The Chris Steele Racing Team is very happy with a top 3 finish in a special
local race at the I-77 Speedway near Richburg, South Carolina.
Steele Family, Photo courtesy of Chris Steele Racing
Steele said they have been struggling a bit, but this win may be a turning
point for the team. He hopes to be back on track, especially when it comes to
the FASTRAK Racing Series.
During practice, Steele was not happy with his 2004 GRT and made some changes
before qualifying 6th. Still not satisfied with the way his car was handling,
the team made some more changes. "It's been a tough season," said Steele before
the track called for a final practice session. "If my car performed as well as
my K&N Filter, we would win."
Steele started the main race from the third row on the outside and quickly moved
into 5th position and then up to 4th. There was a pile-up on one of the restarts
and Steele moved to 3rd position. He began to press for second, but could not
make the move and had to settle on third. “I feel like we won the race,” said
Steele. “Now that we’re back where we need to be it’s time to win some races
again.”
Steele said his car is equipped with K&N Engineering Oil and Air Filters. “The K&N
Filter works great and gave us an edge over our competitors,” said Steele. “The
only filters I will use are K&N Filters.”
Follow Chris Steele's progress throughout the racing season at the
K&N news site. 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.
There will be no championship title for Harrison Brothers Racing (HBR) in the
MRO Dynapro Minitwins Championship. The weekend was devastating for Jonathan
Harrison at Cadwell Park in Linconshire, England.
The European racer was hoping to build points in rounds 10 and 11 with his 2003
Suzuki SV650S (V Twin configuration). In the qualifying session he was 5th on
the grid just behind pole man Keith Clarke. Harrison planned on a close battle
all weekend.
Richie Harrison of Harrison Brothers Racing
In the first race, Harrison took his place at the head of the 2nd row. As
the lights went out the pack roared from the line and Harrison came back into
sight in 5th place. The group separated onto the start/finish straight and
Jonathan held 4th place to the flag.
During race 2, Harrison joined the front running pack to battle it out for the
lead and was making very good progress. The racer set the fastest lap of the
race but then everything changed. Harrison was knocked from his machine by SDC
Championship leader Keith Clarke’s team mate, rider Rob Guinan. Both riders
tumbled into the gravel and Harrison required medical attention. He was sent to
the hospital with a suspected broken heel. The good news; nothing was broken.
The bad news; Harrison was taken out of the mix for the rest of the weekend and
lost HBR’s shot at the MRO Minitwins Championship Title this year.
Jonathan and brother Richie Harrison are making plans to move up into the
British Superbike Championship Series within the Supersport Cup category for
2007.
“Racing gives me the opportunity to take a bike to its limits in a safe
environment,” said Harrison. “When I’m on the bike on the track I’m in my own
world. It’s up to me to put those fast laps together to win, and when I win the
feeling is unbelievable.”
Jonathan Harris of Harrison Brothers Racing
HBR uses K&N Engineering products. “K&N products are second to none,” said
Harrison. “Without the K&N Oil and Air Filters our bike would struggle to be
competitive. We need every advantage we can get to run at the front, and K&N
gives us this edge.”
Follow Harrison Brothers Racing's progress throughout the racing season at the
K&N news site. 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.
There are four rounds left in the 2006 AMA Supermotor Championship and the Team
Red Bull KTM HMC superstars had a spectacular first half of the season.
“We won the Supermoto Championship last year and hope to repeat it this year,”
said Team Red Bull KTM HMC owner Mitch Hansen. “Currently we are one point off
the lead in Unlimited Class and in 5th and 6th in the 450.” On Team Red Bull are
Benjamin Carlson, 21, John Lewis, 17, Jurgen Kunzel, 31, and Kurt Nicoll, 41.
They are currently preparing for the X Games at Los Angeles, California in
August. Team Red Bull’s Jurgen Kunzel, Kurt Nicoll and Benny Carlson are on the
invited athlete list for the Home Depot Center event. All of the athletes
receiving invitations to compete at X Games are chosen by a sport-specific
selection committee.
“Last year at the 2005 X Games, there was a huge jump going into the stadium,”
said Hansen. “This year that jump was eliminated and it will be more of a
Supermoto type track. I’m happy to see the X-games going in the right direction.
It’s better for my guys and puts everyone on a more even playing field. In 2006,
Supercross will not be able to dominate the X Games.”
That is not the only difference expected in the X Games this year. “There will
be a mandatory pit stop to change the rear tire and add gas,” said Hansen.
“Anyone who does not stop will be eliminated from the competition. Time will be
crucial at the pit stop.”
Team Red Bull KTM HMC uses K&N Engineering products. “We use K&N Air Filters (RX-3900-1)
and K&N Breathers,” said Hansen. “We also use two K&N Oil Filters (KN-155)
(KN-157).
It’s a fantastic product. The K&N Filters keep the dirt and debris out and are
easy to work on and easy to clean.”
In preparation for the X Games, Benny Carlson is riding in a lot of dirt with a
Supermoto bike, and Jurgen Kunzel is training and riding every day in Germany,
said Hansen. “Meanwhile, Kurt Nicoll knows what he needs to do and knows how to
get there,” he said. “Other than winning the AMA Championship it is the best
race of the year.”
