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Daniel Suarez Wins First NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio

15 Jul 2013

Daniel Suarez crosses the finish line at Columbus Motor Speedway for his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East victory.

Daniel Suarez won his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio. Cale Conley posted his best finish of the season and Dylan Kwasniewski is starting to run away with the lead in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings.

Suarez, a 21-year-old from Monterrey, Mexico, took the lead from Kwasniewski on lap 65 and was out front for the remainder of the NAPA 150.

Daniel Suarez led 88 laps of the K&N Pro Series East race NAPA 150 Columbus Motor Speedway.

Daniel Suarez led 88 laps of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race NAPA 150 Columbus Motor Speedway.

"It's amazing. I cannot explain this feeling," said Suarez, driver of the No. 6 Toyota for Rev Racing. "I worked really hard for this moment. I'm really happy for this result. I am really happy too for all these guys. They are working really hard for this result. Just try to keep this momentum going."

Suarez also won the NASCAR Toyota Series race in Monterrey, Mexico on June 30. His win at Columbus Motor Speedway was the first in 24 starts in the K&N Pro Series East. He became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race since Rogelio Lopez at Nashville in 2007.

Conley, who won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway last year, was second, his third top-five finish in eight races.

Daniel Suarez celebrates his win in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Columbus Motor Speedway.

"Daniel was super fast," Conley said. "May have been able to get to him, but Dylan had such a good restart, he was right on his butt and I was blocked out."

Kwasniewski won the pole and led the first 64 laps of the race. Suarez worked his way from the seventh starting spot to challenge Kwasniewski for the lead. There were only three caution periods in the race for 17 laps.

Daniel Suarez shows off his trophy after winning the NAPA 150 at Columbus Motor Speedway.

"(Suarez) was so good on the long runs," Conley said. "Who would have thought Columbus would be a long-run race. And it was. We weren't bad. We had a second or third place car."

Conley dominated the race at Columbus Motor Speedway last year. He started on the front row and took the lead on the first lap. He led every lap and won the first race of his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East career. This time around, he ran with the leaders, but had trouble matching Suarez.

"Not the same story as last year, but totally new team, totally new shop," Conley said. "This year, we've struggled. This was our highest finish we've had all year. We started from zero and now we're getting second places halfway into the year. It's not where we were last year, but from where we were at early, this feels like a win for us. If it wasn't for the guys, we wouldn't be here."

With his third-place finish, Kwasniewski padded his lead in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings. He is 23 points ahead of Brett Moffitt, who finished seventh at Columbus Motor Speedway. Ben Kennedy, who was ninth at Columbus, is 30 points behind Kwasniewski after eight races.

"We had a good car. It was close," Kwasniewski said. "I was just trying to conserve my stuff as long as I could. I knew it was just a matter of time before we got passed by Suarez." Kwasniewski won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship in 2012.

The next NASCAR K&N Pro Series race is at Iowa Speedway on August 2. It will be the second race for the drivers and teams from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West.

Related K&N News Articles about Columbus Motor Speedway and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East: Cale Conley Wins First NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio; NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Racer Dylan Kwasniewski Wins at Langley Speedway in Virginia; Darrell Wallace Jr. Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race at Columbus Motor Speedway; NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Racer Ben Kennedy Wins NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at Bowman Gray Stadium; Driver Ryan Gifford Wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race Blue Ox 100 at Richmond International Raceway

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NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Racer Kenzie Ruston Makes Her Mark

15 Jul 2013

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racer Kenzie Ruston

It didn't take long for Kenzie Ruston to make her mark on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. With her third-place finish at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina, the second race of the season, Ruston became the highest-finishing female driver in the 26-year history of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

She added two more top fives in the first seven races of the season and is in contention for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East rookie of the year.

The 21-year-old from Reno, Okla., is not only becoming the most celebrated women driver in series history, but one of the more respected drivers in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

"At the start of the year, maybe because I didn't expect to be right off the bat to be competitive running top five and top 10, to be running with the guys and earning respect and showing them a girl can do this," Ruston said. "We belong here too, as much they do. I'm dedicated to this just like they are."

