This guy just got schooled on drunk driving risks in a very visual way.

There’s something to be said for the effective use of abject terror in getting across a public service message, as illustrated by a recent PSA produced using footage from a hidden camera in a British pub loo (that’s “restroom” across the Pond). We here at E3 Spark Plugs got quite the jolt when we first saw the video, and apparently so did a million others.

The 52-second video which quickly went viral shows unsuspecting pub patrons, who presumably have already enjoyed a cocktail or two, wandering into a bar bathroom. While looking into the mirror, they’re suddenly face-to-face, literally, with the bloodied noggin of a woman smashing through the glass.

While producers won’t say, we’re pretty sure the unnerved guys appearing in the PSA were actually paid performers rather than random pub patrons. And, of course, the bloodied head belongs to an unfortunate mannequin. But the scene is clearly designed to replicate what a drunken driver may see in the event of a tragic accident that sends a victim through a car’s windshield. And it’s driving the sobering point home quite well, many say.

“…Very direct and hits the effect of drink driving bang on!” says one commenter.

“That’ll make them sober indeed,” writes another.

Of course, a few viewers were none too impressed:

“Not funny. You could give someone a heart attack.”
“I’m never gonna wash my hands.”

Love it or hate it, this PSA is getting attention worldwide. Within two weeks the piece produced by Leo Burnett London racked up more than 1 million views and got Twitter buzzing. Hopefully, it’s got people worldwide thinking twice about having “just one more” before getting behind the wheel. Statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, upwards   of 30 Americans per day die in drunk driving accidents nationwide – that’s a fatality every 48 minutes.

What do you think? Does the PSA hit home or miss the mark? Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.

Biker culture hit the Vatican City this past weekend as Pope Francis held a Blessing of the Bikes in St. Peter’s Square.

He didn’t pop a wheelie when he rolled up to the Vatican in his popemobile, but Pope Francis definitely showed his cool side, greeting tens of thousands of Harley-Davidson owners at Sunday’s Blessing of the Bikes.

In celebration of the iconic motorcycle maker’s 110th anniversary, leather-clad bikers lined the streets of Vatican City alongside habit-clad nuns.  Revved-up engines thundered throughout the Latin recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in a quintessential biker’s benediction as Pope Francis drove up the main boulevard to St. Peter’s Square, blessing bikes and bikers from his open-top jeep.

The four-day celebration attracted HOGs from around the world to Rome – upwards of half a million, by some estimates. The fete included a special Mass and a parade past the Colosseum and other ancient landmarks. “Papa Francisco” flags fluttered from the handlebars of many bikes. And the Milwaukee-based manufacturer gifted the Pope with two white classic Harleys for use by the Vatican police force and a black leather vest with an eagle on the back. Here’s hoping we’ll see him actually don that vest one day.

Did you travel to Rome for the Blessing of the Bikes? Post your pics and stories on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.

NASCAR racer Jason Leffler leaves behind a five-year-old son.

The NASCAR community was dealt a heartbreaking blow last night when driver Jason Leffler was killed in a crash during a 410 sprint car race at New Jersey’s Bridgeport Speedway. Running second with just a few laps left, Leffler crashed into a wall, flipped several times and fell unconscious. He was quickly airlifted by helicopter to Chester, Pennsylvania’s Crozer-Chester Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead just after 9 p.m. Eastern time. A subsequent autopsy report listed the cause of Leffler’s death as blunt force trauma to the neck.

Leffler began racing at age 12 and started his professional  career in the mid 1990s, racing midget cars in the USAC series. He quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with on the tracks, winning three consecutive midget championships in 1997, 1998 and 1999. He also was the 1998 Silver Crown series champion and winner of the Hut Hundred and Belleville Nationals in 1997; the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1999 and 2005; and the Copper Classic in 1999. In 2003, he was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

Nicknamed “Lefturn,” Leffler switched to NASCAR for the 2000 season, driving full-time for the number eighteen MBNA sponsored Busch team and moving up to the Winston Cup Series the next season. He remained a fixture on the NASCAR field over the years, racing for Chip Ganassi Racing, Ultra Motorsports, Haas CNC Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Braun Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Robinson-Blakeney Racing and Humphrey Smith Racing.

