E3 Spark Plugs News

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates Lucas Oil & MAVTV!

E3 Spark Plugs sends out a huge “congrats” to Lucas Oil Products on its purchase of the MAVTV cable network. Our longtime racing partner Lucas Oil already had been one of the network’s key shareholders and strategic partners since its original 2008 investment. But the company now owns full control of MAV TV and promises another major financial infusion.

Founded in 2002 and launched in 2004, MAVTV is billed as “TV created by men for men.” Developed by four former Showtime Networks executives, the network provides original content from a uniquely mail perspective: “Car crashes, fist fights, hair-raising sprints to the finish and breathtakingly beautiful women-all in fantastic HD detail,” its website says. “What more can a man ask for?”

“For MAVTV, we’re focusing on three main areas including significant programming buys from major studios, exclusive new programming and an aggressive marketing campaign to improve consumer awareness,” says Lucas Oil Products Executive Vice President Bob Patison.

The company’s Lucas Oil Studios division in Corona, CA already produces more than 350 hours of motorsports and lifestyle television programming each year. With a cutting-edge production facility and an extensive portfolio of marketing relationships, Lucas Oil plans local media buys and prominent brand positioning within Lucas Oil properties such as Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts). Grassroots marketing campaigns at more than 400 racing events nationwide including Lucas Oil’s Off Road Racing Series, Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling events and multiple NHRA teams.

You’ll just have to stay tuned to see what Lucas Oil has in store for new MAVTV programming and infrastructure. Whatever it is they’ve got planned, we at E3 Spark Plugs are sure it’ll be well worth watching. We’re proud to be a partner and sponsor with so many amazing Lucas Oil events and projects and look forward to the next chapter in amazing motorsports programming.

Over the weekend things got HOT at the E3 Spark Plugs Duel in the Desert for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at Speedworld Off Road Park in Surprise, AZ. In other corners of the world, people often say it’s “Africa Hot” but, under the searing heat for the LOORRS Rounds 11 and 12, it was “Arizona Hot”. As temperatures soared to triple digits, the action on track was getting even hotter as drivers in all classes were battling for precious points with only four races remaining in the 2011 series.

Located just to the northwest of downtown Phoenix, Speedworld has always been known for its fast but punishing layout. A tough course that typically takes a toll on both man and machine. This year’s event was no exception. After posting back-to-back wins in the last two rounds at Glen Helen, Rick Huseman had his Monster Energy/E3 Spark Plugs Toyota truck race ready for Round 11 and grabbed an early lead in Saturday’s event. But, the star of the day (and the big winner for weekend in Pro 4 Unlimited) was Kyle Leduc in the popular #99 Rockstar/Makita Ford truck. Leduc would finish four seconds ahead of Carl Renezeder with Huseman in third.

As the sun rose over the Arizona desert, Sunday morning brought new opportunities for the E3 Spark Plugs Toyota race team to claim a victory in the E3 sponsored event. This day it would be Kyle’s brother Todd Leduc who would start on the pole for Pro 4 main event with Huseman starting inside on the second row. Huseman quickly grabbed second place on the opening lap of Round 12 but began to slow on lap four as suspension gremlins damaged the driveshaft on the E3 Spark Plugs Toyota truck. Up front it was battle of the brothers as Kyle began to pressure Todd before a late-race yellow flag caused an inevitable restart.

When the green flag waved, it looked like bumper cars on dirt as Todd Leduc was pin-balled from first to fourth. Brother Kyle slipped by for the lead with Renezeder running in third place behind Adrian Cenni. The multi-time off road champion wasted little time and moved his famous #17 Lucas Oil/General Tire Ford truck into second place. Renezeder would lean on Leduc for the lead but to no avail. Leduc got to the checkers first for his fourth win of the 2011 LOORRS season and his first sweep of the Pro 4 class at Speedworld Off Road Park. Huseman would limp home to a disappointing eighth place finish.

E3 racing fans can watch all the action from last weekend’s clash in the desert on Oct. 15th on CBS. The LOORRS teams have a few weeks off before the series heads to Sin City for Rounds 13 and 14 at the Las Vegas Speedway on Nov. 5-6. See you there!

