E3 Spark Plugs News

Ryan Villopoto made history winning the inaugural Monster Energy Cup and becoming the first off-road mortorcycle racer to take home a $1 million prize.

When Ryan Villopoto crossed the finish line in the inaugural Monster Energy Cup he made history in more ways than one. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider swept all three main events and became the first in off-road motorcycle racing history to take home a $1 million prize.

“It’s pretty unreal,” Villopoto said after the historic win.

Villopoto started both the first and second main events by taking the holeshot and remained in the lead until crossing the finish line. Suzuki’s Mike Alessi claimed the holeshot in the third and final main event, but Villopoto and Ryan Dungey were hot on his trail. It didn’t take long for Villopoto to take the lead. He passed Alessi in the opening lap. Alessi and Dungey traded positions on lap 2 before both Dungey and Brett Metcalfe passed Alessi. But neither was able to catch up to Villopoto.

Not one to rest on his laurels (especially after an amazing 2010 comeback from a 2009 knee injury) Villopoto is already eyeing a repeat sweep at next year’s Monster Energy Cup.

“To back it up next year would be hard, so if we do, it would be great,” he says. “I can’t thank my team enough for this amazing victory.”

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates Villopoto and all the other placers in the Monster Energy Cup. Looking forward to watching Villopoto aggressively defend his title in 2012. And remember to put some monster racing power into your motorcycle with a set of E3 spark plugs – “Born to Burn.”

Monster Energy Cup Class Results

1. Ryan Villopoto, Poulsbo, Wash., Kawasaki (1,1,1)
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (3,2,2)
3. Brett Metcalfe, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Suzuki (4,3,3)
4. Martin Davalos, Cairo, Ga., Suzuki (7,7,5)
5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (5,4,10)
6. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Yamaha (9,9,7)
7. Nick Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (14,11,4)
8. Jimmy Albertson, Ozark, Mo., Yamaha (11,10,8)
9. Jake Weimer, Rupert, Idaho, Kawasaki (12,6,11)
10. Mike Alessi, Victorville, Calif., Suzuki (6,21,6)

Taddy Blazusiak takes the Denver EnduroCross. Photo by Drew Ruiz.

E3 Spark Plugs racing fans were treated to a hotly contested race with the Denver round of the GEICO AMA EnduroCross presented by Lucas Oil. Taddy Blazusiak scored the win, but Geoff Aaron and Mike Brown made him earn it.

Blazusiak started the day fast and furious, setting the top time at during the Hot Laps, followed closely by Aaron and Colton Haaker. He led the first part of the main event at the final start, but not for long Aaron and Brown both got aggressive right out of the chute and quickly relegated Blazusiak to third place. But Blazusiak blasted past both of them on one of the difficult rock sections.

Brown thought he got his chance at the win when Blazusiak crashed in the Matrix, a tough section of closely spaced logs. Brown led for more than full lap before crashing in the Matrix himself. Blazusiak shot past him to the finish line and Aaron followed closely for second place. Brown quickly got back on track after his Matrix crash and managed to cross the finish line third. He had to battle it out with Beta’s Cody Webb, though. Webb had kept pace with Brown for several laps before falling back to fourth. GEICO Honda’s Kyle Redmond crossed next, followed by Monster Kawasaki’s Justin Soule, who had been slowed by a derailed chain. Kevin Rookstook, Colton Haaker, Bobby Prochnau, Kyle Calderini and Gary Sutherlin, respectively, rounded out the finish.

The night’s other winners included Kurt Nichol, who won the Vet class; Eric Rhoten in the Amateur class; and Joey Hamilton, winner of the TrialsCross. Taylor Robert continues his run as the points leader for the E3 Spark Plugs EnduroX Jr. Championship, followed by Ryan Sandoval, Jacob Argubright, Keith Sweeten and Ricky Russell.

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates all the latest EnduroCross winners. Next stop: the Idaho Center in Boise October 22. In the meantime, here’s a vicarious look at EnduroCross racing via Argubright’s helmet cam.

The makers of E3 Spark Plugs love to hear from customers.

