E3 Spark Plugs News

E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans love an upset win especially when the winner is one of the legends of the sport. Red Bull Honda rider Kevin Windham had the 450cc MX field covered at the Steel City Raceway for Round 11 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX National Championship. The veteran motocross racer, who had not won an AMA outdoor national since 2007, has always been a fan favorite. After having retired from outdoor competition, Windham got “the call” from the factory Honda team to replace injured Red Bull rider Davi Milsaps. Some thought Red Bull’s move was just an easy way to add a popular rider under the tent to sign autographs for loyal motocross fans. Undoubtedly, Windham had different aspirations.

Veteran Honda rider Kevin Windham (and daughter) hold a post-race press conference. Windham showed the same speed at Delmont that won him the AMA National at Steel City Raceway back 2001 Photo courtesy of Geico Powersports http://powersports.honda.com/

The biggest news came earlier in the week when Rockstar Makita Suzuki team manager Roger DeCoster announced that he would be leaving after 15 years at the helm of the factory’s MX racing program. The shocking press release appeared just days after Ryan Dungey became the first rookie motocross racer in history to capture the AMA Supercross and Motocross national championships in an inaugural season. DeCoster hasn’t confirmed his plans for the 2011 AMA Lucas Oil season but rumors have it that the former multi-time World Motocross Champion may be headed to KTM. In keeping with “Silly Season” news, it was also rumored that Dungey may want out of his 2011 contract with Suzuki to take a long-term deal with another team.

To nobody’s surprise, Honda/Red Bull rider Andrew Short pulled the holeshot in Moto One with Geico Powersports’s Brett Metcalfe close behind. However, the other Red Bull rider, Kevin Windham, was already working his way to the front. Windham left no doubt in the fans’ mind as to why he was Honda’s first choice as the replacement for the factory ride. After Dungey crashed on the opening lap, Windham would pass Short and Metcalfe on his way to one of the most popular wins of his stellar career. Metcalfe would hold on for second place and his hard-charging teammate and fellow Aussie, Ben Townley, would finish in third place ahead of Short. Yamaha’s Justin Brayton continued to show improvement finishing fifth in the opening moto at Steel City Raceway.

In Moto Two, all eyes would be on the newly-crowned national champion Dungey (who had finished 40th in Moto One after breaking a brake rotor and retiring early). Andrew Short would again put his Red Bull factory Honda out front at the start. However, this day belonged to Windham who passed his teammate Short to take the lead in Moto Two. Around mid-race, Dungey would pass Windham for the moto win. But, Windham’s second place was good enough to claim the overall win ahead of Metcalfe, Brayton and Short. Eighteen-year old Nick Paluzzi, was given an opportunity to race the last two AMA outdoor nationals with the Muscle Milk/Toyota Team (after Josh Grant elected to have season-ending shoulder surgery) and finished a respectable seventh overall in his debut aboard the Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha.

The 450cc MX teams travel to the west coast for next weekend’s final round of the 2010 outdoor season at Pala Raceway. Located just east of San Deigo, CA, the Pala motocross facility features one of the first tracks in the nation that was built to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards. As E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans know, the EPA lists E3 car spark plugs as an eco-friendly option. If you are looking for a greener alternative for your car, truck or motorcycle engine, insist upon E3 replacement spark plugs for your favorite ride. Our patented DiamondFire Technology will deliver the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology that you need.

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Cooler weather and a well-groomed track awaited the Lucas Oil AMA 250cc MX Pro riders at Steel City Raceway outside Delmont, Pennsylvania, over the Labor Day Weekend. E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans lined the fence early to watch another great battle for the AMA Lites national championship. The day was overcast early, sunny late and long sleeve weather all day. Oklahoma’s Trey Canard trailed former 250cc World Champion Christophe Pourcel by 13 points coming into the eleventh round of the 2010 AMA Pro MX Lites season. But, the Frenchman came to Delmont with a spectacular win in the final moto of last week’s national at Unadilla, NY, where Pourcel put on a late charge and blasted past Canard with two laps to go.

