E3 Spark Plugs News

E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans salute Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey on setting yet another AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro National record. The cream of the 450cc crop throughout 2010 became the first rookie motocross racer in history to win 10 of the 12 championship rounds. Week after week, Dungey defeated the world’s best riders in the world’s most prestigious motocross championship. He certainly left little doubt that he is currently the “Best of the Best” by winning the final national at Pala MX Raceway Park outside San Diego, CA, this past weekend.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki's Ryan Dungey claimed another AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro record becoming the first rookie in series history to win 10 rounds in the same National Championship season. Photo courtesy of www.ryandungey.com

Red Bull Honda rider Andrew Short is always a sure bet for the holeshot at the start of any AMA national. Once again, it was Short out front early with Yamaha/MotoConcepts rider Ryan Sipes in second ahead of Dungey and Honda’s Brett Metcalfe. Once again, Dungey would twist the throttle and take the lead. Metcalfe would protect his second place in the 450cc point’s championship by passing Short later in Moto One dropping the Red Bull Honda rider to third. Sipes would hold on to fourth after battling with an aggressive young Texan, Kyle Regal.

The start of Moto Two was “almost a surprise” in that Short was outraced through the first corner by a determined Brett Metcalfe. The Aussie has often had the speed this season at the start and the finish but hasn’t always stayed upright during the middle of the moto. Short would stay in the chase but both he and Metcalfe would watch Dungey pull away, yet again. Several factory teams have brought in former World Champions (even Yamaha’s Bubba Stewart) to challenge Dungey’s dominance but the Rockstar Makita rider has shown them all the backside of his Suzuki.

Dungey would cruise home for the win leaving the pair of Honda riders to battle amongst themselves for second on the day and second place in the AMA Lucas Oil 450cc national points standing. Although Short would pass Metcalfe, the Geico Powersports rider would finish third ahead of fellow Aussie, Ben Townley. Yamaha riders Kyle Chisholm and Ryan Sipes would finish fifth and sixth respectively. Metcalfe’s third overall at Pala allowed the Honda rider to maintain a 3-point lead for second place in the 450cc MX national championship.

Dungey’s historic win put the crowning touches on what was the most surprising 450cc outdoor MX national season in years. Suzuki’s Dungey will join fellow American racers Trey Canard (Geico Powersports Honda) and Andrew Short (Red Bull Honda) as the United States team tries to sweep the Trophy Des Nations at Lakewood MX in Denver, CO, in two weeks. If you are looking for a winning combination for your car, truck or motorcycle engine, insist upon E3 car spark plugs as an eco-friendly option for your favorite ride. Our patented DiamondFire Technology will deliver the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology that you need.

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Monster Energy racer Chad Reed has retired the Number One plate for the remainder of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Championship. The defending outdoor national champion returned home to recover from the Epstein-Barr virus. Photo courtesy of www.chadreedracing.com.

Big news came this week from the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship series as the defending outdoor national champion Chad Reed dropped out of the chase for the 2010 title.  After being diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Reed has decided to recover at home with his wife and their new son Tate. Reed had struggled throughout the season with chronic fatigue syndrome before falling out of the series’ top 5 in national 450cc points last week at the Millville MX.

Hondas grabbed an early lead in Moto One as Red Bull’s Andrew Short led the way over Kevin Windham and Ben Townley. Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey was charging from a lack luster start when Townley crashed hard in the whoops injuring his right shoulder and ending the day for the fast Kiwi. Dungey would manage his way through the field sailing past Windham for second place before tracking down Short for the lead. Windham would fade to ninth late in the race as Honda riders Short and Aussie Brett Metcalfe would claim second and third in Moto One.

Red Bull Honda rider Andrew Short would grab his second holeshot of the day and his eighth holeshot of the season in Moto Two of the Washougal MX National. Windham would position his 450cc Red Bike into second place as Dungey chased the pair of Honda riders up Horsepower Hill.  As the race approached the halfway point in Moto Two, Dungey stepped up the pace to pass Windham and Short for the lead. Rockstar Energy’s Tommy Hahn put on an impressive ride to third and Yamaha rider Justin Brayton rebounded from a disappointing first moto to finish fourth.

The victory at Washougal was Dungey’s seventh of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA season giving the factory Suzuki ace a commanding 95 point lead over Short for the championship. Townley’s misfortunes would allow Metcalfe and Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha rider Josh Grant to move past the injured Honda rider to take over third and fourth place in the points championship. Popular privateer Nicholas Wey would have his best result of the season finishing fifth overall behind a very fast Tommy Hahn. Suzuki’s Hahn turned in the fastest times of the day and seems to be recovering nicely from his own nagging injuries.

