E3 Spark Plugs News

E3 Spark Plugs congratulates Lucas Oil & MAVTV!

E3 Spark Plugs sends out a huge “congrats” to Lucas Oil Products on its purchase of the MAVTV cable network. Our longtime racing partner Lucas Oil already had been one of the network’s key shareholders and strategic partners since its original 2008 investment. But the company now owns full control of MAV TV and promises another major financial infusion.

Founded in 2002 and launched in 2004, MAVTV is billed as “TV created by men for men.” Developed by four former Showtime Networks executives, the network provides original content from a uniquely mail perspective: “Car crashes, fist fights, hair-raising sprints to the finish and breathtakingly beautiful women-all in fantastic HD detail,” its website says. “What more can a man ask for?”

“For MAVTV, we’re focusing on three main areas including significant programming buys from major studios, exclusive new programming and an aggressive marketing campaign to improve consumer awareness,” says Lucas Oil Products Executive Vice President Bob Patison.

The company’s Lucas Oil Studios division in Corona, CA already produces more than 350 hours of motorsports and lifestyle television programming each year. With a cutting-edge production facility and an extensive portfolio of marketing relationships, Lucas Oil plans local media buys and prominent brand positioning within Lucas Oil properties such as Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts). Grassroots marketing campaigns at more than 400 racing events nationwide including Lucas Oil’s Off Road Racing Series, Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling events and multiple NHRA teams.

You’ll just have to stay tuned to see what Lucas Oil has in store for new MAVTV programming and infrastructure. Whatever it is they’ve got planned, we at E3 Spark Plugs are sure it’ll be well worth watching. We’re proud to be a partner and sponsor with so many amazing Lucas Oil events and projects and look forward to the next chapter in amazing motorsports programming.

Record crowds packed the grandstands at the legendary Glen Helen short track for Round 9 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Truck series. Over the past two decades, E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans have made annual treks to San Bernardino to watch some of the world’s best truck and motorcycle off road racing. This year was no exception when the Pro Lite Unlimited trucks pulled on track for the penultimate race of the evening. Front row starters Sean Geiser in the ReadyLift/Bully Dog truck and FNTech/Makita’s John Beyer had a sold-out crowd on their feet for the green flag.

A sold-out grandstand at Glen Helen Raceway stayed on their feet for the duration of the night when the Lucas Oil Off Road Truck Championship Racing Series visited the San Bernardino track for Round 10 of the 2010 season. Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucasoil

At the end of lap one, the Toyota trucks of Geiser and Beyer were running first and second. Last night’s winner Marty Hart in the #15 Lucas Oil/LAMB Energy Ford was in third place just ahead of the MasterCraft Safety/B.F. Goodrich Ford of Matt Loiodice. The Nissan truck of Life Gear/Motul driver Javier Sacio moved to the fifth spot but was soon under fire from the #82 Hart & Huntington/mavTV Toyota of Chris Brandt. Hart wasted little time getting by Beyer to take over second place and Brandt disposed of Sacio as a full course caution flew for the burning truck of Corey Sisler.

At the restart, Geiser brushed the wall with his Bully Dog Toyota causing him to roll over on the outside of turn two. This brought out the second full course caution of the night. Track workers quickly rolled Geiser’s truck back to its wheels dropping the pole sitter to the back of the pack. When the green flag flew, Brandt moved his Hart & Huntington/mavTV Toyota up to third. At the competition yellow, Hart was up front, with Loiodice running in second, Brandt was third, Adam Wik had moved the #11 LAT Racing Oil/King Shocks Chevrolet to fourth, and Beyer rounded out the top five.

Loiodice would spin to the inside of turn one allowing Brandt to take the white flag in second. On the final lap, Brandt got a great run out of turn four and going into turn five pulled alongside Hart. The duo drag raced the final stretch of the very rough Glen Helen track with Brandt nearly taking Hart at the line. Hart had just enough of an edge to hold on for the win ahead of Brandt, Beyer, Wik and Aaron Daugherty. If you’re looking for the winning edge, insist upon E3 performance spark plugs for your favorite ride. Our patented DiamondFire technology will give your car, truck or motorcycle the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology that you need.

E3 Spark Plugs-sponsored racer Kevin Probst is no newbie on the tracks. He began his racing career in 1978 at just 16 years old and since has landed upwards of 230 wins and 18 class championships. In fact, he is one of the all-time winningest drivers in the history of the famous Crandon International Off-Raceway in Wisconsin.  But his racing experience goes even further back than the start of his 32-year professional racing career.

E3 Spark Plugs-Sponsored Off Road Racer Kevin Probst

“My dad started racing the old fiberglass dune buggies back in the late 60′s,” Kevin recently told EPN Newswire. “All of us on the team got our start racing buggies. One year, my brother and I raced every buggy class that was available. Sometimes we would run nine races a weekend between the two of us.”

Fast forward 30 years, and Kevin is still running the tracks hard, recently debuting his custom-built Pro 2 Unlimited truck at the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series in Las Vegas in March.  It’s the third consecutive season of the Probst Motorsports team being sponsored by E3 Spark Plugs. Kevin and his brother Jeff (no, not the Jeff Probst from CBS’ “Survivor”) own Probst Motorsports and Probst Collision Center in their hometown, New Lennox, IL. There, the family team including dad Steve, wife Vickie, son Ryan, daughter Kara and nephew Jon (a promising young racer himself) work tirelessly to create racing excellence. The Probst Collision Center is a GM-certified collision center and ASA and I-CAR certified repair facility. So, racing isn’t just a profitable hobby – it’s in the Probst blood.

“Probst Motorsports is a racing business we started for the love of off road racing,” Kevin says. And as all the greats in any sort of venture do, Probst is still learning the racing biz.

E3 Spark Plugs-Sponsored Kevin Probst's new Chevy UWeld Chassis truck developed for the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series

“That season was a learning curve,” Kevin said of the Lucas Oil 2009 season which featured a new off road-style racing facility. “I had to learn how to race the motocross style tracks that the series developed. We had only three days notice to come out and start the season, so we played catch up all year just trying to get up to speed and learn the system.”

The Probst team has since responded by developing the new truck, a Chevy UWeld chassis, specifically for the 2010 Lucas Oil series, and early indications point to a promising season. E3 Spark Plugs is excited to sponsor Kevin for the third consecutive season. Check the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series TV schedule on CBS Sports, SPEED TV, Versus and MavTV and stay tuned for some spectacular racing action.