Here at E3 Spark Plugs, we love to hear from customers who have used our car spark plugs, truck spark plugs and motorcycle spark plugs and loved them – or hated them. We recently came across this post in a highly read car care blog by an author who had switched out his standard AC Delco spark plugs with a set of E3s an noticed a big change in his Chevy Caprice. Here’s what he had to say:

“So I ended up ordering a set of E3 plugs for my 350 from Advance Auto Parts and installed them this weekend. Let’s just say that I noticed a difference. I’m not talking night and day, but I still had some work to do.

“Now that my motor is finally broken in I decided to re-tune it, adjusting the mixture and idle speed, and filling the tank with some real fuel instead of the cheap crap I was running. I put in 93 octane with an octane booster which bumped it up to 105 according to the chart on the bottle. Then, there was a difference. Each pop of the piston was louder and crisper. The idle was more even and just sounded better.

“On the road, things only got better. Reaction to the throttle was lightning fast for a carbureted car, and the black soot that used to come out of the tailpipes was all but gone. I realize much of the difference can be attributed to the fuel change and carb tuning, but knowing how this motor usually behaves, I can honestly say that I think these plugs are the real deal – after all, it had been running better even before I made the later adjustments.”

E3 wants to hear about your experience with our plugs – positive or negative. Often, when a buyer writes about problems with our spark plugs, our engineers can help pinpoint other problems that may be affecting the plugs’ performance. So don’t hold back – Let us know how you really feel about E3 spark plugs. Leave a comment on our blog or on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey won the battle at Pala MX Raceway but Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto won the war and claimed his first Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX outdoor championship in the 450cc class. Photo courtesy of http://www.suzukicycles.com/Racing/Motocross/Gallery.aspx.

In the 450cc class of the Lucas Oil AMA MX Pro Championship, the national title would not be decided until the final lap of the final moto of the 2011 season at Pala Raceway. Southern California race fans turned out in record numbers to watch the showdown between Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, last year’s national champion, and Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, this year’s AMA indoor Supercross champion. To keep the pair of title contenders honest, Honda had rookie rider, Justin Barcia, and a seasoned former-national champion, Chad Reed of Two-Two Motorsports, ready to compete for the event win. After losing points to Villopoto when his Rockstar Makita Suzuki did not show up on time for the start of the second race at Steel City MX, Dungey was confident that with a little luck he could still make up a fourteen-point deficit.

At the beginning of Moto One, both Dungey and Villopoto looked beatable. The duo were buried in mid-pack as KTM’s Mike Alessi pulled the holeshot and started to gap the field. Canadian national champion Colton Facciotti was running second with the big red machine of Justin Barcia in third. Realizing his opportunity for another moto win, Barcia quickly moved his Honda to the lead. However, the two Ryans were just getting started and collectively worked their way to the front of the pack. Villopoto was first to get by Barcia for the lead followed by Dungey. At one point, the two Ryans were literally swapping the lead between corners. Villopoto would eventually garner a three-second gap over his rival. Barcia held on for a well deserved third followed by Alessi in fourth place.

Even though he increased his points lead at the end of the first moto, Villopoto knew all too well how quickly you can end up on the ground, out of the race, and out of the championship. So, as the gate dropped on the most important race of the season, the two Ryans again prepared themselves for one last battle in 2011. The Honda of Chad Reed would lead Justin Barcia and the rest of the 450cc riders across the line at the end of lap one. It didn’t appear that either contender would be able to catch Reed or Barcia early on. But, as the race neared the half way mark, Barcia pressured Reed into a mistake and took over first place. As the championship contenders caught Reed, Dungey would slip by leaving Villopoto to battle with the former champion.

Dungey would catch and pass Barcia for the win but it was too little, too late. Villopoto’s third place was good enough to win the “450cc War” allowing the Kawasaki rider to claim both the indoor and outdoor motocross titles, just as Dungey had done in 2010. Ironically, or maybe rightfully so, Dungey and Villopoto have been chasing each other their entire lives and were fierce competitors throughout their amateur motocross and 250cc Pro careers. So, what’s upcoming for the two Ryans? Both riders will be teammates representing the United States in the Motocross Des Nations next weekend in Saint Jean D’Angely, France. A big shout-out from all of the E3 spark plug racing fans to all of the Mx teams and a special thanks to Lucas Oil for sponsoring another terrific AMA outdoor motocross season.

