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Catching Up with K&N-Sponsored, LOORRS Racer and Young Gun Cody Rahders

14 May 2012

When I was 10, I clipped a double while practicing, and landed square on my head and suffered a Grade 3 concussion.

They say racing is in the blood. With young gun Cody Rahders, it's pretty easy to believe. "I started racing both motocross and BMX when I was 5 years old," Cody explains. "Dad was racing MX so I wanted to do what dad did." Yet, success in racing doesn't come without its cost. Shortly after competing in the 2003 KTM Challenge at the San Diego Supercross where he rode before 65,000 fans, Cody broke his femur keeping him grounded for 6 months.

Undaunted, Cody returned to the motocross course, sweeping both motos during his first race back, beating out 12 other racers. Unfortunately, Cody suffered yet another severe injury. "When I was 10, I clipped a double while practicing, and landed square on my head and suffered a Grade 3 concussion," stated Cody. It was a year and a half before he rode an MX bike again. "I wanted to start racing MX again, my mom said 'Play ride all you want, but race something with a cage.' We decided to race UTVs. I was 13 when I raced a Super Stock Yamaha Rhino at the M4SX series and finished the season in 5th place. The second year we bought a used modified Rhino, fixed it up and won the M4SX Armature Championship. My 3rd season we converted the Rhino from a UTV to the SR1 platform (two-wheel-drive with a 1000cc street bike engine) and raced at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series; I finished out the season in 5th place."

My mom said, 'Play ride all you want, but race something with a cage.'

Cody's impressive record- including winning every race he entered during the 2009 M4SX Amateur Series, his first win in his SR1 at Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORRS) in 2010, and sweeping rounds 5 and 6 at Glen Helen in 2011- was capped this past seasons with three first places, three seconds, and two third finishes, landing him a fourth place for the season.

Earlier this year, LOORRS announced the end of the SR1/UTV class at the National level, so Cody picked up a Polaris RZR570 to compete in the Production 700 class at the World Off-Road Racing Series (WORCS). With the exception of the roll cage, the RZR was all stock, stock motor, stock suspension, stock wheels and tires, stock clutch, so placing 4th overall in a completely stock RZR against the highly modified regulars in the Production 700 class was a true feat! As the season progressed the RZR570 had been modified to level the playing field and he won the Round 4 of WORCS. Cody's also currently racing a SuperLite Truck at both the Lucas Oil Regional Series (LORORS) as well as the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORRS).

In fact, it was after Cody took the win during Round 5 at LOORRS last season that K&N Filters' Thomas Walden stopped by Cody's pit to chat. Cody remembers, "He saw we were already using K&N products and has been helping support our racing with the best filters ever since." The use of K&N's filters have proven invaluable during last season as their Yamaha R1 engine regularly turned 13,500 RPM, "At that speed the last thing I needed to worry about was my oil filter," Cody remarked, continuing, "This season in our WORCS car I've raced in both the muddiest race and dustiest races I've ever competed in, K&N filters keep my oil and air clean and dry."

Cody would like to extend thanks to Polaris Industries, Cognito Motorsports, UTVunderground, Superchips, Black Rhino Performance, Pro Armour, RacerX Race Radios and especially K&N Filters for all their support.

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.

David Oenes Reflects on the 2011 NHRA Season and Looks Forward to 2012

14 May 2012

David Oenes is looking forward to competing in more events during the 2012 season.

In the military 20 plus years, Master Sergeant David Oenes, is presently a special purpose vehicle mechanic in the Colorado National Guard. After turning bolts day-in and day-out, some folks might stray away from hobbies requiring mechanical issues during their free time. Oenes doesn't have that mindset though, as he spends a portion of his time away from work manning an alcohol burning/supercharged 526 cubic inch Chrysler hemi-powered dragster in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Racing in the Top Dragster class at national and divisional events as well as at Bandimere Speedway, his local track, the driver experienced his fair share of success during the previous season. In fact, Oenes set his career record quickest elapsed time last season, a 6.26, and exceeded his fastest speed in 2012 as well, running 220 miles per hour. Both feats were accomplished at the Arizona Nationals.

The NHRA driver and his team attended ten races last season, two of which were divisional races and one was a national event. "We struggled to begin the year," recalled Oenes, "but once we figured out where our weaknesses were and addressed them, we came from fourteenth in points at the midway point of the season and finished sixth."