Over his career, Leffler racked up four USAC championships, 56 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, and 294 career Nationwide Series starts.

After news broke of the 37-year-old’s death, many in professional racing took to social media to express their condolences and offer prayers for Leffler’s family, including his five-year-old son Charlie Dean.

“I’m completely devastated to hear about Jason Leffler. It doesn’t seem real. Pray for his family tonight,” Nationwide Series driver Trevor Bayne wrote on Twitter.

Veteran NASCAR driver Elliott Sadler also tweeted: “Sitting here in disbelief. All I can think about is Charlie. Prayers to his little boy.”

We here at E3 Spark Plugs also offer our condolences to Leffler’s family and friends, especially little Charlie.

Ford’s Driving Skills for Life program shows teens just how dangerous common behind-the-wheels distractions can be.

Your kids call it “summer vacation,” but rescue workers call it the “100 Deadliest Days.” Car crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for teenagers in the United States, and invariably, teen-involved auto accidents spike during the three months that school is out for the summer each year.

E3 Spark Plugs urges parents of teens to consider these facts and stats:

• Car accident deaths double during the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day over the rest of the year combined;
• Teens are responsible for nearly 50 percent more drunk driving accidents during the summer months than during the rest of the year;
• Teen drivers average 44 percent more hours behind the wheel during the June, July and August break than during the nine months that school is in session – 23.6 hours compared to 16.4;
• 23 percent of teen divers are likely to drive with three or more fellow teenagers in their car during the summer, while just six percent more likely to do so during the school year;
• 72 percent of teens regularly stay out late during the summer evenings;
• 24 percent of teen drivers admit they get behind the wheel while they’re tired during the summer.

Consider also that 85 percent of teens admit to texting while driving and 87 percent admit to speeding regularly. If you’re the parent of a teen with a set of wheels, it all paints a scary picture. That’s why for the past 10 years, Ford has brought its Driving Skills for Life program to high schools nationwide.

The program challenges teens to test their driving skills while dealing with common distractions. And most find that it ain’t as easy as they believe.

Says one reporter who took the challenge: “We tested Ford’s distracted-driving course, tasked with texting and driving while maintaining a normal speed and dodging cones. Our text message was nonsensical, and we killed a cone.”

Ford also recommends its innovative MyKey system, standard in Ford vehicles since 2010. The system allows parents to program the ignition or push-start system in their teens’ vehicle via a separate administrator’s key. Parents can select or disable features such as muting the radio until the front passengers buckle their seatbelts, cutting off the electronic throttle at a certain speed, and blocking incoming phone calls and text messages on a mobile phone using Ford’s Sync telematics system.

To help keep your teens safe on the road this summer, visit Ford’s Driving Skills for Life website and locate the scheduled event nearest your home. Got other tips for protecting your young drivers? Post them on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.

Actor Aaron Paul of “Breaking Bad” fame stars in the upcoming “Need for Speed” film based on the enduringly popular video game series.

E3 – No, not E3 the spark plug maker, E3 the Electronic Entertainment Expo – revealed a few tantalizing tidbits of new information about the upcoming Need for Speed: Rivals video game and the feature film starring Breaking Bad alum Aaron Paul.

Newly wed to a beautiful blonde and looking entirely unlike his famous meth-pushing character, Paul made a celebrity appearance at the E3 Conference on Monday and filled in an eager audience with some crowd-pleasing details. First up – the November 19 release of Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed: Rivals for Xbox One, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Playstation 3 and PC. Gamers will get to choose whether to be a cop or run from them.

