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Jason Johnson and Stenhouse Jr. Racing Have Successful First ASCS 305 Outing

19 Apr 2012

The Jason Johnson Racing team's primary focus is capturing the ASCS National Championship. Photo by Timothy Passmore.

Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, New Mexico is where Jason Johnson Racing and Stenhouse Jr. Racing recently completed their first ever ASCS 305 Sprint Car Shootout together.

"The opportunity for Stenhouse Jr. Racing to compete in our first ASCS 305 race was an education to say the least," commented Johnson. "Coming from the 360 ranks, the 305 ASCS class is very limited on power. The smoother driver, who keeps up his momentum, is definitely the fastest guy. We would like to thank Mesilla Valley Transportation for finding us a competitive engine to be able to compete while traveling through. We always enjoy our time out in Las Cruces, especially being how beautiful the weather is at this time of the year."

From left to right: Crew Chief-Philip Dietz, Tim Courmier, Emily Annett, Jason Johnson. Down front: local fan Chevy Coleman, and Bobbi Johnson. Photo by Timothy Passmore.

Jason and the crew bolted the 305 engine into their Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Gleco Plating Inc. No. 41 and went racing. In Friday night's action, the "Cajun Sensation" finished 5th in his heat and in the A-Main, missing a lock in position for Saturday's race by one spot. The crew woke up early Saturday morning and worked all day to prepare their sprint car for Saturday night's final round of competition.

In Saturday's action Johnson ran third in his heat and finished 9th in the A-Main. According to Johnson, the entire team had a lot of fun racing in Las Cruces. After a quick break the team next headed to Mesquite, Texas to compete in the 39th Annual Spring Nationals at Devil's Bowl Speedway. With Johnson back behind the wheel of a familiar power-curve he was able to notch his second win of the 2012 ASCS National Tour season.

"To capture our second victory of the season with Roush Yates Ford power under the hood of our Stenhouse Jr. Racing Maxim chassis was fantastic," said Johnson. "The Ford engine has great power on the top end, and with Devils Bowl Speedway being a bigger venue, we got to showcase the power Roush Yates has developed. These Stenhouse Jr. crew guys have worked their tails off all winter long looking for more speed, and it is great to begin the ASCS National Tour season off with such success."

Jason Johnson scored his second 2012 ASCS National Tour win at Devil's Bowl Speedway driving his Roush Yates Ford powered car. Photo by Timothy Passmore.

For 2012 Stenhouse Jr. Racing has four Maxim Chassis assembled for Johnson to compete in anywhere from 70 to 90 events throughout the racing season. "With the ASCS National Tour as our main priority, we enjoy filling in the off weekend with racing with other organizations," said Johnson. "One of the benefits of racing under the ASCS banner is there always a regional race we can attend. Included within our schedule for 2012, Stenhouse Jr. Racing looks forward to showcasing the 410 Ford powerplant assembled by Roush Yates Racing Engines. With one common equation to all the varieties of series and engine combinations, K&N products are used exclusively by me and the Stenhouse Jr. organization."

"For the 2012 goals, our main focus is to capture the ASCS National Championship. Along with the championship, we would like to win as many races as possible, with a goal of 25 victories or better. We realize these are tough goals to achieve, but we feel we are up to the challenge!"

Johnson is no stranger to winning championships, in 2010 he and his wife Bobbi captured the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour Championship in their first year as team owners at Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) and they continued their success during the 2011 season by winning a series leading six races, and defending their owner's point title. Johnson and the JJR team are looking to continue their successful momentum in 2012.

Next up, the ASCS National tour moves down to Beaumont, Texas on Friday, April 13th, and Saturday, April 14th. Johnson added, "The very next weekend after Beaumont, we look forward to utilizing the Roush Yates 410 Ford powerplant for the first time in our home base state of Sedalia, Missouri."

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.

Brady Bacon and Wilke-Pak Motorsports Have Ups and Downs at the Midget Stampede

19 Apr 2012

After taking the win at Cowtown, Brady Bacon and Wilke-Pak Motorsports experienced mechanical difficulties on night two.

