E3 Spark Plugs News

Cooler weather and a well-groomed track awaited the Lucas Oil AMA 250cc MX Pro riders at Steel City Raceway outside Delmont, Pennsylvania, over the Labor Day Weekend. E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans lined the fence early to watch another great battle for the AMA Lites national championship. The day was overcast early, sunny late and long sleeve weather all day. Oklahoma’s Trey Canard trailed former 250cc World Champion Christophe Pourcel by 13 points coming into the eleventh round of the 2010 AMA Pro MX Lites season. But, the Frenchman came to Delmont with a spectacular win in the final moto of last week’s national at Unadilla, NY, where Pourcel put on a late charge and blasted past Canard with two laps to go.

Geico Powersports Honda rider Trey Canard celebrates his 1-1 finishes with the fans at Steel City Raceway outside Delmont, Pennsylvania, over Labor Day Weekend in the Lucas Oil 250cc Lites National Championship. He now trails Pourcel by 7 points for the 2010 outdoor national title. Photo courtesy of http://motocross.transworld.net/

Grand Marshal for this year’s Steel City National was fan favorite and former Lites national champion Timmy Ferry.  Ferry had the crowd cheering as he and his son Evan took a farewell lap aboard the #15 factory Kawasaki before the start. When the gate dropped on Moto One, Monster Engery/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s  Tyla Rattray took the lead with teammate Pourcel close behind. Honda’s Canard was riding just inside the top ten early on but would mount a charge through the pack to catch and pass Pourcel for the win. Pourcel would finish in second place in Moto One ahead of Rattray and Geico Powersports Honda rider Eli Tomac.

In Moto Two, a couple of rookie 250 Lites riders, Pro Circuit’s Dean Wilson and Honda’s Eli Tomac, blasted to the lead off the starting line. Wilson would get the better of Tomac before the end of lap one and looked to be in control of the race. Geico Powersports Honda rider Canard was running in fifth behind Yamaha’s Nico Izzi and Suzuki’s Wil Hahn. Kawasaki rider Rattray was holding off Honda’s Justin Barcia who was holding off the Kawasaki of points leader Christophe Pourcel. By mid race, Canard and Pourcel had passed Wilson and the race was on. Canard (who never bobbled) and Pourcel (who never let up) put on a show for the E3 Sparks Plugs Racing fans.

Pourcel would set the fastest lap of the race late in Moto Two but Canard was almost flawless and never gave the Kawasaki rider a chance to pass. For the last five minutes of the moto, the two championship contenders battled as though it was the last lap of the race. Each showed great respect for the other by keeping the racing very clean. As the championship contenders caught race leader Dean Wilson, Wilson showed his respect for the senior Lites riders and let both Canard and Pourcel past. You could sense the tension in the Honda camp as everyone knew Canard would need to win points over Pourcel at Steel City to have a realistic shot at the national championship in Pala, CA next weekend.

Canard’s lane choices and his ability to jump the triple later in the race allowed him to hold off Pourcel for the moto win and first overall at Delmont. Pourcel would finish in second for the moto and second for the day which helped to minimiz the damage to his point’s lead. Canard now trails Pourcel by seven points for the AMA Lucas Oil Outdoor MX championship as teams travel west this week to race the newest venue on the schedule, Pala Raceway outside San Deigo, CA. If you are looking for Pro Performance from your bike, insist upon E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs for street bike, dirt bike or chopper. E3 delivers the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology needed for today’s high performance engines.
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With track-section names like The Gravity Cavity, The Wall and Screw-U, everyone knew the racing at the famed Unadilla motocross track outside New Berlin, NY, was going to be spectacular, and the 250cc Lights riders did not disappoint. E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans watched as Trey Canard captured his fourth consecutive win in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship series aboard his Geico Powersports Honda. Oklahoma’s Canard has moved from 57 points behind championship point’s leader Christophe Pourcel (after Round 5) to only 16 points behind the Frenchman with three races to go.

Ochlocknee, Georgia, rider Justin Barcia provided a lot of the excitement in the 250cc Lights class of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship race at Unadilla Valley Sports Park over the weekend. (Photo Courtesy of Geico Powersports Honda Racing Team.)

Scottish motocrosser Dean Wilson put his Monster Engery Kawasaki in the lead at the start of the opening moto at Unadilla while Pro Circuit teammate Pourcel was trying to recover from a horrendous start. Pourcel was on the charge and would catch Geico Powersports rider Justin Barcia but crashed hard as he battled with Barcia for the third spot. The Frenchman would remount but was too shaken from his crash to continue and pulled off the track leaving Wilson and Barcia to fight it out for the lead.

