaro SS.

The K&N 69-4534TP air intake system replaces the restrictive factory air filter and air intake housing on the 2016 Camaro SS. K&N AirChargers significantly improve incoming air flow as well as reduce turbulence in the intake tube.

The filter and heat shield are designed to fit in the location of the OEM air box

Installation of the K&N 69-4534TP is a snap and can be completed in less than a Saturday morning

The air intake first enters a chrome capped K&N high-flow air filter sited within a heat shield that’s installed into the original air box space. A bulk of the horsepower increase can be credited to the oversized conical air filter manufactured from multiple layers of oiled cotton filter media - which offers less resistance than traditional filters. The multi-layered red cotton material also filters out microparticles that could damage your engine, to help ensure a long engine life. Each design is verified through K&N’s in-house filtration testing lab, which adheres to ISO 5011 standards, ensuring that your K&N filter provides high airflow without putting engine protection at risk.

Air is then directed through an aerodynamically-verified polished aluminum intake tube into the engine’s throttle body for an estimated 15 horsepower gain. The intake tube includes fittings for the factory mass air sensor and crank case vent hose. Best of all, the K&N 69-4534TP air intake system can be installed in 90 minutes or less with simple hand tools

In addition to more power, this air intake system improves engine sound with more aggressive and deeper acoustics during acceleration.

And once you’ve installed your K&N cold air intake system you’ve eliminated the need to buy another air filter for the life of your covered 2016 Camaro SS. The only maintenance is a service you can do yourself in no time at all. At intervals of 100,000 miles (depending upon your driving conditions) use the K&N 99-5000 recharger kit to clean and refresh your air filter, preparing it for another 100,000 miles of driving. The K&N air filter you purchase is designed to last for the lifetime of your vehicle, which K&N guarantees will perform for up to 10 years or 1,000,000 miles without requiring replacement.

The K&N 69-4534TP cold air intake is designed for the following vehicles:

2017 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS 6.2L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models
2016 CHEVROLET CAMARO SS 6.2L V8 Fuel Injection - All Models

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K&N Engineering Donates $100,000 to Help Send Children of Fallen Soldiers to College

K&N's Jesse Spungin awards the check to Robert Moeller on behalf of Fallen Patriots

K&N's Jesse Spungin awards the check to Robert Moeller who accepts it on behalf of Fallen Patriots

The freedoms that we love so much here in America are not guaranteed. They are earned through the sacrifices of men and women in the United States Armed Forces. Too often, these brave Patriots are killed in action, never to return to the families that are left behind. Fortunately, several organizations have made it their goal to help these families after the loss of a loved that was killed in action. One such organization is the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (Fallen Patriots).

Fallen Patriots was founded in 2002 to honor the sacrifices of our fallen military heroes by assisting their children with the funds necessary to attend college. Since their inception, Fallen Patriots has provided more than $15 million in aid, including scholarships, grants, and counseling to young men and women who have lost a parent in the line of duty. K&N Engineering is an avid supporter of our military and over the years has supported multiple organizations.

The Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation helps send the children of fallen soldiers to college

The Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation helps send the children of fallen soldiers to college

K&N Engineering has donated $100,000 dollars to Fallen Patriots to help change the lives of those left behind. “It is important to everyone at K&N to give back to the families who sacrificed so much for us,” said K&N Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Jesse Spungin. “For almost 50 years, K&N has been an American company and we owe it to these men and women. Helping an organization like Fallen Patriots is one way we can help the legacy of these American Heroes live on in the lives of their children.”

The cost of a college education is now more expensive than ever and to be able to assist with that is a goal that is extremely important to Fallen Patriots.

“With the average college cost gap totaling $32,000, the need for financial support is significant,” according to a spokesperson for Fallen Patriots. “Partners’ continued dedication, in ways ranging from financial support to creating awareness, has helped Fallen Patriots continue to fulfil their mission to ensure a future for surviving military children.”

K&N is proud to be a part of this effort in helping give the children of fallen patriots a chance to go to college and further their education. For more information about the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, visit them at fallenpatriots.org.

Every year, brave men and women are killed in action overseas, leaving their loved ones behind

Every year, brave men and women are killed in action overseas, leaving their loved ones behind

It is important to not forget about the children of our fallen heroes and their struggles in life

It is important to not forget about the children of our fallen heroes and their struggles in life

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