Australian Sprint Car Driver Lynton Jeffrey and the Vortex Racing Products Team
- 10 Nov 2010
"Honestly, I never really thought I would win one (championship)," said the 36-year-old. "At the outset of the season, we set our goal for top five's and maybe a top three." Jeffrey blew the doors off of those goals, capturing 10 total podiums, including 3 victories this season. He finished in the top 5 in half of the races his team entered, and failed to finish just twice all year. Then, Jeffrey gained national attention when his privateer team qualified for the 24 car A Main at the Knoxville Nationals, the Indy 500 of sprint car racing. Jeffrey said it defined his racing career.
"The Nationals was a career moment for myself and Glen (Saville, team crew chief). The Outlaws (World of Outlaws) have budgets in the millions. We don't have ten percent of that. It was my first A Main at the Nationals, and to do it in the 50th running of the event made it even more special. It was truly a 'David' versus 'Goliath' moment, and we succeeded. It was a time we will never forget." Jeffrey hopes his teams success in 2010 will lead to more funding from companies other than his own. Vortex is a leading supplier of wings for sprint cars throughout the world. With engines that were down on power, Jeffrey struggled to qualify well during his weekly races this season. Knoxville's high speeds and the demand for greater horsepower took a toll on Jeffrey's team, and they were disappointed with their points finish at the track. "We've decided to make some pretty expensive upgrades to the motors for next season. We think it will give us the advantage needed to compete consistently at tracks like Knoxvile. Hopefully some of our supporters from this season will come on as partners for next season, and we can take this team to the next level." The one consistent thing about Vortex Racing's season was the lack of engine failures. The team never experienced engine problems, and Jeffrey was quick to credit the support given by K&N Filters for that. "We love K&N's product. The clean oil and lack of wear on the engines really helps a team working on the budget we do. We probably owe K&N more than we know once you look back at our season. Two championships and an A Main at the Knoxville Nationals could never have been achieved without their help. Thank you to everyone at K&N and Vortex for supporting us this season." 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. |