Geico Powersports Honda rider Trey Canard celebrates his 1-1 finishes with the fans at Steel City Raceway outside Delmont, Pennsylvania, over Labor Day Weekend in the Lucas Oil 250cc Lites National Championship. He now trails Pourcel by 7 points for the 2010 outdoor national title. Photo courtesy of http://motocross.transworld.net/

Grand Marshal for this year’s Steel City National was fan favorite and former Lites national champion Timmy Ferry.  Ferry had the crowd cheering as he and his son Evan took a farewell lap aboard the #15 factory Kawasaki before the start. When the gate dropped on Moto One, Monster Engery/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s  Tyla Rattray took the lead with teammate Pourcel close behind. Honda’s Canard was riding just inside the top ten early on but would mount a charge through the pack to catch and pass Pourcel for the win. Pourcel would finish in second place in Moto One ahead of Rattray and Geico Powersports Honda rider Eli Tomac.

In Moto Two, a couple of rookie 250 Lites riders, Pro Circuit’s Dean Wilson and Honda’s Eli Tomac, blasted to the lead off the starting line. Wilson would get the better of Tomac before the end of lap one and looked to be in control of the race. Geico Powersports Honda rider Canard was running in fifth behind Yamaha’s Nico Izzi and Suzuki’s Wil Hahn. Kawasaki rider Rattray was holding off Honda’s Justin Barcia who was holding off the Kawasaki of points leader Christophe Pourcel. By mid race, Canard and Pourcel had passed Wilson and the race was on. Canard (who never bobbled) and Pourcel (who never let up) put on a show for the E3 Sparks Plugs Racing fans.

Pourcel would set the fastest lap of the race late in Moto Two but Canard was almost flawless and never gave the Kawasaki rider a chance to pass. For the last five minutes of the moto, the two championship contenders battled as though it was the last lap of the race. Each showed great respect for the other by keeping the racing very clean. As the championship contenders caught race leader Dean Wilson, Wilson showed his respect for the senior Lites riders and let both Canard and Pourcel past. You could sense the tension in the Honda camp as everyone knew Canard would need to win points over Pourcel at Steel City to have a realistic shot at the national championship in Pala, CA next weekend.

Canard’s lane choices and his ability to jump the triple later in the race allowed him to hold off Pourcel for the moto win and first overall at Delmont. Pourcel would finish in second for the moto and second for the day which helped to minimiz the damage to his point’s lead. Canard now trails Pourcel by seven points for the AMA Lucas Oil Outdoor MX championship as teams travel west this week to race the newest venue on the schedule, Pala Raceway outside San Deigo, CA. If you are looking for Pro Performance from your bike, insist upon E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs for street bike, dirt bike or chopper. E3 delivers the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology needed for today’s high performance engines.
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After placing on the podium at both the SNORE Mint 400 and the SNORE Caliente 250 earlier this year, driver Jason Coleman along with the entire Coleman Motorsports crew set out for the SNORE Midnight Special to get the coveted 1^st place finish.

E3 Spark Plugs-sponsored Jason Coleman of Coleman Motorsports placed second in the SNORE Midnight Special. Image by Prospectator Offroad Photograpy, courtesy of Coleman Motorsports.

This year’s course was 4 laps of brutally rough terrain filled with tight, twisty roads and rocky sections that challenged the drivers’ skills to the max. A first for SNORE limited classes, including class 1600, was the chance to qualify for starting positions. Friday night just after sun set on the desert of Ridgecrest the green flag dropped – 1 car every 1 minute. After the dust settled Jason had placed mid pack in 11^th out of a total field of 20 cars. When asked about the qualifying lap Jason said, “I felt really good about it, everything was good until we came over the rise on top of the hill and on the way down we were going faster than anticipated. Dodging large rocks, we blew a turn which probably cost us at least 10 seconds. We probably would have been in the top 5. That really didn’t bother me since the race is what really counts and there will be plenty of time to make up for the mid pack start.”

Jason tackled the first 2 laps with what he calls “conservative” driving in hopes that some of the pack would drop off due to race car failure or possible driving mistakes. Before the start of lap 3 race car #1623 came into the main pits for a fuel stop. While the pit crew quickly dumped fuel into the car, driver and co-driver chugged down some water and listened to Pit Crew Chief Jason “Bizkit” Brisco. “Bizkit” told Jason it was time to pick up the pace and car #1623 left the pits, charging ahead as a force to be reckoned with.

On the last lap, in clouds of dust, Jason reeled in the car ahead of him. While within passing distance, a rock jumped out in front of Jason’s car and forced him to pull over with a flat. Luckily Jason’s co-driver, Jeremy Munyon, is lightening fast at changing flats with a small amount of assistance from Jason. Coleman Motorsports jumped right back into the race, passing through Pit C with about 15 miles to the finish. The pit crew at pit C relayed to Jason that he was 1:20 corrected time out of 2nd place. The “win or break” mentality took over the driver’s seat and we are happy to announce that Coleman Motorsports finished in 2^nd place with a 1:07 lead over 3^rd place! Coleman Motorsports finished the race in 5 hours, 31 minutes and 10 seconds to complete with an average of 40 mph.

