The store will not work correctly when cookies are disabled.
We use cookies to make your experience better.To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
Using the principle of ground force hydroplanes in effect fly over water.
The first time we contacted Jay Gignac at home in Greenfield, New Hampshire to see if he was interested in doing a story about hydroplane racing he said, "Absolutely! As soon as all the snow goes away, 33 inches fell between Friday and Saturday and more is coming." Although he was a good sport, it was regrettably bad timing on our part. Living in southern California we're not tuned in with the need to dig your home out from snow.
After a long a snowy winter Jay Gignac and his Gi Wizz Hydroplane Racing Team is ready to hit the water.
The snow is long gone now and this time around Gignac began the conversation with, "Welcome to the team of K&N Inboard Hydroplane competition and Gi Wizz Racing." Gignac is the driver of the GNH-55 which competes within the Grand National Hydro class of hydroplane racing. Gignac is also the owner of the Gi Wizz Racing Team, which is a member of the American Power Boat Association (APBA). The APBA is the US National Authority for the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), which is the international governing body of power boating.
"Gi Wizz Racing started back in the 60's as the G Team, an outboard hydroplane team that over the last 53 years has evolved into a prestigious Grand National Inboard Hydroplane Team," Gignac continued. "A Grand National Hydroplane, aka GNH or 7 Liter, is the largest non-supercharged inboard hydroplane class. They are usually powered by big block Chevrolet based engines (up to 511 cubic inches) with a hot rod racing engine that produces over 750 horsepower. The highly competitive GNH's are capable of reaching speeds in excess of 150 mph, and they throw 70-foot rooster-tails, thrilling drivers and fans alike. Our team is made up of many talented and win driven individuals and we are ready to go racing."
Using the principle of ground force hydroplanes in effect fly over water.
If you are a motorsport fan and you've never been to a hydroplane race, you owe yourself the experience. A hydroplane, aptly nicknamed thunderboat, is actually more plane than boat. By definition a hydroplane has two or more planning surfaces, so that at speed, the weight of the hull is supported by the planning forces. A key aspect of hydroplanes is that they use the water they are on for lift, rather than buoyancy, as well as for propulsion and steering. Hydroplanes use the principle of "ground force," so when travelling at high speed, water is forced downwards by the bottom of the boat's hull. The water therefore exerts an equal and opposite force upwards, lifting the vast majority of the hull out of the water during racing. Some hydroplanes even have the center section designed like an aircraft wing to help them glide through the air and only barely in touch with the water during a race. It's an incredibly visceral experience because you don't only see and hear the race, but you feel the thundering power in your gut as they wreck havoc with the laws of physics.
"Along with our Crew Chief/Engine Builder, Leo Croisetier of R&L Engines, boat builder Bruce Mason, who keeps our big girl afloat, and the entire crew, we are looking forward to a very competitive season," Gignac said. "2013 will bring on a newly rebuilt big block power plant too, that we've named 'The Beast!' Leo assures us that she will be extremely reliable and with plenty of horsepower. We can't wait to get her fired up!"
Related K&N News Articles about Hydroplane Racing: K&N Sponsored UL-11 Hydroplane - Miss Executif Racing Wins Polson Regatta; Hydroplane UL-11 Power Punch Race Team/94Five ROXY/K&N Wins at Firebird; Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association Racing Team Defies Odds
Racers were greeted by near perfect race day temps and wicked speeds through the trees.
After a disappointing Mint 400, Doc Glass kept the past where it belongs, and he moved forward, taking the Class 8 victory at the Silver State 300. "We broke a rear spindle at the Mint," Glass said. "Just inside of the wheel seal/outside of the caliper mount, oil went all over brakes, etc. I repaired the housing with a new spindle for the SS300."
Kingman, Arizona's Doc Glass survived the choking dust to win Class 8 at Silver State 300.
Dr. Macrae Glass, the Kingman, Arizona chiropractor, and the KC Hilites/Glass Chiropractic racing team recently competed in The Best in the Desert's (BITD)
Silver State 300, held near Alamo, Nevada. "We were greeted by near perfect temperatures, wicked speeds in the trees, and stout competition," he remarked.
"We drew the number 1 starting spot, with the winners from the last two events lined up behind us. Ken Kelly rode as navigator. The last round hurt more than our feelings with that broken rear spindle and a DNF. A solid finish was the goal of the day."
Glass and Kelly took the green flag and with their focus firmly set on that singular goal, as they headed on to pit 1 and then 2, navigating through the engine choking dust.
"We pulled in to pit 3 for fuel and an air cleaner wrap and we moved on," Doc said. "We picked up the pace to pit 4, and it became clear, all the winter testing with springs and shocks had paid off. This was the best the front had ever worked. We headed onto pit 6 for fuel and one more air cleaner wrap, and we pulled out with a 7.5 minute lead. Second and third place were breathing down our necks, but we had something for them. We picked up the pace and charged to the finish, first in class 8 and 32nd overall. This was our first win of the year, and it feels really good to get back on top of the podium. We sit atop the points for the mid-season break and then it's off to the Vegas to Reno race in mid August, which is the next event on the six race BITD thrash."
