E3 Spark Plugs News

E3 Spark Plugs is a proud sponsor of the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.

There’s nothing quite like seeing nitro methane-burning Top Fuel drag boat boiling a 1/4-mile of water in 4.7 seconds at over 250 mph. If you thought drag racing on land was a sight to behold, wait until you see it on water. For racing fans, the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series is the place to go to witness these violent, air-splitting machines and now that more than 900 teams are competing for one national championship, you have even more opportunities to catch the action.

E3 Spark Plugs, the leader in multiple electrode, high performance spark plugs, has recently renewed its sponsorship of the Drag Boat Series as well as a strong presence across the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series as well. The partnership will include considerable branding presence at each event as well as part of the Lucas Oil Series’ extensive television exposure.

“All of us at E3 Spark Plugs are very excited to be a part of one of the most exciting racing series ever. There’s simply nothing like seeing these machines in person,” said Steve Joiner, E3′s Vice President of Marketing.

Backed by a five year, 100,000-mile warranty, E3 Spark Plugs, with their side-wire electrode, projects the combustion spark in a way that more quickly ignites the air/fuel mixture thereby creating a significantly faster and larger flame kernel. In effect, this burns more of the available fuel, resulting in increased combustion efficiency for improved power and fuel economy with reduced emissions. They are now available for most automotive, small engine and powersports applications at automotive and home improvement retail stores nationwide.

For more information and complete test results, visit www.e3sparkplugs.com. And in the meantime, check out the video below to get revved up for some wild drag boat racing action…

Team E3 Racing winner Brandon Williams runs the popular DirtXtra online magazine.

Brandon Williams followed up his 2010 rookie year in unexpected fashion – by taking his sophomore year off. But with good reason – the busy new dad who operates a crane for U.S. Steel by day and spends his nights and weekends at the dirt tracks wanted to be around for his baby boy, Blake.

Having landed the 11th spot ranking in the Kankakee County Speedway Points  and 23rd in the I-MOD Association series piloting an I-MOD in his first year as a professional dirt track racer, he came back strong in 2012, landing respectable ninth and 12th places in two races.

Team E3 Racing winner Brandon Williams

For the 2013 season, he’s gunning for the UMP  (United Midwestern Promoters) National Championship title in the Pro Late Model class, piloting a recently built UMP Pro Late Model MasterSbilt Chassis with a 604 GM Crate Engine. He’ll make his season debut at Farmer City Raceway in the Illini 100 event, competing in the Pro Late Model class on Saturday, April 6. And he’s already eyeing success in 2014, building a midget sprint for the 2014 Chili Bowl Nationals.

All the while he’s helping to promote E3 Spark Plugs, handing out decals and t-shirts at various races. And he’s keeping race fans up to the minute on the latest competitive and dirt track racing news via his wildly popular DirtXtra online magazine. Check out Brandon’s Williams Racing Facebook Fan Page to keep up with him and brother, Adam, also a pro racer since 2006.

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates Brandon on his second stint as a Team E3 Racing winner.

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates the newest class of Team E3 Racing Tier 1 Winners. We’ve selected 12 of the most promising up-and-coming racing pros and pro-ams. And you’ll recognize a few of the names.

Making their sophomore appearance on Team E3 Racing are:

• Stephen Foster Kildahl, a competitive speedboat racer since age 16;
• Dan Bunting, a world record-setting competitive speedboat racer;
• Brandon Williams, a dirt track racer and founder of online magazine DirtXtra.com;
• Powered by the Complex, a lawn mower racing team;
• Erik Gehrke, a mini cup racer.

New on the team are:

• Kevin Harter, a kart racer and race team manager;
• Cheyanne Phillips
• Shea Holbrook, a car racer and Living Legends honoree;
• Don Demeny, Traxxas Torc series racer and 28-year racing veteran;
• James R. Steffenhagen, a stock car racer;
• Donnie B. Collins, Monster truck and funny car racer.
• David Cerer, American Cup Series racer.