The battle up front continued until Barcia made a very aggressive inside move on Wilson that forced the Kawasaki rider off track. After Wilson’s crash, Barcia’s teammate and eventual race winner Trey Canard moved to second ahead of fellow Honda rider Blake Wharton. This time, it was Barcia that would go down after battling with Canard for the lead. Wharton would also slip by Barcia to finish a very respectable second place. Canard cruised home for the win but the story of the day at Unadilla Valley Sports Park was Pourcel’s 38th place finish in Moto One.

In Moto Two, Pourcel was riding for damage control as he positioned his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki into fifth place behind Hangtown 250cc race winner Eli Tomac. Dean Wilson had recovered from his opening moto crash with Barcia and was running in second behind Canard when Pourcel began a mid-race charge to the front. With two laps to go, Pourcel had passed Wilson and was battling with Canard for the race win. Pourcel got the better of Canard on the last lap but Canard’s 1-2 finishes gave the Geico Powersports rider his fourth overall national MX win in a row.

The AMA 250cc Pro Lights riders have two weeks off before teams travel to Southwick, Massachusetts, for Round 10 of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship at the famed Moto-X 338 motocross track. Don’t forget to visit the E3 Spark Plugs Blog for the latest motocross results from Southwick and remember to ask for E3 Car Spark Plugs the next time you change the plugs in your car, truck, motorcycle or SUV. E3’s patented DiamondFire technology delivers Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for any engine.

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Geico Honda Powersports Trey Canard continued his winning ways in the 250cc Lites class this weekend with a dominating performance over Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel at Washougal, WA.  E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans watched as Oklahoma’s Canard roosted his way over the top of Horsepower Hill in first place of both motos and claimed his third straight victory in the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Championship. This was the 30th year that the world’s best AMA pro motocross riders carved their way through the deep loamy soil of the legendary high-speed track at the Washougal National MX Park.

Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jake Weimer finished third in Moto One at the Washougal National letting his 250cc Pro Circuit teammates know that he's still in the points race for the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship. Photo courtesy of www.kawasaki.com.

Championship points leader Pourcel was on damage control in the opening moto with an impressive ride through the field for a second place finish behind Canard in Moto One. As Canard took his first ever win in an opening moto, Pourcel’s Monster Energy teammates Jake Weimer and Tyla Rattray pushed each other to the finish line for third and fourth place, respectively. The other Pro Circuit Kawasaki 250cc Lites teammate, Dean Wilson, went down early in the opening moto at Washougal but recovered to finish in sixth place behind Honda rider Blake Wharton.

In Moto Two, Wilson and Canard had an old fashioned drag race to turn one as the Canadian Kawasaki rider tried to push Canard wide but the Honda ace held his line and rocketed to the top of Horsepower Hill to eventually lead every lap of both motos in the 250cc Lites class. Wilson fell victim to the field when he crashed early on during the second moto relinquishing the position to his teammate Pourcel. South African 250cc World Champion Tyla Rattray continued to show speed and consistency finishing in third ahead of Wharton and Ecuador’s Martin Davalos.

Canard’s 1-1 finishes put the Honda rider on top of the podium for the third consecutive race in a row giving the Honda ace the most overall wins this season so far in the 250cc class. With only three rounds left in the Lucas Oil AMA MX Championship, Pourcel’s points lead has slipped to only 38 points ahead of Canard. Rattray claimed the final step on the podium with a third overall on the day ahead of Wharton, Wilson and Weimer. The winner of round one at Hangtown MX, Eli Tomac, appears to be recovering from an early season case of heat exhaustion with a seventh place overall at Washougal.

The AMA pro riders have two weeks off before teams travel to the opposite coast for Round 9 of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship at the famed Unadilla MX track in New Berlin, New York. Don’t forget to check the E3 Spark Plugs Blog for the latest results from the hills of the Leatherneck region of central New York State and remember to ask for E3 Spark Plugs the next time you change plugs in your car, truck, motorcycle or lawn & garden equipment. Let our patented DiamondFire technology deliver Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for your favorite engine.

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After waiting three years to win his first AMA 250cc MX national event, Geico Powersports Honda’s Trey Canard only had to wait one week to win his second championship series race. E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans watched while rain fell on Canard during the second moto as he dominated Round 7 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship. For the rest of the MX Lights field, it was survival of the elements, as Scottish rookie Dean Wilson and his Pro Circuit teammate Tyla Rattray finished the day second and third overall aboard their Monster Energy 250cc Kawasakis.