Let me gues... E3 Spark Plugs lists the top 10 reasons your car breaks down.

So you’re on the side the road again, hoping your cell phone battery will hold out long enough for you to get through a phone call with the tow trucker, dad, significant other, best friend, neighbor, guy you met in the bar last night, or whomever else you can think of who might be willing to give you a lift home. E3 Spark Plugs probably knows why you’re there. Here are our top ten reasons for auto breakdowns:

1. You’ve got a bum battery. Small trips can be a big drain on a battery. Make sure your car gets an extended run every few weeks. It’s a great excuse for a fun day trip.
2. You lost your keys. Again. Make several copies of your car keys. Keep one in your purse or wallet, another at your home and one or two with a trusted family member, friend or neighbor.
3. Your tire went flat. Check your tires weekly to make sure the tread remains deep and your tires remain adequately aired up.
4. You’ve got a damaged distributor cap. Damp conditions can play a part in this little fiasco if your distributor cap happens to be cracked or otherwise damaged. It can cause a high voltage short circuit, preventing the spark from reaching your spark plugs.
5. You’ve got a faulty alternator. Check for a worn drive belt or a wonky connection.
6. You’ve got fuel trouble. Were you paying attention at the gas station? Accidentally filling up (even just a little) with diesel gas instead of regular can damage your engine.
7. Your clutch cable is shot. A clutch cable engages every single time you change gears. Eventually, it will wear out and, unfortunately, it doesn’t always give you any warning.
8. Your spark plugs have lost their spark. If they’re misfiring or just not sparking, they may be fouled. You may be able to give them a good cleaning and re-install. But if they’re worn or cracked, you may have to switch them out for new ones.
9. Your HT leads have fizzled out. HT leads deliver high voltage currents to your spark plugs. Long periods of repeated temperature cycling can deteriorate them and cause them to fail without warning.
10. Your starter won’t start. Your starter may be shot, but it could also be a bad battery, worn battery cables, broken starter mounting bolts, a stuck neutral safety switch, the starter solenoid or armature.

If you suspect it’s your spark plugs, be sure to check our online cross reference catalog to choose the right spark plugs for your vehicle.

Pro MotoX racer Ashley Fiolek and SuperX champ Jeremy McGrath appear in Honda's "The Undying Dream" documentary short.

A while back, E3 Spark Plugs introduced our blog readers “The Power of Dreams,” Honda’s amazingly inspiring short documentary series. Indy car racer Danica Patrick appeared in one installment titled “Failure: The Secret to Success.”With another browse through the series’ website, we recently spotted other familiar faces are in the mix.

Pro Motocross racer Ashley Fiolek and Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath – both Honda racers, appear in a six-minute piece titled “The Undying Dream,” which parallels their own quests to become racing royalty with Honda’s quest to create increasingly energy-efficient, clean vehicles.

“As the energy shortage becomes more critical, there will be a shift for everyone to use public transportation instead of personal mobility,” says Honda Motor Co. President and CEO Takanobu Ito. “But that’s not our goal. We want to guarantee the freedom and the joy of personal mobility into the future.”

“The Undying Dream” also shows early home video of a three-year-old Fiolek already on the tracks, and of pro surfing king Laird Hamilton, who talks of growing up wanting to be a world famous wave rider and of conquering the famed Millenium wave.

“I know I can do it. I know I can achieve my goals,” says Fiolek about her drive to become the first woman to qualify for a men’s national race. “That’s a good feeling, to be first and to be successful.”

“It’s a battle between me and me,” adds McGrath, talking about the quest to continually improve his racing. “When you’re battling to be the best, you’re battling with yourself.”

You’ll also see some great vintage video of early Honda motorcycles that’ll have you reminiscing about your own first bike. But mostly, it’ll leave you feeling inspired. Have you seen any of Honda’s “The Power of Dreams” series? Which is your favorite? Has it inspired you to make a change, set a goal or implement a plan? E3 Spark Plugs wants to hear your thoughts. Leave us a comment on the E3 Spark Plugs website blog or on our Facebook fan page.

Suzuki's Brett Metcalfe claimed his first Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship overall win in the 450cc class at Southwick, MA.