Pulling into Dallas, Texas, Brady Bacon and team Wilke-Pak Motorsports were geared up for a battle at "The Midget Stampede in Dallas" at the Cowtown Speedway. Racing in the USAC National Midgets class, the driver went into the first night of the event confident. "Going into any race, we always have a pretty high confidence level," shared Bacon. "I believe every competitor's confidence is pretty high before any event."

Driving the Wilke-Pak Motorsport #11 the driver started the night off with a bang, winning his heat race, a standard he planned to follow for the remainder of the night. "It's always a good boost for the night to win the heat race," he explained. "It lets you know that you have a car that is in tune with the track and you hope to carry that to the main."

Starting on the pole position after earning top points in a sixty-six car field, the driver took the lead early and never looked back. In fact, when the dust had settled, Bacon had managed to hold the lead throughout the entire race and at the waving of the checkered flag had scored a three thousand dollar victory.

Although holding the lead from start to finish, that was no indication that Brady wasn't contended. "We were challenged for most of the race," Bacon recalled. "It was someone I wasn't familiar with, but I'll tell you what, he was one heck of a racer." Referring to Cowtown Raceway, he continued, "It's a great track, and offers a driver with great skills the opportunity to really excel above the rest."

Brady Bacon recently earned the checkered flag at the Midget Stampede in Dallas, at the Cowtown Speedway.

With a win under his belt on Friday night, Bacon return to Cowtown on the following day with anticipation of continuing where he had left off. That said, his luck went south when the driver experienced mechanical difficulties. "It was a let-down to drop out of the Saturday feature, but it was a mechanical failure that not even we could prevent," explained the driver. "The brake line broke at the master cylinder. It's the first time in our team's history that this type of malfunction has happened. We would have been a serious contender for the win," he explained. "We had a great car, and although we got caught up in an early crash, we were up to seventh from last in just about seven laps."

Although the final day of the event was filled with disappointment, Brady Bacon and team Wilke-Pak Motorsports are more than ready to put that stroke of bad luck behind them and are looking forward to what might transpire during the remainder of the 2012 season. "In midget racing, a lot of the major events that used to hold a lot of luster have faded," recalled Bacon. "But we always look forward to such events like the 'Belleville Midget Nationals,' 'Night Before The 500,' and the 'Turkey Night Grand Prix.'"

When asked the key to success during future races, Bacon said, "Well, in any motorsports event, the main key to success is competing at a high level. But more importantly, you have to finish the race and have a good driver and reliable equipment."

The driver and his team are also aware that maintenance plays a huge role in keeping their equipment in optimal working condition. "Maintenance is a top priority at Wilke-Pak Motorsports," he explained. "There are few teams in the sport that are as particular and stringent on maintenance as Wilke-Pak." Referring to keeping their engines contaminant free, he continued, "We use the K&N Carbon Fiber midget air box, and their breather and oil filters. We have been associated with K&N for more than ten years, using their products religiously for our filter needs. Anytime you can have a quality product like K&N filters, it not only helps you achieve the highest probability of winning, but it gives you peace of mind. It's refreshing to know that your engine is going to be protected in the harshest of conditions."

Referring to what he and his team plans to deliver to their fans and sponsors in 2012, Brady Bacon concluded, "Wins and Records! Come out and support Midget and local racing!"

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.

Tyler Bowers and Monster Energy Babbitt Kawasaki Take Second AMA Arenacross Championship

18 Apr 2012

Tyler Bowers recently won his second consecutive AMA Arenacross Championship.

Tyler Bowers and Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki recently rolled into Minneapolis, Minnesota eager to arrive at the Target Center, where Bowers was scheduled to race in the final AMA Arenacross event of the season. The rider was prepared for a battle, and in a good position. He had managed to earn twelve main event wins during previous races and the only obstacle standing between him and his second consecutive championship was to qualify for the main event on the final round of the series.

Fastest in qualifying on his KX250F, Bowers then managed to win his heat race. After taking the lead, the rider noticed a puncture on his rear tire. Aware that he couldn't risk missing the main, stopping was not an option. In fact, the rider never looked back and took the win.

Eager to continue his pursuit to end the season with a bang, the rider then focused on the Dash for Cash. In third place until the last corner of the race, Bowers maneuvered his way to the front for a victory when the leading two riders collided.