Paul also announced more information on the Need for Speed film set for release next March. As we reported last year, Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks partnered with EA to produce a film based on the best selling game franchise which debuted in 1994. At the time, actor Taylor Kitsch was in talks with producers for the lead role. Liam Hemsworth, Brenton Thwaites and Luke Bracey also were considered, but the two-time Emmy winner Paul ultimately won the role.

The film’s IMDB.com blurb reads: “Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins.”

Ridiculous stunts and crazy beautiful cars are definite in both the game and the film. At the E3 Conference, Paul unveiled the game’s and the film’s hero car – a special-edition 2014 Ford Mustang apparently based on the Shelby GT500 and featuring a supercharged 5.8-liter V8 with 900 hp along with a custom wide-body kit – not exactly your stock Mustang GT. Also cast in the film is an F-450 truck dubbed “The Beast.”

Check out some on-set footage of the making of Need for Speed, and the game trailer below. Then post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.

John Lennon’s 1965 Ferrari 330GT is headed for auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The day a young John Lennon passed his driving test, the famed Beatles frontman had his pick of high-priced rides from luxury automotive dealerships vying for his attention. Aston Martins, Jaguars and Maseratis were offered hand over fist, parked in literally in his front yard. But the one that caught his eye was a beautiful blue 1965 Ferrari 330GT.

Half a century later, and 33 years after his murder by a gun-wielding fan, Lennon’s car is headed for the auction block, where it’s expected to fetch upwards of $340,000. Valued at around $10,000 at the time Lennon acquired it, the car is inextricably linked to the Fab Five’s No. 1 hit, Ticket to Ride, which the group had recorded just weeks before. Lennon drove it until October 1967, racking up 20,000 miles.

One of just 500 built, the Ferrari will be up for bids July 12 at the Bonhams auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, UK. It sports the original registration plate reading DUL 4C, as well as the same engine and chassis.

“It is a wonderful commentary on the early excitement generated by Beatlemania that John Lennon didn’t even have to leave his house to buy his first car,” said Sholto Gilbertson, Senior Specialist in the Bonhams Motor Car Department.

How much would you bid for Lennon’s ride? Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.

Cheyanne Phillips (9, left) ready to greet fans with her racing brother Shane and mechanic dad Tom.

She’s quite the little spark plug, herself. Nine-year-old Cheyanne Phillips is already several years into a go-kart racing career and currently is in second points in her series, behind only her younger brother Shane. But she’s as compassionate as she is competitive. That’s why she’s the latest Team E3 Racing Tier 1 winner.

Racing runs in the Phillips family’s blood. Phillips’ grandfather built engines for Winston Cup racecars and her father (a friend of E3 Spark Plugs-sponsored racer Kevin Probst) ice raced three-wheelers and raced off-road buggies. It didn’t take long for Phillips and her little brother to follow suit. She began racing snowmobiles on snow at age four, then hit the grass-drag tracks at age seven. She soon took to the go-kart tracks as well and has since proven a small but formidable competitor.

Today, the fifth grader pilots Junior 1 Champ go-Karts in the K3 Karting series at Kankakee County Fairgrounds in Illinois. Big wins include the Fire and Ice series in Weyauwega, WI and she and Shane participate in the annual Joliet NASCAR Race Fan Rally, greeting fans and getting to know fellow racers.

“My brother Shane and I have driver profile cards to sign and lots of E3 stuff to give away to fans. It is so much fun,” she says enthusiastically. “I like to give fans E3 monster truck air fresheners and other things. The first year we had a booth, Casey Mears came and asked me for my autograph! That was so awesome. He is very nice. We got a picture with him, but I forgot to get HIS autograph! I really, really, really want to meet Danica Patrick and I think it would be so cool to be in the pits one day with her.”

Phillips, a Girl Scout since kindergarten who also plays the piano and rocks accelerated math, has already collected many memories in her young career, but one favorite immediately comes to mind.

Kid Karting champ and Team E3 Racing winner Cheyanne Phillips.