"The SS300 went off as planned," Glass adds. "We spent the better part of the winter into spring working on a faster suspension setup as we chisel away on more speed. The truck was pretty darn good at the SS. Of course, were still always using the HP5001 oil filter and the E-3760 air to help make big power!"
Related K&N News Articles about Macrae Glass: K&N's Dr. Macrae Glass Wins BITD Henderson 250 Class 8 and Class Championship; Macrae Glass Gets Class 8 Win at the 2011 Mint 400; Macrae Glass Best in the Desert Again - With 2010 Class 8000 Championship; Macrae Glass Wins Brutally Hot BITD Vegas to Reno Race;
TORC Series PRO Lite racer Cam Reimers at Eldora Speedway
Cam Reimers took advantage of sloppy, stormy conditions at Eldora Speedway and posted his first top-five finish of the season in the Traxxas TORC Series in May.
Reimers, running his first full season in the TORC Series, was fifth in the PRO Lite race at Eldora Speedway in Ohio. Eldora Speedway was supposed to host Rounds 3 and 4 of the TORC Series, but rain washed out the fourth round.
The stormy conditions evened the playing field for Reimers and his team. Rain washed out the practice sessions and qualifying; leaving some of the better-funded teams without the data to make adjustments before the race.
PRO Lite racer Cam Reimers is running his first full season in the TORC Series
"I wasn't that upset. There are quite a few high-dollar, budget teams there that make a lot of changes and have a lot of different gearing choices," Reimers said. "We're kind of limited on some of that. The less test and tune time they have, sometimes it's not all bad for a team like us. I enjoyed it. I actually didn't mind only being on the track once."
His first top-five finish came after a disappointing opening to the season at Dodge City Raceway in Kansas. Reimers opened with an 11th-place finish in the opening race and followed with a seventh-place finish in Round 2.
The team gradually improved through the first three races of the season, an encouraging trend, Reimers said. He anticipated better results at Eldora Speedway after the races in Kansas.
"The team is getting better race to race," Reimers said. "To be completely honest, I feel better every time I get in the truck. It was muddy and the track conditions were terrible, but I still just kind of focused on racing, not necessarily the truck. There wasn't a lot of thought behind it. I was just driving and stuff kind of clicked."
Cam Reimers is in ninth place in the TORC Series PRO Lite standings after six rounds
Conditions at Eldora Speedway were terrible. The first two practice sessions were cancelled because of rain. Reimers said the track officials had about 10 drivers meetings to inform the teams about the changes in the schedule. Qualifying was cancelled and the start of the race was delayed because of the weather.
"To be quite honest, they didn't do much to prep the track," Reimers said. "They weren't doing much to make it better. They put us right out on the track after it rained. It was raining so hard, we did one little pace lap and they sent us right back into the pits. It poured for 15 minutes. It came down hard."
Rounds 3 and 4 were supposed to be run at Eldora Speedway. Round 4 was postponed because of the weather.
Reimers posted a pair of top-10 finishes at Bark River International Raceway in Minnesota. Bark River hosted Round 4, 5 and 6 of the TORC Series. He was sixth in the Round 4 race and eighth in the Round 5 race. He finished in 11th place in the Round 6 race.
But Reimers, an accomplished motocross rider, said he expects to win some races even in his first season in the TORC Series. He is in ninth place in the TORC Series PRO Lite standings after six rounds.
"Our goal is to come out and to win," Reimers said. "We come from a type of racing where we're accustomed to winning. I like to go for the top five. Some team's goals are a top five. But that's not our goal. I think we might need to have some luck to pull off a win. I don't think that's a stretch of the imagination to say that. Our goals are to win races."
The next two races in the TORC Series are at Crandon International Off Road Raceway in Wisconsin at the end of June.
"We're limited on budgets compared to some teams, but we've got good people behind us that are helping us," Reimers said. "Out of the smaller teams, I would definitely put ours as the strongest one out of all of them."
Using K&N filters is one of the reason Reimers team is running as well as it is. During the races in Dodge City, Reimers flipped his truck in practice and the filters prevented a dangerous situation from escalating.
"I rolled the truck over in practice and could see the fuel coming out the filter lid," Reimers said. "They're thinking about mandating a rule for that, you have to run a filter lid like how K&N makes so the fuel runs out. They had an incident the next night where a guy rolled. They rolled him back over and there was a huge flash fire. I think about stuff like that even from a safety aspect with the K&N deal. That could have been me."
Related K&N News Articles about Cam Reimers:Cam Reimers Comeback in 2012 Should Translate to a Successful 2013 Season; Cam Reimers Walks Away From Loretta Lynn's With Two Overall Wins
Rosas says she's looking to work on her lines and speed at every track event she attends.
Riding motorcycles teaches you to value the power of patience and the total pristine beauty of focusing only on the moment. Motorcycles don't suffer fools well. Split-second decisions made only by overriding ego ultimately and always meet head-on with the unflinching laws of physics. That's the first lesson you learn. They can also help you to get in the game, instead of regrettably spending a lifetime on the sidelines playing it safe. And they're so overwhelmingly enjoyable to ride that you never think about any of those things except upon reflection. That's what makes motorcycles so addictive, and why those who get it, are so passionate about them.