Neither rain nor snow nor Hurricane Irene could keep the 450cc motocross riders from delivering the mail at the Moto-X 338 track over the rain-soaked weekend at Southwick, MA. Storms rolled in early Saturday morning and each group’s lap times continued to soar as track conditions progressively deteriorated throughout the practice sessions. However, once the premier class of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship class took to the track, well things just got stranger by the lap.

At the end of the day, a rookie 450 rider would have claimed his first ever win in only his second race, a seasoned veteran would have claimed his first ever overall victory, a former points leader would sit dejected on the sideline with a broken bike, and the defending class champion would mount a come-from-behind ride that legends are made of. That’s right. Honda’s Justin Barcia led wire to wire in Moto 2 to claim his first win in the big bike class. Popular Aussie Brett Metcalfe claimed his first overall victory aboard his Rockstar/Makita Suzuki. Multi-time class champion Chad Reed’s DNFs in both motos would essentially eliminate the TwoTwo Motorsports rider from the 2011 championship chase.

Oh yeah, did we mentioned that first-moto winner Ryan Dungey put on a mind-blowing performance in Moto 2 after his Suzuki arrived at the starting line about a minute and half after the rest of the field took the green flag. Yep, the kind of stuff legends are made of. Dungey mounted his Rockstar/Makita Suzuki in 40th position almost a lap down to the leaders and went to work to salvage his opportunity for a second AMA 450cc MX championship. With points leader Ryan Villopoto on cruise control, Dungey made it look simple. Just go faster than everyone else and never say die.

When the checkered flag flew, Dungey was in seventh place just two positions behind Villopoto. With his win in Moto 1, Dungey would finish the day losing but a single point to his Kawasaki rival and now trails Villopoto by eight points with only two rounds remaining. Reed’s dismal performance leaves the Honda rider 65 points out of the lead. So, the stage is set for E3 spark plugs racing fans to catch the final two AMA pro outdoor motocross races at Steel City raceway outside Pittsburg, PA, and Pala raceway in the southern California desert. Don’t forget to pick up a box of E3 replacement plugs for your favorite ride. See you at the track.

Honda’s Justin Barcia moved up to the 450 cc class for Round 9 of the AMA Pro MX Championship over weekend. The nineteen year old New York native finished third overall in his debut race. Photo courtesy of powersports.honda.com.

Since 1970, motocross racing fans have been traveling to the mid-state Leatherneck region of New York State for one of AMA’s oldest outdoor motocross events. This year was no exception as fans lined the fence three-deep for the start of the first moto of the 450 cc class. After the disappointment of not winning the Lucas Oil AMA Championship round at his home track in Washougal, Ryan Villopoto gave himself an early birthday present by winning both motos at the Unadilla National.

In his first ever professional race on the big bikes, Honda’s Justin Barcia took the early lead in front of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Villopoto and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki of Ryan Dungey. After season-ending injuries to Honda’s Trey Canard and Josh Grant, the factory race team decided to promote Barcia from the 250 cc Lites class. Barcia didn’t disappoint with solid top three performances in both motos. But nobody, including Barcia, could touch the new 2012 Kawasaki.

Villopoto slipped by Barcia early in race one and was never challenged for the win. After a good duel early on, Dungey also got past Barcia to claim a second place finish. TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed passed Jake Weimer late in Moto One for fourth and fifth place respectively. In Moto Two, Villopoto would work his way around early leader Mike Alessi on the factory KTM. Barcia and Dungey would have a classic battle for second overall before the two clipped handlebars and Barcia would again have to settle for third.

As the teams take a week off, Villopoto holds a seven-point lead in the AMA Pro MX Championship over Dungey. Reed’s fourth place overall at Unadilla would drop the Honda rider to 25 points behind Villopoto with three races remaining. Round 10 of the race for the national title will be held at the famed Southwick MX track in Massachusetts on August 27. If you’re looking for an advantage for your favorite ride, pick up a box of E3 motorcycle spark plugs at your favorite discount or auto parts store. E3 spark plugs were Born to Burn.

Vintage Indian motorcycles (like the one above) will be parked adjacent to the Indian Motorcycle Display for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on Aug. 8th thru Aug. 14th.

