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Todd Rumpke, multi-time Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational (OUSCI) competitor, lost one of the toughest battles he had ever fought

It is with deep sadness that we learned multi-time Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational (OUSCI) competitor Todd Rumpke lost his battle to cancer. Todd, who continued to race between his treatment sessions this year, won his way back into the invitational as the Spirit of the Event winner at the NCM Motorsports Park event.

During the Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car Series NCM event, Todd was the center of attention while the group from Ultimate Performance unveiled a shirt honoring Todd and his 2006 Z06 Corvette better known as Snoopy.

Todd’s racing background extends from the Optima Series to include 10/10th Motorsports, RAFT, SCCA, and several other series and race events across the country. Memories of Todd surfaced quickly on social media as people learned the news about his death, recalling him to be a very kindhearted, passionate, and loveable guy.

Todd’s entry into OUSCI immediately following SEMA was one highlight he was looking forward to as he went in for a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, the transplant that was set for late July was delayed due to kidney problems.

Rumpke had continued to race throughout his cancer treatment, running his 2006 Z06 Corvette in the Optima Ultimate Street Car Series

Friends, family, and fellow racers turned to social media wishing Todd the best of luck through his treatment and for a quick recovery. It was not until Todd’s best friend, K&N driver Danny Popp, released an update via social media indicating that Todd was not doing well.

Photos of supporters wearing Todd Rumpke’s shirt and Snoopy sightings started to appear across the country. For those who had the lucky opportunity to know Todd Rumpke, then most knew that the Snoopy character was a reminder of Todd’s Corvette. Those who raced alongside Todd often saw the glimpse of Snoopy on the back of the white Corvette as Todd flew past them on track.

Todd’s battle with cancer did not slow him down over the last couple years. Todd’s entry into the 2015 OUSCI resulted from win in the GTL class at the Auto Club Speedway event last October.

The announcement of Todd’s death came early Wednesday morning, August 29, 2016 as Danny Popp informed fellow friends and racers of the unfortunate passing.

K&N driver Danny Popp released a statement early Wednesday morning on social media informing friends and family of the tragic loss

9.7.2016 - The day the world lost the most INCREDIBLE friend. The most INCREDIBLE father. The most INCREDIBLE husband. The most INCREDIBLE son, and brother. The most INCREDIBLE competitor. The most INCREDIBLE person.

The world will forever now be a different place without him. Todd has touched so many in his 53 years. The family and I would like to thank each and every one of you who wished well, thought of, prayed and rallied for support of this GREAT man. All of you made a significant difference for Todd, his family, friends and I. #63forever

Sonya told me that he said that he would miss her and the boys. I had thought about that for a bit, and in my last conversation with Todd I told him of what I had heard. I told him that he had no idea how bad the world would miss him, and how big the hole in people's hearts would be of those that he touched. Albeit incredibly hard, I was very glad to be able to say my last good-byes and tell him exactly what he had meant to me, my son and the community/ world. I left nothing unsaid as I held his hand, cried and shared. News will be forthcoming shortly of his arrangements. In the meantime, please continue to pray for the family in this time of loss. They too have been through a lot in the last few days, weeks, months and year. –Danny Popp

Danny Popp did inform everyone that Todd’s 2006 Corvette will be present at this year’s SEMA show and the 2016 OUSCI in honor of Todd Rumpke. For those attending the show or the race immediately following SEMA, you too can check out the car behind the man, Todd Rumpke.

Our deepest condolences go out to the Rumpke Family and all of his family and friends that are going through this tough time.

Rumpke had won his way into the 2015 OUSCI by winning his class at the Auto Club Speedway event

Those who knew Todd Rumpke remember him to be a very genuine, honorable and kind man who always had a smile on his face

Rumpke had won the Spirit of the Event Award at the 2016 Optima NCM Motorsports Park event, which would have sent him back to compete at OUSCI again this November

One of the most popular engines among rodders and racers is the Hemi V8. But there are actually three generations of the legendary engine. Generation I, of which there were different versions and displacements for Chrysler, DeSoto, and Dodge cars throughout the 1950s. The reemergence of the Hemi as the Generation II “Elephant” motor, used in both racing and to power some of the fastest and most desirable street cars of the day, and then the modern Generation III Hemis, used in Ram trucks and Dodge and Chrysler performance cars.

High Performance, Pro Series, or Billet, K&N builds three versions of the 3001 filter that fits many Gen II Hemi engines

How well do you know your Hemi history? Below are some questions and fun facts about the Hemi. It’s not intended to be a test of your memorization of bore:stroke ratios, but rather to arm you with some trivia for the next time the conversation turns to Hemi engines.

