E3 Spark Plugs News

Over the weekend things got HOT at the E3 Spark Plugs Duel in the Desert for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at Speedworld Off Road Park in Surprise, AZ. In other corners of the world, people often say it’s “Africa Hot” but, under the searing heat for the LOORRS Rounds 11 and 12, it was “Arizona Hot”. As temperatures soared to triple digits, the action on track was getting even hotter as drivers in all classes were battling for precious points with only four races remaining in the 2011 series.

Located just to the northwest of downtown Phoenix, Speedworld has always been known for its fast but punishing layout. A tough course that typically takes a toll on both man and machine. This year’s event was no exception. After posting back-to-back wins in the last two rounds at Glen Helen, Rick Huseman had his Monster Energy/E3 Spark Plugs Toyota truck race ready for Round 11 and grabbed an early lead in Saturday’s event. But, the star of the day (and the big winner for weekend in Pro 4 Unlimited) was Kyle Leduc in the popular #99 Rockstar/Makita Ford truck. Leduc would finish four seconds ahead of Carl Renezeder with Huseman in third.

As the sun rose over the Arizona desert, Sunday morning brought new opportunities for the E3 Spark Plugs Toyota race team to claim a victory in the E3 sponsored event. This day it would be Kyle’s brother Todd Leduc who would start on the pole for Pro 4 main event with Huseman starting inside on the second row. Huseman quickly grabbed second place on the opening lap of Round 12 but began to slow on lap four as suspension gremlins damaged the driveshaft on the E3 Spark Plugs Toyota truck. Up front it was battle of the brothers as Kyle began to pressure Todd before a late-race yellow flag caused an inevitable restart.

When the green flag waved, it looked like bumper cars on dirt as Todd Leduc was pin-balled from first to fourth. Brother Kyle slipped by for the lead with Renezeder running in third place behind Adrian Cenni. The multi-time off road champion wasted little time and moved his famous #17 Lucas Oil/General Tire Ford truck into second place. Renezeder would lean on Leduc for the lead but to no avail. Leduc got to the checkers first for his fourth win of the 2011 LOORRS season and his first sweep of the Pro 4 class at Speedworld Off Road Park. Huseman would limp home to a disappointing eighth place finish.

E3 racing fans can watch all the action from last weekend’s clash in the desert on Oct. 15th on CBS. The LOORRS teams have a few weeks off before the series heads to Sin City for Rounds 13 and 14 at the Las Vegas Speedway on Nov. 5-6. See you there!

Over the weekend, E3 spark plugs driver Rick Huseman dominated Rounds 9 & 10 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series at the famed Glen Helen Raceway short track in San Bernardino, CA. With long-time E3 driver, Kevin Probst, retiring from the series in 2010, E3 teamed this season with Monster Energy to sponsor the #36 Toyota of Huseman. The 14-year veteran of off-road racing responded with four straight wins to grab an early lead in the 2011 points series. Rick had dominated the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Pro-4 Championship with 10 wins in 15 rounds of racing.

After a poor performance in Rounds 7 & 8, the E3 Spark Plugs /Monster Engery team again proved that they have the truck to beat in the LOORRS’ Pro-4 Championship. Huseman, who began off road racing in the southern California desert with his brothers Danny and Kevin, posted a double win at Glen Helen event. In Saturday’s main event, Houseman finished 2.4 seconds ahead of long-time rival Carl Renezeder in the #17 Lucas Oil truck and the #11 of Adrian Cenni. Under the lights in Round 10, Huseman battled the #99 of Kyle Leduc to a 1.4 second win as the pair led Renezeder to checkers.

With back to back wins at Glen Helen, Houseman now stands nine points off the LOORRS Championship points lead for 2011. The E3 Spark Plugs race team will be busy preparing for Rounds 11 & 12 at Speed World Off Road Park in Surprise, Arizona, on September 24th and 25th.

 

If ever there was an epic short course race, it happened Sunday at the Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA. Round 6 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series presented by Geico Powersports and co-sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs had fans either on the edge of their seats, or out of their seats altogether – standing and cheering as Carl Renezeder and Kyle LeDuc battled it out in one of the most contentious races we’ve seen all season.