“My dad built a kitty cat snowmobile that ran on methanol fuel and we took it to the grass drags in Wauconda, Illinois where I was clocked at 42mph and got second place in the 300 Stock class, where I raced against full-sized sleds,” she says. “I was six years old and the other racers were 12 to 15 years old.”

Phillips definitely has confidence and a fiercely competitive spirit. But she also understands the importance of camaraderie and enjoying the sport, recalling a situation wherein the parent of a fellow showed some decidedly unsportsmanlike behavior.

“I was sad for him because his dad is mean to him because he hits and swears at him and that is wrong because we are supposed to have fun,” Phillips said of the heartbreaking scene.

Even at a young age, Phillips also is keenly aware of the power of giving. This year, she has donated all of her race winnings to the Turner Syndrome Society in honor of her late cousin Jessie, who passed away at just three years old. Turner Syndrome is a chromosomal condition that occurs when one of the two X chromosomes normally found in females is missing or incomplete.

Phillips asked that we make sure to recognize her family for their support of her racing career.

“My family helps me do everything for racing,” she says. “My dad is Tom Phillips and he is the mechanic and crew chief. My mom is Suzanne Phillips and she feeds me, makes sure my safety gear is on and does all the computer stuff. And my little brother who also races go-karts is Shane Phillips and he sometimes washes my tires and tells me ‘good luck.’”

From all of us here at E3 Spark Plugs, congratulations and welcome to the team, Cheyanne!

Buckminster Fuller’s 1933 Dymaxion just might have changed the automotive world had tragedy not struck – twice.

It might have forever changed the way the world thought of transportation and altered the course of the automotive industry, were it not for a buzz-killing fatal crash at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and a fire that destroyed two of three completed prototypes. And we here at E3 Spark Plugs rather wish things had gone differently for Buckminster Fuller and his gleaming, three-wheeled road zeppelin.

Alas, just one Dymaxion car prototype survives locked away at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. But all that could change if the right bidder prevails. On June 6, a set of 18 blueprints believed to be the only Dymaxion-related items not currently stored in a museum or filed away in a university archive will be on the block at the Wright Auctions Important Design Sale in Chicago.

The ultra cool Dymaxion concept car traveled on three wheels, had room for 11 passengers and boasted a fuel efficiency of 30 mpg. It’s fastest documented speed was 90 miles per hour, though Fuller claimed it was capable of hitting 120 mph. The aerodynamic, teardrop-shaped body measured 20 feet in length – twice the length of a conventional automobile. The single rear wheel steered the Dymaxion, which proved a bit tricky in crosswind situations. It was powered by a rear-mounted Ford V8 engine and the front axle was actually the rear axle of a contemporary Ford roadster turned upside-down.

Blueprints of the ill-fated 1933 Dymaxion car go on the auction block this week.

Fuller introduced his Dymaxion car at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair – perhaps one of the most disastrous debuts ever. The vehicle rolled and although the driver was wearing a seatbelt, the prototype’s canvas roof proved poor protection. The accident killed the driver and seriously injured the two passengers, one of whom was aviation pioneer and Japanese spy William Sempill. Investors bolted and the Dymaxion never went into production. But the real reason for its disappearance may have had little to do with the crash, according to Art Kleiner’s 1988 book The Age of Heretics. He points the finger at bankers who threatened to recall their loans to Chrysler, worried that its imminent popularity would destroy sales of Chrysler rides already on the market. Still the Dymaxion proved influential, most notably in the design of the Fiat 600 Multipla, produced from 1955-1969.

The Dymaxion blueprints are expected to fetch upwards of $30,000. And while it’s entirely possible they’ll end up hidden away from the world in a private collection, we think it would rock if they landed in the hands of a visionary-a la Fuller who just may put the Dymaxion into production and on the road.

What do you think? Would you drive a Dymaxion? Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.

Team E3 Racing winner Shea Holbrook recently launched SteelOvaryNation.com.

Who says professional racing isn’t a girl’s club? Team E3 Racing winner Shea Holbrook is a standout among a burgeoning number of female drivers, engineers, mechanics and motorsport execs. And there are more racing fans and auto enthusiasts of the fairer sex today than ever before. Yet, there are precious few resources for gearhead gals to hang out and share their love for all things automotive.