In what year did Chrysler introduce its first Hemi engine?

Called the FirePower, it was used in Chrysler passenger cars from 1951 to 1955. Most were equipped with a two-barrel carburetor and produced 180 horsepower until the 1955 model year.

Did you know the Hemi was actually outlawed from racing in the Indy 500?

In late 1952, a specially-prepared 331 CID fuel-injected Chrysler Hemi engine, producing 410 horsepower, was fitted to a Kurtis Kraft 500A roadster (a state-of-the-art Indy car of the time) and tested at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It ran a simulated 500 mile race which it completed four mph faster than the race record. Alarmed, officials lowered the maximum displacement for stock block engines from 340 CID to 270 CID. Chrysler chose to withdraw.

Add an estimated 15.66 rear-wheel horsepower to your 2013 RAM 1500 with the 50-State legal K&N intake system

Was Hemi the first US production engine to produce one horsepower per cubic inch

The 354 CID engine was released for the 1956 model year. The 354 was installed in the Chrysler 300B and available with an optional 355 horsepower version, making it the first American passenger car engine to be rated at one horsepower per cubic inch.

Was the original 426 Hemi intended to be a race-only engine?

The Generation II Hemi engine displaced 426 CID, with dimensions so large it was nicknamed the “Elephant” by Chrysler engineers. Intended only as a race engine, Richard Petty debuted the Generation II Hemi at Daytona, where he laps the entire field on his way to winning the Daytona 500. It’s was a clean 1-2-3 sweep for the 426 Hemi at the 1964 Daytona 500. Chrysler was instructed to offer the Hemi to the public before the engine could return to NASCAR.

Which driver was the first to use a Hemi to crack 200 mph on the strip?

Don Garlits shattered the 200-mph quarter-mile barrier in a 426 Hemi-powered Top Fuel dragster in August at Island Dragway with an ET of 7.78 seconds and trap speed of 201.34 mph. If you’re into nostalgia drags, K&N manufacturers the PS-3001 oil filter that’s a perfect match to the needs of an “Elephant” motor running the strip.

Should you own one of the 11 Hemi-powered 1971 ‘Cuda convertibles, rest assured that K&N makes a drop-in replacement air filter worthy of your multi-million-dollar car

When was the 426 Hemi first available to retail customers?

Chrysler began to offer a slightly detuned version of the Generation II 426 Hemi in production cars for the 1966 model year. NASCAR approved the 426 Hemi for competition. Richard Petty again won the Daytona 500 in his Hemi-powered Plymouth Belvedere. K&N offers both an air filter and a high-flow fuel filter for Hemi-powered 1966 Plymouth Belvederes, part numbers E-1540 and PF-1300, respectively.

In what year did Chrysler bring back the “Elephant” 426 Generation II Hemi as a crate motor?

The year was 1992 - a year when rodders and restorers were extremely happy.

What’s the highest price ever paid for a Hemi-engined car?

In 2014, a numbers-matching Hemi-powered 1971 Plymouth ‘Cuda four-speed convertible sold at auction for $3.5 million. It was just one of 11 Hemi ‘Cuda convertibles manufactured in 1971, and experts believe it may be the only matching-numbers ’71 Hemi ‘Cuda convertible left. If you should find yourself the owner of any 1971 Hemi-powered ‘Cuda, rest assured that the K&N produces an air filter for your car, part number E-1980.

The K&N Typhoon air intake adds an estimated 38.95 rear-wheel horsepower to an otherwise stock Dodge Charger Hellcat 6.2-liter Hemi V8

When did the Generation III Hemi make its appearance?

The Hemi returned in 2003 as an all-new 5.7-liter V8 for the Ram 1500 pickup truck. The Generation III Hemi developed up to 345 horsepower. By 2011, with better engine management computers, the 5.7 L Hemi was producing 395 horsepower in the Ram 1500. In fact, you can raise the output an estimated 15.66 horsepower on a 2013 1500 with the 50-State legal K&N intake system, part number 57-1561.

Which major landmark Hemi event occurred in 2015?

In 2015 Chrysler released the Hellcat version of the Hemi, a 6.2 L V8 with an integrated supercharged and intercooler, which raised power output to 707 horsepower. The Hellcat-equipped Challenger and Charger became the most powerful muscle cars built by Chrysler, in either the current or classic eras. But K&N allows you to take it even further. The K&N cold air intake, part number 69-2550TTK, when installed on an otherwise stock Dodge Charger Hellcat 6.2-liter and dyno tested, the results showed an estimated increase of 38.95 horsepower and 21.01 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels.

