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Located in Pleasant Hill, California is a company devoted to building unique rides since 2008. Curt Hill, owner and builder of Hill’s Rod and Custom, has a lot of experience when it comes to customizing cars and trucks into distinct and awesome hot rods. "I personally have 18 years working in the industry at various shops," said Hill. "I started Hill's Rod and Custom four years ago and have been enjoying building different projects. I think my specialty is one-of-a-kind cars and the parts they are made of." For the 2012 SEMA show, Hill brought one of his newer creations, a heavily modified 1972 Chevy Blazer, built for the Alworth’s of Manhattan Beach, Ca.
SEMA Featured Chevy Blazer From Hill's Rod and Custom
"The theme of this Blazer was to appear stock at first, then at second glance all the little things would then set it apart from other stock Blazers," said Hill. "The idea was to have a low stance with coil overs and ride and handle like a Corvette." When asked how extensive the modifications were, Hill replied, "There is not one thing that is not been touched, painted, plated, or powder coated." "This Blazer is a true frame off build, starting with only the frame rails and everything made from there. The suspension, frame stiffeners, heat shields, exhaust, engine starting with a new block and built from there. The body got the full treatment with new paint and added moldings to make it a two tone like the trucks. The trucks were two tone but the Blazers were one solid color with the top white," said Hill. Curt also noted that the interior was a complete one-off design by Sid Chavers upholstery.
Curt Hill's 1972 Chevy Blazer Outside SEMA Building
Curt Hill's SEMA Chevy Blazer
"The frame was the most radical modification," reported Hill. "It was done in house at Hill's Rod and Custom in Pleasant Hill, CA. The reason the frame was so important [is] because it made the blazer frame super stiff." With Hill’s concept to take this street car and modify it to a race car, a strong and stiff frame was imperative to support a removable top which offered no additional strength.
Building such an extensive project for the SEMA show is certainly a considerable challenge. "It take[s] many long hours to get a vehicle up to the standard...that SEMA has risen to," said Hill. "Another important ingredient is to have the best parts in the industry on the vehicle to make it stand out from others." When asked which parts Hill’s Rod and Custom trusts, Curt told about his first car. "I have been using K&N products since my first car, a 1954 Chevy hard top. I would always put a K&N air filter because they are proven," said Hill. For the Blazer build, Hill used K&N air filter E-3029R. "I used the filter because it works; Brett the owner wanted it because it looks better than other white filters," said Hill. "...We spend so much on getting horsepower, it would be a shame to put a poor air filter on that takes power away!"
1972 Chevy Blazer at SEMA 2012
Optima Street Car Invitational Chevy Blazer at SEMA
Since its completion, the 1972 Blazer has received quite a bit of notoriety. "1st Place in its class at the Grand National Roadster Show Pomona, Sacramento Autorama, Goodguys Gazette Pick, Meguiars Magnificent Masterpiece, and ‘70’s Pick." "The blazer also competed in the Optima Street Car Invitational, and placed 23rd out of 52 cars," said Hill. As for upcoming exposure, the Blazer is scheduled to be on the February cover of Street Trucks. Hill is also looking forward to seeing the Blazer rack up some miles over the next year. "...It was meant to be driven and enjoyed be the owners. I also can’t wait to get other vehicles out that I'm currently working on for people to see."
Steve Alexander said the pre-filter on his new K&N air filtration system worked so well that the secondary filter remained spotless
“It felt great!” stated Steve Alexander, commenting on winning his third Class 5000 Championship in a row. Alexander locked up the title at the 2012 Bluewater Desert(BWD) Challenge in Parker, Arizona. The BWD Challenge is the fifth event in the six-race “Best in the Desert Racing Series”(BITD) and unlike the other five races that are either a long loop race, or a point-to-point course, the BWD Challenge is a two day multi-race format that combines the results from both days to determine the winners.