After injuring his knee in a crash during the first moto, Kawasaki rider Dean Wilson rebounded with a solid performance as rain fell on Round 7 of the AMA Lucas Oil 250cc MX National Championship. Photo courtesy of Pro Circuit Racing.

Although Moto One has belonged to Frenchman Christophe Pourcel during the first six rounds of the Lucas Oil AMA Championship, there have been five different overall winners with four of those being first-time AMA national wins. Saturday’s opening moto was no surprise as Pourcel and Canard traded the lead several times before Pourcel would double an uphill jump to claim the win ahead of Canard, Kawasaki teammates Jake Weimer and Tyla Rattray, Honda rider Blake Wharton and Pro Circuit’s Dean Wilson. Wilson was running third for most of the race before crashing his Kawasaki and injuring his knee.

Nico Izzi pulled the holeshot in Moto Two ahead of Canard and Wilson, both wasted little time in getting around the Yamaha rider. Pourcel, the 250cc AMA MX national point’s leader, had his typical bad start leaving the former world champion to struggle outside the top ten for most of the second race. With the rain falling harder and harder, former World 250cc Champion Tyla Rattray and Geico Powersports Honda rider Justin Barcia would race past a tiring Eli Tomac in third. As of late, Tomac hasn’t shown the strength that landed the rookie Honda rider a national win at Hang Town in the AMA MX season opener. Barcia would eventually gap Rattray and Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammate Jake Weimer who would finish in fourth.

Both Canard and Wilson made up ground in their battle with Pourcel for the 2010 national outdoor championship points lead. Next week, the teams head west to Washougal, Washington, for Round 8 of the 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship on Saturday, July 24th. Don’t forget to check the E3 Spark Plugs news blog for race results, and pick our patented DiamondFire technology when you change plugs in your car, truck, motorcycle or lawn equipment. E3 car spark plugs provide the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology needed for today’s fast-paced world.

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In Round 6 of the 2010 Lucas Oil 250cc AMA Pro MX Championship, E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans watched as Trey Canard attacked the rough Red Bud track to earn his first ever series win with 4-1 moto finishes. To no one’s surprise, Frenchman Christophe Pourcel controlled the pace in Moto One (the Pro Circuit Kawasaki ace has won four first motos in 2010) followed closely by his teammate and former World MX champion, Tyla Rattray. Scottish motocrosser Dean Wilson was again the tail gunner for Mitch Peyton’s trio finishing a solid third ahead of a pair of Honda riders Canard and Justin Barcia.

Geico Powersports Honda rider Trey Canard claimed his first 250cc AMA MX Pro outdoor win at the tough Red Bud MX track in Buchanan, Michigan, over the July 4th holiday weekend. Photo courtesy of www.treycanard.com.

Wilson would rebound in Moto Two taking the lead early on lap one ahead of Rattray and Honda’s Blake Wharton. Former AMA MX star Sebastian Tortelli has been assigned to work with Wharton who had his best performance of the season aboard his 250cc Honda. At mid-point in the second moto, Kawasaki teammates Wilson and Rattray appeared to have everything under control ahead of Honda teammates Canard and Wharton. But, Canard picked up his pace and passed Rattray to move into second. With his sights set on winning, Canard would bump Wilson over the berm leading to LaRocco’s Leap causing the Kawasaki rider to forfeit the lead.

The Mike LaRocco-coached Canard would pull away leaving Wilson to battle with Rattray for the runner’s up spot. Rattray needed the position for the overall win at Red Bud and passed his teammate with two laps to go before he did a huge endo that ended the South African’s hopes for an overall victory. A hard-charging Justin Barcia would challenge Wilson several times on the final lap but Wilson would lead Barcia to the finish ahead of Wharton, Pourcel and Broc Tickle. After entering the 250cc outdoor MX season as one of the favorites, Canard claimed his first win of the 2010 series and closed to within 55 points of series leader Pourcel.

The Lites riders have two weeks off before the teams head to Millville, Minnesota, for the July 18th Spring Creek MX national. If you’re following the 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship, check our E3 Spark Plugs Blog for full results from Round 7 of the championship series. Remember to ask for E3 Spark Plugs the next time you change plugs in your car, truck, motorcycle or lawn & garden equipment. Let our patented DiamondFire technology deliver Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for all of your engines.

