E3 Spark Plugs News

DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha rider Kyle Cunningham has finished fourth overall in last three Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX 250cc championship races behind Pro Circuit's dynamic trio. Photo courtesy of www.yamaha-motor.com.

The Monster Energy 250cc Kawasaki team dominated the podium once again at Round 8 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship last weekend in Washougal, WA. Geico Honda’s Justin Barcia led the Lites class through turn one of the first moto ahead of Pro Circuit’s Blake Baggett and DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes. El Chupacabra wasted little time and quickly passed Barcia for the lead but Sipes, who was fastest of day in qualifying, would take the lead away before the close of lap one. Series points leader, Dean Wilson, had a bad start, clipped the fence and was struggling to work his way forward.

Although Sipes has shown the speed to unseat the Pro Circuit trio of Baggett, Wilson and Rattray, the Yamaha rider has lacked consistency. After Baggett re-passed the Star Racing Yamaha, Sipes would make several mistakes dropping him to an eventual 15th place finish. In the mean time, his Yamaha teammate, Kyle Cunningham and the green bike of Tyla Rattray were working their way by Barcia. Rattray would try to close the gap on Baggett but finished 11 seconds to the rears. Cunningham held on for third place with Barcia in fourth followed by a hard-charging Dean Wilson in fifth. Local favorite Tommy Weeck finished sixth on his Motosport Hillsboro Honda.

Wilson’s hard charge continued in Moto 2 as the Scotsman rounded the first turn of the difficult Washougal track in the lead. Barcia, Baggett and Cunningham were stuck in the pack and working hard to get by slower riders. Mr. Consistency, Tyla Rattray, had put his Pro Circuit Kawasaki in second and would challenge Wilson late in the Moto 2. But, Wilson would hold on to a slim half-second lead at the finish line over Rattray followed by El Chupacabra in third giving the Monster Energy Kawasaki team its fifth sweep of the overall podium in just eight races. The DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha of Gareth Swanepoel crossed the line in fourth giving the South African a fifth place overall for the event.

Wilson retains the series points lead but once again failed to win an overall. Baggett’s 1-3 finishes gave the Kawasaki ace his fifth overall win for the season. Rattray, who is the only other Lites rider to win in 2011, finished second overall with Wilson in third. Cunningham’s 3-7 finishes added to the Yamaha rider’s streak of fourth-place overalls. Teams, riders and E3 spark plugs racing fans have the next two weekends off as everyone looks forward to Round 9 of the championship at the famed Unadilla MX track in New Berlin, NY. If you’re looking for a high performance car, truck, motorcycle or snowmobile spark plugs, stop by your favorite discount or auto parts store and pick up a box of E3 replacement plugs for your ride.

Bret Metcalfe seems to be regaining his 2010 AMA Championship pace with a podium finish at Washougal MX Park over the weekend in Round 8 of the 2011 Lucas Oil sponsored series. Photo courtesy of mx.rockstar69.com.

After Ryan Dungey won his hometown national last weekend at Millville’s Spring Creek MX National, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto hoped to keep the streak going at Round 8 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship at Washougal MX Park. Villopoto (a native of Poulsbo, Washington) has never won at his home track but served notice early in the day when he pulled the holeshot in Moto 1 ahead of his 450cc rivals Dungey aboard the Rockstar Makita Suzuki and the factory Honda of Trey Canard. TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed seemed to be a tick off the leader’s speed and may still be recovering from his spectacular crash at Spring Creek.

Up front, Canard continued to impress the E3 motorcycle spark plugs racing fans as he was able to match the pace of Villopoto and Dungey. After missing the first half of the 2011 National Championship season with a broken femur, the Honda rider has shown that he still has the speed to win. At the mid-point in the race, Dungey powered his Suzuki alongside Villopoto and challenged the Kawasaki rider for the race lead. In a similar move to the one that allowed Dungey to get by Villopoto at Spring Creek, Dungey dropped his bike in a rutted corner allowing Villopoto to escape with the moto win. The Suzuki rider remounted and held on for a second overall just ahead of a hard-charging Canard. The series points leader Reed would finish a disappointing seventh.

