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Corry Weller and Her Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) Goals

11.08.2011

Weller has found herself on the podium an amazing 8 times through 10 races.

Most racers have similar goals; Win races, win championships, and make history, and usually in no particular order. This season, Corry Weller is looking to do all three.

Corry Weller has many reason to smile. She leads the LOORRS UTV points standings.

The Tempe, Arizona native is turning heads with the most successful season any female has had in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS). Weller has 8 podiums in 10 starts this season, and leads the points standings in the ultra competitive UTV category.

"My main goal is to be the first female racer to get a championship in LOORRS," Weller explained. "Every time I hit the track, my goal is to finish the race. If I can finish on the podium, that's even better - and if I can finish with a win, well that's just the icing on the cake! That doesn't mean I don't go out there and race my butt off; it just means I temper my aggressiveness by keeping my mind on that championship goal at all times."

Weller has had a remarkably consistent season, something that was planned for heading into 2011. But every racer knows plans never unfold the way they are laid out. Yet Weller and her team have managed diverse situations well, and her on-track awareness has helped them at times.

Corry Weller could become the first female champion in LOORRS history this season.

"We have learned that so much of a race can be won or lost in the shop before the weekend even begins. Preparation and maintenance is a huge part to winning a championship and being consistent," Weller told K&N after her race at Glen Helen Raceway last weekend. "My team does a great job of getting my car prepped and ready, and my job is to get it around the track as fast as I can without breaking anything or rolling it. Sometimes fluke stuff just happens, but you can certainly minimize problems by going over the car as thoroughly as possible before and in between races."

"I am also working on racing 'smart.' I go over the points every weekend before a race, and I am aware of who I need to stay ahead of, and who I can let go without taking unnecessary risks on the track. I think it's this combination of race prep and thinking of the long-term goal of a championship that has made the difference this year," added the 2010 UTV runner-up.

The move from two wheels to four has paid off well for Corry Weller.

Weller won 5 races in 2010, but inconsistent finishes at other events cost her the championship. But so far in 2011, the focus on clean races and collecting points has paid off in a big way. Weller has just three more rounds (six races) to go before she can claim to be the first female champion in the series short but extensive history. Weller got her racing start on two wheels, competing in motocross until the foundation of Weller Racing, a UTV and ATV performance motor supplier. With the new company came a new sport, and the world of short-course off-road racing fit perfectly with Weller's aggressive style. In her fourth full season, Weller has also begun competing in a Trophy Lite truck, with her sights set on making history there one day too.

But for now, Weller remains focused on her UTV season, and she couldn't be happier. "This is a really competitive class with some great drivers, so to be on the podium so much this season is pretty awesome. We take one race at a time, but looking back on the season so far, I'm really excited with how it's turning out!"

Working with a performance engine shop, Weller understands the importance of quality products, and that's why her team chooses K&N Filters for their engines.

"We use K&N air and oil filters religiously for our race prep. We make sure we have a clean and oiled air filter every time we hit the track, and of course, having a new oil filter is very important when it comes to engine life and longevity. Since we use the factory Yamaha R1 intake, it's nice to have the option to run a K&N air filter with that setup, since the K&N filter allows much better airflow than the stock paper filter, but still protects from all of the debris I encounter during a race. Every little advantage counts in this class! Huge thanks to K&N for helping us stay in the lead all year long!"

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.

Jason Meyers Captured His First World of Outlaws Championship in the 2010 Race Season

11.08.2011

Elite Racing has 3 World of Outlaws Feature Wins this season

After a whirlwind 2010 season, 2010 World of Outlaws Champion Jason Meyers knew his team had a tough path ahead of them if they wanted to repeat as champions in the premier dirt racing series in the world. But heading into the sport's biggest event, the 51st Knoxville Nationals, Meyers' Elite Racing team finds themselves in a familiar position; at the top of the points standings, and one of the favorites to win at the historic Knoxville Raceway this weekend.