With momentum on his side and a championship title pretty well in the bag, Bowers was more than prepared for an exciting and fierce battle in the main event. Upon qualifying and clinching the championship, some riders in his situation might have very well been satisfied with coasting through the race, but Bowers is not geared that way. In fact, he was focused on finishing the season with a top-notched and memorable performance.

Tyler Bowers managed to earn twelve main event wins prior to the final round of the series.

Coming out of the first turn in the third position, Bowers went to work on the two drivers situated between him and the first place spot. Passing spots were sparse, forcing the rider to hold his third place position for a portion of the race until he finally managed to take over the number two spot. Although Bowers remained focused on taking the winning position from, Zach Ames, the opportunity never arose prior to the waving of the checkered flag. Tyler Bowers ended the final race with a second place spot on the podium and another championship title under his belt.

Going into the season, Bowers and the team were confident that they had a grip on what it would take to experience success on a consistent basis. Of course Bowers' riding skills would play a huge role and one might suspect that luck would occasionally be needed, but they were confident that a good running bike and team effort would distinguish them from the other riders in the circuit.

When asked about the importance of his team, Bowers said, "The team is super important to me because it has to be a very fine tuned machine with everyone working together, each with a unique purpose to achieve the amount of success we have in Arenacross," explained the rider. "Plus, a good team and great teammates create a positive environment at the races."

With two consecutive championships under his belt, Tyler Bowers is obviously a force to be reckoned with in the world of Arenacross racing. Referring to Bowers' riding abilities, team owner, Eddie Babbitt explained, "Tyler is always ready." When asked what separates Bowers from his competitors, Babbitt continued, "his ability to work through the pack when he gets a bad start, his ability to pick new lines no one else uses allows him to move forward."

Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki and Tyler Bowers are also strong advocates of maintaining their bikes to the jot and to the tittle. That in mind, they depend upon K&N air and oil filters to keep their engines contaminant free. "We have been using K&N filters for six years now," explained Bowers, "and we have always seen horsepower gains on the dyno. This year we gained three-quarters of a horsepower."

When asked what fans can expect from Tyler Bowers and Team Monster Energy Babbitt's Kawasaki in the future, the rider said, "Another great season. I'd like to thank all my fans and sponsors, Team Babbitt's Monster Energy Amsoil Kawasaki, for sticking with me. There have been plenty of ups and downs along the road, and I'm proud to say I have such a dedicated group of people around me."

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.

Eric Bowling Motorsports Starts 2012 with a Win at NHRA's Edgewater Sports Park

13 Apr 2012

It's about the Benjamins and winning for Eric Bowling and his green rolling ATM.

How is it even possible that Bloomington, Indiana bracket racer, Eric Bowling could ever be in the position of being the Rodney Dangerfield of drag racing? It is way past time to show this accomplished racer a little love and a lot of respect. Bowling and his team started out their 2012 season in Cleves, Ohio at NHRA's Edgewater Sports Park, where he debut his new ride, and Bowling drove his Blazer straight to the winners circle. Now had this been his first victory, perhaps we'd understand, however Bowling has quite literally been bowling down the competition for years.

In 2010 Bowling won 21 of 24 final round appearances and put over 600 passes on his 1969 Camaro. He followed that up in 2011 by winning 20 of 23 final round appearances in even fewer rounds than 2010. Yet, it took an article by Drag Race Central titled "Eric Who?" to make people sit up and take notice.

Bowling's late father started taking him to the track when he was still a kid, which led to him starting his own race career in 1998. Today Bowling still competes in the very same 1969 Camaro that his dad used to race. Bowling won his first points championship in 1999 and has since collected a total of 13 championships at three different race tracks in Indiana, including two IHRA Summit Super Series Points Championships, and most impressively three straight titles at Lyon's Raceway Park, the 2010 and 2011 Division 3 "NHRA "Track of the Year."

What's the back-story with your new ride and what how did you decide on the going with the Blazer?

Bowling fired-up his 2012 season by winning in Cleves, Ohio at NHRA's Edgewater Sports Park.