Each winner takes home a $500 cash prize, a set of 16 E3 Spark Plugs, official E3 apparel and decals, and a publicity boost via the E3 Spark Plugs website blog and Facebook Fan Page. Over the next few months, each Tier 1 winner will be featured in a profile on our blog. So keep a lookout for your favorites.

E3 Spark Plugs sends out big props to the 2012 class of Team E3 Racing Sponsorship Contest Tier 2 winners. Three top picks from our inaugural class made the cut this year as well. They are:

• Alex Prunty, third-generation race car driver;
• Jacob “Camokid” Putman, 7-year-old Kid Kart champ;
• Daryl Barrett, 30-year racing professional

New on the team for 2013 are:

• Cody Perry, Sport Compact / Hornet division racer;
• Parker Abed, a competitive racer since age five;
• Danny Phillips, custom lawnmower builder and racer;
• John Hummel, 26-year drag racer;
• Aidan Montgomery Hinds, 7-year-old racer;
• Tyler Shepard, the “Wheelie Wizzard;
• bobby brown, truck racer;
• Tim Spurlock, engine transmission and builder, and truck racer;
• Tom Benvenuti, vintage snowmobile racer.

Each winner scored a set of 16 E3 Spark Plugs and official E3 apparel and decals. Plus, they’ll get a publicity boost via the E3 Spark Plugs website blog and Facebook Fan Page. Check the E3 Spark Plugs blog regularly over the next few months for feature articles on each Team E3 Racing Tier 2 winner.

Hey racers and racing crew! There’s still time to register for the 2013 class of Team E3 Racing Sponsorship Contest winners.

E3 Spark Plugs is looking for up-and-coming racing competitors and pit crew members who want to rev up their careers. And as long as it has an engine, it doesn’t matter what you race. Our inaugural class of Team E3 Racing members head for the finish line piloting everything from high-dollar speed boats to riding lawn mowers. Crew competitors have been racing team owners, pit crew managers and mechanics.

We want to hear from career hopefuls who understand not just the track side, but the business and promotions side of professional racing, too. If you’re chosen as a Team E3 Racing winner, you’ll get a publicity boost via the E3 Spark Plugs website blog and Facebook fan page. Plus, we’ll send you $500 in cash, 16 E3 Spark Plugs, and official E3 apparel and decals for you, your team and your ride.

But time is running out. To enter, make sure you’re a fan of the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page. Then, click the “Sponsorship Contest” tab, complete the form and click “Submit.” You’ve got until 11:59 p.m. on January 31 to enter (be sure to read all the rules and regs). We’ll announce the winners in February.

Good luck!

Check out those awesome shirts! Team E3 Racing winner Dan Bunting and his ExtremePowerboatRacing.com crew recently set the APBA world record for for quarter-mile speed. Check out other recent Team E3 accomplishments and get ready for your chance to win.

As we gear up for the next round, we’re catching up with a few winners from our inaugural Team E3 Racing class.

Team E3 Racing winner Cody Erdmann entered his #52 Ford Mustang in the Track Competition – Dwarf Class at the 50th Anniversary O’Reilly Auto Parts World of Wheels in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and drove away with the Outstanding in Class award. While there, he made a generous donation to the Pinstripe Legends Art Auction, helping to raise more than $54,000 for cancer research at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. On a fast track toward a pro racing career, Cody recently took second place in the Feature Race and the 2012 standings in the Slinger Super Speedway Championship series, winning the Top Qualifier of the Year honor.

A competitive speedboat racer since he was just 16, Stephen Kildahl and his Scott Free racing team recently snagged third place in the Super Boat International Key West World Championships, Superboat VEE Limited class. At 21, he’s the youngest full time driver on the circuit by at least 10 years and balances his time on the boat with his studies at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Fellow competitive boat racer and Team E3 Racing member Dan Bunting also made waves recently. His ExtremePowerboatRacing.com crew team established the quarter-mile speed world record at the American Power Boat Association (APBA) Records Run in New Martinsville, West Virginia.