Jason Meyers captured his first World of Outlaws Championship in 2010

"Our team never gives up. It all starts with a great maintenance program and an elite engine shop," Meyers told K&N. "Our entire team has done an incredible job keeping me in great equipment and finishing races. Our win category isn't quite where we want it to be, but we have run a lot of close seconds and sometimes a close second is better than pushing it beyond the limits only to find yourself with a DNF."

That perspective has Meyers 52 points ahead of former World of Outlaws and Knoxville Champion Donnie Schatz, despite just 3 wins to this point. Six drivers, including Schatz and the legendary Steve Kinser have more wins than Meyers, but his 25 Top 5's are 7 ahead of the next driver, and Meyers also leads the series with 6 Quick Time's. The team has really come on strong in the last month, giving them extra confidence for their Super Bowl.

Meyers and his Elite Racing team are looking for their first Knoxville Nationals win this weekend

"I am really excited about the nationals this week. For many years, I came here and had good runs, but the last two seasons have not been that way. We have a lot of momentum right now and we plan on using every bit of that to help us achieve our goals of winning a Knoxville Nationals title," Meyers said.

When asked whether or not winning a championship has put more pressure on his team, Meyers gave a double-sided answer. "Winning the championship has done both. In some ways the pressure of winning your first championship is gone, but then comes the pressure of backing it up. When you compete at this level, there is always pressure. There has to be, because that is what drives excellence, the pressure to be great."

Following this weekend's event in Knoxville, the Outlaws embark on the grueling Great Northern Tour, consisting of five races in four different cities over an eight day stretch. The series then calms down for the final two months, building up to the World Finals in Charlotte, North Carolina, from November 3-5. Meyers thinks his Elite Racing team has what it takes to remain on top and defend their title.

"I am very confident that we are capable of repeating, while at the same time being very cautious to not assume anything. We are competing against the best in the business and we have to strive to be better in every way in order to accomplish our goal of repeating the championship."

When asked about K&N Filters, Meyers noted that K&N's strive to be the best is a perfect match for his team.

"We have worked with the professionals at K&N for many years now and their drive for excellence parallels our team exactly. Our K&N products protect one of our most valuable assets from the harsh environments and abuse that encounter daily. From the road to the track, if it is in our fleet, it is protected by K&N."

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.

K&N Supported Jos Kuypers Takes Over Dutch Rally Racing Championship Lead

11.08.2011

Kuypers is one of the more famous Rally Cross drivers on the European race scene.

Round four of the Dutch Rally Racing Championship was contested in Valkenswaard. The town of 30,000 residents is located in the southern part of the Netherlands, the name stems from its history of falconers, with "valk" being Dutch for falcon. With many of the best Rally Cross racers from the Netherlands and Belgium gathered for critical championship points leading towards the Dutch Rally Racing Championship title, expectations were high for plenty of thrills and spins, and the competitors didn't disappoint.

With his win at Valkenswaard K&N supported Jos Kuypers now has the lead for the Dutch Rally Racing Championship title.

In Division-1, only three cars total started on the grid. Jos Kuypers (Ford Fiesta MK7), Patrick Van Mechelen (Subaru Impreza) and Ronny Scheveneels (VW Scirocco MK3). In one of the heats before the finals however, Scheveneels ran hard into the barrier and was taken to the hospital, leaving Kuypers and Van Mechelen to duel it out for the win in the final.

In the final, Kuypers, the K&N backed driver, managed to stay out of trouble and won the event ahead of a frustrated Van Mechelen. It appears that the same engine gremlins that haunted Van Mechelen in his earlier heat race, resurfaced in the final. With the win at Valkenswaard, Kuypers has now taken over the championship points lead. Kuypers leads by two points ahead of Van Mechelen. Third place sits a distant 60 points behind the leader.

Kuypers Ford Fiesta experienced some early round sputters, but they were all worked out in time for the final.

Kuypers had to overcome some of his own mechanical issues early on in the event, according to him, "The initial phase of the race did not go as it should, the Ford Fiesta stuttered and stopped in some places a bit, which lasted for two series. Afterwards, there was an error in the main relay of the car so the power went out occasionally. But in the final that was all done."