Hellcat or RAM, 1971 Hemi Cuda or Nostalgia Top Fuel dragster, K&N makes products for your vehicles. In fact, if it has wheels and an engine, whether it’s a diesel truck or a motor scooter, K&N most likely has filters that fit your application. Use the K&N vehicle search tool to find the right part for your vehicle.

Some intake systems are not legal for sale or use on any pollution controlled motor vehicle in California or states adopting California emission procedures. See knfilters.com for CARB status on each part for a specific vehicle.

K&N RK-3947B intake for Harley-Davidson motorcycles

Most Harley riders would love a bolt-on solution that adds a little extra acceleration when passing slower traffic up a hill or going around a truck. K&N has the answer for many 2008 – 2015 Harley-Davidson FLT and FLH riders with its RK3947B high-flow air intake system, which adds over seven horsepower with a simple installation.

The Twin Cam motorcycle engines have been manufactured by Harley-Davidson since 1998. Although these engines differ from the Evolution engine, which has been evolved from the series of single camshaft, overhead valve motors that were first released in 1936, they share a number of characteristics. Both engines feature two cylinders in a traditional Harley-Davidson 45° V-twin configuration, both are air-cooled (although some touring models use liquid cooling for the cylinder heads) and activate valves via push-rods.

When Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) first became available in 2001, it opened up a world of opportunities for upgrading and customizing the performance of the Twin Cam engine.

In order to get the most out of your EFI system, you need an air filter system that flows better than stock. The K&N RK3947B high-flow air intake system has been developed to add horsepower and acceleration to your Harley through an increase of up to 50% more air flow, which the EFI system can turn into more power.>

K&N RK-3947B intake installed on Harley-Davidson motorcycles

The K&N high-flow air intake system eliminates the stock OE air cleaner assembly and replaces it with a complete intake assembly. The sturdy, custom aluminum backing plate mounts directly to the throttle body via an aluminum integrated, internal-run breather system. Inside the intake system is an oversized K&N air filter feeding a dyno tuned velocity stack specific to the Twin Cam which directs airflow to the engine. A black powder coated aluminum cover with a subtle K&N logo finishes off the package.

And the performance benefits of the K&N RK3947B intake system isn’t just advertising copy. In fact, K&N dyno tests show an estimated 7.03 horsepower increase on an otherwise stock 2015 Harley Street Glide.

The key to improved airflow through K&N air filters is that they’re manufactured from several layers of pre-oiled cotton filter media, rather than restrictive paper often found in many replacement filters. K&N filters also provides outstanding microfiltration, removing the most damaging particles to your engine, to ensure a long engine life for your Harley. K&N conducts its own in-house ISO 5011 air filter efficiency testing, which follows International Standard Organization procedures to verify that each K&N air filter meets these standards.

The only maintenance required for a K&N Harley intake kit is a service you can do yourself in no time at all. Once a year, depending on riding conditions, with just the K&N air filter cleaning kit you can easily renew your air filter, and prepare it for another year of riding. Your one K&N air filter is designed to last for the lifetime of your bike, which K&N guarantees will perform for up to 1,000,000 miles or 10 years without requiring replacement. For full details visit the K&N Million Mile Limited Warranty.

To find additional K&N upgrades for cars, trucks, scooters, motorcycles, motorhomes, or just about anything powered by an engine, use the K&N search by vehicle tool. Find an authorized K&N dealer nearby using the K&N dealer search.

The Harley RK3947B fits the following bikes:

K&N RK-3947B intake parts included

Not legal for sale or use on any pollution controlled motor vehicle in California or states adopting California emission procedures. See knfilters.com for CARB status on each part for a specific vehicle.

Kyle Benjamin won the pole for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina. It was his fifth pole of the season.

Benjamin won the third race of his K&N Pro Series career and his second in the past three races. This one was a little more meaningful though. He was second in the K&N Pro Series race at Iowa Speedway in July, but was awarded a win for being the top-finishing driver from the K&N Pro Series East. Todd Gilliland, a driver in the K&N Pro Series West, won the race, which pits drivers from the K&N Pro Series East and West.

“I had a lot of family out tonight, a lot of people I know watching me,” Benjamin said. “It was really cool to win in front of them.”

Kyle Benjamin won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina. It was the third win of his K&N Pro Series East career.