In Moto 2, Villopoto again charged to the front of the pack off the start with Dungey and Canard in hot pursuit. But, disaster struck early on as Canard cross-rutted on the face of a steep uphill and was launched over the handlebars. The Honda rider slammed into the Washington dirt and was unable to get up. Race officials red flagged the event as Canard had to be carted off by the expert medical team. On the restart, Dungey managed to swap positions and led Villopoto through turn one. Reed had his best start of the day in third followed by a very determined Bret Metcalfe aboard the other Rockstar Makita Suzuki. Early on Metcalfe would take advantage of Reed’s off day and passed his fellow Aussie for a third place.

At the mid-point in the race, it was all Ryan Dungey as he began to pull away from Villopoto for the win and his second national overall win in a row for the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA championship. Villopoto would hold on for second and finished second overall on the day. After a promising outdoor season last year, Metcalfe would claim third in Moto 2 for an overall podium finish, his first of the season. Reed’s fourth place finish in the second race was good enough for fourth overall but dropped the Honda veteran to third in championship nine points behind the new series leader Villopoto. Dungey trails Villopoto by a single point.

With the points race heating up, riders and teams have two weeks off before traveling to the east coast for Round 9 at the famed Unadilla MX National in New Berlin, NY. If you’re looking to avoid the “Honey Dos”, join E3 Spark Plugs racing fans at another race venue or take the time off to tune up your favorite ride with a set of our high performance replacement plugs. You can always rely on the plugs that are Born to Burn for your outdoor fun when you hit the trail, road, water or snow.

Chad Reed's Millville crash, which sent him flying more than 30 feet high, is one Motocross and E3 Spark Plugs racing fans will be talking about for a long time. Photo by Steve Cox.

E3 Motorcycle Spark Plug fans have lined the fences as TwoTwo Motorsport’s Chad Reed has been flying high all season. The Honda rider was literally without a ride for 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX National Championship when he decided to start his own race team. Since that time, Reed has proven that he is the rider to beat in the 450cc class. At the Spring Creek MX national, Reed grabbed an early lead in Moto One ahead of Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, Honda’s Trey Canard and KTM rider Mike Alessi. Canard would have an impressive fifth place finish in his first outdoor national of year having missed half the season with a broken femur. Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto worked his way around Alessi late in the race to claim third behind Reed and Dungey, respectively.

In Moto Two, Villopoto would lead the way through turn one but Reed wasted no time and quickly regained the lead. Just as it looked as though Reed would pull away, his Honda cross-rutted on the face of a high speed jump (watch the video below) launching the rider over 30 feet in the air. Very few of the Millville fans expected to see what happened next. A determined Reed staggered to his bike, remounted and set his aim on a top-20 finish. Reed’s incredible effort would pay off as the Honda rider worked his way to fourteenth salvaging precious championship points. At the front of the pack, Villopoto had his hands full with a hard-charging Ryan Dungey. Dungey would put an aggressive pass on Villopoto late in Moto Two for the win giving the defending national champion the overall win in front an excited hometown crowd. Villopoto finished second overall for the day with a very happy Trey Canard claiming the final step on the podium.

As the 450cc race teams and riders travel to Washougal, WA for Round 8, Reed maintains a six-point lead over Villopoto and a seven-point lead over Dungey with five races remaining in the 2011 AMA Pro MX season. Before you head west, don’t forget to pick up a box of E3 Spark Plugs for your favorite ride. E3 replacement plugs are Born to Burn.

There is only one more month to enter the 2011 E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT 4×4 Sweepstakes! One lucky winner will be offered an opportunity to ride along with a professional BIGFOOT driver in the E3 BIGFOOT Monster Truck, and he/she and a guest will have a chance to be VIP’s for the weekend at the 2011 4-Wheel Jamboree in Indianapolis, Indiana September 16th-18th. The sweepstakes will be promoted throughout the year from January 1, 2011 through August 19, 2011 on Stacey David’s GearZ syndicated on Speed channel, at the Monster Nationals Events, and the Lucas Oil/E3 Spark Plug Dyno Challenge events. Not only will the winner be a part of the crew for the racing portion of the show, but also get to meet Bob Chandler, inventor and owner of BIGFOOT, and Stacey David, producer & host of Stacey David’s GearZ and dine with them during lunch. The Grand Prize includes: round-trip airfare to and from Indianapolis, Indiana, two (2) day hotel accommodations, and transportation to & from the airport and the Jamboree.