This was the third running of the Challenge and it’s rapidly establishing itself as a classic, must-attend, fall season event. The unique two-day format amounts to 150 miles of demanding desert racing, and allows for racers to fine tune their vehicles in-between for the second day of shoot-out style competition.
“No,” said Alexander to the question of whether he prepares differently for this event. “I prep the car every time as if it was a 1,000 mile race. I try not to leave anything to chance.”
Alexander won race one on Saturday with newcomer Kris Trajano as navigator
Race one, Saturday morning, the first heat left the starting line at 6:15am. Alexander Motorsports' car, number 5005, was to start in the third heat at 10:15am. Class 5000 would be running with Class 1000 and the 7200's. Alexander left the starting line dead last with newcomer Kris Trajano as navigator. After three intense laps through sand, silt washes and some killer whoop sections, and what felt like a hundred thousand turns (very technical course), Alexander finished first in class and 22nd out of 44 for the heat.
“Yes,” was Alexander’s response to the question of whether Trajano will be racing more with the team in 2013. “He proved to be very valuable as a navigator.”
Race two on Sunday followed the same schedule as race one. This time though Gavin Ferguson navigated. The course proved to be even more challenging on Sunday, as the whoops were now squared off, and some of the holes were so deep that car would nearly disappear at times. During the first half mile of the race the hits were so extreme that the car almost came to a stop on several times.
Although the Bluewater Desert Challenge course was rough, Alexander Motorsports’ new ICON shocks proved to be bulletproof
“But thanks to the unbelievable torque of the Wiks Racing motor along with the RC Trans prepped Mendeola, the car got on top of the bumps and powered through everything,” declared Alexander. “The Longero Motorsports front arms, together with ICON Vehicle Dynamics' shocks, proved to be bulletproof. After the race one photographer commented “the new front end works so good it's hard to get actions shots of you, the car just floats over the whoops. The new air filtration system with K&N Filters kept the motor running clean and powerful. The pre-filter worked so well that the secondary filter was spotless. The Mickey Thompson
'Baja Pro' tires once again ran without any flats as they ripped up the course.”
After two remarkable days of racing Alexander Motorsports not only finished first in Class and 14th overall in their heat for the weekend, but with one race to go in the 2012 Best in the Desert series the team had technically already secured the Class 5000 Championship.
The Alexander Motorsports car won first place in category Bugorama car show, and the Best Engineered Car in the show
“We still had to start the Henderson 250 to receive the Championship honors,” Alexander added. So even though all he had to do was to show up for the 250 to claim the title, but being the first-class competitor that he is, Alexander and his team simply went out and won that event as well for good measure.
For an encore, the following weekend after the Henderson 250, Alexander Motorsports entered their vehicle in the car show at the "Bugorama" held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Not only did they take first in their category, but they also received a special award for "Best Engineered Car" in the show.
“I am sure that had something to do with it,” replied Alexander to the question of whether his radically impressive looking suspension had anything to do with winning that honor. “We were taken by surprise when we received the special award though.”
The 2013 BITD season kicks off February at the Bluewater Resort and Casino Parker 425. Alexander adds, “We will be debuting or newest sponsor, General Tire, at that event.”
The BMW X6 body on the AGM's rig is certainly one of a kind in the Baja racing world
Racers are always trying to push the limit and develop new and exciting things never seen before. In 2012, Baja racing team All German Motorsports(AGM) did just that, and they did it successfully.
After years of competitive racing in the Class 1 buggy, AGM spent the break between 2011 and 2012 building a brand new trophy truck, built around the popular BMW X6 SUV. When teams enter the sports top division for the first time, it rarely finds success early, but the AGM team of owner/driver Martin Christensen, Armin Schwarz, Armin Kremer and Tony Miglini formed a team capable of winning in both of the premier classes of SCORE racing, and left the team with countless memories.