She said when the season started her team set a goal to win the rookie of the year. The team also wanted to be in the top 10 in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings.

Ruston is in eighth place in the East Series standings and has reset her goals. She wants to be a top-three driver by the end of the season.

Her breakthrough performance at Greenville Pickens Speedway started a string of record-breaking races for Ruston. Even though she posted an impressive finish at Greenville Pickens, she said it could have been better.

"It was quite crazy," Ruston said. "Everybody was so excited and I was so disappointed because I thought we had a little bit better car than third. I thought we were second or could have even gone for the win that day. Top three in my second race is beyond crazy."

She had to rally through the field for her third-place finish at Greenville Pickens. She didn't qualify well and started the race in 17th in a field of 26 drivers.

"We were close there at the end," Ruston said. "We worked and worked and worked and worked in practice to get our race set-up good. We didn't focus that much in qualifying. I definitely have to get better in qualifying so we don't have to start far back and burn our stuff up."

She followed her third-place finish at Greenville Pickens with a fourth-place finish at Five Flags Speedway in Florida. Fellow rookie Mackenna Bell finished fifth in the next NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Richmond International Raceway. It marked the first time in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East history that female drivers finished in the top five in three races in a row.

"I think us rookies can run pretty well," Ruston said. "I think we're just trying to learn from the veterans. Hopefully next year be just as competitive and run for the championship."

Ruston returned to the top five in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina. She finished fourth. Bell was sixth making it the first time in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East history that two female drivers finished in the top 10 in the same race.

Ruston is in second place in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East rookie of the year standings. She is one point behind Gray Gaulding with eight races remaining. The next race on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East schedule is at Columbus Motor Speedway in July 13.

Related K&N News Articles about NASCAR K&N Pro Series East: Daniel Suarez Wins First NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Race at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio; NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Racer Ben Kennedy Wins NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at Bowman Gray Stadium; NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Driver Ryan Gifford Wins Blue Ox 100 at Richmond International Raceway; NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Racer Gray Gaulding Gears up for 2013 Race Season

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Another Podium for Cadillac Challenge Series Racer Bob Michaels & Heavyweight Racing in C3 Modified

12 Jul 2013

Bob Michaels and team Heavyweight Racing have earned podium positions during evry race of the 2013 nseason thus far.

As the second season of the Cadillac Challenge Series gets underway, team Heavyweight Racing's Bob Michaels, seems to be on the right track. Having competed in the series since its fruition, the driver came into year-two with a mission and hasn't looked back since the initial waving of the 2013 green flag.

Bob Michels is anticipating yet another successful season in the Cadillac Challenge Series.

Racing in the C3 Unlimited Modified class, Michaels challenged his competitors with vigor in round-one, at the Auto Club Speedway, in Fontana, California. When the checkered flag deemed the event over, the driver was sitting in second place, less than one-half a second behind the winner.

With the first event of the season in the rearview mirror, Michaels headed for the Chuckwalla Raceway, situated about 60-miles east of Palm Springs, California. And his intentions were no different. He had aspirations of earning yet another position on the podium.

Lining up against a record turnout in his class, the driver focused on the task at hand. After a fierce battle, Michaels closed the race in third place with only two-seconds separating him from the victory. Although a win would have been most savored, he was more than happy to have earned a rightful spot on the podium.

The driver's next bout in the C3 Unlimited Modified class took place just north of Bakersfield, California, at the Button Willow Raceway Park. Round-three brought with it another huge turnout of competitors, but Michaels had no intentions of letting numbers prove intimidating. In fact, he managed to finish the event in second place, putting team Heavyweight Racing in the overall points lead.

Looking back at his recent string of success, the driver said, "This season has turned out to be one of the most competitive and challenging racing series I've competed in. Many teams stepped up their programs from the C2 class and modified their cars to run in C3. Consistency has been the key to success this year. We have managed to place on the podium at each of the first six events, with our first win of the season at Willow Springs Raceway.

Bob Michaels is a strong advocate of proper maintnenace and depends upon K&N products for hisfiltering needs.