To register for the 2011 E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT 4×4 Sweepstakes, please visit www.e3sparkplugs.com. On the sweepstakes registration page you can also customize your own picture of BIGFOOT and automatically post it to your Facebook page for all your friends to see. Registrations are limited to one entry per email address, per 24-hour period.  All other sweepstakes official rules also apply.

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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Local favorite Alex Martin finished an impressive fifth overall at Spring Creek MX for Round 7 of the 250cc Lucas Oil AMA Pro-MX Championship at Millville, MN. Photo courtesy of www.racerxonline.com.

When mom and dad build a professional motorcycle track in your back yard, the world assumes you would have a distinct advantage when the Lucas Oil AMA Pro-MX Championship comes to town. Over the weekend, 250cc privateer Honda rider Alex Martin used his local knowledge of the track he grew up riding on to finish 7th and 5th respectively aboard his Eleven 10 Mods Honda for a fifth overall in Round 7 of Lite’s national championship. Although Martin agrees that he has a fondness for the sandy Millville soil at Spring Creek MX, the Minnesota native doesn’t really live there anymore. Like most professional motocross racers, most of his time is spent practicing year round in Georgia, Florida and southern California.

E3 motorcycle spark plugs fans continue to line the fences week after week as the AMA’s traveling circus brings the big top to their part of the country. Unfortunately for those who don’t like green, the Spring Creek MX National had little to offer as the Pro Circuit trio of Tyla Rattray, Dean Wilson and Blake “El Chupacabra” Baggett continued their 2011 domination of the Lites class. In both motos, the DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha of Kyle Cunningham nailed the holeshot but each time one of Mitch Peyton’s Kawasaki would snatch the lead away before the end of the first lap.

In the opening race of the 250 class, it was Scottish-born motocross rider Dean Wilson who passed Cunningham and would lead every lap on his way to the checkered flag. Teammates Tyla Rattray  and Blake Baggett finished second and third. Cunningham would take fourth ahead of Yamaha teammate Gareth Swanepoel who benefitted from Justin Barcia’s spectacular crash that saw the Honda star stagger off with a broken nose. In Moto 2, it would be Rattray who would pass Cunningham for the lead on lap one. Like Wilson, the South African never looked back on his way to the win. Tied in points, the overall win went to Rattray with Wilson in second followed by “El Chupacabra” in third.

By virtue of his second overall, Wilson heads west with a 16-point lead over Rattray and 21-point lead over Baggett. Teams and riders now travel to the far northwest for Round 8 of 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro-MX season at Washougal, WA on July 23rd. If you’re looking for a motorcycle spark plug that was Born to Burn, pick up a box of E3 spark plugs for your motocross bike, street bike or hauler. E3 high performance replacement plugs are available at your favorite discount or auto parts store; or shop online at an authorized E3 dealer.

"Mad Rat" by Jerry Graves is one of more than 30 magnificent machines on display at Union Station as part of the Art of the Chopper exhbit. Photo by Tom Zimberoff.

If you’re in the Kansas City, MO area soon, E3 Spark Plugs has a best-bet recommendation for you.  Check out the Art of the Chopper exhibit at the famous Union Station, featuring more than 30 of the most original, fantastical designs ever to rumble out of a greasy workshop.

These customized and fully functional machines are hand-built by the likes of Indian Larry, Rick Fairless and other well-known names in the custom bike world. The carefully curated exhibit is based on renowned photographer Tom Zimberoff’s best-selling books, Art of the Chopper and Art of the Chopper II, and will feature photographic documentaries on each of the bikes and their makers, plus in-depth analysis of their design philosophies and unique styles. And while it’s obviously targeted to a primarily male audience, Zimberoff and organizers stress that they expect the event to remain family friendly.

“I would like to think of it as an intellectual draw,” Zimberoff told reporters. “It really is designed to help the general public understand there is more to motorcycles than the traditional biker image.”