Mr. Ken Brady of Port Angeles, WA, along with his daughter Virginia were treated to the event of a lifetime after Ken won the E3 Spark Plugs BIGFOOT/Stacey David’s GearZ sweepstakes.  They were flown in to Indianapolis, Indiana, all expenses paid to attend the 4-Wheel Jamboree Nationals September 16-18 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.  Picked up on Friday, September 16th at the airport by Steve Joiner, E3’s VP of Sales & Marketing, they were delivered to their four-star hotel in downtown Indianapolis, then treated to dinner at Harry & Izzy’s, sister restaurant to the famous St. Elmo’s. The following day, they were able to become part of the BIGFOOT pit crew, and enjoy a private lunch with Bob Chandler, inventor of BIGFOOT and Stacey David, producer and host of Stacey David’s GearZ.  Throughout the day, they were able to watch the Monster Truck Thunder Drags, the Tough Trucks® Challenge, Burn Out Competition, Mud Drag Racing and more all from the pits. After the show, Ken was suited up for his own ride in BIGFOOT with professional racer Dan Runte, outfitted with a full driver’s suit, including shoes, gloves and helmet from Summit Racing.  After a heart stopping ride including spins, donuts and numerous jumps, Ken commented that it was like a really, really great carnival ride.  He went on to say, “The entire trip was first class all the way, and I would like to give a special thanks to E3 Spark Plugs for putting together this awesome contest.”

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

For more information about BIGFOOT, visit http://www.bigfoot4x4.com/

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The World’s oldest running car, a French 1884 De Dion Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-a-Dos (say THAT five time fast!) is set to cross the auction block at RM’s October 7 auction at Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA. The expected going price: $2 million to $2.5 million.

Dubbed “La Marquise” after the original owner’s mother, this historic ride has no gas pedal or foot brakes and you’ll swap spark plugs for steam power. But you’ll get bragging rights that no one else in your local vintage car club can claim. It all began when young Count de Dion, a celebrated dualist and ladies’ man, happened by a toy store looking for toys to give as prizes at an upcoming ball. He was so intrigued by the quality of workmanship of a model steam engine that he hired away the two toymakers who had built it and challenged them to build a full-sized engine that could power a carriage. Legend has it that the Count also was an animal advocate bent on freeing horses from the drudgery of pulling carriages.

Working for an enviable 10 francs a day, Georges Bouton and Charles-Armand Trepardoux first connected a steam engine to a tricycle, then built a Victoria quadricycle in 1883. Unfortunately, the rear-wheel steering proved quite the inconvenience, as did the liquid fuel’s propensity to catch fire. And its large, vertical, up-front boiler made the initial model look a bit like a giant coffee pot on wheels. So, the two went back the drawing board and designed what would become the La Marquise – a more compact, steam-powered quadricycle with front-wheel steering and rear-wheel drive via connecting rods much like a locomotive.

In his later years, De Dion boasted that the La Marquise “can be considered the embryo of the first touring automobile. It had four seats and it was already a family car.”

He kept the car until 1906, when he sold it to French army officer Henri Doriol, whose family kept it for 81 years, but never ran it. Brass and copper fittings had been sacrificed to the war effort in 1914 and post-war attempts to restore it failed. In 1987, the family auctioned the La Marquise off in Paris. The buyer was Tim Moore, a British Veteran Car Club member who painstakingly restored the vehicle to its original condition (including manufacturing those war-lost fittings) and got her running. The La Marquise returned the favor by racking up a list of prestigious honors including the 1991 UK National Steam Heritage Premier Award for Restoration and Preservation; a double award at Pebble Beach in 1997; the U1 steam class and the Automobile Quarterly Historian’s Trophy; the class win of Pre-Century Steam Cars at Goodwood in 1999, and an honor at the 1996 Louis Vuitton Concours at the Royal Hurlingham Club in London in 1996.

Alas, Moore now faces quite the conundrum: he’s got two kids and no idea how to leave the car in his will without causing a bit of sibling warfare – Thus, your chance to bid and become the La Marquise’s next owner.  Think you’ll place a bid for the lovely La Marquise? E3 Spark Plugs wants to hear from you. Leave a comment on our E3 Spark Plugs blog or our Facebook fan page.

 

 

 

Ever wonder what your favorite racecar driver drives off track? Personal automobiles of the world’s top drivers range from the extravagant to the surprisingly sensible to the just plain strange. E3 Spark Plugs shares a few favorites:

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is a bonafide Chevy Camaro guy. The third generation racer built a racing Camaro with his late father in 1967 and boasts a special edition Dale Earnhardt, Sr. “Intimidator SS”  Camaro. He also owns a ’67 model (pictured) with an SBC engine with a 5-speed transition and a ’72 with a GM LS2 engine and 6-speed transmission.