The Round 6 Pro 4 Unlimited started with Adrian Cenni in front, followed by LeDuc, Renezeder, Todd LeDuc and Rick Huseman following. Huseman spun out on lap two and Cenni exited the race by the end of lap three when his truck suddenly slowed. At the competition yellow, it was Kyle LeDuc, Renezeder, Huseman, Todd LeDuc, and Curt LeDuc in the top five and the leading three soon began to separate themselves from the rest of the pack and start a heated battle for the finish line. Of the three, it seemed Renezeder (who won both the Pro 4 and the Pro 2 in Round 5 the day before) and LeDuc who wanted that checkered flag most. The two ran neck-and-neck for the remainder of the race, each man making mistakes that momentarily him the lead, but catching up quickly. Finally, it was LeDuc who won by just a half-truck length ahead of Renezeder. Huseman, Todd LeDuc and Kent Brascho rounded out the top five.

“This was a great race because nobody was on the sidelines,” LeDuc said from the podium. “We were all up here battling, giving it everything.”

The Pro 2 Unlimited provided fireworks of its own. Renezeder again started on the front row alongside Brian Deegan, followed by Rodrigo Ampudia, Robby Woods and Greg Adler. By lap three, however, Adler had forced his way up the track to second place and, like a man possessed, was hot on Renezeder’s heels. Just after the restart, a nasty pileup claimed several would-be contenders and soon, the race was between Renezeder, Adler and Rob MacCachren who was making up time lost to an early spinout. Adler and MacCachren traded places a few times, but a broken driveshaft slowed MacCachren as he approached the finish line. Renezeder made it back-to-back Pro 2 wins with Adler finishing second and MacCachren third. Deegan had rebounded nicely from an earlier collision with Woods to take fourth place. Fifth went to Geiser.

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates all of the weekend’s winners. Next stop for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series: Miller Motorsports Park in the Salt Lake City, UT suburb of Tooele for Rounds 7 and 8 raced on an all-new track June 25 and 26. See you there!

 

Round 5 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series presented by Geico and co-sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs got underway Saturday at the Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, California. Fans were loving the sunny springtime weather and the excitement got kicked up a notch with the presence of off-road legend and NASCAR star Robby Gordon competing in the weekend’s Pro 2 Unlimited field.

Before the engines revved, racers, staff and fans paid tribute to the late Jeff “Ox” Kargola, who passed away April 29 after sustaining a head injury on the second day of the Desert Assassins’ Rip to the Tip motocross event in Baja, CA. Kargola was among the rising stars of the series and is deeply missed.

In Saturday’s Pro 4, Rick Huseman was a marked man, having won the first four races. Sure enough, he bolted out front, followed closely by Adrian Cenni and all three LeDucs – Kyle, Todd and Curt. But, that didn’t last. Cenni ended up in the hot pits on lap six with an unknown issue. Todd LeDuc suffered a shredded left rear tire compliments of a determined Carl Renezeder.

When the green flag dropped after a competition yellow, Renezeder charged past Huseman. The on-track upset didn’t set well with Huseman, who over-jumped the tabletop into turn two of lap 14, planting his front bumper and nearly sidelining himself. The result was a broken shock that kept him from catching up with Renezeder, who gradually increased his lead all the way to the checkered flag. Huseman managed second place followed by Kent Brascho, Josh Merrell and Todd LeDuc.

The Pro 2 Unlimited provided some serious fireworks – literally. The race began with Renezeder and Robby Gordon starting side by side. Renezeder quickly took the lead with Gordon charging hard behind in the first lap, but pulled off the track and out of the race before completing the second lap. The race continued with two red flags for fires onboard Robby Woods’ and John Gaston’s machines. Robbie Pierce’s rollover in turn three brought full course caution. Flat tires for Brian Deegan and Rob Naughton, plus a scary-looking crash that involved Rodrigo Ampudia over-jumping into turn five and landing on Naughton’s side added to the suspense. When the dust and smoke cleared, it was Renezeder who held on for a clean sweep of the two big truck classes. Rob McCachren took second followed by Deegan, Ampudia and Naughton.