Indian motorcycles have played a major role in the colorful history of the famed Sturgis Rally. The company recently announced their plans for this year’s 71st annual Sturgis motorcycle rally to be held August 8th through August 14th in Sturgis, South Dakota. For over seven decades, since the first “Black Hills Classic” racing event was first run in 1938, Indian motorcycles have been a featured attraction of the annual rally. Festival organizers expect over 500,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and families will attend in 2011.

In addition to the traditional Sturgis activities, Indian Motorcycle has invited all Indian owners to enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow bikers by parking their motorcycles at the Indian Motorcycle Display. The Indian show truck will be parked at the corner of 4th Street and Lazalle in the heart of town and will also feature Indian’s complete line of 2012 motorcycles. Indian motorcycle accessories and apparel will be for sale at the display. E3 spark plugs encourages everyone to show off their ride and share their favorite Indian stories with other motorcyclist attending the weeklong event.

Indian Motorcycle Company will sponsor a breakfast and ride to the famous half-mile track on the morning of flat track races. Those interested in participating should go to the First Presbyterian Church, located downtown at 1319 Junction Avenue between 9:30 am and 10:30 am for breakfast. The scenic ride will leave from the church and wind through Spearfish Canyon before arriving at the Sturgis 1/2 mile race track. Everyone is invited to join in the fun. For additional information on the flat track races, motocross races, or hill climb events checkout the Jack Pine Gypsies motorcycle club website.

In addition, an “Indian Gathering” is slated for Friday, August 12th starting at 6 pm at the Knuckle Saloon located in Sturgis at 931 First Street. The event is open to the public and non-Indian riders who just want to see these classic bikes and hangout with their owners.

Over a half of million motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to travel to the Black Hills of South Dakota for the 71st Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

For over seven decades, motorcycle enthusiasts and E3 Spark Plugs racing fans have made the annual trek to Sturgis, South Dakota, for what is arguably the largest bike rally held in the United States. Both the Sturgis Rally and Daytona Bike Week typically draw several hundred thousand bikers to their respective venues with a reported 750,000-plus having attended the Sturgis event in 2000. This year over half a million motorcycle riders and their families are expected to migrate to the Black Hills for the official week of festivities from August 8th through August 14th.

Since the initial rally in 1938, which featured a single motorcycle race known as the “Black Hills Classic”, the event has grown to include something for everyone. With the revitalization of motorcycling across America, many new attendees now travel in campers, bring the kids and trailer their bikes. The 2011 Sturgis rally schedule features incredible live concerts, motorcycle races, beauty contests, midget bowling, burn-outs, charity rides and lots of good food. Although there are several places to park it for the night, none are more famous than the Buffalo Chip Campground.

On stage performers scheduled at the Buffalo Chip include Alice Cooper, Styx, Edgar Winter, Pop Evil, Sweet Cyanide, Buckcherry, Def Leppard, Toby Keith, Poison, Gregg Allman, Stevie Nicks, Saving Abel, Puddle of Mudd, George Thorogood, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and John Fogerty. In addition, the Bob Woodruff Foundation that helps educate the public about the needs of service members returning from war will host a charity event at the “Chip” (the American Thunder Music Festival) on Aug. 11 featuring actor/singer Jeff Bridges performing songs from his Academy Award winning movie “Crazy Heart”.

In between the bar hopping, hitting up the bike shows, attending concerts and watching motorcycle races at the famed Sturgis half-mile, event goers can stroll the vendor’s booths along Lazelle and Main Streets. A welcomed change for this year’s Black Hills festival will be improved traffic patterns. The State of South Dakota Highway Department and local officials worked together to develop new routes and improve the management of traffic signals to better facilitate the massive crowds. Plus, event promoters have promised more hot water and flushable toilets in prime public areas.

Before you head north, stop by your favorite motorcycle shop or discount auto parts store for a box of E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs and discover for yourself why E3 replacement plugs are “Born to Burn”. If you’re hauling your bikes to Sturgis, you can improve the performance of your favorite ride with a new set of E3 car or truck spark plugs featuring E3′s patented DiamondFire technology. Safe travel and keep it on two wheels.