"We currently sit first in the championship point standings in our class," he continued. "But we are only half-way through the season, with five more races to go."

When asked the key to continued success throughout 2013, Michaels explained, "I don't know if there is necessarily one thing or another that captures success in this series. Minding your program and staying focused on the fundamentals in preparing for each race has been my practice.

"The key to holdong the lead (overall points) will be maintaining the constant pace we've established. We must keep the car on the track for each session and avoid any mistakes with set-ups. I fully expect my fellow competitors to be focused on catching me, and it will get tight by the end of December."

Bob Michaels is mindful that his team will play a significant role in his overall success throughout the season. "I started Heavyweight Racing to support my time attack efforts with the car," recalled the driver/team-owner. The team sets the foundation for the level of performance we want to achieve. All of the guys associated with the team are devoted to winning, and likewise, I stand behind the them, and our efforts."

With an increasing stiffer competition, Bob Michaels and his team will be quick to agree that mechanical issues must be avoided in order to experience success on a consistent basis. That being said, they are strong advocates of using K&N products to keep their engines running contaminant free.

"When you push your equipment to the edge, it's very important to be proactive with maintenance," explained Michaels. "It can be the difference between winning and losing. With regular maintenance, we can avoid the distractions caused from a mechanical issue."

Referring to their filtering systems, the driver continued, "I run K&N products on all of my equipment. For the race car, we run a custom cold-air intake with a K&N air filter. Since we run on remote and dusty tracks, I also use the K&N pre-charger filter wrap as well. It's surprising how much dust you can collect throughout the day.

K&N products have always represented quality," he continued. "When we built the car and needed a special size and shape for the air filter, K&N had what we needed. K&N air intakes on my trucks and transporters certainly help us get to and from the tracks efficiently."

With one-half the season ahead of them, Bob Michaels and Heavyweight Racing are anticipating more trips to the podium in the weeks to come. When asked what fans can expect throughout the remainder of the season, The driver ensured, "We're headed into the second half of the season with determination to continue with our pace and consistency. We're determined to take the championship for a second straight year."

Outlaw 5.0 Index Class Drag Racer Eric Gullett Gets a New Lease On Life

12 Jul 2013

Eric Gullett is looking forward to getting his car fine tuned and growing more consistent throughout the remainder of the season. Photo by Chris Sears Photography.

Most folks in the business of racing dove into the sport at a fairly young age. Eric Gullett, on the other hand, recently embarked upon his fourth season as a drag racer at the age of 41. One might ask why Gullett waited so long in life to chase his dream. The answer is not only interesting, but is also an inspiration to many.

Upon experiencing his first event, Eric Gullett fell in love with the noise, speed and sensations of drag racing.

"I ran a successful clothing company in Southern California, which back at that time was heavily involved in the exploiting counter-culture movement of surf, skate and motocross," he explained. "I guess you could say I chased after as many of life's highs as I could get - money, girls, cars, etc. . . As a young single man, that was a lot of rope, and I eventually got tangled up in it. In 2005, I had a life threatening motocross accident, and after so many highs and lows, I just struggled with what my true purpose would be," Gullett continued. "Depression, alcohol and prescription drugs led me down a dead-end path and into trouble with the law."

But with time, Gullett eventually came to the realization that his life was not going in the right direction. "In 2007, I decided that I didn't want to live like that anymore," assured the drag racer. "So I pulled the plug on everything in California and moved to Tennessee, where I got a fresh start and a new lease on life. I went through drug and alcohol recovery, started going to church and got baptized in 2008," he shared. "I've come to realize that my true purpose in this life is to love God with all of my heart, all my mind, all my soul and all my strength; And to honor others by having a servant attitude."

After getting hooked on alcohol and drugs earlier in his life, Eric Gullett is now headed in the right direction and is engulfed in the sport of drag racing.

Not only had Gullett totally changed his mindset, but he was also on the brink of embarking upon a sport that would spark a burning desire that could not be quenched. That's right, he purchased his first, and only, drag car - A true 1969 Camaro with a steel body, stock frame rails and a fiberglass front clip.