The exhibit runs Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays) weekly through September 25. Feel free to take your own photographs, but leave your snacks, drinks and chewing gum at home. If you do snap a few photographs, be sure to share your favorites with E3 Spark Plugs via our Facebook fan page. And if you’re hitting the road to Union Station on your own mechanical work of art, be sure to load them with a set of born-to-burn E3 motorcycle spark plugs.

Australian-born Chad Reed has been a dominate force for the past eight seasons in AMA outdoor MX. He recently became the first motocross rider ever awarded the status of knighthood. Congrats to Sir Chad. Photo courtesy of TwoTwo Motorsports.

Seldom do you think about triple-digit temperatures when you’re headed to southern Michigan for a race but it was that hot at last week’s Lucas Oil 450cc AMA Outdoor Pro National in Buchanan, MI. But, as hot as the temperature was, the action on the track was even hotter. Ryan Villopoto came to Red Bud in hopes of making up ground in the 2011 points race but the Kawasaki rider almost saw all hopes of a national championship slip away earlier in Moto One. After a decent start, a hard over-the-bars crash dropped Villopoto to last place while his main competitors pulled away at the front of the pack.

What happened next was what legendary rides are all about. Gasping to get his breathe back, Villopoto remounted and pointed at his Monster Energy Kawasaki in the direction of race leaders Davi Millsaps, Chad Reed and Ryan Dungey. By mid-moto, Reed and Dungey were working their way around the Yamaha of Millsaps while Villopoto had made his way to mid-pack and was closing in on the ill-running bike of his teammate Jake Weimer. Up front, Dungey was pressuring Reed through the sandy whoops and deep-rutted Red Bud turns. Villopoto’s championship hopes were renewed with a ninth overall in Moto 1 – a performance that earned him the Ricky Carmichael “Hard Charger Award”.

The start of Moto 2 saw the Monster Energy Kawasaki of Villopoto lead Dungey, Reed and KTM rider Mike Alessi through the first turn. This time there was no stopping the Washington-state rider as he established a quick a lead and never looked back. Dungey maintained his pursuit but was losing precious seconds each lap. The surprise move came when Alessi forced his way past Reed for third proving he is still a contender in 450cc class. Villopoto’s impressive ride was good enough for third overall while Dungey claimed second. A late race pass on Alessi would give Sir Chad his fourth overall victory of the season.

With Round 6 of the 2011 AMA Championship in the books, teams take a week off to prepare for Spring Creek National in Millville, MN. However, there is no rest for E3 motorcycle spark plugs racing fans as every weekend means there’s another opportunity to ride. If you’re looking to improve the performance of your street bike or off-road motorcycle, find out for yourself why E3 Spark Plugs are Born to Burn. You can purchase our high-performance plugs in parts and discount stores across the country; or visit an authorized online dealer to buy replacement plugs for your favorite bike.

Andy Bussy, 2009 Pro-Open World Champion Grantsburg Watercross racer. Photo courtesy of Kerri Harter-Nelson.

Ready for something exhilaratingly different? If you haven’t experienced watercross yet, make plans to attend the 35th Annual World Champion Snowmobile Watercross, E3 Spark Plugs suggests. The “Granddaddy of Them All” takes place July 15-17 at Memory Lake in Grantsburg, WI. Informally known as the Grantsburg Watercross, the event started in 1977 and features the top racers from throughout the United States and Canada competing in drag and oval racing over water.

Also known as snowmobile skimming or pond skipping, watercross involves snowmobilers hydroplaning their sleds across the surface of lakes or rivers. A snowmobile’s wide tracks necessary for traction and flotation in the snow make for great water skimming surfaces so long as adequate speed is maintained. Watercross isn’t as easy as the champs make it look, mind you. In fact, several states including Minnesota and New Hampshire have banned the sport.

But that’s no matter to the dozens of competitors and thousands of fans who flock to Grantsburg every third weekend in July. Many camp out on the banks of Memory Lake each year, taking in all three days of racing plus event extras including live regional bands, nightly street dances, fireworks displays and shopping at the booths of hundreds of vendors.