The team’s last race was at Waterford Hills Road Race Course in Clarkson,
Michigan where KTM returned to the top of the podium. Defending AMA Supermoto
king Jurgen Kunzel bounced back from a disheartening 12th place to claim third
in the second moto. "Our German champion is a hard worker," said
Hansen. “He is a true professional and way too hard on himself.”
John Lewis is only 17, but has had two podium finishes this season. “He is a
talented kid and a work in progress,” said Hansen. “He is not the best qualifier
in the world but he picks up the lines and learns. He has a lot of potential.”
At Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah Lewis made a late charge to overhaul
defending Unlimited Champ Micky Dymond for the runner up position. “I qualified
on the second row,” said Lewis. “Off the start Dave Baffeleuf had a good lead
and Micky started fading back a little. I saw Micky starting to slow down so I
went a little faster and I got him. Passing him was like passing a hero.”
Benjamin Carlson is 8th in Supermoto. “I’ve known him since he was little,” said
Hansen. “He is talented at 21 and has many years left in this sport that
continues to grow.”
After the short summer break the second half of the AMA Supermoto Championship
will kick off at Invesco Field in Denver, Colorado on August 25th.
Follow Team Red Bull KTM HMC's progress throughout the racing season at the
K&N news site. 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.
Donny Schatz is the World of Outlaws point leader, but the win that has eluded
him since 1997 was the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup at Lernerville Speedway.
On Tuesday night everything changed. The Fargo, North Dakota native took the
$30,000 first prize and the coveted Silver Cup Title.
“I have to thank the World of Outlaws, DIRT Motorsports and Lernerville Speedway
for putting on this event,” said Schatz. “The Don Martin Memorial is a really
big sprint car race, and we’ve wanted this one for quite some time. I’m thrilled
we got the job done and I hope the fans really enjoyed it too.”
No.15 ParkerStore J&J
Schatz got the spot he wanted from the sixth starting position in his
No.15 ParkerStore J&J. From there he powered his way to runner-up position by
the 10th lap in the 40 lap A-Feature. Schatz made the winning move around race
leader Ed Lynch, Jr. in turns one and two on the 34th lap, and then drove away
during the final five-and-a-half laps.
“The race car was working so good that I had to calm myself down a little bit
and let the tires catch up,” Schatz said. “Once I made that adjustment we were
fine. Ed (Lynch) drove a great race and honestly, sometimes it is better running
second because you see what he leader is doing and find a better way. It’s like
being in the cat bird seating just waiting to make your move.”
Schatz and the ParkerStore Team use the K&N Engineering Sprint Car Airbox.
Schatz said he gets maximum airflow with K&N for the highest performance.
Donny Schatz and ParkerStore Team use K&N
With a huge win under his belt, Schatz and his ParkerStore team will now
focus on the Cleveland Brothers Summer Nationals at Williams Grove Speedway.
“It’s a long season out here, but right now there is a lot of money up for
grabs,” said Schatz. “We want to get greedy and take as much of it as we can.
I’ve said all year that I’m focused on wining as many races as I can and not
worrying about anything else. We’ve got three nights of racing coming up at
Williams Gove before we go back to New York, and I feel like we should have
already won at ‘the Grove’ this year. That just motivates us more to try and get
back to victory lane again.”
Follow Donny Schatz's progress throughout the racing season at the
K&N news site. 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.
In the Summit SuperSeries Duck Tape Racing made its return to the track at
Farmington Dragway in North Carolina. The team rewired its 1980 Volare 360,
pulled the stock gas tank and tried another fuel pump hoping to cure the problem
that has plagued it for months.
Duck Tape Racing's 1980 Volare 360
“When we started the car, the engine bay was engulfed in flames,”
said racer Michael Beard. “A fuel check valve had been bumped partially open at
some point by accident.”
A fire extinguisher doused the blaze quickly. “It’s a good thing we had a K&N
Engineering Air Filter,” said Beard. “It prevented the carburetor from sucking
in all the CO2 dust. Amazingly, the only thing torched was the distributor
wires, which we quickly replaced. Also amazing, the K&N was unhurt, and a simple
washing and re-oiling was all it needed to be pressed back into service. After
that debacle, I replaced the spark plugs once again and swapped out the
carburetor spacer, which I found had warped. It seemed to make a difference and
it was off to the track.”
On Saturday, July 8th the stands were packed for a Pro Modified Quick 8 show and
people lined the fences. “Other than one slow run where I tried something with
the carburetor, the car made four out of five passes from 7.222 to 7.226,” said
Beard. “During the first round of eliminations, I had a perfect .000 reaction
time, my first of the season. I made it to the third round before breaking out
by .009.”
On July 15th the 3rd round showing was repeated by Duck Tape Racing. Beard is
currently in 3rd place in the Farmington Summit SuperSeries points, only four
rounds out of the lead, with two less points races than the leaders.
Beard said he hopes to make the Top 10 in IHRA Division 9 this season.