Kuypers is one of the more colorful and famous drivers on the European Rally Cross scene. Currently in Holland there is a TV program examining European Rally Cross and much of the series features highlights with Jos Kuypers.

The Dutch Rally Racing Championship will not be decided until the last race in Belgium, as there are two Belgian races that can be entered for the Dutch Championship.

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.

Reigning K&N Horsepower Challenge Champ Greg Anderson Nails 75th Career NHRA Pro Stock Pole

11.08.2011

NHRA Pro Stock Drag Racer Greg Anderson

For the second time this season, Greg Anderson drove his Summit Pontiac right to the top of the pack during the final stop of the "Western Swing" at the 24th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals held at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, Washington. Out of the gate it wasn't Anderson, who first grabbed the top spot, but Rodger Brogdon and his 6.545 at 210.67 during Friday's first qualifying session. Brogdon's ET was also a new track record and only just the beginning of it being reset numerous times throughout all four qualifying sessions of Pro Stock.

Greg Anderson drove his Summit Pontiac right to the top of the pack during the final stop of the "Western Swing" at the 24th annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals

While Anderson made a very solid hit during the first session and set himself in the fourth spot, it was during the second round of qualifying where he and his team would begin to shine. As part of the final pair to make their run, Anderson jumped all the way to the top, bumping Mike Edwards to number two when he tied Edwards ET from just the pair before with his identical 6.514. But thanks to Anderson's faster 211.16 MPH he would grab the provisional pole after the wrap of Friday's on track action.

"It was not a perfect run," he confessed just after Friday's second session. "It wasn't off by a lot, but we were just a little bit too soft, even though it got the job done. We'll get more aggressive tomorrow to see if it will run a little faster - looking at the graph, it seems like it will, but we'll have to wait and see what happens. Of course, a lot will depend on the weather - if the clouds remain, it should be very fast."

"With only fifteen cars here, there's a little extra incentive for being No.1, as you'd have a bye in the first round," he continued. "That's a luxury we'd like to have, because it would allow us to try a few things we could do otherwise. For one night, I've got a leg up on doing that, but we'll have to see what happens in the morning. We run early enough in the morning that it is far from over, and we'll do what we can to hold on to that top spot."

When Saturday rolled around so did some unwanted precipitation from Mother Nature early in the day, but it wasn't enough to cause any professional sessions to be scratched. If anything, the air conditions played right into Anderson's hands and he took advantage to not only improve on his earlier ET and MPH, but also reset the Pro Stock track ET record again with his 6.536 during the third session.

During the final session later in the day, Anderson made a comfortable 6.546 run and thanks to his previous lap, held on to the pole for Sunday.

"Yesterday was a fantastic day for the Summit Racing team, and today was even better," said Anderson after qualifying wrapped up on Saturday. "The crew chiefs and all the guys on the crew are just doing a tremendous job right now. Our cars are becoming fun and easy to drive, and they're consistently fast - you couldn't ask for anything better than that."

"These are definitely our type of conditions," he added. "I seem to excel when it's cool out, so we're always excited to come out here and race, because we know we'll have a great chance of doing well."

The number one qualifier for Anderson has lots of bonuses, from gaining the maximum per event points for the 2012 K&N Horsepower Challenge and the $3,000 bonus check from K&N Engineering to a very uncommon first round bye for Sunday's Eliminations.

The Seattle event marked the first time since 1975 that the NHRA Pro Stock class had less than sixteen cars and Anderson pointed out that earning the extremely rare first round bye was "a huge, huge bonus."

"I haven't had a lot of number one qualifiers. I've had one in the last two years," he confessed. "To get it here, my guys did their jobs. I thank my lucky stars we came out on top. A lot of tough cars came within thousandths, but they didn't quite get 'er done." While Anderson may not have had a ton of poles lately, the feat at Seattle marked his outstanding 75th career Pro Stock number one and moved him to within just five points of 2012 K&N Horsepower Challenge leader Erica Enders.

After a crazy three races in a row for the NHRA Pro Stock teams, they will get one week to recoup before heading to the "Zoo" at Brainerd International Raceway for the 30th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota.