The 450cc pro riders will have two weeks off before teams head all the way across the country for Round 9 of the AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship in New Berlin, New York. Don’t forget to follow the action on the E3 Spark Plugs Racing blog from the famed Unadilla MX track as the world’s top riders battle all the way to the 2010 AMA Championship. If you want peak performance and great fuel mileage from your car, truck or SUV, ask for E3 Car Spark Plugs at your favorite auto parts store. Our patented DiamondFire technology is designed to deliver Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for your ride.

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It doesn’t look like anyone can stop 450cc points leader Ryan Dungey from his goal of winning the 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship in his rookie season. In front of a home-state crowd, native Minnesota rider Dungey dominated Round 7 at the popular Spring Creek National MX and extended his lead in the national championship chase. If you want to dominate on the street, in the woods or off-road in the dirt, try E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs in your favorite ride. Let E3′s patented DiamondFire technology afford you the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for your winning ride.

MX legend Kevin Windham returned to action at Millville as a factory Red Bull Honda rider replacing the injured Davi Milsaps. Photo courtesy of Geico Powersports Honda.

In Moto One of the 450cc class, MX legend Kevin Windham pulled an early lead riding the Red Bull Honda as a replacement rider for the injured Davi Milsaps. Windham had an excellent return to the factory Honda camp with a solid fourth overall finish for the day. Once Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey got by Windham, he picked up the pace and disappeared from the rest of the talented 450cc field. Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha rider Josh Grant would finish second ahead of Honda’s Andrew Short and Kiwi Ben Townley. Defending MX Champion Chad Reed crashed during Moto One and would sit out the second race with a nagging neck injury.

Troy Lee Design/Lucas Oil rider Townley blasted to lead in Moto Two ahead of Short, Dungey and Windham before dropping his Honda in the Millville sand. Dungey would take the lead and wasted no time in putting distance between his Rockstar Suzuki and Short’s Red Bull Honda. Once again privateer Texan Kyle Regal would capture the factory teams’ attention as he raced pass the Hondas of Kevin Windham and Andrew Short for a second place in the moto and a third overall finish for the day. A pair of third place finishes would net Short a second overall leaving him 89 points behind Dungey for the championship.

The “Ryan Dungey Show” will head west along with the rest of the AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship teams for Round 8 in Washougal, Washington. If you’re looking for championship performance for your motorcycle, car, SUV or truck, E3 car spark plugs are guaranteed to deliver time after time. Follow the world’s top riders all the way to 2010 MX National Championship finals on the E3 Spark Plugs racing blog.

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Red Bull Honda’s Ashley Fiolek finally got her 2010 AMA WMX season on track in Buchanan, Michigan, over the July 4th weekend. E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans cheered as the defending WMX National Champion and current series points leader Jessica Patterson battled for the lead in Moto One at the popular Red Bud MX National. DNA Shred Stix Yamaha’s Patterson tangled with a back marker late in the race giving Fiolek the cushion needed to take the win. Troy Lee Designs/Honda rider Tarah Geiger led Yamaha’s Vicki Golden to the line finishing third and fourth, respectively.

Ashely Fiolek regained her National Championship form with dominate 1-1 finishes at Red Bud MX in Round Five of the 2010 AMA WMX Championship. Photo courtesy of www.ridelust.com.

St. Augustine, FL native Fiolek gave notice to the talented WMX field in Moto Two when she grabbed the holeshot for Moto Two. Patterson wasted no time putting pressure on Fiolek early in the second race and last weekend’s podium finisher Sara Price moved her Monster Energy Drink Kawasaki into third. As the deep-rutted Red Bud MX track was taking its toll on the talented field, Patterson and Fiolek gapped the field leaving the pair to fight it out for the moto win. TLD/Honda-powered Geiger picked up her pace and moved past Price for third place on the rough Michigan motocross track.

With nothing but first place overall wins in 2010, Yamaha’s Patterson fought to keep her winning streak alive with a late moto charge on the rear wheel of Fiolek. But, the Red Bull Honda rider would show the same determination that landed her the Number One plate in ’09 and kept Patterson behind her all the way to the checkers. Geiger brought her Honda home in third place ahead of Price and Yamaha rider Mariana Balbi who posted 5-5 finishes for fifth overall on the day. The victory moved Fiolek to 20 points behind Patterson for the series championship followed by Geiger, Golden and Price.