Back on land, winner Terry Panciera and his Powered by the Complex lawn mower racing team took the checkered flag in the last race of the season and clinched the New England Lawn Mower Racing Association (NELMRA) points championship. And Team E3 Racing’s littlest winner, Jacob “Camokid” Putman won seven races in a row, including the season finale race at Manassas, Virginia’s Old Dominion Speedway, securing the Kid Kart 3 Class 2012 championship.

Are you an up-and-coming racer? Now is your chance to rev up your career! The Team E3 Racing 2013 Sponsorship Contest kicks off this Saturday, December 1. Enter to win $500 in cash, 16 E3 Spark Plugs, official apparel and decals for you and your team. You must be a fan of the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page to win. Like us now, then check the E3 Spark Plugs blog for contest details on Saturday. We’ll pick 12 lucky winners.

Good luck!

It’s official! E3 Spark Plugs’ spark and glow plugs are now the official plugs of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). The multi-year sponsorship agreement revs up in 2013. It means you’ll see the E3 logo in NHRA advertising, promotional and point-of-purchase materials, and on product packaging. From the tracks and pits at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events, you’ll see our signs and crazy inflatables, and we’ll be incorporated into advertising via NHRA’s multimedia outlets and commercial inventory in the ESPN2/ESPN2HD broadcasts.

“We at E3 are very excited to be the official spark plug and glow plug of NHRA. Our customers and the NHRA fan are all about power and performance, something we understand completely,” said Todd Arey, president of E3 Spark Plugs. “We are committed to helping them achieve those goals, and it is with great enthusiasm that E3 Spark Plugs partners with the National Hot Rod Association, the clear global leader in championship drag racing.”

Adds John Siragusa, NHRA senior director of sales and business development: “E3 Spark Plugs has been involved for a number of years and has long seen the value of association with NHRA. We are excited to have E3 Spark Plugs increase their involvement in the sport by becoming an official sponsor.”

Founded by Wally Parks in 1951, the NHRA is North American drag racing’s governing body, setting rules and hosting events throughout the U.S. and Canada. With over 80,000 drivers in its rosters, it’s considered one of the largest motorsports sanctioning bodies in the world.

Backed by a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty, E3 spark plugs, with our patented DiamondFIRE side-wire electrode, project the combustion spark in a way that more quickly ignites the air/fuel mixture, thereby creating a significantly faster and larger flame kernel. In effect, this burns more of the available fuel, resulting in increased combustion efficiency for improved power and fuel economy with reduced emissions. E3 spark plugs are available for most automotive, small-engine, and powersports applications at automotive and home-improvement retail stores nationwide. E3 glow plugs were introduced at the recent 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Press Release

For Immediate Release:
For more information, contact:
Kevin Shaw
kevin.shaw@martincoadvertising.com
615/876-1822

The 2012 racing season is well underway and E3 Spark Plugs has a trio of racers that are already outrunning the competition and taking the lead. These three racers bring with them a combined 45 years of racing experience and know-how and are all members of Live Fast…Play Dirty Motorsports’ race team.

Leading the trio is #23 Jerry Daugherty out of Riverton, Utah. Jerry’s racing experience is put to the test behind the wheel of his Pro 4 Unlimited Live Fast…Play Dirty Motorsports’ Chevrolet Silverado powered by a Todd Goodwin-built Goodwin Competition mill. Over his 36 years of competition, Jerry has taken home 13 podium finishes with nine first place wins.

During the recent Lucas Oil Off Road Series rounds three and four at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, Daugherty fought a broken axle, qualifying him in the 10th position for Saturday’s round of racing. Coming off of a great win at Firebird the previous weekend, he managed to push his way through the field and finish 6th. Although Sunday morning brought a bit cooler temps, a broken fan caused Jerry to overheat in qualifying, slating him in the 11th position.