Danica Patrick famously landed a speeding ticket and an order to attend driving school while driving her Mercedes ML 63 AMG 57mph in a 40 zone. “I tried to pull the race car driver card… I said, ‘I’m a race car driver. I’m not going to hurt anyone out here. I know what I’m doing,’” the Indy Car racer told reporters. “He said, ‘I don’t know who you are and I don’t care.’ But then it was on the news that night.”

Patrick also tools around town in her Lamborghini Gallardo which, as she told reporters recently, has no cup holders.

“So while it seems like a luxury car, it’s not really about luxury,” she says.

Tony Stewart has a cadre of enviable rides including a 1955 Chevy Nomad, a 2005 Lamborghini Murcielago that he told reporters he’s only driven once, a 2003 Hummer with seven-count ‘em-seven TVs, and a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird, Smokey and the Bandit edition with CB radio – reportedly his favorite. But the ride that gets the most attention is Stewart’s 1984 Cadillac hearse dubbed Smoke DeVille.

Sebastian Vettel, the 23-year-old German Formula One world champion (and the youngest to earn that title) has a collection of cars almost as interesting as his names for them: Luscious Liz, Randy Mandy and Kinky Kylie. BMWs dot his collection, per his ambassadorship for the brand. But his most driven personal ride is an Infiniti FX50. Infiniti has a partnership with Vettel’s Red Bull Racing Team.

Temps are dropping and the sun’s going down earlier. The onset of the fall season means it’s time to ready your ride for the coming winter. E3 Spark Plugs recommends these six easy auto maintenance tips for the DIY mechanic.

1. Change your windshield wiper blades: You’ll use yours more often in the fall and winter time, so it’s best to start the season with a fresh set. Don’t forget that back blade if you drive a hatchback, station wagon or SUV with a rear window wiper.
2. Check your spare tire: Spare tires often are an out-of-sight, out-of-mind item but when you need yours, it’s critical that it’s in good shape. Tire pressure typically drops one PSI (pound per square inch) for every 10 degree drop in temperature, so check yours weekly as winter sets in. If the spare tire for your pickup truck or SUV is housed beneath your vehicle, try lowering, then raising it to make sure the cable mechanism that holds it is working properly. A good dose of WD-40 and lubing with white lithium grease each fall helps keep it working smoothly.
3. Check and top off all fluids: Topped off windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid and antifreeze levels are a must. Replace your windshield washer fluid with a solvent that’s suited for cold weather use. Top off the antifreeze in your coolant recovery reservoir and make sure you’re using the correct type. Orange and green coolants cannot be mixed. As brakes wear, a minor drop in your brake fluid level is normal. If you see a significant drop, it may be a sign of a leak or other problem in your braking system. Get to the mechanic before the roads ice up.
4. Replace the air filter: If your air filter is clogged, your vehicle’s fuel economy, performance and emissions suffer. And all that means money out of your pocket. We recommend changing your car’s or truck’s air filter twice a year.
5. Check your battery terminals: Lots of ignition and electrical problems start with loose or corroded battery connections. The time it takes you to tighten them and the $4 you’ll spend on a brush to clean them is a lot easier and cheaper than dealing with bigger issues down the road.
6. Check your lights: Shorter periods of sunlight make it tougher for you to see other vehicles on the road, and tougher for them to see you too.
7. Check your spark plugs: Worn, fouled or cracked spark plugs can cause misfires, muddle your car’s performance and eat up its fuel economy. E3 car spark plugs, truck spark plugs, Jeep spark plugs and motorcycle spark plugs assure better mileage, better performance and a cleaner ride.

Got more DIY tips for fall/winter auto maintenance? Leave us a comment on the E3 Spark Plugs blog or our E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

Over the weekend, E3 spark plugs driver Rick Huseman dominated Rounds 9 & 10 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at the famed Glen Helen Raceway short track in San Bernardino, CA. With long-time E3 driver, Kevin Probst, retiring from the series in 2010, E3 teamed this season with Monster Energy to sponsor the #36 Toyota of Huseman. The 14-year veteran of off-road racing responded with four straight wins to grab an early lead in the 2011 points series. Rick had dominated the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Pro-4 Championship with 10 wins in 15 rounds of racing.