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.

K&N Sponsored Michael Lewis Earns First Win and 6th at Spa Formula 3 Italia Event

11.08.2011

The win at Spa-Francorchamps was Lewis' first for the PREMA Powerteam in the Formula 3 Italia Championship.

Michael Lewis loves his job. Which works out perfectly because he's really good at it. So, the question remains, does he keep resetting his high-water mark because of that deep affection, or does the bond intensify as a result of his continuing success on the racetrack?

Lewis leads a hard-charging Maxime Jousse during Round 7 of the Formula 3 Italia event at Spa-Francorchamps.

As with all loves, you only get one chance at the first time, and for Lewis that landmark memory will forever be associated with one of his favorite venues, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. Lewis, driving his K&N Eibach sponsored Prema PowerTeam Dallara, came to Spa-Francorchamps this past weekend and first qualified on the pole, and then, with up being the only place to go, Lewis capitalized on his P1 starting position by earning the Round 7 win on Saturday. Lewis led every lap of the race.

The victory marked Lewis' first Formula 3 Italia Championship Series win. In Round 8 on Sunday Lewis started in the eighth position because of the invert, he finished that round with a solid sixth place. Currently he now sits in second for the overall Championship Series, and he has the clear lead for the Rookie of the Year title.

Lewis celebrates his first F-3 Italia win on the podium with his mechanic Marco Sbabo.

You qualified on the pole Friday and then won on Saturday in less than favorable conditions (it rained); give us some insights on what sort of emotional ride the weekend was for you and your team?

"Honestly, I really enjoy racing at Spa and it is kind of a home track for me. In that sense, I am very familiar with the track. In testing I was very fast and Prema has been developing the car in the F3 Euroseries category, so we had a strong package for when we arrived at the race weekend. In every session I was having a lot of fun perfecting my line and trying to squeeze the most out of the car. The same applied for qually. I just went and drove the car, with the necessary driving and car improvements from practice, and that was it. For me, you must be positive and have fun in what you are doing, this is essential. Grabbing pole position was great! Also the win in the wet was nice!"

The K&N sponsored driver said he had a strong race package from the moment the team arrived at the racetrack.

Was there one definitive factor that made this weekend a huge success for you, or is it simply a matter of you continuing to feel more comfortable out there?

"Every time I drive I feel more comfortable and confident. Also, my engineer, driver-coach, and I, put together an excellent plan for each time I hit the track. I love to race, and I enjoy every moment I get to drive."

The Laguna Beach, California native declares that he loves to race, and clearly F-3 racing loves him right back.

If I counted correctly you have eight races left in this series, have you modified anything about your approach to the rest of the season, or are you still holding firm to your original race plan?

"Basically, every session I am on the track I try to squeeze everything out of the car. The result may vary. Sometimes we will be on the pole, or sometime we will be fourth. In any case, it is the same objective and nothing has changed; push to be first place and that's it."

Your schedule has you coming back home to race, will there be any celebrating with family and friends over this win, or will you hold the celebrating until the season is completed?

"Unfortunately, I must stay in Italy. It was a change in my original plan, and I will not be able to see my friends and family this month. My parents and I spoke via Skype immediately when I returned to my home in Italy, and they are very happy. Although I will not be able to see my family and friends in person, I am continually in contact with everyone."

As a point of interest, how do you keep yourself fit to be able to race at the top of your game each week, do you have fitness program or a trainer?

"Basically I train all day and every day. My job is to drive well, and to drive well I must be physically fit, and to be physically fit I must train. So in a sense, my job is to train. My driver-coach will often train with me, and we will do a lot of cardio and also weights at the gym. You must be overall very fit, but one's shoulders, neck, and legs muscles must be worked on a bit more."

"What's nice is my gym is very close to where I live, and since I have been going there so much, all of the trainers and people know me very well. It's nice to catch up with other people and work out as well."

Lewis' next F-3 Italia Championship race will be Rounds 9 and 10 at the Adria Circuit, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy on September 3 and 4.

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