Are you heading to Grantsburg this weekend? E3 Spark Plugs wants to see your pictures. Post them on our Facebook fan page. And if you plan to try watercross with your own snowmobile, spark plugs by E3 will give you a stronger, smoother, cleaner ride – guaranteed. Check our online cross reference catalog to find the right snowmobile spark plugs for your sled.

E3 Spark Plugs celebrates National Collector Car Appreciation Day, paying tribute to the autmobile's unique place in American history.

July 8 is Collector Car Appreciation Day. How do you plan to celebrate? Car shows, cruises and club gatherings no doubt are scheduled all across the country this weekend. You’re bound to see some beautiful sights and we  hope you’ll share them with E3 Spark Plugs.

Collector Car Appreciation Day first came about last year when the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and its Automotive Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Councils successfully lobbied the passing of Senate Resolution 513. Sponsored by Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus members Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), the day pays tribute to America’s ongoing love affair with all-things-automotive and to the automobile’s unique place in our country’s history. SEMA, ARMO and HRIA now are working to secure a Congressional resolution for Collector Car Appreciation Day.

“The industry endeavors to preserve our nation’s automotive heritage while providing well-paying, high-skilled jobs nationwide,” said Rick Love, Chairman-elect of SEMA’s HRIA Council. “Collector Car Appreciation Day is a singular tribute to this industry and the millions of hobbyists it supports.”

E3 Spark Plugs wholeheartedly supports this effort. We believe that no single invention has driven America’s technological, social or cultural progress quite like the automobile (pun intended). We’d love to hear your thoughts and see your photos/videos of your Collector Car Appreciation Day experience or your own automotive treasures. Leave us a comment here or post on our Facebook fan page. And remember to stock your vintage ride with E3 car spark plugs, E3 truck spark plugs or E3 motorcycle spark plugs to make her purr like a kitten and drive like she’s brand new.

Blake Baggett's nickname, "El Chupacabra", comes from the cryptid creature that looms in the shadows of South, Central and North America before unmercifully pouncing on its prey - similar to Baggett's late moto charge.

Over the July 4th weekend, Blake “El Chupacabra” Baggett piloted his Pro Circuit Kawasaki to a first moto win at the Red Bud MX track for Round 6 of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship. Geico Honda rider Justin Barcia grabbed the holeshot in Moto 1 and had pulled away from the pack before an endo in the deep Michigan sand handed the lead to Ryan Sipes on the DNA Shred Stix/Star racing Yamaha. E3 motorcycle spark plugs racing fans lined the fence to cheer as El Chupacabra and teammate Dean Wilson moved into 2nd and 3rd respectively in hot pursuit of Sipes.

By mid-moto, Baggett was closing on the lead, but Sipes would prove to be a worthy opponent. In a classic battle up the hills, down the hills and through the corners, Sipes and Baggett hit their marks lap after lap. Finally, the green machine of Baggett would slip by Sipes exiting a deep-rutted sandy corner. Current 250cc series points-leader, Wilson was in steady pursuit and passed the Yamaha of Sipes on his way to a second place in Moto 1. Fourth overall would go to Sipes’ teammate, Kyle Cunningham, followed by the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki of Tyla Rattray.

After his first moto crash, Justin Barcia was a no-show for the start of Moto 2. El Chupacabra got a great start and led Wilson, Tommy Hahn and Lance Vincent through turn one. The 100-degree temperature and deep Michigan sand would take its toll as several bikes sputtered to a stop in the mechanic’s area during the race. Unchallenged for most of Moto 2, Baggett would cruise to his fourth overall win of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship series. Wilson and Rattray would finish second and third respectively to claim the last spots on the overall podium.

The Fourth of July win moves Baggett to within 14 points of the Championship Series lead behind teammate Dean Wilson as El Chupacabra has shown little mercy since his early season glitches. Rattray fell to third just four points behind Baggett but maintains a 66-point lead over Geico Honda rider Eli Tomac. Tomac had burned the field in early-round practice for Red Bud but crashed hard in the second round and was unable to start the national event. 250cc riders and teams have a week off before heading next door to the Spring Creek National on July 16th at Millville, MN.