AIRAID Catches Up with Scott Birdsall After Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
Following the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Airaid followed up with Scott Birdsall to get his impressions of the event—and to discuss what comes next this year.
Following the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Airaid followed up with Scott Birdsall to get his impressions of the event—and to discuss what comes next this year.
For many Jeep 4x4 enthusiasts, attending a Jeep Jamboree is the highlight of their year—a chance to meet other Jeep owners, enjoy the outdoors, and hit challenging trails.
Birdsall installed a 12-valve Cummins diesel from an old Dodge pickup. “I wanted a reliable shop truck that I could drive anywhere and use to tow and haul. I put a diesel in the truck to be able to use it. But I’m a hot rodder, so you know; a diesel with a turbo is cool, but a bigger turbo is even cooler!”
Airaid is excited to be sponsoring Rebelle Rally for the 2019 season—the longest competitive off-road rally in the lower 48, and the first navigational off-road rally for women in the United States. The event will run from October 10-19 this year.
Airaid has just launched a brand-new look that includes brand ethos, identity, website, and positioning to reflect a deep-rooted passion for the outdoor off-road community and powered performance in the diesel truck and Mustang classes.
The LML Duramax 6.6L Diesel In order to crank up the power without sacrificing reliability, General Motors went back to the drawing board to create their all new heavy duty diesel. To make it able to handle more power, they gave it:
With a stronger platform that can handle 910 lb-ft of torque, they started adding power enhancements like:
How a Chevrolet Silverado HD Cold Air Intake / GMC Sierra HD Cold Air Intake can improve performance The new ram air intake on the 2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD/3500HD and 2017-2018 GMC Sierra 2500HD/3500HD works by pulling in large amounts of air through that giant vent on the hood. This cold air should provide the engine with more oxygen, due to the lower air temperature. However, once the air hits the OE Duramax 6.6L air filter, it will slow down and heat up, because it has to fight it’s way through all of the dirt that has collected on the surface of the filter. As the layer of dirt increases, the volume of air that gets through will decrease, and reduce the amount of power that your engine can make.
To overcome these horsepower and torque inhibitors, the AIRAID 201-335 MXP Cold Air Intake and AIRAID 200-335 MXP Cold Air Intake replaces all of these restrictive components with low restriction alternatives that are designed to enhance the effectiveness of those high-flow heads and ram air intake ducts. A special high-flow air box is mounted in place of the stock air box and filter, and it’s been engineered to flow considerably more air from that ram air inlet. Inside the AIRAID MXP air box sits one of two low restriction AIRAID performance air filters:
Both oversized AIRAID air filters can pull in a lot more air than a standard paper filter. And because the dirt is stored inside of the filter material rather than collecting on top, the airflow won’t be reduced nearly as much over time. You also won’t have to buy another expensive Duramax 6.6L air filter, because you can just clean the AIRAID filter every 30,000-50,000 miles (depending on road conditions). All of that clean air is then directed to the engine through a low restriction AIRAID intake tube, which is made from roto-molded polyethylene. Because of our manufacturing process, all of the interior surfaces are completely smooth, resulting in little air turbulence as the air flows through the tube. This material also helps to absorb heat, so the air will be much cooler when it reaches the engine. Each intake tube has integrated fittings for all of the factory sensors, which makes for a hassle-free installation. Now for the good part Thanks to its durable, high-flow design, both the AIRAID 201-335 MXP Cold Air Intake and AIRAID 200-335 MXP Cold Air Intake will give you excellent engine protection, faster throttle response, and a throatier engine intake sound. It will also give you the following estimated performance increase: That’s a serious power gain, and it will help to reduce engine strain when you’re towing or hauling a heavy load. But of course, your individual results will vary depending on the mileage, modifications, and condition of your specific 2017-2018 Chevrolet Silverado HD Duramax 6.6L / 2017-2018 GMC Sierra HD Duramax 6.6L. You also need to make sure that this AIRAID cold air intake is street-legal in your state, which you can do by clicking here. With more power, faster throttle response, and the exceptional AIRAID No-Hassle Lifetime Warranty, an AIRAID Duramax 6.6L cold air intake system is definitely a worthwhile investment for your truck! 2018 GMC SIERRA 3500 HD 6.6L V8 Diesel Engine - All Models 2018 GMC SIERRA 3500 HD 6.6L V8 Diesel Engine - All Models |
“The new Can-Am Maverick X3 easily runs down everything in its path like nothing we’ve ever driven," wrote ATV Illustrated. "It’s fast, precise, and it’s got more power and suspension than anything on dirt short of a half million dollar Baja racer. It positively seethes attitude, performance, and style.” So the Can-Am Maverick is a winner. Its Rotax ACE (Advanced Combustion Efficiency), turbocharged three-cylinder, liquid cooled engine with an integrated intercooler is a potent and reliable performer. The addition of an AIRAID 800-508 direct-fit replacement filter takes that power-plant to the next level of performance and protection.
