DOMINATES!

Dateline July 1, 2006 – Pikes Peak Colorado

84^th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Vortex Valve™ racers dominate 2006 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb! They won three divisions, set two records and placed 1^st and 2^nd in one division. We’ve been told that three motorcycle division winners and another Quad division winner were also running Vortex Valves™. That brings our first place trophy count to seven! We’ll have the names, divisions and pics of the other winners in a few days. “If you can’t beat ‘em – join ‘em.”

WINNER & NEW RECORD HOLDER WITH TWO VORTEX VALVES™

Canadian Jim Goertz, #84, set a new record at the 84^th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 500cc Quad division, with 12:07.985. Jim stated that his quad was strong through the lower half of the course. He credits his Vortex Valve™ equipped machine with a good amount of mid-range torque, which made the machine "very rideable." Goertz said the upper half of the course was covered with loose gravel and because the Vortex Valve™ enhanced traction, it made it easier to navigate. He added that it was a hot contest between himself and John Angel through the mid-section and upper half of the double cut, and that when they reached the Devil's Playground he was able to break away and head straight to the finish line. This is Goertz' first victory in this event. Here’s Jim’s Press Release:

Colorado July 1,2006: Jim Goertz’ fantasy proved reality. The 84^th running was his year to win with a 1^st place finish on his #84, 500cc Yamaha Banshee Race Quad. Goertz, who is 40, broke the record with his Quad and set a time of 12 minutes, and 7 seconds. 12.42 Miles – 14,115 FEET – 156 HAIR PIN TURNS. This was Goertz’s 10^th appearance on Pike’s Peak. The USA Today wrote:  “Canadian Jim Goertz celebrated Canada Day with a record-setting win in the 500 Quad division. The Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada, driver crossed the finish line in 12:07.985 for his first Hill Climb victory.  Racers reached speeds up to 130 miles per hour on the dangerous course, which features 156 gravel turns and 2,000-foot cliffs with no guardrails. The race, founded by Spencer Penrose, has been held since 1916, when Rea Lentz won with a time of 20:55.6. It is the second-oldest motor sports event in the country, behind only the Indianapolis 500.

Jim & Stef Goertz The Winner!

Special Note: Mathew Keearsey, riding #3, was the fastest 4-Stroke entry in the 500cc Quad Division with a time of 13:02. Mathew was running a Vortex Valve™ on his 560cc liquid cooled KTM lunger on a Lone Star 250 chassis. Nice work Mathew!

WINNER & NEW RECORD HOLDER RUNNING A VORTEX VALVE™

Here’s Mike Ryan’s Mercedes powered Freightliner in front of Air Synergy Labs, Inc. in Las Vegas, Nevada. The manufacturers of the amazing, indomitable Vortex Valve™. Mike set a new record – actually he broke his old record at the 84^th running of the Pikes Peak

International Hill Climb in the Truck Exhibition Class. He improved his time by 3 seconds finishing first at 12:43. Mike drives a Freightliner powered by a 12 litre Mercedes twin turbo V6 with 1,250 horse power and nearly 3,000 foot pounds of torque. His engine is equipped with 1 Vortex Valve™. Mike said "I could really feel the Vortex Valve™ coming out of the curves—it felt like more snap especially when the ambient air temp started to increase." The trucks were #4 off the line. Mike also runs Vortex Valves™ in his Freightliner Century Class powered by a Detroit Diesel Series 60. That’s what he hauls his race truck with.

WINNER OPEN WHEEL DIVISION RUNNING ONE VORTEX VALVE™

Wally Dallenbach, former NASCAR driver, finished first in the open wheel class, driving #17, a Wells Coyote running a 700 horse power Chevy V8. His ride is equipped with

1 Vortex Valve™ on the carburetor – check it out. The rest of the open wheel cars were fuel injected and Wally’s #17 had a big 4-Barrel and beat them all. In this situation it’s not supposed to be like that. A Vortex Valve™ makes a huge difference!

Wally goes over some chassis tweaks with Leonard Arnold, owner and builder of #17 and #98. Wally stated he had "plenty of low-end torque coming out of the corners, which was doubly important as the course was very slippery." He said the rear wing adjustment to his car on the day of the race and a Vortex Valve™ on his carburetor were a big boost to his performance time of 8:22.84.

Here's Leonard Arnold's take on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Pike's Peak International Hill Climb is a unique and interesting annual event.

You prepare for an entire year, for a 12 mile, 10 minute run and do your best to make it perfect. You get just one chance.

Truly in my view, from an owner's perspective, it is the most demanding thing because there is just no room for error. There is also no venue to test on that is similar to the Pikes Peak track, which ascends from 9,000 feet to 14,000 feet. No way to test it. That's exactly what brings me back every year as a car owner. It is the ultimate challenge. For the drivers danger and speed play a big role but for me it's that no room for error or prior testing that gets me. There's an exactness and perfection that absolutely must be achieved and maintained.

My mechanic Kevin Kidwell works all year on the cars and then the drivers goes away, You don't see them run in the moment and then there's the let down at finish. Costs were $160,000 for 24 miles. I guess I'm crazy but I love it.

Every year after the PPIHC, I think I won't do it again and I always have concerns for driver safety. And then before I know it, I'm over at the shop seeing what we can achieve for next year. It's very exciting-like a football player that only goes to the super bowl. There are no games beforehand. You have to train the team and get everything right, and then you jump to the high end of the competition. It brings out racers that are different than say stock car racers where they can refine things after every weekly race. In contrast building cars for PPIHC that can sustain both asphalt and dirt is quite a challenge. No other racing represents that kind of radical requirements of the car.

1 year ago we built Wally Dallenbach's car. We kept it simple. I recommended some at-the-line changes for slick surface and the mud. Made adjustment to cars front and rear wings and shocks, that coupled with the VORTEX VALVE™ gave his car more downforce and grip on the slippery track. It gave Wally a narrow edge over his brother Paul who came in second. We've done a lot of dyno work this year with both cars. We put the cars on a chassis dyno so you can run it through a computer-controlled exercise program. There was no missing the really impressive work of the Vortex Valve™ on the lower end rpms.

SECOND PLACE OPEN WHEEL DIVISION RUNNING 8 VORTEX VALVES™

Paul Dallenbach driving #98 (right) powered by a 406 cubic inch Chevy that put out around 750 horse power on the dyno with 8 Vortex Valves™, finished second in the open wheel class of the Pike's Peak International Hill Climb, with a time of 8:24.23. Paul commented that "my car had plenty of power—more power than we can put to the ground." He said the weather and mud, especially the last two miles, were mighty opponents but he was pleased with his car's performance during the race. Paul said the only reason Wally beat him was he got stuck in the mud. Vortex Valve™ equipped cars still came in 1 and 2 in the open wheel division.

Paul’s car had two air boxes like this one, each with 4 Vortex Valves™.

The Chassis Dyno at Greeley Automotive Machine, in Greeley, Colorado said the Vortex Valves™ added more than 30 foot pounds of torque at 3,500 RPM. Torque is what you need when you come out of a turn and there’s 156 of them at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

There is a Vortex Valve™ for every engine everywhere. Preserve our natural resources and be environmentally responsible. You can save money or get there quicker. It’s your call.