E3  Spark Plugs racing fans, be sure to check our next blog for Pro 4 and Pro 2 highlights from Round 6 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series.

 

Lucas Oil and E3 Spark Plugs racing fans must be exhausted this week, what with three full days of weekend racing. The Lucas Oil Modified Racing Series presented by Rockstar Energy Drink dropped the green flag on round two of its 2011 season Saturday with the4 CANIDAE All Natural pet Food 75 at the Lucas Oil I 10 Speedway in Blythe, CA. And the 2011 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series presented by Geico Powersports held its third and fourth rounds on the Speedworld Off Road Park tracks in Surprise, AZ.

The CANIDAE 75 gave fans plenty of on-track fireworks with an uncharacteristic nine yellow caution flags. Aaron McMorran, Doug Hamm and reigning series champion Jim Mardis spent much of the race locked together like a freight train. McMorran held the lead spot lap after lap after lap. Finally, lap 71 wrapped with both Hamm and Mardis passing. The move earned Mardis the bonus for the Magnaflow Exhaust Products’ Clean Pass award, but it was Hamm who sailed into the Sunoco victory lane first. The win was a redeeming one for Hamm, whose 2010 season ended badly and whose 2011 season got off to a rough start. Fourth and fifth places, respectively, went to Tim Morse, who won the Dart Machinery Trophy Dash, and Doug Carpenter, who started the race mid-pack and worked his way up to the electronic scoreboard, earning him the E3 Spark Plugs Hard Charger Award.

Hick Huseman and Rob MacCachren proved their mettle on the tracks once again, winning Rounds 3 and 4 of the Pro 4 and Pro 2 (respectively) races on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s Pro 2 race was a heated match between MacCachren and Marty Hart, with Hart leading most of the race until Hart lost a tie rod in turn five. But on Sunday, it was an early and consistent clean getaway for MacCachren.

Huseman continued his own clean sweep, winning both the Pro 4 rounds as nearly all of his competition fell victim to fire or equipment failures. He has now won all four Pro 4 class races of the season and has firmly established himself as the guy to beat this year. Game on!

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates all of this weekend’s winners.

The 2011 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series presented by Geico Powersports got off to a fiery start at Firebird International Raceway in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, AZ. this weekend. The first of the two-night event provided plenty of fireworks, including E3 Spark Plugs-sponsored Rick Huseman‘s hard-won defense of his Pro 4 Unlimited title.

The Dirt Sports magazine’s 2010 “Driver of the Year” started the race in the fourth position behind Carl Renezeder, Johnny Greaves and Adrian Cenni. Drivers traded leads several times, with Greaves spinning out in turn three, Cenni pulling off the track with a mechanical issue soon after, and Huseman (in the #36 Monster Energy / E3 Spark plugs Toyota) darting past Renezeder past the start/finish line and into turn one.

After the restart, Kyle LeDuc had a spectacular rollover out of turn five, bringing out a full-course yellow. Racing resumed with Huseman, Renezeder, Todd LeDuc, Curt LeDuc and Steve Barlow leading until Renezeder and Todd LeDuc hit going into turn four, with LeDuc colliding with Barlow, forcing him into the wall and ending his day on the track. LeDuc then developed a right rear flat with just a few laps to go. Still, he managed to pass most of the field before pulling into the hot pits. By this time, Travis Coyne had worked his way up the track in front of Curt LeDuc. When the smoke cleared, it was Huseman taking the victory, with Renezeder, Coyne, Curt LeDuc, Aaron Daugherty following.

Huseman joined the E3 Spark Plugs racing team under an associate sponsorship just last month.

“You can’t win out here if you’re not using the best,” Huseman said at the time of the sponsorship announcement. “E3 represents new technology, increased power and superior performance, that’s what we look for when selecting products for our race trucks.”

Next up for the 2011 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series is Surprise, AZ’s Speedworld Off Road Park April 16-17. Huseman helps open the Traxxas TORC Series April 30 at Cycle Ranch in San Antonio, TX.

