E3 Spark Plugs News

Volcom-sponsored Darryn Durham continued to impress 250cc AMA Pro Motocross fans with great starts and solid finishes at Thunder Valley MX over the weekend. Rumors have it that Durham has a factory offer aboard the Rockstar Makita Suzuki for Red Bud. Photo courtesy of www.volcom.com.

Pro Circuit Kawasaki has dominated the 250cc class of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship in the opening four rounds of the 2011 series. As the gate dropped on the field at Thunder Valley MX in Lakewood, CO, it looked for a moment like Team Green’s luck may have changed. When the field topped the hill, red bikes and blue bikes led the way through turn one. Geico Honda’s Justin Barcia grabbed the early lead in Round 5 ahead of the Volcom/FMF Honda of Darryn Durham and the DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamahas of Gareth Swanepoel and Kyle Cunningham.

Once the dust had settled on the challenging Colorado track, Scotsman Dean Wilson and his Pro Circuit teammate Blake Baggett had worked their way to the front of the field. But, the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki of series current points-leader Tyla Rattray and teammate Broc Tickle were still buried in the pack. Wilson was the first to pressure Barcia and took the lead. Refusing to be left behind, Baggett also charged by the ailing Honda rider into second place.

Barcia soon went down in a rutted corner allowing his teammate and local fan-favorite, Eli Tomac, to move into third as both had to watch Wilson and Baggett pull away to a commanding lead. The two Kawasaki riders hooked-up and put on a spectacular show for E3 spark plug racing fans with side-by-side racing through the corners, jumps and hilly straights. Baggett eventually took the lead and was first to the checkers in Moto 1 followed by Wilson, Tomac, Durham, and a pair of South African riders Tyla Rattray and Gareth Swanepoel.

As the 40-rider field topped the hill in Moto 2, Barcia again swept through turn one in the lead with Baggett in hot pursuit. Honda’s Lance Vincent and Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes were having a classic outdoor battle behind Baggett before Wilson and Tomac would slide by to claim second and third respectively at the finish. Baggett’s 1-1 finishes gave Pro Circuit their fifth win in five races. Wilson finished second overall and Tomac claimed the last step on the overall podium for Honda. Durham’s sixth place in the second moto was good for fourth overall followed by Rattray in fifth.

Wilson’s second place overall gives the Pro Circuit rider an eight-point lead over Rattray and a twenty-point lead over teammate Baggett.  Once again, the Lite’s riders have no time to rest as teams head east for next weekend’s event at Red Bud MX. If you’re headed to Buchanan, MI for Round 6, don’t forget to change your car, truck or motorcycle spark plugs, and remember E3 spark plugs were “Born to Burn”. Safe travel and visit our Facebook page to let us know your thoughts on the 2011 outdoor motocross season.

E3 racing fans may see Kevin Windham back in the saddle of the #14 Honda for the rest of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro-MX racing series due to Josh Grant's knee injury at Thunder Valley MX. Photo courtesy of Honda Racing.

E3 spark plugs racing fans can be found every weekend supporting their favorite race teams, drivers, riders and events – each devoted to finding the best racing from coast to coast. So far, the super hot action at this season’s Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship has kept motocross fans on their feet from the drop of the starting gate until the last rider crosses the checkered flag, making 2011 a candidate for the “Best MX Racing” in series history.

This weekend was no exception as race teams set up shop at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, CO. The track that most teams love to hate is tucked into the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains about 20 minutes west of downtown Denver. At 6182-feet elevation, the thin Colorado air is a true test of endurance for both rider and machine. This year, the high-altitude stage was set for defending AMA 450cc national champion, Ryan Dungey to claim his first “overall” victory in Round 5 of the scheduled twelve-race season.

When the gate dropped for Moto 1, Lucas Oil Honda rider Christian Craig grabbed the early lead ahead of Two-Two Motorsports’ Chad Reed and the factory Kawasaki of Monster Energy’s Ryan Villopoto. A couple of laps later, Villopoto would fly past the lead duo and take a demanding lead on his way to the moto win. Rockstar Makita’s Ryan Dungey would dispose of Reed late in the moto to claim second place followed by Reed and the “fresh-out-of-retirement” Honda of Kevin Windham.