David Oenes is no different from his competitors in the fact that he and his team have experienced their ups and downs. Referring to his worst race of 2011, he said, "The Super Chevy race at Bandimere was horrible. We struggled with smoking the tires throughout the event. Having to pedal the car when you're not used to having to do that is aggravating. We put new rear tires on the car, and it solved the problem. You live and learn. Turns out the side walls were weak, causing the tires to smoke."

The driver then shared one of the more enjoyable races that he experienced last season. "The Arizona Nationals last year has many fond memories. It was my first national event and we qualified well with a 6.26 at 220 miles per hour. Pretty impressive, because the weather was over one-hundred degrees every day."

A military man for twenty years plus, in spite of a busy schedule, David Oenes finds time to pursue his passion for drag racing.

Not only had Oenes spent many years in the military, but he is also an old hand at the sport of drag racing. In fact, he has been driving the family race car since 1989. When asked what keeps him enthused about the sport, the driver explained, "The thing I enjoy most about racing is the competition, and the amazing friendships that can be cultivated. One of the coolest people on the planet, whom I met through racing, is my friend from Manitoba, Canada, Clif Bakx and the Wild Cow Racing Team."

Although his responsibilities in his military career can have an effect on the number of races that Oenes can attend, he and his team are anticipating a busier schedule in 2012. "Sometimes being in the military affects what races we can attend. My boss at work supports our racing effort, gives me time off when he can. I am also thankful that our sponsors understand my military commitment and are still gracious to support our team."

Along with crediting his boss and sponsors, David Oenes was quick to give his team a thumbs-up. "The Oenes Motorsports team is compromised of the Oenes family," he explained. "I would not want to, nor could I race without their support. It is a total team effort. We have fun competing and winning as a team," he continued. "I am blessed to have the support that I do."

When asked if he considered maintenance an important factor of racing Oenes said, "Back in high school drag days, checking the oil and putting gas in the car was the maintenance. At the level of competition we are at today, championships are won and lost by how well the vehicle and engine are maintained. It is probably the most important aspect of winning," he continued. "But not only does the car have to be maintained, the driver should be doing his part so he can maintain his focus."

While David Oenes maintains his focus, K&N products are successful at maintaining and protecting the internal parts of his engine. In fact, the driver and his team have been using the K&N HP-5001 oil filter for as long as he can remember. "From the million mile air filter to the oil filters that can be removed with a wrench, money can't buy a better performing product," explained the driver. "I whole-heartedly endorse K&N products. They've even started making filters for large engines, which is perfect. We can even maintain the motor home with K&N filters. Maintenance wins championships. When we won the 2010 Purifoy Chevrolet Fast 16, K&N played a major role by keeping the oil free of debris."

When asked what fans could expect from David Oenes Racing in 2012, the driver said, "Race fans can expect me to give 110 percent. I will also maintain a positive 'can do' attitude! This year I hope to win a WALLY! Although we have won many trophies, the one that has eluded our team so far is the coveted WALLY! It's what every drag racer lives for!"

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.

KNFilters.com Wins 2012 AAIA National Catalog Managers Association Gold

11 May 2012

To be an effective online catalog entails far more than pictures and text slapped on a page - creating a website that provides product features, specifications, applications and brand awareness takes strategic thinking and great design that never stops evolving. This year no one did it any better than K&N, as they once more sit atop the podium representing the gold standard for the Most Outstanding Web Catalog. This is the fourth time K&N has been honored with this prestigious award.

"The National Catalog Manager Association (NCMA) President's Catalog Excellence Awards recognize the best examples of electronic cataloging in the automotive aftermarket," explained U.S. Auto Parts Network's Brian Rowland.

"Winners were chosen from among 25 entries and recognized at the Knowledge Exchange conference recently held in Las Vegas. The submissions were evaluated on criteria such as design, navigation, use of technology, innovation, interactivity, and quality of content. This year, the NCMA is happy to recognize K&N as the best among the 25 electronic catalogs that were submitted. K&N scored particularly well in technology and quality of content. Our congratulations go out to the K&N cataloging team for a job well done!"

The NCMA is the only professional organization dedicated exclusively to the interests of automotive aftermarket catalog managers and they are made up of catalog, product management and marketing professionals from manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Founded in 1974, and over 200 members strong, the NCMA officially became a professional society within the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association back in 2007. This is an award then, presented by a panel of peers, making it a considerably esteemed honor. K&N's Internet Business Manager, Mike Garner, has been at the helm of the successful award winning website for all four gold medals.

