K&N Sponsored Southern California Pro-Gas Association Finishes Season
- 26 Oct 2009
The precise details are a bit sketchy, but the generally accepted story has it that sometime in the mid to late 70's, a group of Sacramento area racers first came up with the Pro Gas format - word spread south and the So Cal Pro-Gas Association was born.
Pro Gas Racer Gregory Ventura is also the So Cal Pro-Gas Association President
To get a clearer picture of what's happening with the So Cal Pro-Gas series we spoke with Gregory Ventura. Ventura's day job is Material Lifecycle Analyst for K&N - in his spare time, and on weekends, he's Pro-Gas series driver and association president.
"The Southern California Pro-Gas Association was formed in 1978 by a group of racers wanting to hold races on a fixed index, and at the time, that was on a 9.80 index. When the NHRA saw how popular this class was getting, they started a class called Super-Gas. The Super-Gas class competed at the NHRA events, and they had a 9.90 index. So, once this started, the association at some point followed suit," informs Ventura.
Ventura's foremost responsibilities as association president include representing and supporting racers as a collective group. He secures race dates at the various venues and gathers investment partners in the association, such as K&N, to help fund costs. K&N not only provides support for the association they also sponsor one of the racing events during the year.
"I oversee the financial end of the association and look for ways to raise money to help this association to keep growing," he says. "I also have four other board members to assist me. For all intents and purposes this is like running a business, but not getting paid for it. Doing it only for the love of the sport."
The final Southern California Pro-Gas Association event was held at the Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, on the 24th and 25th of October. Many of the racers in the Super-Gas class on the NHRA circuit competed in this final event.
When Ventura puts his association hat down and becomes a racecar driver, he's finally in his element - the place that all his other efforts ultimately lead towards. "I've been around racing all of my life and have actually been racing since 1993. One of the challenges I face while running the association is staying focused. During many Pro-Gas events I'm presented with obstacles that are sometimes distracting, but once I get in the car, put the seatbelts and helmet on, I zone-out, and focus only on the task at hand."
"The smartest thing I've ever done was coming to work for K&N a year and half ago," declares Ventura. "I've always used K&N products, long before I worked here. The products we make are awesome components that make any vehicle run better and more efficiently. Whether it's my Honda Civic that I drive to work everyday, or my Ford Diesel F-350 dually that I tow my racecar with, or my 1100 horsepower racecar. Everything I drive has a K&N air filter and oil filter on it. I don't view my career at K&N as going to work. I'm a gear head and I love being involved in this industry. How many people do you know get up in the morning excited to go to work? I'm definitely one of the lucky ones."
After the race this weekend Ventura heads off for the Las Vegas National - Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. "Then we have the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in Vegas again the following weekend (Nov. 5-8)," he adds. "Then there's the season ending NHRA AAA finals Nov. 11 through the 14t - I hope out of all those events, I can bring home a victory for the K&N team."
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.
Pro Gas Racer Gregory Ventura is also the So Cal Pro-Gas Association President
To get a clearer picture of what's happening with the So Cal Pro-Gas series we spoke with Gregory Ventura. Ventura's day job is Material Lifecycle Analyst for K&N - in his spare time, and on weekends, he's Pro-Gas series driver and association president.
"The Southern California Pro-Gas Association was formed in 1978 by a group of racers wanting to hold races on a fixed index, and at the time, that was on a 9.80 index. When the NHRA saw how popular this class was getting, they started a class called Super-Gas. The Super-Gas class competed at the NHRA events, and they had a 9.90 index. So, once this started, the association at some point followed suit," informs Ventura.
Ventura's foremost responsibilities as association president include representing and supporting racers as a collective group. He secures race dates at the various venues and gathers investment partners in the association, such as K&N, to help fund costs. K&N not only provides support for the association they also sponsor one of the racing events during the year.
"I oversee the financial end of the association and look for ways to raise money to help this association to keep growing," he says. "I also have four other board members to assist me. For all intents and purposes this is like running a business, but not getting paid for it. Doing it only for the love of the sport."
The final Southern California Pro-Gas Association event was held at the Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, on the 24th and 25th of October. Many of the racers in the Super-Gas class on the NHRA circuit competed in this final event.
When Ventura puts his association hat down and becomes a racecar driver, he's finally in his element - the place that all his other efforts ultimately lead towards. "I've been around racing all of my life and have actually been racing since 1993. One of the challenges I face while running the association is staying focused. During many Pro-Gas events I'm presented with obstacles that are sometimes distracting, but once I get in the car, put the seatbelts and helmet on, I zone-out, and focus only on the task at hand."
"The smartest thing I've ever done was coming to work for K&N a year and half ago," declares Ventura. "I've always used K&N products, long before I worked here. The products we make are awesome components that make any vehicle run better and more efficiently. Whether it's my Honda Civic that I drive to work everyday, or my Ford Diesel F-350 dually that I tow my racecar with, or my 1100 horsepower racecar. Everything I drive has a K&N air filter and oil filter on it. I don't view my career at K&N as going to work. I'm a gear head and I love being involved in this industry. How many people do you know get up in the morning excited to go to work? I'm definitely one of the lucky ones."
After the race this weekend Ventura heads off for the Las Vegas National - Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. "Then we have the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in Vegas again the following weekend (Nov. 5-8)," he adds. "Then there's the season ending NHRA AAA finals Nov. 11 through the 14t - I hope out of all those events, I can bring home a victory for the K&N team."
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.