Next up: The SNORE 250 in Pahrump, NV

Coleman Motorsports  is sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs, Golden Construction Development Company,  Christianbelle Electric, LanComm Consulting, Bannister and Associates Insurance, McKenzies, BTR Wheels, LAT Racing Oils, Hella Lights, Piloti, Baja Junkies, Jake’s Fabworks, Scott Shop Towels and Wypall. For more information about Jason Coleman (Owner/ Driver #1623) and Coleman Motorsports, write info@ColemanMotorsports.com or visit their website at www.ColemanMotorsports.com.

As you pulled through the gates at Glen Helen Raceway for Round 9 of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road National Championship, you just knew there was going to be fireworks. First, the Southern California fans always pack the house for any off-road motorcycle and truck event. Second, there is the fierce rivalry for the points chase in a bunch of classes, and nobody ever knows what’s going to happen under the lights at Glen Helen. Third, you have one of the most challenging short courses that changes its demeanor every lap. Finally, the raceway nestled in the basin of the San Bernardino National Forest is known for putting on spectacular fireworks displays for the fans.

Stronghold Motorsports/Readylift veteran off-road racer Marty Hart claimed his third victory of the 2010 at the famed Glen Helen Raceway to take a 3-point lead in the Lucas Oil Off Road National Championship series. Photo courtesy of Stronghold Motorsports racing team. http://www.strongholdmotorsports.com/

Veteran off-road racer Marty Hart grabbed the early lead in the Pro Lite Unlimited Class over Sean Geiser. Geiser was of one the first of many drivers to end up on the roof and Rockstar Energy/Metal Mulisha driver Brian Deegan slipped by for second place. Deegan had set fast time in qualifying but started in Row 2 after an inverted start. The 12-time X-Games medalist wasted no time in running Hart down. The series points leader Chris Brandt, in the #82 BFGoodrich Tires/Lucas Oil Toyota, would have troubles of his own and relinquished 3rd place to Matt Loiodice when he pulled off with a couple of laps to go.

Deegan was pestering Hart by diving inside then going outside as the pair raced every corner like it was the last lap of the race. Finally, Deegan got too wide and ended up rim riding his truck around the wall in Turn Two. Hart would still have to hold off the hard charging Deegan but the veteran off roader put his Stronghold Motorsports/Lamb Energy Drink truck in the winner’s circle for the third time during the 2010 season. The win was Hart’s sixth podium and gave him a three-point lead over Brandt and Deegan. If you are looking for fireworks from your truck, insist on E3 truck spark plugs with the patented DiamondFire technology. E3 spark plugs provide you with the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology that you need.

The E3 Spark Plugs Racing team pulled through the gates at Glen Helen Raceway with high hopes for Round 9 of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road National Championship series, but so did every other team. It is always great fun to race in front of a packed house and the promoters at the San Bernardino track know how to put on a spectacular show for the Southern California race fans. Unfortunately for the racers, they have to endure three days of qualifying and racing on one of the roughest short tracks on the off road circuit. This year was no exception as several drivers in each class would find their truck upside down, over the berm or rim riding the walls.

The #7 Bully Dog/Super Clean Ford truck of Bryce Menzies was fast under the lights at Glen Helen Raceway finishing in second place of the Pro 2 Unlimited class for Round 9 of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road National Championship. Photo courtesy of Luca Oil Racing http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucasoil/.

Pro 2 Unlimited points leader Rob MacCachren would start the race from inside row 2 in his #21 Rockstar/Fox Racing Shox Ford. Pole sitter, Greg Alder would take an early lead in his 4 Wheel Parts/BFGoodrich Tires Ford just ahead of the Bully Dog/Super Clean Ford of Bryce Menzies. By the end of lap one, MacCachren moved to the front with Alder running just ahead of a hard charging Carl Renezeder who had slipped by Menzies. Renezeder attacked the Rhythm Section into turn three but could not get his Lucas Oil/General Tire Ford stopped and put Alder on his roof bringing out a red flag. Officials would black flag Renezeder sending his truck to the rear of the field for the restart.