Round 14 of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series presented by GEICO Powersports and sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs offered up plenty of action from crushing rolls to dizzying spinouts to a bit of a fire show in the Pro 4 Unlimited. As dust and smoke flew, fans cheered as Adrian Cenni landed his first win since Round 10. But Rick Huseman’s fans cheered just as loud. His third-place finish in the #36 Traxxas/Monster Energy Toyota scored him more than enough points to secure his first Lucas Oil Off-Road championship.

The Pro 4 Unlimited revved up with Jerry Daugherty in the #23 Magnaflow/Racin’ Dirty Chevrolet and Kyle LeDuc in the #99 Rockstar/Makita Ford in front. By the end of lap one, Daugherty still held the lead, but soon gave it up when he rolled into the hot pits with an unknown issue. Next, Mike Johnson provided a bit of a fire show when his truck caught flames. A stuntman by trade, Johnson made a quick escape and drivers stopped while emergency crews cleared the track. By then, it was Huseman in the lead, followed by Carl Renezeder, Cenni, John Harrah and Kyle LeDuc. Harrah and Leduc battled it out trying to get ahead, with Harrah spilling Leduc nearing turn three, shredding LeDuc’s left rear tire. Harrah got a bit of comeuppance when he rolled his own truck just two turns later. Trouble hit Huseman when he split his rear driveshaft, forcing him to finish the race with only front wheel drive and significantly less speed.

In the day’s most gut-wrenching turn of events, defending champ Renezeder passed the white flag, only to see his truck slow down and begin puffing out smoke and steam in turn eight of the final lap with the finish line in sight – a cruel twist for the reigning champion. The race finished with Cenni crossing the finish line first, followed by Travis Coyne, Huseman, Harrah and Josh Merrell, who struggled nearly the entire race with only rear wheel drive.

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates Cenni, Huseman and all the other winners of the day. Visit the Lucas Oil Off-Road website for full results of the day’s races and to purchase your tickets for Round 15 December 11 and the season-ending Lucas Oil Challenge Cup December 12 at Firebird Raceway in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, AZ. Meanwhile, get your truck in racing shape with E3 truck spark plugs – the best high performance spark plugs on the market.

Round 13 of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series presented by Geico Powersports and co-sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs was a thrill-a-minute for fans, racers and one very special kid. In the midst of all the hard-fought competition on the tracks, 15-year-old Baydon Yundt enjoyed the experience of a lifetime thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of kids with life-threatening medical conditions. Yundt’s wish was to meet X-Games champ and Metal Mulisha founder Brian Deegan. Not only did he get to meet Deegan, who raced in the Pro Lite Unlimited, but Deegan agreed to give Yount a ride-along on Friday. And it was Yundt who waved the green flag in both of the weekend’s Pro Lite Unlimited Races while his family enjoyed the view from the Lucas Oil VIP area and went back home to Monkton, Ontario, Canada with a bountiful booty of Metal Mulisha gear. E3 Spark Plugs gives props to Deegan and best wishes to Yundt and his family.

The full day of races proved a great one for racing. Blue skies, sunshine and a light breeze made it a comfortable one for all and the racers were on top of their game. The Pro 4 Unlimited provided particularly exciting, opening with a Jumbo Tron video production of “Deegan vs. Deegan.” The race began with Kyle LeDuc, Mike Johnson, defending points champion Carl Renezeder and Adrian Cenni leading, respectively. But that lineup got significantly shuffled by lap three with Johnson hitting the leading edge of the outside K rail and dropping to last place in turn one and Renezeder falling to last with a half spin in turn four. Cenni rolled his truck in turn four, prompting a full course yellow, but quickly re-fired his truck and got back onto the tracks. Shortly after, LeDuc’s rear suspension broke as he landed off a jump out of turn one, sidelining him for the rest of the day. When the smoke and dust cleared, it was Rick Huseman who crossed the finish line first, bumping him up to a total of 631 points and a 77-point lead for the season championship.

The Pro Lite Unlimited provided some on-track fireworks as well with a panel-crushing train of contact involving Marty Hart, Matt Loiodice, Jimmy Stephensen, Corey Sisler and Chris Brandt followed by a rollover in turn four by Loiodice. The last lap of the race was a battle between hart and Brian Deegan, but it was Deegan who was ahead at turn six when racers were forced in line while track officials cleared Aaron Daugherty’s rollover. The race ended under yellow with Deegan taking the win. Hart finished second, but closed the margin to points leader Brandt from 17 points to nine points with Deegan 30 points out and Loiodice 10 behind.