In Moto 2, Dungey picked up where he left off but this time took an early lead and pulled away from Villopoto and Reed who were left to fight it out for second and third place, respectively. When fan-favorite Kevin Windham announced at Budds Creek last weekend that he would be spending time at the lake, no one figured the longtime Honda star meant “Lake Wood” Colorado. But, the seventeen-year veteran showed up ready to race and posted 4-4 finishes for fourth overall on the day.

Dungey’s win was his first overall victory of the season and moved the Suzuki rider to within 21 points of series leader Reed and 14 points behind Villopoto with seven races remaining in the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX championship. Riders have no time rest in what may be the best MX racing season in decades as teams head east for a “Fourth of July” weekend shootout at Red Bud, MI. If you’re looking for fireworks for your favorite ride, pick up a box of E3 spark plugs at your local parts store, or online at an authorized E3 dealer. Our motorcycle spark plugs were “Born to Burn.”

Make sure you've got a new set of E3 snowmobile spark plugs before heading to the lake shore for some watercross action this summer. Andreas Gradin / Shutterstock.com

For those who suffer separation anxiety with the springtime’s first thaw, we’ve got good news. Just because the powdery snow gives way to the green grass, that doesn’t mean you have to part ways with your beloved snowmobile.  E3 Spark Plugs does have a few safety tips for the snowmobile skimming set, however.

Snowmobile skimming (also see summer sports: pond skipping and watercross) involves snowmobilers hydroplaning their sleds across the surface of lakes or rivers. Remember those cartoons where the dog/cat/horse ran so fast that when he reached a body of water, he just ran across the surface until he looked down, panicked and sank? Well, that’s a bit like skimming.

Skimming is possible because sleds have wide tracks for traction and flotation in the snow. If a driver hits the water at a fast enough speed and keeps his snowmobile’s throttle open, the track will keep the snowmobile moving across the water’s surface. But, if a rider backs out of the throttle or if his snowmobile bogs, down goes the ship . . so to speak.

Safety precautions required at the annual World Champion Snowmobile Watercross competition held in Grantsburg, Wisconsin since 1977 include wearing a life jackets and tethering a buoy to the sled. If a sled sinks, the rider releases the buoy from the snowmobile so that it floats to the top and makes identifying the retrieval spot easier. If your snowmobile does hit the lake bottom before it hits the shore, it can be revived. You’ll need to drain the water from the carburetor and exhaust, replace the fuel and get yourself a new set of snowmobile spark plugs. Be sure to check our online cross reference catalog to find the right E3 snowmobile spark plugs for your sled.

South African motocross rider Gareth Swanepoel was top Yamaha in the AMA Pro MX Championship with a sixth overall in Round 4 at Budds Creek, MD. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Star Racing.

Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Dean Wilson claimed the holeshot in Moto 1 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX National Championship at Budds Creek MX over the weekend. Always close to the action E3 motorcycle racing fans lined the hilly Maryland track as Wilson’s teammates Tyla Rattray and Broc Tickle settled into second and third, respectively. At the halfway mark, Darryn Durham moved his privateer Honda into fourth ahead of Star Yamaha’s Kyle Cunningham. Wilson would lead from start to finish with the top three positions going to the “Green Team”.

The 2008 MX2 World Motocross Champion, Tyla Rattray, pulled the holeshot in the second Moto but his Kawasaki teammates were running outside the top five. Since GEICO Honda Lites rider Justin Barcia had just been diagnosed with mononucleosis last week, many race fans had doubts that this year’s supercross champion would even race the demanding Budds Creek track. But, the youngster surprised everyone with a second place start and finish in Moto 2. Wilson would eventually work his way into third for a second place overall on the day. Star Yamaha’s Gareth Swanepoel would finish a season-high fourth in the second race ahead of Barcia’s teammate Eli Tomac.

Once the dust settled, Rattray had claimed his second win of the season to take a four-point lead in the 250cc class over teammate Dean Wilson. Pro Circuit’s Blake Baggett, the only other double race winner this season, had a disappointing day finishing seventh at Budds Creek and dropped to third in the standings 30 points behind Rattray. The GEICO Honda tandem of Tomac and Barcia moved to fourth and fifth in the chase. The AMA Lites riders have zero time off as teams immediately head west to Thunder Valley MX in Lakewood, CO, for Round 5 of the 2011 Championship next weekend.