K&N Human Resources Manager, Lyn Rosas and her Yamaha YZF-R6 spend quality time together bonding at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway.
Take K&N's Lyn Rosas for example; four years ago she had never even been on a motorcycle, and now she has already attended her third TrackDaz event at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in Desert Center, California and she's raring for more. "My husband, Alan actually turned me into a rider," Rosas explains. "He got his 2009 Yamaha R1 back in August of 2009, and after I rode on the back of it, I realized that I wanted my own. I purchased my 2009 Yamaha YZF-R6 in October of 2009 and once I learned how to ride, I just wanted to ride more."
"Chuckwalla Valley Raceway is a great organization and very supportive of all of the riders and all of their paces. The event always starts with a rider meeting where the organizers let all of the riders know the rules and what they can and can't do.
Learning to ride off-chamber turns at speed requires a deft touch.
They always offer classroom instruction for riders that have never ridden on a track or have never ridden on the track that they are riding that day. Then the track day starts, typically with the A group first, which is the fastest of the groups. Each group gets a 20 minute session. Then B group goes, which is the intermediate group, and then C group goes, which is beginners and riders not yet ready to bump up to B. My next track day at Chuckwalla will be in September, and I will be moving up to B group for that session. So far I have only ridden in the C group."
Riding in traffic on the track teaches Rosas the importance of holding her line.
Rosas rides, she doesn't race, and she doesn't believe she ever will. "I just love the adrenaline rush of riding the track," she says. Rosas plans on attending a total of five TrackDaz events this year, where she will continue to work on setting up her lines, and her overall speed around the track. Later this month she will be attending a track riding event with the FastTrack Riders at the California Speedway for the first time. "I am looking forward to it," says Rosas. Then I will be back at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in September and October. Maybe someday I'll be able to ride in group A with the racers, but I still have a lot to learn, and a lot of practice to do before that happens." And so the motorcycle jones intensifies.
Rosas continues to demonstrate keenness for adventure in her job as well. She has worked for K&N for nine years and beginning in January of this year she took on the challenge of Human Resources Manager. "I am sad to say that I had never heard of K&N before I started working here," Rosas acknowledges. "But Alan was excited about me getting this job, because he knew about K&N."
Billy Alley began racing his 360 winged sprint car with this new paint scheme last weekend
The season hasn't been the best of seasons for Midwest sprint car racer Billy Alley in 2013, but his attitude hasn't changed and the Bennet, Nebrasca, driver is closing in on a breakout.
Motor problems and a crash while leading are just a few of the things that have kept Alley down this year, but the motor is repaired and that, along with some other great events have Alley all smiles and ready to go racing.
"We have had a pretty up-and-down season so far," Alley said. "There have been times when we have been really fast, but we are still looking for consistency."
Billy Alley ran up front and finished in the top five in the ASCS National Tour event at I-80 Speedway
The motor problems crept up in early April during a double-header weekend in Alley's home state. It was a disappointing moment, but not as disappointing as his crash while leading the Nebraska 360 Sprints race at Butler County.
"We let one slip away that night," Alley said. "We're better now. We got the car fixed; we fixed the motor issues too. We have a great relationship with our engine builder."
Alley and his Ironwood Builders team concede that this year has been a struggle, but they know it comes with the territory.
"We are still a very young team," Alley said. "We will gain the consistency we are looking for and win some races."
Alley proved he could compete for wins more than once this season. Aside from his run at Butler County, Alley also ran up front and finished in the top five in an ASCS National Tour event at I-80 Speedway.
Alley also welcomed a daughter, Cameron, into the world. He called that moment "the best of the year."
And the potential for more great moment exist with the 360 Knoxville Nationals approaching quickly. That's the one race Alley has had circled all season on his calendar.
"I can't thank my sponsors enough," Alley said. "My car owner, Joe Steinbach, who owns Ironwood Builders. Jeff Lehms at Carpetland, Donn Steinbach at Colby Ridge, Ben and Tim Vogt with Vogt Poured Walls, and everyone else, including Klone Farms, Stepping Stone Genetics, Astro Buildings, Depicted Images by Jeff White, all of my crew guys, and K&N Filters."
"(K&N) provides us with the best filters on the market. Sometimes the average fan doesn't realize that after every night you race, the oil needs to be changed in a sprint car motor. Having the right products and support from a great company like K&N Filters really helps out the team, and I can't thank them enough for that support."
Related K&N News Articles about Billy Alley and I-80 Speedway:Billy Alley Finds Victory Lane at I-80 Speedway Near Greenwood, Nebraska; ASCS Midwest Northern Plains Race at I-80 Speedway in Nebraska with Billy Alley; 2011 Knoxville Raceway Champion Carson McCarl's American Sprint Car Series 360 Race at I-80 Speedway; 360 Sprint Car Racer Brian Brown Gets Checkered Flag at I-80 Speedway Near Greenwood, Nebraska;