"I've pretty much always raced something," recalled Gullett. When I was in my teens, I started road cycling. Later, I got into motocross, and with age came the roll cage (drag racing)! After my first pass, I was hooked! I instantly fell in love with the noise, speed and sensations. Ever since, it's been an ongoing process to push a little more and race in a faster class every season."

Competing in the Outlaw 5.0 Index class. the driver is still a little wet behind the ears compared to some of his fellow drivers. And as expected, his record will benefit from improvement.

In fact, modifications to the car throughout the winter months have led to a few bugs that have yet to be fine tuned. In turn, he has experienced a lack of the consistency needed to win at index racing. However, when the 2012 season was deemed over, Eric Gullett earned a win in the 5.0 class at the final Head Hunters South Big Dog Shootout.

The driver also managed to cinch six wins in the 2010-2011 season and earned the runner-up spot in the points race for the ORSCA series. That being said, Gullett was optimistic about the future. "I believe it will come back around," he said.

Mother Nature brought with her heavy precipitation and a rain-out to his most recent race, the Southern Outlaw Tour, at Montgomery, Alabama. However, the driver is looking forward to the remaining events of the season.

Referring to the most anticipated race, he said, "The Owingsville, Kentucky NOPI series. It's located near my hometown, and we're going to try to run some Outlaw 10.5 stuff, which will be an all-out 'Run what you brung' type of deal."

With aspirations of what lies ahead in his racing career, Eric Gullett is acutely aware that proper maintenance will play a significant role in his overall success. "It's of utmost importance," he explained in reference to maintenance. "You can't win anything if you've neglected your equipment, and it fails. Parts attrition will reach up and bite you at the most inopportune time."

That in mind, the driver is a strong advocate of keeping the internal components of his engine clean. In turn, he uses K&N products for his filtering needs. "I've been using K&N air filters on the street for years," he explained. "In the race car, I've used K&N oil, fuel and air filters for the past couple of seasons with great results. K&N not only makes extremely durable products, but they are always on the cutting edge with research and development. I like companies who are progressive. K&N is so involved in all forms of motorsports that there's crossover in technology. And in the end, we all benefit."

Savoring the sport of drag racing, Eric Gullett stated, " I enjoy the relationships and kinships that you develop with competitors, sponsors and promoters as you go through the highs and lows. It's a tough sport. takes up a lot of time and money, and there aren't too many people outside of it that can relate to the insanity."

In closing he continued, "Short-term, we're looking to nail down some index consistency and start running near the front again. . . Long-term, We'd really love to be running in the modified some day."

Related K&N News Articles about Drag Racing: NHRA Mello Yellow Drag Racing's Pro Stock Drivers Battle for Position in K&N Horsepower Challenge; Drag Racing's Team Ballard Family Racing's Emma and Arley Ballard Set Goals for 2013 Season; Lamb Motorsports' NHRA Drag Racing Team Experience Stellar 2012 Season; Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School - Building Dreams and Successful Careers

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Female Off-Road Race Team Zen Pro Racing Looks Forward to Continuing Their Winning Streak

12 Jul 2013

ZenPro Racing competes in a variety of off-road racing series.

In early 2009, Mo Martinez, and Chuck Neugebauer embarked upon a film production focusing on a girls racing team competing in the SCORE-International events. "We were absorbed by the competitive spirit associated with off-road racing and morphed into one of the most successful female off-road racing teams to date," recalled Zen Pro Racing team owner, Mo Martinez.

Zen Pro Racing is an all female off-road racing team that has experienced an impressive amount of success.

"Soon after filming and documenting the race-team in San Felipe, Mexico, we decided to regroup and search for the finest female racers in the nation, providing them with corporate sponsorship incentives. In turn, we would provide the racer with media exposure and strategically provide our sponsors the same in form of signage at all of the race events attended."

In turn, team Zen Pro Racing (ZPR) came to fruition, a team comprised of all female racers. The team has continued to grow, and in fact, sports 21 members in all. Although there are other off-road race teams consisting exclusively of females, Martinez considers their crew as more structured and organized.