Stronghold Motorsports rookie driver Robert “Fig” Naughton would move to second place for the restart ahead of the Bully Dog entry of Menzie in the 3rd place. Miller Motorsports Park winner Rodrico Ampudia would restart in fourth. Ampudia found a burst of speed and rocketed to the front, picking off Menzies and Naughton in the space of two turns. After a mandatory competition yellow, MacCachren made a rare mistake as he nearly spun in turn three. Ampudia was set to strike, but as the Pro 2 Unlimited field piled into the corner, Ampudia was spun around and ended up off the track. Naughton would again take over second place ahead of Menzies and the Red Bull/KMC Wheels Ford of Ricky Johnson.

Todd LeDuc got together with Naughton a couple of turns after the restart taking both trucks off track. The Bully Dog truck of Menzies would reclaim second place with Red Bull/KMC racer Ricky Johnson up to third. MacCachren would take the win in his Fox Racing Shox Ford, his fifth of the season and his eighth podium in nine races. Byrce Menzies would finish in second just ahead of former AMA motocross champion Ricky Johnson. Canidae Pet Foods/Geiser Bros. driver Jeff Geiser would finish fourth with Mike Johnson (no relation to Ricky) in fifth. If you expect peak performance from your truck, insist upon E3 truck spark plugs before you go off road. Our DiamondFire Technology delivers Energy, Efficiency and Ecology.

As the 250cc AMA Pro MX teams pulled through the gates at the legendary Moto-X 338 track in Southwick, Massachusetts, you could feel a spark in the air and the 250cc riders didn’t disappoint. With Geico Powersports Honda ace Trey Canard closing the points gap on Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel, E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans lined the fence as the gate dropped on Moto One for the Lites riders. Wil Hahn took an early lead after the short uphill start at Southwick with Canard in hot pursuit. Pourcel was running top ten early in Moto One but dropped his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki in a deep, sandy berm.

Veteran motocrosser John Dowd raced his 22nd AMA Pro MX National race at Southwick's Moto-X 338 this weekend. Photo courtesy of www.johndowd.com.

Once Canard worked his way past Hahn for the lead, the Oklahoma rider put a 4-second lead on the rest of the talented field. Late in the race, former World 250cc Grand Prix Champion Tyla Rattray began to close on Canard and would eventually pull alongside. But, Canard picked up his pace and claimed the win in the opening moto. Rattray would hold on for second, followed home by a pair of Honda riders with Wil Hahn in third and Georgia rider Justin Barcia in fourth. Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Dean Wilson would finish Moto One in fifth with Honda’s Eli Tomac finishing sixth just ahead of Pourcel. Pourcel’s seventh place finish in the opening moto allowed Canard to pull within 5 points of the national championship leader.

Wil Hahn would get his second holeshot of the day but Barcia, would take lead before the end of lap one with Pro Circuit riders Pourcel and Rattray in pursuit. Canard had worked his way into the top ten before going crashing his Geico Powersport Honda in the deep ruts at Moto-X 338. Barcia would hold off a late charge from Rattray. Pourcel would finish in third ahead of teammate Dean Wilson. Canard would mount a charge but was passed by his teammate, Eli Tomac, and later faded to ninth in Moto Two. Barcia would hold on for the win and finished second overall for the day. Rattray’s (2-2) finishes were good enough for the South African to earn his second win of the 2010 season and third place went to a frustrated Canard.

With only two rounds to go, the 250cc Lite teams head to Delmont, Pennsylvania, for the penultimate round of the 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX National Championship on Labor Day weekend. Pourcel leaves Southwick with a manageable 13-points lead over Canard. The Steel City motocross track is located just to the east of Pittsburgh, and E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans are expected to show in record numbers for the Labor Day Weekend event. If you want peak performance from your motorcycle, car or truck, insist upon E3 replacement spark plugs. Our patented DiamondFire Technology lets the fuel burn faster and cleaner in your favorite ride.

After only nine and a half rounds of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX National Championship, Rockstar Energy/Makita Suzuki rookie rider Ryan Dungey clinched the 2010 crown. The 20-year old Minnesota native won the opening moto to claim his first 450cc championship at the Moto-X 338 track outside Southwick, Massachusetts, over the weekend. Dungey became the only motocross racer in history to win both the AMA Supercross title and the AMA outdoor national championship during his inaugural season. E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs salutes Ryan Dungey for his stellar performance throughout the Lucas Oil championship.