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Moto One was no surprise as Frenchman Christophe Pourcel (Kawasaki) had already won all but one opening moto during the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA 250cc Pro MX Championship series. Teammate, and last weekend’s rookie winner, Dean Wilson (Kawasaki) kept pace for a second overall followed by Honda’s Trey Canard who tasted the Denver soil earlier on. South Africa’s Tyla Rattray (Kawasaki) continued to show his world championship form with a strong ride to fourth ahead of three American motocross riders Broc Tickle (Yamaha), Blake Wharton (Honda) and Eli Tomac (Honda).

Geico Powersports Honda rider Trey Canard finished second overall at the Thunder Valley National to take over the fourth spot in the 2010 Luca Oil AMA MX Pro Championship for the 250cc Lights class. Photo courtesy of www.treycanard.com.

After several years of racing under the lights in Lakewood, Colorado, promoters moved the Thunder Valley National race to daytime for 2010. Oklahoma rider Trey Canard must have liked the change as he took the lead in Moto Two ahead of his Honda teammate Blake Wharton. Early on, Scottish rider (via Canada) Dean Wilson and his Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammates Pourcel and Rattray followed in close pursuit. Pourcel would chase down the Geico Powersports Honda rider Canard in Moto Two giving Pourcel his first double moto win of the season. Canard crossed the line in second place followed by Wilson and Rattray.

The ladies returned to action this weekend at the Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colorado. Red Bull Honda rider Ashley Fiolek put her number one plate out front early but lost the top spot to Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson when she bobbled in the deep Thunder Valley ruts. Fiolek and Tarah Gieger (Honda) would tangle in a fight for the second spot allowing Patterson to coast to the overall win. Patterson leads the womens division of the AMA National Championship series ahead of fellow Florida WMX riders Fiolek and Gieger.

Don’t forget to check the E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs website next weekend as teams head east to Buchanan, Michigan, for round six of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship at the Red Bud Motocross National. If you want Energy, Efficiency and Ecology from your car spark plug, insist on E3 Spark Plugs and trust our patented DiamondFire technology to deliver more power and better mileage from a cleaner burn.

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It may be “Sunny in Philadelphia” but it always rains in Mt. Morris on race day. This year’s third round of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship had a lot of both. In Moto One of the 250cc Lights and the 450cc pro MX classes, riders scrambled for position as rains turned the hilly western Pennsylvania track into a giant slip-n-slide. Honda’s sophomore ace, Justin Barcia, who grew up racing in the Georgia mud, dominated the opening moto in the Lights class with South African Tyla Rattray and rookie pro Blake Baggett in second and third place respectively. In the big bike class, Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey passed the factory Yamaha of Toyota rider Josh Grant at the halfway mark of Moto One and pulled away for an impressive victory.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey rides with a Target on his back (or helmet) as he took command of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship posting 1-1 finishes in Round Three at High Point MX outside Mt. Morris, PA.

Before the start of the final moto, the sun popped out and baked the clay track leaving deep ruts cut into the uphills, downhills and sidehills of the challenging High Point MX track. Then, Mother Nature decided that it should be hot – very hot. That was just fine for a pair of well-conditioned former MX2 World Champion title holders with teammates Christophe Pourcel and Tyla Rattray leading Geico Powersports Honda rider Blake Wharton to checkers. The overall win went to Rattray, his first win on U.S. soil, and moved the Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider into second place in the championship hunt just 27 points behind Pourcel. Wharton’s (8-3) finishes landed the young Texan on the podium for the first time this season.

Jagermeister KTM rider Mike Alessi grabbed the holeshot for Moto Two in the 450cc pro class before being passed by Team Honda’s Andrew Short. At the midway point, Dungey again relied on his stellar physical fitness in the Pennsylvania heat and pulled away from Short to claim the win and the top tier of the podium for the day’s overall. Geico Powersports Brett Metcalfe followed Short to the line for second and third overall finishes on the day. Australian ace Metcalfe trails Dungey by 25 points in the AMA Pro MX standings. After a miserable day in the Mt. Morris heat, defending National Champion Chad Reed abandoned his broken bike in Moto Two and dropped to fourth overall in the AMA points standings just three notches behind KTM’s Alessi.

Continue to follow the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship on the E3 Spark Plugs Blog as round four of the 250cc Lights class and 450cc pro MX class is scheduled for next weekend at Budds Creek MX Park on June 19th in Mechanicsville, MD. The lady motocrossers were off last weekend but the women’s class of the Lucas Oil Motocross Championship series continues on June 26th when the WMX riders catch up with the men at Lakewood’s Thunder Valley MX in Denver, Colorado.

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