"To me it means our team has done a great job making sure our product specifications, applications, images, installation instructions and other data are up to date and accurate. We want to be a known as a product data leader in the automotive industry, so the NCMA award for Most Outstanding Web Catalog tells us we're definitely on the right path," said Garner. "We have more product data, installation videos, and news stories available than in past years. This information helps educate consumers so they are confident in their selection. One ongoing challenge is to provide data in industry standards that change from time to time. With so many different manufacturers and products it is vital to have data standardization, but it takes a commitment to stay current."

"It is very important to have a team that works well together, pays attention to the details and takes action when they see a problem. We listen to feedback from our dealers and consumers to help anticipate what data might help users be confident they are getting the right part, understand the benefits of the product, and the ease of installation. Our website and our customer service department do a great job of gathering this feedback so we can take action as needed."

The silver medal went to DENSO and the bronze went to Standard Motor Products. The companies that compete for this award are highly successful and very well respected, further adding to the impact of this great achievement.

Tim Martin, K&N Vice President of Communications remarked, "Congratulations and thanks to all of our staff who contributed to software development, website design, product information, installation instructions, product test data, photography, news and video production, and other information that was part of the overall award assessment criteria. Great teamwork!"

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.

2012 to 2016 Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000i Roars with K&N Air Filter

11 May 2012

Replacement Air Filter for 2012 to 2016 Arctic Cat Wildcat 951

The Minnesota, Arctic Cat crew has served notice- there's a new top-cat in the sport UTV market. As the demand for sport side-by-sides continues to grow Arctic Cat has stepped up to meet that requirement with their radically designed 2012 to 2016 Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000i H.O. The Wildcat is the latest addition to the Prowler family and this cat is poised to challenge all comers with the largest engine displacement and more suspension travel than any other production sport UTV. Arctic Cat calls it a Recreational Off-Road Vehicle (ROV).

Although a wildcat essentially shares the same overall feline family DNA, there's a streak of untamed insanity coursing through a wildcat, precisely why the badge Wildcat 1000i was chosen for this Arctic Cat offspring. Inspired by the high-performance race buggies that challenge the Baja 1000, the Wildcat clearly looks the part, featuring aggressive race styling and an exoskeleton chassis. But it's the cat's massive suspension that points to its serious off-road intentions. The rear suspension utilizes a five-point multi-link trailing arm and colossal Walker Evans racing shocks with large piggyback oil reservoir that offer a full 18 inches of travel.

Restriction Chart for AC-1012 Air Filter

The 951cc V-Twin, SOHC 4-stroke with electronic fuel injection is the reason for the Wildcat's untamed streak. The largest displacement engine in the pure sport UTV category has been tuned to deliver even stronger acceleration thanks to the extra torque and horsepower provided by heavy breathing 50mm throttle bodies, a new 2-into-1 ceramic-coated exhaust and an all-new air intake system. And now, without changing a single note of tuning, you can dial up the performance on the 1000i power plant an extra notch by simply replacing the stock air filter on that intake system with K&N's AC-1012 high-performance, reusable air filter.

The AC-1012 is a direct replacement for the stock filter making the installation procedure identical to the minimal effort used to swap out the factory air filter. K&N AC-1012 is a low restriction air filter designed to increase horsepower and torque in your 2012 to 2016 Wildcat 1000i. This K&N air filter provides the free flowing air your engine needs for extra performance while providing outstanding engine protection.

Furthermore, the AC-1012 air filter will save you money because it's washable and reusable. Owners won't need to clean the filter until the wire mesh screen on the filter begins to disappear under dirt. When it is time to finally clean the air filter you simply wash and re-oil it with one of K&N's Recharger Kits for the next series of off-road adventures.

K&N AC-1012 fits the following:

2016 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X SPECIAL EDITION 951
2016 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X SE 951
2016 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X LTD 951
2016 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X 951
2015 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X LTD 951
2015 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X 1000 951
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X LTD 951
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X 1000 951
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 4X LTD 1000
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 4X 1000
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 4 LTD 1000
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 4 1000 1000
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 1000 LTD 1000
2014 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 1000 1000
2013 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT X 1000 951
2013 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 4 1000 1000
2013 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 1000 LTD 1000
2013 ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT 1000 1000
2012 to 2016 Arctic CAT WILDCAT 1000 1000

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.