After a poor performance in Rounds 7 & 8, the E3 Spark Plugs /Monster Engery team again proved that they have the truck to beat in the LOORRS’ Pro-4 Championship. Huseman, who began off road racing in the southern California desert with his brothers Danny and Kevin, posted a double win at Glen Helen event. In Saturday’s main event, Houseman finished 2.4 seconds ahead of long-time rival Carl Renezeder in the #17 Lucas Oil truck and the #11 of Adrian Cenni. Under the lights in Round 10, Huseman battled the #99 of Kyle Leduc to a 1.4 second win as the pair led Renezeder to checkers.

With back to back wins at Glen Helen, Houseman now stands nine points off the LOORRS Championship points lead for 2011. The E3 Spark Plugs race team will be busy preparing for Rounds 11 & 12 at Speed World Off Road Park in Surprise, Arizona, on September 24th and 25th.

A move to form a national registry for historic vehicles is getting mixed responses from the classic car collecting community.

E3 Spark Plugs recently learned that a group of classic history buffs is shooting for a national registry for historic cars – much like the federal government’s registries for historic homes, buildings, boats, airplanes, railways. While it seems a great idea on the surface, many classic car collectors are crying foul.

The Historic Vehicle Association, founded in 2009 by Hagerty Insurance on behalf of its vintage car clients, says such a move will provide federal protection for vehicles in the same way that such legislation ensures the preservation of historic homes and buildings. But many auto enthusiasts question how cars will be selected for the registry.

“Is a split-window 1963 Corvette discovered in a barn more worthy of protection than a mint-condition 1977 Caprice? After all, both have historic value,” says Autoweek writer Mark Rechtin in a recent blog. “What if you change the paint color on a 1962 Lotus Elite from green to blue after it has been registered, or put a Chevy small block in a Jaguar E-Type?”

Outside of the type, age and condition, vehicles may also be considered for the register if they were owned, designed, built or engineered by someone famous or notable. Automobiles tied to historic events also would be eligible. The 1961 Lincoln Continental limousine that President John F. Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated is a prime example (It’s housed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan).

Protecting such vehicles is clearly important, most agree. But critics of the move say they’re leery of government encroachment upon their investments. They want to be sure they won’t be restricted when it comes to repairs and upgrades to classic cars still in use. And they’re concerned that it may result in taxation of vehicles considered gas guzzlers or in vintage cars being sent to the crusher.

“Lord knows the government intervening in our everyday lives has reached unprecedented levels, says David Kochinski  of the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse in posted response to the story. “But, what do we have to protect us now? I applaud any effort to preserve cars of historical significance. I would prefer SEMA to take the first steps in preserving our collector cars. They are a powerful lobby in Washington and are in tune with the majority of owners in preserving vehicles or updating them with more modern technology. The more involved in this effort, the better. I sure don’t want to wake some morning hearing my car is banned for street use by some out-of-touch-dweeb in Washington.”

“People assume we’re talking about cars that should be in the Smithsonian, but that’s not the case,” assures insurance magnate McKeel Hagerty. “These cars are used, and they are required to be used. Just like historic homes allow upgrading from knob-and-tube wiring, we allow upgrading of classic cars.”

Ironically, the move could help limit government’s fingerprints on your historic vehicle.

“The potential opportunity would be to federally protect historic vehicles from things like ethanol mandates, emissions testing, driving or zoning restrictions, and tax or registration increases,” association member Bob Baggette says. “Not all historic vehicles need to be placed in the registry, and it is completely voluntary.”

Association reps assure that the move is strictly in the discussion phase right now and that input would be actively solicited from the collector community every step of the way. What do you think? Post your thoughts to the E3 Spark Plugs blog or our E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

 

Recession? What recession? Clearly, nobody told the auto makers showing at this year’s International Motor  Show (aka the Frankfurt Motor Show) that much of the world low on coin these days. While we won’t be driving any of these vehicles home, E3 Spark Plugs truly enjoyed taking a look at the amazing cars and concepts on the showroom floors today. A trove of driver- and passenger-friendly technology, a ton of glam and a little bit of wacky caught our eye.

Y-Concept
True to its curious name, little-known Russian firm Yo-Auto (ë-Avto) unveiled an equally curious Yo-Concept. Not destined for production, the Yo-concept is a vamped up example of the styling the company is using to develop future vehicles. It features an extended-range setup similar to the gas-electric plug-in system that powers the Chevy Volt. But we were most interested in its novel curved doors that slide up and disappear into the rear of the vehicle.