Visit LucasOilOffRoad.com for full results and check the E3 Spark Plugs blog for a recap of Round 14 coming soon.

CBS Sports and Lucas Oil Motorsports just announced a TV coverage package for racing fans who just can’t make it to the tracks to see the races in person. Lucas Oil and E3 Spark Plugs racing fans will see 11 hours or more of CBS Sports Spectacular programming – including extensive coverage of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (2011 schedule just announced!)

CBS generously granted Lucas Oil Motorsports a bank of fan-friendly television time slots so fans of all ages can catch the on-track action and follow the 2011 points chase from beginning to end. No worries about missing a race if you’re one of our younger racing fans with a school-day bedtime or a working fan with an early start to your work day. CBS promises conveniently scheduled coverage of the races from the thrilling series season openers to the hotly contested championship deciders.

Still to go for the 2011 season of Lucas Oil Motorsports on CBS is coverage of the E3 Spark Plugs co-sponsored Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series rounds 13 and 14 November 6 and 7 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This is a new additional show that CBS added to its coverage plans and does not replace any of the Lucas Oil Off-Road programming already scheduled for speed, MavTV or Versus.

To make sure you don’t miss a single race broadcast, check the Lucas Oil Off-Road Series TV schedule and stop in at the E3 Spark Plugs blog for race results and highlights.

Two rounds and the championship battle for the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series co-sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs remain, but many already are gearing up for next year’s racing schedule. Rounds 13 and 14 of this year’s season take place November 6 and 7 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and the season-ender championship race event happens December 11 and 12 for the season titles in all classes plus the Rockstar Energy/Lucas Oil Challenge Cup.

With the 2010 season coming to an end, officials announced the 2011 schedule, which closely mirrors 2010′s thus-far successful run. The 2010 lineup featured favored familiar venues and brought record crowds. The 15-round battle for the 2011 season championship begins and ends at the Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona. Other stops between the March 12 start and the December 11 championship round include Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA; Speedworld Off Road Park in Surprise, AZ; and Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT.

“We have had the opportunity to establish some fantastic partnerships while building these unique, purpose built tracks,” says Series Director Tony Vanillo. “While we are making our 2011 plans now, it’s a great feeling to know that we are preparing to return to these tracks for the second and third year. This stability is fantastic for the sport.”

E3 Spark Plugs is proud to remain a co-sponsor of the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series throughout 2011, along with MAVTV, Geico Powersports, Rockstar Energy Drink and others.

Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series – 2011 Schedule

• Round 1 – March 12 – Firebird International Raceway – Chandler, AZ.
• Round 2 – March 13 – Firebird International Raceway – Chandler, AZ.
• Round 3 – April 16 – Speedworld Off Road Park – Surprise, AZ.
• Round 4 – April 17 – Speedworld Off Road Park – Surprise, AZ.
• Round 5 – May 21 – Glen Helen Raceway – San Bernardino, CA.
• Round 6 – May 22 – Glen Helen Raceway – San Bernardino, CA.
• Round 7 – June 25 – Miller Motorsports Park – Tooele, Utah
• Round 8 – June 26 – Miller Motorsports Park – Tooele, Utah
• Round 9 – August 6 – Glen Helen Raceway – San Bernardino, CA.
• Round 10 – August 7 – Glen Helen Raceway – San Bernardino, CA.
• Round 11 – Sept. 24 – Speedworld Off Road Park – Surprise, AZ.
• Round 12 – Sept. 25 – Speedworld Off Road Park – Surprise, AZ.
• Round 13 – Nov. 5 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, NV.
• Round 14 – Nov. 6 – Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, NV.
• Round 15 – Dec. 10 – Firebird International Raceway – Chandler, AZ.
• Lucas Oil Challenge Cup – Dec. 11 – Firebird International Raceway -Chandler, AZ.

If you’re a Lucas Oil/E3 spark plugs racing fan, be sure to check back for race results and highlights throughout the rest of the 2010 season and the thrill-promising 2011 season.