Zen Pro Racing wasted no time in proving the team would become a force to be reckoned with. Competing in the SandFest week, at North Bend, Oregon, they walked away with seven titles in just one week. ZPR dominated the events for the next three consecutive seasons, thus earning them the honor of being declared the "Best of the West" against the other females teams in the competition.

Zen Pro Racing has earned titles in many of the most renowned off-road racing series and is looking forward to continuing their winning streak.

Although most teams would be more than satisfied to excel in one series, Zen Pro Racing is revered for their skills and riding abilities in many. In fact, the team's riders have earned several championships. They have walked away with 8 titles in the past few years. including the X Games, WORCS, Quad X, AMA District 38, Dirt Series, Dade Series MX, RMX and Lucas Oil Series. The team has earned championships in a plethora of other series as well.

Having consistently been well-represented throughout the community of female off-road racing, the team obviously has a knack for recruiting some of the best competitors in the business. When asked the characteristics of a good rider, Martinez said, "We feel strength, combined with endurance, are the key traits to a good racer; That combined with strategic and mental awareness."

Looking back, Martinez suggested that, sisters, Shannon Crouch and Chelsea McShane are the "two most profound racers" who have been with Zen Pro Racing for the longest period. According to the the owner, both team members played a significant role in their early success, with seven podium wins at SandFest 2009 between them.

Referring to the newest member of the team, Martinez mentioned Clearwater, Florida native, Sara Sandusky. The rider jumped aboard early on in 2012 and closed the season with a series win.

Although some of the riders have obviously been members of the team for longer periods than others, Martinez ensured that no particular rider is considered as the leader. "Although our girls are proficient in many aspects as team members, we share one thing in common - to do our very best," the team owner explained. "We do not structure our team in forms of a hierarchy system. We do not believe it is important to assign a team leader amongst our racers."

Zen Pro Racing's stat's are a testimony to each and every team member's riding skills. However, Martinez is also savvy to the fact that one of the greatest keys to success is well-tuned and dependable equipment.

" To get the holeshot is a definite advantage in all of the series. Us signing on with Barnett Performance clutch kits has given us that extra edge. Utilizing their race clutches has helped us along the way to numerous victories.

"Maintenance of our vehicles is very critical and goes hand-in-hand with safety factors as well," Martinez continued. "We recognize the importance of the right maintenance plan, the right equipment , detailed preparation, and most of all, safety for everyone involved in the sport. "

With proper maintenance in mind, the team is a strong advocate of using the best filtration systems on the market. Striving to ensure the internal components of their engines remain contaminant free, Zen Pro Racing recently turned to K&N products to help fight the rigors of off-road racing.

"We currently use an assortment of K&N air filters and are looking to equip our vehicles with their oil filters in the very near future," stated Martinez. " In the pursuit of perfection, we found that K&N products have improved our machines' performance ten-fold. After researching numerous possible replacements, we decided to give K&N products a go and have not been disappointed. Stellar performance products which are pertinent to our system's integrity on our race machines.

"We feel, especially with their air filters, it has provided and increase in mass air flow, thus increasing our machines' ability to breath easier and simultaneously providing a quicker throttle response throughout the power-band range of our machines.

With an impressive crew of excellent drivers and quality products on board, Zen Pro Racing is looking forward to what lies ahead in the future. When asked what fans can expect throughout the remainder of the 2013 season, Mo Martinez said, "For the past few years of the making and fielding of outstanding team racers, ZPR has truly been a formidable presence in off-road racing and a dominating force in the world of desert racing. We look forward to sweeping several of the nationals and international series."

Related K&N News Articles about female off-road racing: Off-Road Racing's Brooke Kawell Racing Readies for 2013 LOORRS Modified Kart Championship Bid; Brooke Kawell Currently Sits 8th in Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Modified Kart Points; Fourteen-Year-Old Modified Kart Off-Road Racer Brooke Kawell Anticipates Success in 2013; Off-Road Racer Corry Weller Makes LOORRS History in 2011 as First Female to Win a Championship

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