To that end, Holbrook recently launched SteelOvaryNation.com, a new website with an accompanying #SteelOvaryNation hashtag campaign. The brand represents female drivers, engineers, mechanics, broadcasters, bloggers, fans and car and motorsport gurus and features articles, photos and merchandise. Says Kerryann De La Cruz, a drag racer with a goal to build a legendary Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R: “It takes balls to live a world with so much life and passion, bursting at the seams with every emotion at full throttle. Not everyone is made for that. It takes OVARIES of STEEL to do the unconventional, and challenge yourself in a world vastly dominated by men where respect is earned, and often times we work harder for the same desired respect.”

The idea began with a tweet and a response by Holbrook that quickly caught fire. Twitter member @nascarasm, an avid motorsports fan with a large Twitter following, tweeted a congratulatory message to the winner of the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona and the team’s sponsor: “It took some big Carolina nuts to win this one.”

Holbrook was quick to reply: “Girls have big nuts too, they’re called ovaries!”

And so it began! Response from fans and fellow motorsports pros was crazy and soon, hashtags #SteelOvaries and #SteelOvaryNation were flying everywhere. The ever gracious Holbrook also initiated the hashtag #brovaries, a new term of endearment for men who avidly support the SteelOvaryNation brand and all women in the motorsports world.

Are you a proud brovary? Which female motorsports pro is your favorite? Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.

On his 12th try, the popular hard-luck racer Tony Kanaan finally took the Indy 500 checkered flag.

Do you remember the 18 years that All My Children star Susan Lucci was nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actress Emmy, but left the theatre like a jilted bride every single time before finally snagging the trophy, launching the show’s happiest/sappiest acceptance speech and getting the rowdiest audience atta girl ever on her 19th nod? Okay, maybe not you, but perhaps your wife or mother does. Anyway, we’re betting that Tony Kanaan was sweating a little of that same lady-in-waiting feeling while at the starting line of this weekend’s Indianapolis 500 for his 11th time. Little did he know, his wait was over.

After more than a decade of gunning for the Indy 500 finish line, Kanaan finally crossed it first, serving up a dramatic performance and officially ditching his dubious title of the “best current driver never to win an Indy 500.” And what a win it was! Sunday’s race arguably was the most exciting and contentious event in Indy 500 history. The race boasted 68 lead changes – double last year’s record of 34. Green-flag racing lasted an astonishing 133 straight laps from Lap 61 to 193 – the longest green-flag period in the race’s history since caution-flag laps were recorded in 1976. There were only five cautions for 21 laps in the 200-lap contest. And it was the fastest Indy 500 of all time, with competitors hitting an average speed of 187.433 mph.

But the real story was Kanaan, who drove hard despite torn ligaments in his thumb. The popular hard-luck driver was a favorite to win the event known as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing among fans, and even among a few of his competitors. He drew the loudest cheer from the stands during the driver introductions. And when it became clear that the Brazilian racer’s face would be the 100th etched onto the Borg-Warner Trophy, the crowd truly lost all composure.

“I never had a doubt I could win this thing,” Kanaan said. “Today it worked… I’m glad I’m on the other side and I can put my big nose on that trophy.”

“TK is such a fan favorite,” added competitor Ryan Hunter-Reay, who took third place. “He’s a great guy, a great teammate, great friend of mine. Yeah, absolutely, it’s great to see him win it. If anybody is going to win it in the field, he’s one of the few I’d like to see other than myself.”

Carlos Munoz took second. Mario Andretti and Justin Wilson took fourth and fifth. Three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves finished sixth and Team Penske teammate and first-time Indy 500 competitor placed seventh. Simon Pagenaud, Charlie Kimball and Ed Carpenter rounded out the top 10.

From all of us here at E3 Spark Plugs, congratulations, Tony Kanaan!