Benjamin won the pole, his fifth of the season, and led all 140 laps in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 140. The K&N Pro Series East made its second visit to Greenville Pickens Speedway this year. In March, Benjamin led 122 laps and ended up second to Justin Haley.

“It’s cool to get your first win of the year that way,” Benjamin said. “We’ve been working so hard all year. All the guys have put in a lot of hard work at the shop. We’ve been close, had a lot of bad luck. You can feel the history here at Greenville Pickens, it’s pretty cool too.”

Kyle Benjamin led all 140 laps of the K&N Pro Series East race at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina.

Van Wieringen had a historic race at Greenville Pickens Speedway. She finished third, the first podium finish of her career. It was the second-best finish by a woman driver in K&N Pro Series East history. Kenzie Ruston was the runner-up at Iowa Speedway in 2014.

“I’m on top of the world,” Van Wieringen said. “It’s like a win. It shouldn’t feel like one, but it definitely does.”

Van Wieringen, a rookie driver in the K&N Pro Series East, has three top-10 finishes this season. Her previous best finish was a 10th place at New Smyrna Speedway in Florida to open the season.

Kyle Benjamin leads the field in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina.

“It was definitely exciting,” Van Wieringen said. “I had to work my way up from ninth to third. There was a lot of good racing going on. I got to give credit to Haley for the crossover move before the caution. That was amazing.

“This is like a win to me because we have had so many problems this year. I am so happy. We finally have the finish that I think we need.”

Brandon McReynolds was second. Ronnie Bassett Jr. finished behind Van Wieringen in fourth place, followed by Haley in fifth place.

“We struggled in practice, a lot more than I expected we would,” McReynolds said. “But when they dropped the rag, we knew we had a good car and came up just a little short. The 40 was better on the long run. All in all a good finish for us.”

Haley leads the K&N Pro Series standings after 12 races. He leads Benjamin by 30 points with two races to go. The next K&N Pro Series East race is at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Sept. 17.

The Ultimate Funhaver is a 2015 F-150 on-and-off road beast with five Recaro seats ready to give passengers the ride of their life

What is more fun than riding copilot in a drift car? Try buckling into one of four Recaro race seats in the Ultimate Funhaver. Vaughn Gittin Jr. is known for his incredible talent behind the wheel, but when it was announced that he would be building a 2015 F-150 with on-and-off road capabilities, we couldn’t wait to see what he had up his sleeve.

The F-150 was released during the 2014 SEMA show. The truck, which was built by Kibbetech Offroad, featured a 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6, Magnaflow exhaust, custom Currie full-floating F9 rear end, and a K&N air intake.

Since its debut, the truck has attended several events including the recent Auto Enthusiast Day in Anaheim, California. Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s Ultimate Funhaver was seen drifting the course in typical fashion, but an additional element was added this year that caught the crowd by surprise.

K&N driver Vaughn Gittin Jr. is well known in the drift world, but his 2015 F-150 is a one-of-a-kind vehicle that extends beyond the drift track into the off-road enthusiast group

As passengers piled into each seat, buckled up, and pulled out their phones to catch the action, each rider quickly realized they were about to get much more than just a drift demonstration. As the truck drifted around the track alongside Cody Currie’s Pro Lite Race Truck, Vaughn Gittin positioned the F-150 towards the ramp in the middle of the course, mashed the gas pedal and went airborne. The jam-packed truck did not see much height during each jump, but it was also accommodating five people, including Vaughn Gittin Jr. Regardless, the crowd cheered as the truck landed safely and continued its demonstration.

This was not the first time Vaughn Gittin Jr. has jumped his F-150 at an event. The truck has seen quite a bit of airtime including some dirt action during a Speedhunters photo shoot last year.

The K&N-sponsored driver is always ready to put on a great show, but when the Ultimate Funhaver is present, there’s no telling what Vaughn Gittin Jr. will do out on course. As for the lucky passengers that rode along in the tricked out F-150, they will probably be talking about their experience for quite some time. By the looks on each of their faces, no one was disappointed by Vaughn Gittin’s show at this year’s Auto Enthusiast Day.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. was seen at Auto Enthusiast Day in Anaheim, California conversing with Cody Currie about their demonstration before hitting the track

The Ultimate Funhaver can seat four additional passengers, who were chosen throughout the one-day event for a rare opportunity in Vaughn Gittin’s truck

When the truck was not on course, it was on display in the RTR booth beside Vaughn Gittin Jr. where autographs and pictures could be taken of both truck and driver