WMX riders have two weeks off before teams travel to Millville, Minnesota, for the July 17th showdown at the Spring Creek Motocross track. This will be Round 6 for the lady motocrossers with only three races remaining to crown the 2010 WMX National Champion. Follow all the action to the final round at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, PA, by checking WMX race results at the E3 Spark Plugs news blog and remember to install E3 Car Spark Plugs in your favorite vehicle. Our patented DiamondFire technology delivers Energy, Efficiency and Ecology to any engine including your lawn & garden equipment.
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The 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship had perfect weather for Round Six as the 450cc class traveled north to Buchanan, Michigan, for the popular Red Bud National. E3 Car Spark Plugs MX fans know that rookies aren’t supposed to win in the big bike class. But, somebody forgot to tell Rockstar Makita’s Ryan Dungey. Already this season, Dungey has won in the heat at Firestone MX in Texas, in the mud at High Point MX in Pennsylvania, in the sand at Budds Creek MX in Maryland, and in the mile-high altitude at Lakewood MX in Colorado. The rookie’s consistency on the track and focus off the track allows him to improve on lap times from when unloads until the checkered flag flies for the final moto.

The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship brings the world's best motocross riders and teams together to compete on the nation's toughest tracks like Red Bud MX in Buchanan, Michigan. Visit the AMA MX series sponsor at www.lucasoil.com.

The Red Bud track is most famous for a 130-foot step-up jump known as LaRocco’s Leap. The very long, fast, uphill jump requires riders to jump over the equivalent of a 5-story building. In Moto One, Red Bull Honda’s Andrew Short pulled his fifth holeshot of the season but gave way to a hard-charging Ben Townley. The Troy Lee/Lucas Oil rider Townley had missed the 2008 and 2009 AMA outdoor motocross seasons due to a nagging shoulder injury but has shown a lot of speed in 2010. With a few laps to go in the opening moto, Townley dropped his Lucas Oil Honda in a sandy rut letting Dungey, Chad Reed and Short slip by to claim the respective podium positions. Fellow Aussie Brett Metcalfe followed Townley home with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Josh Grant in sixth place.

Déjà vu in moto two as Red Bull’s Short took an early lead followed by Dungey, Townley and Reed. After following Short for a couple of laps, Dungey went underneath the Honda rider and took command of the race. Townley was next to get around Short followed closely by Reed. In his best performance of the 2010 AMA Lucas Oil Pro MX season, Reed made a late race charge to second. Townley would settle for third giving the Kiwi third overall for the day. Short would relinquish fourth in Moto Two to the Geico Powersports Honda of Brett Metcalfe. Yamaha’s Josh Grant went (6-6) for sixth overall, followed by Honda’s Kyle Regal (7-7) in seventh overall and Yamaha rider Ryan Sipes (8-8) for eighth overall.

The AMA Pro MX teams have next weekend off before traveling to Millville, MN, for the Lucas Oil outdoor national motocross championship. Check back on 7/19 for E3 Spark Plugs Blog coverage of Round 7 from Spring Creek MX. Until then, if you want high performance from your truck spark plugs, install a set of E3 spark plugs with our patented DiamondFire technology. We deliver Energy, Efficiency and Ecology from your car, truck or motorcycle engine.

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After winning the number one plate during his rookie supercross season aboard a 450cc factory Suzuki, Ryan Dungey disappointed some fans with his 8th place overall finish at Hangtown MX in the opening round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship two weeks ago. In round two at Firestone MX, Dungey silenced the skeptics with impressive 1-1 moto finishes to move within eleven points of series leader Chad Reed who finished second overall on the day. Native Texan Kyle Regal was third overall after he claimed the first pro podium of his young career with a solid ride in Moto Two that saw the native Texan pass KTM’s Mike Alessi, Honda’s Brett Metcalfe and the defending MX champion Chad Reed.

AMA Women's National Champion, Ashley Fiolek hasn't let being deaf slow her progress in the sport that she loves. The Red Bull Honda rider from St. Augustine, FL, also won a Gold Medal at the 2009 X-Games. Go, girl!

The Texas heat and humidity took its toll on Honda’s rookie sensation Eli Tomac. Tomac took the lead in the both motos and it looked as though he might repeat his AMA record setting performance of round one. But, in the first moto, Tomac lost the lead to Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Christophe Pourcel on the last lap. In Moto Two, Canadian rookie Dean Wilson would pass Tomac early and appeared to have a commanding lead that might earn him his first pro MX win. But, World Champion MX rider Tyla Rattray and Yamaha’s Broc Tickle passed Wilson on the white flag lap. Pourcel captured the overall for the day with 1-5 finishes and leaves Texas with a nine-point lead in the Lights Division of Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship series.

No surprises in the women’s division as the trio from Florida claimed the podium for the second time in two races. Yamaha pro Jessica Patterson won both WMX motos, St. Augustine native Ashley Fiolek had a pair of second place finishes with Tarah Gieger bringing her Honda home in third. The 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship continues next weekend at the RockStar Energy High Point National when riders travel to Mt. Morris, PA, for round three. Don’t forget to bookmark the E3 Spark Plug website and try our patented DiamondFire motocycle spark plug in your favorite ride.

Read on for race results and championship standings.

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