Honda Racing's Josh Grant had a successful return to the AMA Pro MX Championship this weekend with a tenth overall at Budds Creek, MD. Photo courtesy of www.joshgrant.com.

E3 motorcycle spark plug fans rolled out in record numbers for Round 4 of the 2011 National Championship held this weekend at Budds Creek MX track just south of Washington D.C. in Mechanicsville, MD. It is never a surprise to see the #800 plate of Mike Alessi’s factory KTM leading the 450cc class at any Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX race. This weekend’s event was no different as Alessi led the opening laps of Moto 1 followed closely by the red Honda of series points-leader Chad Reed.

On lap three of the 30 minute-plus event, Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto would slip past both Reed and Alessi to take over the top spot. Defending national champion Ryan Dungey picked up his mid-moto pace and quickly moved past Reed into second place. Villopoto would make an uncharacteristic mistake late in the race but rebounded in time to hold off a hard-charging Dungey who led Reed, Kevin Windham and Alessi to the finish line. American Honda Racing’s Josh Grant returned from early season supercross injuries to claim to a well-deserved eighth in Moto 1.

Surprise . . . surprise! Mike Alessi grabs the holeshot in Moto 2 but this time holds off Chad Reed until lap five when the Honda ace and Rockstar Makita’s Ryan Dungey both got by the big bore KTM. Villopoto would also pass Alessi on lap ten and held on for a 1-3 finish matching the championship points earned by overall race winner Chad Reed with his 3-1 finish. Dungey’s pair of 2-2 finishes were good enough for third overall and garnered the Suzuki rider one point less than Reed and Villopoto. Windham finished his duties as a Honda replacement rider with solid 4-4 finishes and fourth overall.

The action is certain to heat up next weekend as the Lucas Oil AMA MX teams head west to Colorado for Round 5 of 2011 outdoor championship at Thunder Valley MX in Lakewood. Reed holds a slim 15-point lead over Villopoto with Dungey just 28 points to the rears. If you’re looking to make up ground on the road or in the dirt, visit our website and watch the Dyno Tech Shootout for E3 Spark Plugs. Find out for yourself why E3 motorcycle spark plugs are “Born to Burn”.

Stacey David, of SPEED TV’s Stacey David’s GearZ television show recently traveled to BIGFOOT’s St. Louis based headquarters on behalf of E3 Spark Plugs. According to Steve Joiner, VP of Sales & Marketing for E3, the choice to team with BIGFOOT stemmed from a recognition of strong similarities between both companies’ focus on innovation.

“Bob Chandler, inventor of BIGFOOT, literally created a whole new genre of truck development & event activation on a global level, ” stated Joiner. “Similarly, our E3 Spark Plug Diamond Fire technology represents a proven and scientific improvement in spark plug technology. E3′s DiamondFIRE Technology ignites the air-fuel mixture quicker, producing a faster and larger flame compared to other spark plugs. A more complete burn means better performance. ”

Similarly, “Faster & Larger” was a motivating factor for Bob Chandler. “I got the name BIGFOOT from peers in the industry who continuously told me I wouldn’t keep breaking parts if I would just keep my BIG FOOT off the pedal,” said Chandler, who has size 12 feet. “By the time I got those really big tires on the truck, well, everything needed to get bigger & better, especially the suspension, steering and engine performance.” And the rest, as they say is history. BIGFOOT went on to become a household name with a multi national presence for its inception of worldwide monster truck creation. E3 is following the same pattern, with not only impressive race series involvement, but winning results and product availability in virtually every major automotive retail store in the country.

“Spending the day with Bob Chandler and the original BIGFOOT Monster Truck is one of those things that every gear head should do”, said David. “Bob’s influence on the automotive world is massive. I remember first seeing that big blue truck in the movie “Take this job and shove it” when I was just a kid, and talking and dreaming about it for weeks. It had a tremendous influence on me, and millions of other fledgling gear heads.”

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 and motorsports applications at automotive retail stores nationwide. For more information and complete test results, visit www.e3sparkplugs.com.

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Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Blake Baggett had the most dominant performance of 2011 Lucas Oil AMA 250cc National Championship at Round 3 in Mechanicsville, MD, over the weekend. Photo courtesy of Hoppenworld.

Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Blake Baggett finally rode like a national championship contender with dominant 1-1 finishes in round 3 of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA MX National Championship held at Mount Morris, PA, over the weekend. The famed High Point Raceway is well known as one of the toughest, most challenging outdoor motocross tracks that the AMA pro riders visit each year. This year, midday rain showers turned the Pennsylvania hillside into a “Slip-N-Slide” with deep off-chamber ruts.

E3 motorcycle fans lined the fence for Moto One as local favorites Darryn Durham (Honda) and Ryan Sipes (Yamaha) stretched out to an early lead over Pro Circuit’s Dean Wilson, Tyla Rattray and eventual winner Baggett. Durham’s local knowledge of the High Point track paid big dividends as the privateer rider would keep the factory riders at bay for the opening thirty minutes. With two laps to go, the Kawasaki team would freight train Durham, moving Baggett to first followed home by Scotland’s Wilson and South African rider Rattray.

Durham’s hope for his first overall podium of his career went up in smoke when his mechanic had a last minute clutch change that caused the local Honda ace to lose his gate pick for Moto Two. Baggett would blast to the lead early in the second moto before dropping his Kawasaki in the mud. Teammate Rattray slipped and slid his way into first. Wilson would have to mount a charge through the pack while Honda’s Eli Tomac worked his way to a third place finish in the second 250cc race.

Baggett’s late race charge in both motos would leave E3 Spark Plugs race fans shouting for more as the Pro Circuit rider put on the most dominant ride of the 2011 MX Lites season. Rattray’s 3-2 finish was good enough for second overall on the day. Geico Honda rider Tomac would capture the final spot on the podium ahead of Dean Wilson in fourth. Only nine championship points separate the trio of Rattray, Wilson and Baggett as the 250cc riders head East for next weekend’s round 4 at Budds Creek MX in Mechanicsville, MD.

Red Bull KTM rider Mike Alessi grabbed the 450cc holeshot at Round 3 of the Lucas Oil AMA MX National Championship at High Point Raceway. Photo courtesy of www.alessiracing.com.

Over the weekend, E3 Motorcycle Spark Plug racing fans turned out in record numbers to line the Pennsylvania hillside for the first East Coast round of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship. Over the past thirty five years of outdoor motocross, High Point Raceway has become the measuring stick that determines which riders and teams are ready to make a run at the national championship title. This year, Kawasaki rider Ryan Villopoto would use Moto One to make a solid statement about his intentions to compete for the 450cc title.

Defending national champion Ryan Dungey grabbed an early lead but Villopoto wasted little time in passing the Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider and pulling away to a huge lead. Current points leader Chad Reed had a bad start but would quickly begin picking off riders on his way to a fifth place finish in the opening moto. After recovering from early season injuries, Red Bull KTM’s Mike Alessi had an impressive ride at Mount Morris with a third in Moto One but was docked one position for jumping the gate at the start. Dungey would finish in second place with Yamaha’s Davi Millsaps in third.

Steep off-chamber turns, deep ruts and mud (lots of mud) would put a damper on Villopoto’s dominant performance in the day’s first race. To no one’s surprise, Mike Alessi’s big bore KTM pulled the holeshot in Moto Two but gave up the lead to a hard-charging Chad Reed. Villopoto and Dungey started working their way through the pack to a second and third place finish. Alessi would hold on for 4-4 finishes and fourth overall for the day. Dungey and Reed would round out the National podium with Villopoto claiming his first overall win of the season.

There is no rest for the weary as the Lucas Oil Pro MX Championship continues next weekend with Round 4 in Mechanicsville, MD, at the famed Budds Creek MX Park. With less than 35 points separating the top four riders in the 450cc class, E3 Spark Plug motorcycle race fans are expected to line the fences once again. If you’re looking for a spark plug that was “Born to Burn”, pick up an E3 replacement plug for your motorcycle at an authorized online dealer, or your favorite auto parts or discount store.

If Dad's a car buff, E3 Spark Plugs has a few Father's Day gift ideas.

You’ve got just a week to shop for Father’s Day. If your dad is a bonafide car buff, E3 Spark Plugs has a few suggestions for gifts that’ll really rev up his day.