Rockstar/Makita Factory Suzuki team manager Roger DeCoster was very fast in the sand, so is his protégé the newly crowned 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro National Champion Ryan Dungey. (photo courtesy of Photobucket)

Geico Powersports Honda rider Brett Metcalfe took the lead in Moto One with fellow Aussie Ben Townley in second aboard his Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda. Both riders adapted well to the sandy hills of Southwick and showed they had the speed to win at Moto-X 338. But, a couple of laps into the first moto, Townley would clip the rear wheel of Metcalfe and go down. Townley recovered and was racing with Red Bull’s Andrew Short when the two Honda riders hooked handlebars sending both racers over the berm. Metcalfe was out front with a hard charging Dungey in second place.

As most E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans know, there are two things that are for certain when you race a track like Southwick Moto-X 338. First, it is going to get rough, very rough. Secondly, it is going to take more fuel to race 30 minutes on a hilly, sandy racetrack. Unfortunately, for Metcalfe, the pit crew for his Geico Powersports Honda did not remember part two. With less than a lap to go, Metcalfe’s Honda was out of gas and coasted to a stop. The Australian’s misfortune handed the lead and the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX 450cc National Championship to Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey.

In Moto Two, the loyal Southwick crowd lined the fences as Townley grabbed an early lead ahead of newly crowned class champion Dungey in second followed by Red Bull Honda veteran Kevin Windham, Jagermeister KTM rider Mike Alessi and 2009 Southwick winner Matt Goerke. With twenty minutes to go, Dungey began to stalk Townley watching for the New Zealand rider to make a mistake. Once Townley did, Dungey railed an outside sand berm and took the lead for good. Goerke would pass Alessi and Windham to take over the third spot with a couple of laps to go. Alessi’s 3-4 finishes would give the KTM ace second overall for the day ahead of Goerke, Kyle Chisholm and Kevin Windham.

The AMA 450cc Pro MX teams head to Steel City Raceway, located just outside of Pittsburgh in Delmont, Pennsylvania, for the penultimate round of the 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship on Labor Day Weekend. After announcing his retirement from motocross earlier this summer, former factory Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha rider Tim Ferry has been asked to serve as the honorary Grand Marshall for the FMF Steel City National on September 4th. If you are looking for championship performance from your street or dirt bike, insist upon E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs for your motorcycle. Our patented DiamondFire Technology will deliver the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology that you need.

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It’s a question that, much like a spark plug fires up an engine, sparks a sometimes heated debate: Who’s better at off-road motorcycle racing – the GNCC and OMA series guys from the East Coast, or the West Coast WORCS and AMA Hare & Hound guys? This Friday night, top GNCC racer Chris Bach will fuel the already fiery debate when he boots up for his EX debut. The Indiana native currently ranked fifth in the GNCC’s premier XC1 class will race the GEICO AMA EnduroCross presented by E3 Spark Plugs on his home turf at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ Pepsi Coliseum.

Top-ranked GNCC racer Chris Bach makes his EX debut at Round 3 of the GEICO AMA EnduroCross presented by E3 Spark Plugs August 27. Photo courtesy of www.ChrisBachOnline.com.

Bach hit the off-road racing scene hard and fast in 2009, landing the GNCC’s XC1 series “Amateur Rider of the Year.” Thus far this year, he has claimed three GNCC XC1 class podium finishes and another three top-five finishes in nine races this season. He’s fully aware that Indy’s EnduroCross course is a tough one – no matter which coast a rider calls home. And he’s ready to bring his A-game this weekend.

” EnduroCross is totally unique,” Bach says. “I don’t think you can say an East Coast guy will be good, or a West Coast guy will be good, or a trials guy will be good. It has evolved into its own sport and style of racing, so much so that I think within the next few years someone is going to be an EnduroCross specialist. That’s it. All they do is EX.”

Watch for Bach riding a GNCC-tuned KTM bike this Friday night (Aug. 27) at Round 3 of the GEICO AMA EX series. Starting time is 7:30 p.m. And if you want to boost your own A-game, pick up a set of E3 motorcycle spark plugs, E3 car spark plugs or E3 truck spark plugs. All feature our patented DiamondFire technology that promises a stronger, cleaner burn for superior performance. See you at the races!

Taddy Blazusiak wins Round Two of the GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross Series presented by E3 Spark Plugs. Image courtesy of EnduroCross/Source Interlink.

Round Two of the 2010 GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross series presented by E3 Spark Plugs delivered a dramatic show this past weekend at Guthrie, OK’s Lazy E Arena. Bets were on KTM racer Mike Brown, who dominated much of the race – until the checkers flew. After an exhausting battle across the biggest track of the series, KTM teammate Taddy Blazusiak pulled out all the stops for a spectacular come-from-behind win. After also taking the series opener at Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena July 17, Blazusiak thus far has a firm grip on the championship lead.