Select 2011 to 2016 Mercedes S-Class, CL-Class, and E-Class Models Benefit from K&N Air Filter

11 May 2012

Replacement Air Filter for Select 2011 to 2016 Mercedes S-class, E-class, and CL-class models

The Mercedes Benz S-Class designation comes from the German word sonderklasse which means special class. Special indeed, a Mercedes Benz S-Class is the sort of car that will have you deliberately avoiding the tunnel through the mountain, so that you a take the longer scenic route around it. It would be easy to assert that every car ever produced contains traces of Mercedes Benz DNA in its lineage, being that before MB, there really was no such thing as the car.

Over the years Mercedes Benz has been a standard-bearer for technology, design, innovation, safety and performance, and if other Mercedes models rate a ten on the "auto-fabulous" meter, then the S-Class recalibrates the meter to eleven. Take, for example, the awe inspiring roar from the 2012 CLS63 AMG's 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 hurtling around the aforementioned mountain. The AMG sport package dials up an already spirited twin-turbocharged mill to 550 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. While the lane-departure and blind-spot monitoring systems feature automatic brake intervention, which acts like a benevolent co-pilot in charge of safety. A new split-view display screen also debut this year, allowing the driver and front-seat passenger to view separate on-screen content.

Restriction Chart for 33-2474 Air Filter

By simply upgrading the existing stock factory installed air filters from any of the select vehicles listed below with K&N's 33-2474 high-flow air filters, that performance meter can be dialed-up even further. K&N air filters have less restriction than disposable paper air filters so your engine doesn't have to work as hard to bring in clean air. Additionally, these will be the last air filters you'll ever buy, being that these replacement air filters are backed with K&N's Million Mile Limited Warranty.

Plus, based on normal driving conditions, you won't even need to think about cleaning your K&N 33-2474 air filters for up to 50,000 care-free miles. When it's time to clean the filters they are easy to wash and reuse. This air filter part, 33-2474, contains two K&N air filters. It is a direct replacement for the OEM double-panel air filter already in the car, making the installation procedure identical. So, by investing exactly the same amount of time and effort as it would take to swap out the stock air filter, you could be increasing horsepower and acceleration, while maintaining the high levels of filtration your Mercedes Benz S-Class deserves.

K&N 33-2474 fits the following Mercedes models (2 panels per Box):

2016 MERCEDES BENZ SL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ SL550 4.6L V8 (2 required)
2016 MERCEDES BENZ S63 AMG 5.5L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ S550 4.6L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ S500 MAYBACH 4.7L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ GLE500 4.7L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ GL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ GL550 4.6L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG S 5.5L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG 5.5L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ E550 4.6L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ CLS63 AMG S 5.5L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ CLS550 4.6L V8
2016 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ SL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ SL550 4.6L V8 (2 required)
2015 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ S63 AMG 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ S550 4.6L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ S500 MAYBACH 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ S500 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ ML63 AMG 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ ML500 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ GLE63 AMG S 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ GLE63 AMG 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ GLE500 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL550 4.6L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL500 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ G63 AMG 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG S 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ E550 4.6L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ E500 4.7L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ CLS63 AMG S 5.5L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ CLS550 4.6L V8
2015 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500 4.7L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ SL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ SL550 4.6L V8 (2 required)
2014 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 4.7L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ S63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ S550 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ S500 4.7L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ S500 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ ML63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ ML550 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ ML500 4.7L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL550 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL500 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL500 4.7L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL450 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ G63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG S 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ E550 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ E500 4.7L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLS63 AMG S 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLS63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLS550 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500 4.7L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ CL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ CL550 4.6L V8
2014 MERCEDES BENZ CL500 4.7L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ SL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ SL550 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 4.7L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ S63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ S550 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ S500 4.7L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ ML63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ ML550 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ ML500 4.7L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ GL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ GL550 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ GL500 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ GL500 4.7L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ GL450 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ G63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ E550 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ E500 4.7L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ CLS63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ CLS550 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500 4.7L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ CL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ CL550 4.6L V8
2013 MERCEDES BENZ CL500 4.7L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 4.7L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ S63 AMG 5.5L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ S550 4.6L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ S500 4.7L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ ML550 4.6L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG 5.5L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ E550 4.6L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ E500 4.7L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS63 AMG 5.5L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS550 4.6L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500 4.7L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ CL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ CL550 4.6L V8
2012 MERCEDES BENZ CL500 4.7L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ S63 AMG 5.5L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ S500 4.7L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ E63 AMG 5.5L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ E500 4.7L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500 4.7L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ CL63 AMG 5.5L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ CL550 4.6L V8
2011 MERCEDES BENZ CL500 4.7L V8

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.