The best opportunity for a little father-son or father-daughter bonding is a well-thought out road trip. Plan one, or just let your dad experience one vicariously with Road Trip USA, a series of books chronicling author and professional road-tripper Jamie Jensen. Each Road Trip USA edition details dozens of must-sees along a particular road trip route including major cities, obscure towns, historic sites and roadside oddities. Editions focus on various routes including the Pacific Coast Highway, the Atlantic Coast and the iconic Route 66 which, despite its decommissioning during the 1980s, still commands America’s fascination and represents something of a “road to freedom.” Road Trip USA’s Route 66 edition takes readers along the same route now replaced with a high-speed interstate. And the Great River Road edition takes a meandering drive along the Mississippi River and the Big Muddy River.

Once you’ve got a plan in place, take that road trip. Convince Dad to take that antique hotrod he’s tinkered with for years on the road. If the idea strikes fear in the man’s heart, rent one instead. No, not the economy sedan. This trip is worth a splurge. Perhaps the $22,000-a-week Rolls-Royce Phantom convertible is a little out of the budget. But a nice convertible could go for a few hundred dollars a day and the awesome time you’ll have together – well, you can’t put a price on that.

Cyberoptics specializes in "ties that don't suck," including several that are great gifts for car lovers.

If a road trip is out of the question, there’s always the proverbial go-to Father’s Day gift – a tie. But seriously, if you just have to do the tie thing, at least make it a cool tie. Skip the chain department store and go directly to www.cyberoptix.com where you’ll find a selection of “ties that don’t suck,” as the company’s tag line attests. Designs range from the beautiful to the slightly bizarre and several cater directly to car buffs. These designs include creative takes on tire treads, intersection patterns, exhaust pipes and engine designs. Our favorite is the “Gear Shift” design.

Got another fabulous Father’s Day gift for the auto buff? E3 Spark Plugs wants to know. Comment on our blog or our Facebook fan page.

E3 Spark Plugs celebrates the 78th anniversary of the drive-in theater.

This week marks the 78th anniversary of a cinematic wonder that remains an all-time favorite for us here at E3 Spark Plugs. On June 6th 1933, the first drive in movie theater opened in Camden, New Jersey, billing itself as a kid-friendly flicker venue.

“The whole family is welcome, regardless of how noisy the children are,” read the slogan for the experimental venue created by Richard Hollingshead, a young sales manager at his dad’s Whiz Auto Products. Hollingshead was sure that he could find a way to combine his two loves – cars and moving pictures – into a profitable venture. So, he set about perfecting his idea for an open-air movie theater where patrons could enjoy films from the comfort of their own cars.

We figure Hollingshead’s due diligence likely came much to the chagrin of his neighbors. His experimentation involved a 1928 Kodak projector mounted on the hood of his car and projecting images on to a large screen nailed to trees in his backyard. Sound came from a radio placed behind the screen with the volume jacked all the way up so as to reach the cars in the back row. Hollingshead subjected his beta drive-in to strenuous testing. He lined up rows of cars, moved them, then rolled them onto blocks and ramps and lined them up again and again and again until he found just the right staggered pattern that allowed for a great view of the screen from every patron’s dashboard or hood. He ran lawn sprinklers to test his idea against rain and other weather conditions.

Finally, on May 16, 1933, Hollingshead’s dogged determination was rewarded with U.S. Patent # 1,909,537. Less than a month later, he opened America’s first drive-in theater on Camden’s Crescent Boulevard with a $30,000 investment, charging a quarter a car and an additional quarter for each person. With that, an era was born.

By the late 1950s, upwards of 4,000 drive-in theaters dotted the nation – by this time featuring the in-car speakers that delivered sound right to patron’s vehicles. The peak lasted through the 1960s and developed a particularly solid audience with lovers of the Blaxploitation and cult fiction / grind flicks of the 1970s, though mainstream patronage had begun to decline. Drive-in owners supplemented incomes by inviting musical acts, petting zoos and traveling evangelical preachers. Many doubled as open-air churches on Sunday mornings. But weather remained a dogged problem throughout the life of a theater, especially those in areas where it snowed in the winter or experienced heavy seasonal rains. Real estate prices continued to rise; daylight savings time stole hours of darkness; and home entertainment options like VCRs, introduced for home use in the 1970s, forced hundreds of drive-in theaters to go dark.

Today, a few hundred drive-in theaters continue to operate in the U.S., primarily showing family-friendly films.  Do you still patronize a drive-in theater or have a favorite drive-in theater memory? E3 Spark Plugs wants to know. Leave us a comment our blog or Facebook page. And enjoy our gallery of great drive-in pics.