E3 Spark Plugs News

Picturesque views and lots of action-packed off-road racing greeted fans over the weekend as Miller Motorsports Park hosted Round 7 and Round 8 of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series. This was the first year the off-road vehicles raced in the salt desert just west of Salt Lake City near Tooele, Utah. In Saturday’s Pro2 Unlimited class final, Lucas Oil/Tecate Ford driver Rodrigo Ampudia claimed his first ever series win and, on Sunday, E3 Truck Spark Plugs driver Kevin Probst posted a solid seventh-place finish in the Pro2 final for Round 8 of the championship.

Pro2 Unlimited driver Carl Renezeder rebounded to finish 3rd in Sunday's feature event after taking a spectacular end-over-end tumble in the Lucas Oil offroad truck on Saturday at Miller Motorsports Park outside Tooele, Utah. Photo courtesy of www.teamrenezeder.com.

Rockstar Makita’s Todd Leduc finished second to Ampudia in Round 7 of the Pro2 Unlimited off-road trucks class just ahead of former NORBA pro downhill mountain bike racer Robert Naughton. In Sunday’s final event, Leduc would again finish in the runner’s up position this time behind series points leader Rob MacCachren. AMA multi-time national MX champion Ricky Johnson brought his Red Bull truck home in third but was later disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct. Johnson’s indiscretions moved Carl Renezeder to third overall. Good luck came late in the weekend for Renezeder who flipped his Lucas Oil-sponsored truck end-over-end in Saturday’s feature.

In the Pro Lite Unlimited class on Saturday, Hart & Huntington/Rockstar truck driver Chris Brandt took the checkers ahead of Monster Energy’s veteran ace Marty Hart with Jimmy Stephensen, Jacob Person and Adam Wik rounding out the top five. On Sunday, Hart claimed the win in a battle with former X-Games freestyle gold medalist Brian Deegan. Jacob Person and Adam Wik moved up one spot each from Saturday’s round finishing third and fourth respectively. Brandt could only manage a sixth place overall in Round 8 behind Anthony Verdone.

The E3 Spark Plugs team of Kevin Probst heads to San Bernandino, California, for Round 9 and Round 10 of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Truck Series on August 7 & 8. The popular Glen Helen Raceway is always a favorite of diehard off road racing fans. Whether you’re cruising across town or testing your skills in the salt desert, E3 Car Spark Plugs with our patented DiamondFire technology offer you energy, efficiency and ecology for your ride. Remember to bookmark our website and check often for the latest results from the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series.

Hope all of our truck racing fans caught Speed Channel’s coverage of last month’s Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series. Strong winds and a slick track sent teams scrambling as everyone searched for traction in the Las Vegas desert. Whether you’re cruising’ the “Strip” or testing your skills off the pavement, E3 Truck Spark Plugs with our patented DiamondFire technology offer you energy, efficiency and ecology for your favorite ride. Remember to bookmark our website and check often for the latest information about advancements in truck and car spark plugs.

Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series – Round Five

The Pro2 Unlimited Class of the E3 Spark Plugs Off-Road National, saw Todd Leduc in his Toyo Tires/Jagermeister Ford truck take an early race lead over fast qualifier Rob MacCachren and Rodrigo Ampudia runing second and third, respectively. Red Bull’s Ricky Johnson finished the day two laps down with a disappointing end to his attempt at winning his third Lucas Oil event in a row at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Johnson clipped the outside wall on the opening lap and quickly found himself sidelined with mechanical problems. Once MacCachren got around Leduc, there was no looking back as his Ford truck outpaced the field to the checkered flag.

Lucas Oil/Tecate Ford driver Rodrigo Ampudia had a series high 2nd overall finish with a last lap, last jump pass on Leduc who was nursing his Ford truck home in third place with a bad transmission. Veteran racer Jeff Ward had a steady drive through the pack in his Speed Technologies/Goodyear Tires truck and gave Chevrolet a fourth overall finish on the day. The 4 Wheel Parts/Magnaflow Exhaust Ford of Greg Adler is “Leaving Las Vegas” with fifth place points from Round Five. The win at Las Vegas gave MacCachren a commanding 36-point lead over off-road truck series rival Ricky Johnson.

In the Pro Lite class of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Truck series from Las Vegas Motor Speedway, veteran racer Marty Hart grabbed the lead when inverted pole-sitter Adam Wik rolled his truck in turn one after the start. Wik landed on all fours but Jacob Person and defending class champion Brian Deegan slipped by for second and third behind Hart. When Rockstar/Metal Mulisha’s Deegan tried to pass Person’s Geiser Bros Ford, contact would leave Deegan sidelined with mechanical woes and out of the points. Later in the race, Matt Loiodice and Person would tangle allowing Adam Wik to recover from his lap one rollover and finish second overall on the day.

Kevin Probst #9 R/C Race Truck

Got a little race fan in the family? Look for a new toy truck just like the one racer Kevin Probst takes on the tracks.

E3 Racing Spark Plugs driver Kevin Probst had a disappointing seventeenth place in Round Five of the Pro 2 class finishing 11 laps down after getting caught up in another truck’s crash. The E3 race team would rebound the next day for a 6th place overall finish in Round 6. A little something for the youngest race fans: Over the weekend, Probst Motorsports announced two new partnerships with X-Factory R/C Cars and BC1 Graphics to create and market a toy truck just like the one he races. The Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series heads to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, for rounds 7 and 8 next weekend. Best of luck to Kevin and the rest of the E3 truck racing team. Catch all the action from Salt Lake City on June 26 & 27.