"I've always wanted a big tired car. This past fall my father-in-law Don called me and said 'I got your new race car.' I asked what it was and he said 'You'll just have to come see for yourself.' When I got there I saw this bright green Blazer sitting on his trailer. I asked him where in the world he found that thing and he said he followed a guy who had it on a trailer into a salvage yard and asked him if he was going to junk it. The guy said yup, and my father-in-law asked him what he'd take for it and the guy said $200. Don paid the man and the rest is history. I can't take much credit as I was always racing while Don was doing the building. I made its first debut last fall and won the first race we entered with it."

You got into drag racing through your dad, but did you have an interest in other types of racing too?

"Before drag racing I was into motocross. After many broken bones I decided to try drag racing. My dad was always into cars and racing and my first car that I drove to high school was my 1969 Camaro Z/28. My dad took me a few times when it still had the DZ302 and Muncie 4-speed in it. My father passed away in 1995, and since the car had been titled in my name since I was two months old, I figured the car is safer on the track than on the streets, so we made it into a racecar. After winning the first race I ever entered I was hooked. I have raced it every year since 1998 and have won 13 points titles and have over 200 event wins in it. That Camaro is like home to me, but she's tired and needs some major changes made. I've put over 5,000 passes on her and I need to give her some much needed much deserved TLC. This gave us yet another reason for building the Blazer."

Bowling estimates he's put over 5,000 passes on the trusty 1969 Camaro Z/28 that his dad gave him.

I like the Benjamins banner running around the bottom of the car, what was your thinking with that?

"The $100 bills on the Blazer started out being a way to cover a paint blemish. I didn't want just plain vinyl, and I had seen a helmet with $100 bills on it, so we got this idea and figured needed to put the money on the truck. Plus I was also thinking about how it could help me on the race track. For example at the race in Edgewater a couple weeks ago, some buddy's and me were standing back talking and someone in the background says, 'What kind of cocky SOB shows up at a track with $100 bills on their car?' I just laughed and thought to myself, I'm already in this guy's head and we haven't even pulled into staging yet. Trust me, it gets looks from just about everyone, whether that's good or bad I'll let you be the judge of that. We joke and call it 'The ATM Machine.'"

What race goals have you set for the 2012 season?

"This offseason was my best as far as getting support from new marketing partners. I was able to get Mickey Thompson Tires, Ohio Crankshaft, Cometic Gasket, Spy Optics, QA1, and then to be able to add K&N to this lineup was huge. I plan on running a few more big money events, the first being the Ohio Crankshaft No Box Nationals coming up in June which I won in 2008. I also plan to go over to support Luke Bogacki's deal in July. I have won three straight points titles at Lyons Raceway Park and I plan to race there quite a bit this season to possibly make it four in a row. But I'm not yet completely committed to that, as I will be doing a little more travelling than normal this year. I will also start dabbling in some top bulb stuff now that I have a car that I know will do well in the heat of the summer. The biggest thing going on for me in 2012, though, is my wife and I are expecting a new crew member to the team in late June. We are really excited for him to get here."

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's Dan Fletcher Mixes it Up in Las Vegas and Grabs 76th NHRA National Event Win

13 Apr 2012

Dan Fletcher masterfully drove his K&N Chevy Cobalt to his 76th NHRA National victory.

Not having too much time to enjoy reaching the tremendous landmark of seventy-five NHRA National event wins just a little over a month ago, K&N's juggernaut sportsman racer, Dan Fletcher won his third NHRA National event of the season in just four events. Like he started off the season in Pomona, this time Fletcher got the win in Competition Eliminator during the Summitracing.com NHRA Nationals at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, all while also doing very well in a class we don't see him compete in all too often, Super Comp.

Although Fletcher has racked up an outstanding number of accolades over his racing career, the Churchville, New York racer has a few more he would like to add, including winning a NHRA National event in Super Comp. "I had my own Super Comp car a few years ago, but frankly I didn't do that well with it," he confessed. "Since I've been driving some other people's cars, I've driven much better in theirs than I ever did my own. This weekend, I borrowed Justin Lamb's really nice Racetech car, albeit not a super-fast car only running about 170 MPH. I had a great opportunity to win in Super Comp this weekend and I really want to check that one off my list, because when I do that would be wins in five classes."