“I don’t know if there was any one particular moment (of joy),” said AGM’s Bryan Lyttle. “(It is) probably more of a general feeling. For instance, after the last Baja 1000, when the truck finished the 1,122-mile race without any suspension, chassis or transmission issues. We proved our concept and finally put some reliability questions to rest.
Baja race vehicles depend on a durable suspension to withstand the rugged terrain
“And with the pre-race suspension work Fox Shocks did, we saw a huge jump in speed, to the point where we were passing in areas that earlier in the year we got passed. It was cool!”
Of course, 2012 was not without some disappointment.
“You could say we’ve had more than a few of those this year, but I don’t wish I could take any of them back,” Lyttle continued. “Those issues were the ones that taught us the most. This has really been a learning year for us. Not only did we move up to trophy truck, but we decided we would do it in a completely new design, utilizing products and parts that did not exist before this project started.”
Despite building an all new vehicle, AGM had great success this year
But despite the challenges of fabricating a brand new machine, one that had never been attempted before, AGM persevered. The team also learned that it had some great friends in the business that provided their expertise and support.
“We were able to tap into decades of experience that our design partners (Jimco Racing, Meziere Enterprises, Fortin Racing, Fox Shocks, Schaeffler Group and Danzio Performance) have. I’m sure this greatly reduced the amount of headaches and shortened the length of time it took to get the truck reliable and competitive.”
Even with the best preparation, one can never expect what is to come out in the desert
Not only did the truck become reliable and competitive, it also gained notoriety world wide for its unique and innovative design, from the suspension and motor to the beautiful X6 body. The team never expected the design to be so popular, so fast, but they quickly learned that when you have a product that nobody has seen before, and prove that it can be successful, heads turn.
“As the year went on, we definitely noticed we were getting more attention. Quite a bit more than we had anticipated, in fact, especially in the European market. It’s kind of crazy to hear people say that they flew from all different parts of the world to come and watch a Baja race and just to see our truck in person. RCP and McGrath fiberglass deserve a big thanks for all their hard work in designing and fabricating the body. They are the ones that made our concept a reality.”
People come from all over the world to see AGM race in the desert
This season, American fans will also get their first look at AGM’s revolutionary vehicle.
“We are going to run the SCORE International Series again, competing in the San Felipe 250, Baja 500 and Baja 1000. But to mix it up we also plan on running a few races north of the border too. We hear that Casey Folks and Roger Norman both run very professional operations, so we’re thinking we might go run the Vegas to Reno race and the Rockin’ on the River race. Both sound like a lot of fun and lend themselves well to entertaining guests and sponsors with their close proximity to hotels and casinos.”
Lyttle also had this to say about AGM’s association with K&N Filters.
“Whether it be our product line or racing we are always striving to be the best and to do that you need to align yourself with the best people and use the best products available. With K&N we have found a partner that offers both. That’s why we are proud to say that we use K&N products in all of our race, chase and personal vehicles.”
Despite having limited experience on cushioned tracks, Dominic Colindres pulled off an impressive 5th place finish at Santa Rosa Mile
The thunder of AMA Flat Track racing returned to the cushioned mile track at Sonoma County Fairgrounds after a 42 year absence for the showcase event - the Santa Rosa Mile. Knowledgeable flat track fans hungry to witness riders in a full tuck racing at 130mph down the straight, and on the edge between control and chaos in the cramped corners, greeted the riders with encouraging cheers and loud applause.
“This race was the closest race to my house out of all the races in this season,” said Dominic Colindres. “I felt a little uncomfortable heading into this event because it was a cushion and I'm still a little off pace on cushions. It was also a mile with tight corners, which I don't have much experience on. I would be heading into this event fifth in points and hopefully go into fourth in the overall points.”