Opel RAK e Concept
We love this funky little urban transport vehicle almost as much as we love its history. Opel, GeneralMotors’ oldest industrial division, started as a sewing machine manufacturer in 1862. The company dabbled in bicycle production before turning to automobiles in 1899. The new RAK e Concept comes a full 83 years after its predecessor, the experimental RAK 2, a streamlined, solid-fuel rocket propulsion system that grabbed headlines worldwide in 1928. The lightweight (838 pounds) RAK e is a narrow four-wheeler build around a steel space frame powered by a 49-horsepower electric motor with a five-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and capable of a 62-mile trip fully charged. Operating costs: about $2.19 per 100 miles.

Citroën Tubik
Among the most out-of-this-world sights we saw was the Citroën Tubik, a nine-passenger, modular seating, hybrid mini-bus with a “Jetsons-go-glam” kind of feel. Seats can be arranged in various ways inside the lounge style, tubular cabin. The French automaker is known for its unique interior aesthetics and it shows in surprising picks like leather flooring, felt seating and silk-covered backrests and doors.

Bentley Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept
For the on-the-go executive, the Bentley Mulsanne’s executive interior concept is a tech-tricked office on wheels. Power-folding wood veneer tables drop down from the backs of the front seats and feature separate iPad work stations and Bluetooth wireless keyboards connected via a Mac Mini mounted in the trunk. Alongside the telephone nestled into the armrest, you’ll find a Tibaldi pen. This ain’t your 99-cent ball point – we’re talking over-the-top fountain pens from a line that can run from a few hundred dollars to upwards of $50,000. When you’re done editing that financial report, kick back and relax with a movie on your ceiling-mounted 15.6-inch high definition LCD TV.

Maserati GranTurismo
Really? Need we say much? Just look at the pictures of this fashion statement of a performance machine. And by “fashion statement,” we mean that literally. Maserati collaborated with fashion powerhouse Fendi . With bodywork that “seems to be drawn tight over the frame like a figure hugging dress,” Maserati’s website says, the GranTurismo is definitely one of the lookers of this year’s event.

What caught your eye at Frankfurt? E3 Spark Plugs want to know. Leave us a comment on our blog or post on our Facebook Fan Page.

 

If ever there was a great reason for a road trip to the West Coast, this is it! Petersen Automotive Museum on Los Angeles’ famous Wilshire Boulevard recently opened what promises to be a destination exhibit – Phil Hill: The Life of a Legend.

Created with the help of the late Hill’s son Derek, the exhibit gives auto buffs a revealing look into the life and work of one of motorsports’ most respected icons. Artifacts include the vehicles he raced, helmets he wore and dozens of photographs chronicling Hill’s staggering career success.

Hill’s racing career spanned from 1953-1967 and involved racing for multiple legendary teams including Ferrari, Ford, Aston Martin, Shelby and Chaparral. In what is considered the deadliest-ever era of motorsports, Hill never broke a bone or shed a drop of blood. He was the first American to win a postwar Grand prix in 1960 at Monza; the first to American to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1958; and remains the only American-born Formula One racing champion and in a member of the Motor Sports Hall of Fame of America and the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame. After retiring in 1967, Hill remained active in the automotive world. He worked for ABC as an auto racing commentator and edited Road & Track Magazine.

Hill also became an avid collector and restorer of vintage automobiles and served as a Rolls-Royce and Ferrari judge at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance for decades. But twice, Hill and wife Alma were on the receiving end of a Pebble Beach Award – its most coveted award, in fact. In 1955, Hill’s 1931 Pierce-Arrow 41 LeBaron Convertible Town Cabriolet won the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best in Show award. In 1977, his 1927 Packard 343 Murphy Convertible Sedan snagged the same award.

“Many car fanciers around the world with much more money, more employees and access to more great cars than Hill could possibly have purchased have paid many millions of dollars to win just one Best in Show,” Huffington Post journalist Steve Parker said in a tribute article, giving a nod to Hill’s collecting and restoring finesse. “Winning two is an outrageous, even outlandish, accomplishment.”

Petersen’s Phil Hill: The Life of a Legend exhibit runs through November 27. If you can make it to the LA area November 10, E3 Spark Plugs recommends catching the exhibit’s Tribute Night event. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of America’s first Formula One World Championship, the event includes dinner, a film highlighting Hill’s Formula One racing career and participation in the Le Mans 24 Hours, and a forum with several drivers who raced with and competed against Hill.

Respiratory problems complicated by Parkinson’s disease took Hill from us in 2008. He was 81 years old and is sorely missed by the racing and auto enthusiast community.