For not running the longer cars much, Fletcher showed the pro that he is by going five tough rounds in a car and class he doesn't normally compete in. "I got down to six cars and would have had the bye into the final," he explained. "The car was going faster than it was supposed to in the quarter-finals and 'hurricane winds,' crosswind, tailwind, this-that-and-the-other and the car is supposed to be going three or four [hundredths] under and I kill my three or four. I'm .025 on the tree to his .042 and he's behind me and that's where he stayed. So, it's a double breakout with four-thou difference between us and I'm just on the wrong side."

I had my own Super Comp car a few years ago, but frankly I didn't do that well with it.

Even though it was Fletcher with the win at Pomona in his K&N Comp Eliminator car, he hadn't been really pleased with its performance out of the gate for 2012. "The car was a big pile of dirt at Pomona and we really didn't deserve to win," he said. "We went to Phoenix and it was still bad. So we had to go home and do some work. We had to go through the chassis and send the motor back and spend some money. We found some issues here, there and wherever and then we were off to Vegas. We weren't the fastest car there, but at least we were in the top half [qualified field] with a car that was capable of winning. I drove pretty well and the car ran well and at least we didn't embarrass ourselves. At Phoenix, frankly it was embarrassing."

On the way to successfully defending his Comp Eliminator title from the spring 2011 Las Vegas race, Fletcher qualified his K&N B/EA '08 Chevy Cobalt at number nine and thanks to the rare odd number of cars that made up the field, would position himself on the ladder to have a shot at a single in later rounds. Fletcher made a great pass in round one against Brian Fitzpatrick, with a .002 RT to Fitzpatrick's .056 and easily took the stripe al while being able to stay completely safe on his index.

Round two he faced Tom Mettler and again Fletcher nailed the tree with a .010 and took a whopping .080 starting line advantage. This was a very important round as the winner would earn themselves a bye in the next round. Fletcher made an easy race of it and took the stripe for the round win, although it cost him a CIC hit on his index that he would have to carry for the rest of the event.

Showing that he was certainly on his driving game, Fletcher posted a perfect .000 reaction time during his quarter-final bye and on to pair up with Clint Sallee. Both drivers came into the matchup carrying their own CIC, Fletcher with the slight disadvantage. Sallee, try as he may with the better reaction time, but this one was going to Fletcher by less than a blink of an eye at the stripe. Taking an even bigger CIC hit and running .552 under his 8.38 class index, Fletcher squeezed one out at the finish line staying just five inches ahead or .001 as he paved his way into the finals.

Whether Fletcher is behind the wheel of one of his more recognizable pair of K&N '69 Chevy Camaros or a friend's car, he only trusts his motors to the kind of protection that only K&N filters can provide.

Whether it was in Super Comp or Comp Eliminator, the immense wind, and its ever-changing direction over the course of the event, kept things interesting for Fletcher and his fellow racers. "The wind was pretty bad in both [cars]," he noted. "The run I lost in Super Comp, I'm in the left lane and I'm spun around looking at the guy the whole pass and as I'm staring at him backwards, I could just feel the car being buffeted left and right. It was a rather disconcerting feeling. The Comp car is a 2,000 pound car on a radial tire and the wind can really get to that car, but you know honestly, it really wasn't that bad. When you come out from past the stands there, with the crosswind that we had at times, you would get hit with a pretty big blast. The car just must be round and aerodynamic enough that it didn't really affect me too bad. You could feel it, but it was manageable."

Fletcher rolled into the Competition Eliminator final, his 115th final at a NHRA National and even though he was down by .02 in CIC compared to his competitor, he masterfully drove his K&N Chevy Cobalt to his 76th NHRA National victory. Fletcher made his quickest pass of eliminations right when he needed to with a 7.816 on his 8.33 index and just shy of .02 at the stripe over Doug Lambeck.

Whether Fletcher is behind the wheel of one of his more recognizable pair of K&N '69 Chevy Camaros or a friend's car, he only trusts his motors to the kind of protection that only K&N filters can provide. "We put more passes on our engines between freshen-ups than a lot of the racers out here," he pointed out. "When you are doing all this to put food on the table, you can't take a chance of trusting what is in essence your family's livelihood to anything that could be subpar, I just go with the best to start with and protect my investments with K&N. Our K&N oil filters and air filters are a big part of why we can safely get so many runs on our cars."

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.

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