Brown and Blazusiak traded leads throughout the event, with Brown hitting triples and scrubbing speed in the straights and Blazusiak, true to form, holding the advantage in the technical rocky turns. In fact, it was one rock in particular that ultimately took Brown out of the running for the win. Wet sand had made the river rock 180-degree turn incredibly slick and it was there that Blazusiak made the pass that stuck. Several laps later, Brown’s KTM stalled and never fired back up, saddling its rider with a disappointing DNF.

Taddy Blazusiak wins Round Two of the GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross Series presented by E3 Spark Plugs. Geoff Aaron (right) took second, Justin Soule (left) third. Image courtesy of EnduroCross/Source Interlink.

Brown’s exit handed second place over to GEICO Christini rider Geoff Aaron, a ten-time National Trials champ. For a moment, it looked as if he may take the win when Blazusiak nearly performed an endo across a double jump on the last lap, but held on long enough to finish first. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Justin Soule took third place, making his first podium finish in only his second main event. The turn of events pushed Soule’s Kawasaki teammate Ricky Dietrich further away from regaining his AMA EnduroCross championship. Dietrich raced despite debilitating pain from a compound fracture of his pinky toe suffered just two weeks prior. The pain and a bent shift lever on the opening lap of the main left him with a modest ninth-place finish.

Next up: Round Three of the GEICO EnduroCross series presented by E3 Spark Plugs in Indianapolis, Indiana Friday, August 27 during MotoGP weekend. Be sure to check the E3 Spark Plugs blog for all the latest racing news. And to boost your own racing performance, pick up a set of E3 Powersports Spark Plugs at one of our licensed dealers with stores online and nationwide.
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With track-section names like The Gravity Cavity, The Wall and Screw-U, everyone knew the racing at the famed Unadilla motocross track outside New Berlin, NY, was going to be spectacular, and the 250cc Lights riders did not disappoint. E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans watched as Trey Canard captured his fourth consecutive win in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship series aboard his Geico Powersports Honda. Oklahoma’s Canard has moved from 57 points behind championship point’s leader Christophe Pourcel (after Round 5) to only 16 points behind the Frenchman with three races to go.

Ochlocknee, Georgia, rider Justin Barcia provided a lot of the excitement in the 250cc Lights class of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship race at Unadilla Valley Sports Park over the weekend. (Photo Courtesy of Geico Powersports Honda Racing Team.)

Scottish motocrosser Dean Wilson put his Monster Engery Kawasaki in the lead at the start of the opening moto at Unadilla while Pro Circuit teammate Pourcel was trying to recover from a horrendous start. Pourcel was on the charge and would catch Geico Powersports rider Justin Barcia but crashed hard as he battled with Barcia for the third spot. The Frenchman would remount but was too shaken from his crash to continue and pulled off the track leaving Wilson and Barcia to fight it out for the lead.

The battle up front continued until Barcia made a very aggressive inside move on Wilson that forced the Kawasaki rider off track. After Wilson’s crash, Barcia’s teammate and eventual race winner Trey Canard moved to second ahead of fellow Honda rider Blake Wharton. This time, it was Barcia that would go down after battling with Canard for the lead. Wharton would also slip by Barcia to finish a very respectable second place. Canard cruised home for the win but the story of the day at Unadilla Valley Sports Park was Pourcel’s 38th place finish in Moto One.

In Moto Two, Pourcel was riding for damage control as he positioned his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki into fifth place behind Hangtown 250cc race winner Eli Tomac. Dean Wilson had recovered from his opening moto crash with Barcia and was running in second behind Canard when Pourcel began a mid-race charge to the front. With two laps to go, Pourcel had passed Wilson and was battling with Canard for the race win. Pourcel got the better of Canard on the last lap but Canard’s 1-2 finishes gave the Geico Powersports rider his fourth overall national MX win in a row.

The AMA 250cc Pro Lights riders have two weeks off before teams travel to Southwick, Massachusetts, for Round 10 of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship at the famed Moto-X 338 motocross track. Don’t forget to visit the E3 Spark Plugs Blog for the latest motocross results from Southwick and remember to ask for E3 Car Spark Plugs the next time you change the plugs in your car, truck, motorcycle or SUV. E3’s patented DiamondFire technology delivers Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for any engine.

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