2012 was a breakout year for Colindres as he finished 4th overall in the AMA Pro Singles class
Colindres rides the No. 66Y Weirbach Racing Honda CRF450R in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com Pro Singles class, and he did indeed finish off his 2012 season fourth overall in the Pro Singles championship. Last year was in fact a breakout season for the Terra Nova High School Class of 2012 graduate from Pacifica, California. Colindres had 11 AMA Pro Singles main event starts and finished in the top-10 in all but one of those starts. He also collected seven top-5 finishes, with his best performance of the year coming at Peoria, where he recorded his single win of the season. Based on his overall performance Colindres will once again campaign for Weirbach Racing in 2013, and he clearly has to be considered a serious contender for the title this year.
During the first couple of qualifying sessions at Sonoma Colindres’ bike was a little off for gearing and the team made changes every time he got off the track. “I ended up qualifying ninth the first session and fifth the next,” said Colindres. This put him in the front row for the heat race.
In the main event at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Colindres exploded off the line to grab the holeshot
“We made another change right before the heat and I felt like we were ready for another heat win. I got a little tangled with some riders off the start and ended up fourth into the first turn. After lap two I moved into first and stayed there for the rest of the heat. I felt very good and felt that I could have a shot at winning the main. We didn't make any more changes after the heat.”
For the main Colindres had the option to make the second choice on the front row. “I picked the outside next to (Stephan) Vanderkuur,” said the K&N sponsored rider. “I got the holeshot, but was passed down the back straight. Vanderkuur was on rails and he quickly pulled away. I was in a good four rider battle the whole race with Shoemaker, Spencer, and Anderson. I was having trouble hooking up down low so I moved to the outside and started following Spencer. I ended up a close fifth.”
“I feel good with my result because I see that I'm getting way better on cushions and miles,” added Colindres. “I'm also learning how to adapt to new tracks a lot faster which is key to doing well at a national.”
In 2012 Miranda Arnold finished the ASCS Warrior Region championship in 5th overall
Back in 2011 we reported that Arnold Motorsports’ sisters, Haley and Miranda, were opening their inaugural USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour at Malden Speedway in Malden, Missouri. Haley was 18 and entering her third season, while at the time 15-year-old Miranda was starting her second season. With the paint still wet on 2013, we have an update. “This year I will be the only one racing, because Haley has a fulltime college schedule as she is majoring in Engineering,” says Miranda.
From the time she started racing ATV motocross back in 2007 Miranda has exhibited a very clear aptitude for motorsport competition. She raced ATV’s for a couple of years and racked up several championships and 21 race wins. In 2009 she won her first main feature event at age 13, at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri. In 2010 she even bested her older sister by one position in the 305 Sprint car points standings at LA Raceway in LaMonte, Missouri. Both finished in the top-ten that season. Miranda also won the Rookie of the Year at Double-X Speedway in California, Missouri.
Like so many successful young competitors the Sedalia, Missouri natives have racing in their DNA blueprint. Their father, Bryan, both their grandfathers, as well as, their uncle were racer car drivers. After sharing virtually the same race schedule with Haley for the past few years, Miranda is prepped to go it alone this year.
Miranda will race the 2013 ASCS schedule without her older sister Haley
“Overall our 2012 season ended well,” reports Miranda. “Throughout the season we had our ups and downs, but ended the season with a strong 4th place finish at Valley Speedway. After following the ASCS Warrior Region I ended up 5th in the point’s championship.”
Miranda lists the 4th place finish at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Missouri as an inspirational highlight from last season, as she was battling with Tony Stewart throughout the race. It’s that kind of performance that motivates Miranda to work even harder.
“I think I do more work in the offseason trying to get everything ready than I do during race season,” she says. “I know that sounds crazy, but there is a lot of preparation that goes into getting a chassis put together, getting the trailer prepped and getting tires ready. On top of the racing, I also work at my parents business Mid-Mo Auto Sales.”
“For the 2013 season we plan on following the ASCS schedule and hopefully we will be traveling to some different tracks to try to gain more knowledge and experience.”
At the time this story was being put together the ASCS had not yet released a 2013 schedule. “My first race should be around the end of March or the very beginning of April,” Miranda adds.