Following in his father’s footsteps is 38-year-old Aaron Daugherty in his Pro 4 Unlimited # 24 Chevrolet Silverado and Pro Lite # 23 Ford Ranger pickups. Over his short seven-year racing career, Aaron took first in his first main event in 2008, the pole during the 2009 Lucas Oil Challenger Series, and finished in the top 10 for the last two years of the Speedworld series.

Aaron, behind his Tuff Country EZ Ride Suspensions Pro Lite Ranger ran well, qualifying in two groups placing him in the 7th position. Aaron and the #24 did a great job of staying out of trouble during the first half of the race; adjusting the King Shocks during the caution helped Aaron move through the pack and finish 14th!

During round 4s qualifying Sunday morning saw Aaron gaining seconds on his lap times from Saturday. While lap times improved, Aaron started in 22nd position and ran clean lines throughout the race. After a lot of bumping and banging, Aaron took home 10th place, placing him within the top 10 once again!

Driver of the team’s Pro 2 Unlimited #52 Chevrolet Silverado is Patrick Clark, whose stellar racing resume makes him the wheelman to watch. Within his two years of racing Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Patrick has taken home nothing less than ten top five finishes as well as fastest lap awards. Outside of off-road racing, Patrick raced a NHRA Jr Dragster in the Lightening Division, an ATV in the WORCS Series, a UTV and even karting in the Rotex Series Stars of Tomorrow.

During the LOORS Round 3 and 4 weekend, Patrick hit the track running. Patrick’s qualifier placed him in the 7th position (another top 10). Saturday’s race took Patrick to the front and keeping pressure on the racers around him. Despite challenging track conditions, Aaron brought home in 9th place, yet another solid top 10 effort.

For Sunday’s round 4 event, Patrick started in the back of the pack in 11th position. Yet, it didn’t take long for Patrick to battle his way up to the 4th position, and by the caution, Aaron held onto 8th place until the finish.

Backed by a five year, 100,000-mile warranty, E3 Spark Plugs, with their side-wire electrode, projects the combustion spark in a way that more quickly ignites the air/fuel mixture thereby creating a significantly faster and larger flame kernel. In effect, this burns more of the available fuel, resulting in increased combustion efficiency for improved power and fuel economy with reduced emissions. They are now available for most automotive, small engine and powersports applications at automotive and home improvement retail stores nationwide. For more information and complete test results, visit www.e3sparkplugs.com.

For more information on the E3/Live Fast…Play Dirty Motorsports Off Road Truck Team, you can visit livefastplaydirty.com or contact Christie Daugherty at christiedaugherty@hotmail.com.

E3 Spark Plugs is giving you the chance to see the tracks from behind the wheel of one of these. Enter to win a trip to the 2012 E3 Spark Plugs Utah Off Road Nationals Presented By Toyota at Miller Motorsports Park.

Itching for a change of scenery? How about the wide open expanses of Utah? And how about seeing it from the behind the wheel of a Baja Challenge race car? Or a Ford Racing Mustang GT? Or Jerry Daugherty’s new Pro 4 #24 off-road racing truck? Or from the window of the Lucas Oil corporate helicopter.

While all that may sound like a far-fetched dream, E3 Spark Plugs is making it a reality for one lucky winner and a guest of his or her choosing. Winning is easy. Just go to the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page and fill out the contest submission form on the Off Road Contest Tab. Tell us why you want to win and who you’ll bring.

Here’s what you get if your name is chosen:

• Airfare for two and accommodations for three nights;
• Two tickets to the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing event at Miller Motorsports;
• A two-hour Mustang Experience, putting you behind the wheel of a Ford Racing Mustang GT;
• A Wide Open Utah ultimate high-performance off-road Baja-style driving experience;
• A ride in the E3 Spark Plugs Daugherty Off-Road Truck;
• A ride in the Lucas Oil Helicopter;
• Two tickets to one of the top Kart road courses in America.

Make sure you read the rules first. You must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of one of the 48 contiguous states or District of Columbia. The contest runs from March 31st, 2012 till May 25, 2012 and you’ll take your trip June 21-23. Good luck!