E3 Spark Plugs News

E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans love an upset win especially when the winner is one of the legends of the sport. Red Bull Honda rider Kevin Windham had the 450cc MX field covered at the Steel City Raceway for Round 11 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX National Championship. The veteran motocross racer, who had not won an AMA outdoor national since 2007, has always been a fan favorite. After having retired from outdoor competition, Windham got “the call” from the factory Honda team to replace injured Red Bull rider Davi Milsaps. Some thought Red Bull’s move was just an easy way to add a popular rider under the tent to sign autographs for loyal motocross fans. Undoubtedly, Windham had different aspirations.

Veteran Honda rider Kevin Windham (and daughter) hold a post-race press conference. Windham showed the same speed at Delmont that won him the AMA National at Steel City Raceway back 2001 Photo courtesy of Geico Powersports http://powersports.honda.com/

The biggest news came earlier in the week when Rockstar Makita Suzuki team manager Roger DeCoster announced that he would be leaving after 15 years at the helm of the factory’s MX racing program. The shocking press release appeared just days after Ryan Dungey became the first rookie motocross racer in history to capture the AMA Supercross and Motocross national championships in an inaugural season. DeCoster hasn’t confirmed his plans for the 2011 AMA Lucas Oil season but rumors have it that the former multi-time World Motocross Champion may be headed to KTM. In keeping with “Silly Season” news, it was also rumored that Dungey may want out of his 2011 contract with Suzuki to take a long-term deal with another team.

To nobody’s surprise, Honda/Red Bull rider Andrew Short pulled the holeshot in Moto One with Geico Powersports’s Brett Metcalfe close behind. However, the other Red Bull rider, Kevin Windham, was already working his way to the front. Windham left no doubt in the fans’ mind as to why he was Honda’s first choice as the replacement for the factory ride. After Dungey crashed on the opening lap, Windham would pass Short and Metcalfe on his way to one of the most popular wins of his stellar career. Metcalfe would hold on for second place and his hard-charging teammate and fellow Aussie, Ben Townley, would finish in third place ahead of Short. Yamaha’s Justin Brayton continued to show improvement finishing fifth in the opening moto at Steel City Raceway.

In Moto Two, all eyes would be on the newly-crowned national champion Dungey (who had finished 40th in Moto One after breaking a brake rotor and retiring early). Andrew Short would again put his Red Bull factory Honda out front at the start. However, this day belonged to Windham who passed his teammate Short to take the lead in Moto Two. Around mid-race, Dungey would pass Windham for the moto win. But, Windham’s second place was good enough to claim the overall win ahead of Metcalfe, Brayton and Short. Eighteen-year old Nick Paluzzi, was given an opportunity to race the last two AMA outdoor nationals with the Muscle Milk/Toyota Team (after Josh Grant elected to have season-ending shoulder surgery) and finished a respectable seventh overall in his debut aboard the Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha.

The 450cc MX teams travel to the west coast for next weekend’s final round of the 2010 outdoor season at Pala Raceway. Located just east of San Deigo, CA, the Pala motocross facility features one of the first tracks in the nation that was built to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) standards. As E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans know, the EPA lists E3 car spark plugs as an eco-friendly option. If you are looking for a greener alternative for your car, truck or motorcycle engine, insist upon E3 replacement spark plugs 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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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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