That added punch of air does not mean the AIRAID 800-508 compromises engine protection. The layers of oiled cotton / synthetic blend filter media are up to the task of guarding the engine’s internals from the ravages of the track or trail. That filter media is fully washable and reusable using a cleaning and recharge kit like the 790-550.
Applications: 2017 CAN-AM MAVERICK MAX 1000R TURBO X RS 976 - All Models |
About 30 years ago, an auto repair shop opened up on the site of an old ranch in Santa Rosa, California. When they needed to expand several years ago, workers started to clear off the overgrown lot behind one of their buildings. As the front loader was plowing through decades of bushes, small trees and briars, it struck what turned out to be a 1949 Ford F1 pickup. The owner of the shop didn’t even know the truck was there, and decided to just sell it online. And that’s where Scott Birdsall of Chuckles Garage comes in: “When I get bored sometimes, I’ll look on Craigslist for stuff that I can buy real cheap and flip. So that truck came up and I bought it for $225—you know, to flip it. But it started to grow on me, so I kept it.” He continued; “I wanted to make a reliable shop truck out of it. But one modification led to another, and eventually it turned into a full-on race truck.”
We at AIRAID are proud to sponsor Scott Birdsall and his Old Smokey Ford F1. And we wish him the best of luck as attempts to break the diesel pickup land speed record with his rusty monster.
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But the Road to Optima’s 2017 OUSCI hasn’t been simple for either competitor. They’ve faced challenges, experienced up and downs, but at the heart, they are every bit competitors. In fact, both of these gentlemen credit improved diets and exercise, along with a can-do attitude to their continued success. Explaining that even though they compete in street cars, these guys, these incredible brand ambassadors are determined to showcase their sponsors' equipment, the equipment that makes their street cars so darn competitive, in the best way they know how. For them, that means a podium finish whenever and wherever they can.
However, starting a new business isn’t all Ken had on his mind this past year. You may recall that at the 2016 OUSCI he suffered damage to the EVO’s top end that required a down and dirty, last minute, under the wire swap that afforded him just one run on the Falken Tires Hot Lap Challenge. That valiant effort unfortunately didn’t prove to be enough for him to steal the win from the three time consecutive winner, Danny Popp. Perhaps that alone was reason enough for him to work tirelessly on creating what he called a bulletproof package that would ultimately crown him victor at the 10th Anniversary running of OUSCI at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But before that could happen, he had more qualifying to do!
The weather was the best our drivers have seen in years out at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Track conditions were ideal, making competition closer than ever. Best of all our AIRAID team drivers left everything out on the track. As predicted there were plenty of Corvettes that were top finishers, that dominated the field. Priestley finished 4th in the GTS Class with his 2017 Chevrolet Grand Sport C7, Bernice, earning him an 11th place finish overall.
AIRAID would like to congratulate all the 2017 OUSCI Class Winners: GTV Class: Larry Woo 1968 Chevrolet Camaro GTL Class: Ken Thwaits 2006 Mitsubishi EVO
GTC Class: Scott Budisalich 2006 Honda S200 GTE Class: Matthew Scott 2017 Hyundai Ioniq GT Class: Bryan Johnson 2013 Chevrolet Camaro | ||||||||||
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