E3 Spark Plugs News

After only nine and a half rounds of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX National Championship, Rockstar Energy/Makita Suzuki rookie rider Ryan Dungey clinched the 2010 crown. The 20-year old Minnesota native won the opening moto to claim his first 450cc championship at the Moto-X 338 track outside Southwick, Massachusetts, over the weekend. Dungey became the only motocross racer in history to win both the AMA Supercross title and the AMA outdoor national championship during his inaugural season. E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs salutes Ryan Dungey for his stellar performance throughout the Lucas Oil championship.

Rockstar/Makita Factory Suzuki team manager Roger DeCoster was very fast in the sand, so is his protégé the newly crowned 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro National Champion Ryan Dungey. (photo courtesy of Photobucket)

Geico Powersports Honda rider Brett Metcalfe took the lead in Moto One with fellow Aussie Ben Townley in second aboard his Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda. Both riders adapted well to the sandy hills of Southwick and showed they had the speed to win at Moto-X 338. But, a couple of laps into the first moto, Townley would clip the rear wheel of Metcalfe and go down. Townley recovered and was racing with Red Bull’s Andrew Short when the two Honda riders hooked handlebars sending both racers over the berm. Metcalfe was out front with a hard charging Dungey in second place.

As most E3 Spark Plugs Racing fans know, there are two things that are for certain when you race a track like Southwick Moto-X 338. First, it is going to get rough, very rough. Secondly, it is going to take more fuel to race 30 minutes on a hilly, sandy racetrack. Unfortunately, for Metcalfe, the pit crew for his Geico Powersports Honda did not remember part two. With less than a lap to go, Metcalfe’s Honda was out of gas and coasted to a stop. The Australian’s misfortune handed the lead and the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX 450cc National Championship to Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey.

In Moto Two, the loyal Southwick crowd lined the fences as Townley grabbed an early lead ahead of newly crowned class champion Dungey in second followed by Red Bull Honda veteran Kevin Windham, Jagermeister KTM rider Mike Alessi and 2009 Southwick winner Matt Goerke. With twenty minutes to go, Dungey began to stalk Townley watching for the New Zealand rider to make a mistake. Once Townley did, Dungey railed an outside sand berm and took the lead for good. Goerke would pass Alessi and Windham to take over the third spot with a couple of laps to go. Alessi’s 3-4 finishes would give the KTM ace second overall for the day ahead of Goerke, Kyle Chisholm and Kevin Windham.

The AMA 450cc Pro MX teams head to Steel City Raceway, located just outside of Pittsburgh in Delmont, Pennsylvania, for the penultimate round of the 2010 AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship on Labor Day Weekend. After announcing his retirement from motocross earlier this summer, former factory Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha rider Tim Ferry has been asked to serve as the honorary Grand Marshall for the FMF Steel City National on September 4th. If you are looking for championship performance from your street or dirt bike, insist upon E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs for your motorcycle. Our patented DiamondFire Technology will deliver the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology that you need.

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Unfortunately, we hear this question asked more often than ever before. Although it may have something to do with your E3 Car Spark Plug, it is more likely the result of using E10 gasoline, especially if you live in a hot, humid area of the country. Since the spark plug is the easiest place to start, take your spark plug wrench and carefully remove the plug for inspection. NOTE: If the top of the motor is dirty or there is a buildup of debris around the base of the plug, you should use a brush to clean before removing the plug. As always, you want to prevent anything from falling into the spark hole.

To keep your small engine running smoothly, make sure you know the special considerations for using E-10 gas.

Now, inspect the bottom of the spark plug for signs of excessive wear or a heavy build up carbon deposits. If need be, replace the used plug with the correct E3 Spark Plug for your particular engine. You can go to the E3 Spark Plugs Catalog page and select the Cross Reference Guide for your lawn & garden spark plug, powersports spark plug or motorcycle spark plug. Don’t forget to check the spark plug gap and always install your new plug using the correct torque specifications to avoid blow-by or damage to the internal threads. Assuming this did not resolve your problem, we will move to the next step.

Today, the majority of the fuel that you buy at any gas station or convenience store is going to contain around 10% of Ethanol (often referred to as E10 gas). The government’s Renewable Fuel Standard Program has required that Ethanol be blended with gasoline as a “Greener Alternative” to more harmful oxygenators such as lead or MTBE (methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether). The biggest problem with using the grain or sugarcane based fuel additive is that it is an alcohol. As the alcohol naturally separates from the petroleum-based gasoline, it has an affinity for attracting water.

This instability is called “phase separation” and has reduced the shelf life of the gasoline that remains in your small engine’s tank or that which is stored in your gasoline can. Most experts agree that under ideal conditions the shelf life of E10 gas is only about 3 months. If you live in hotter, more humid climates, it is much less. Once the fuel is contaminated, the bad gas can cause filters and carburetors to become clogged as unprotected rubber hoses and plastic parts actually begin to dissolve. Although some fuel stabilizers can help, there really isn’t a miracle product available for today’s cheaper small engines.

In time, we will likely find an alternative to Ethanol as a gasoline oxygenator, or even better, an alternative to petroleum-based fuels. But, until that happens, you should try to limit the length of time that E10 is kept in either your small engine’s gas tank or fill can. If your motor requires the choke to be engaged (even slightly), it is likely time to thoroughly clean the fuel lines, filters and carburetor. After that, try to limit the amount of time that you leave E10 in tanks or cans. Whenever possible, run the tank dry before storing your lawn equipment, mower, scooter, go kart or other powersports equipment. Many of these small engines also have a drain plug at the bottom of the carburetor bowl for that very purpose.

Speedway Sparkplugs mascot from the School Town of Speedway in Indianapolis.

Any time you conduct an Internet search on “spark plugs,” you get a lot of … well, spark plugs, of course. But sometimes, the search results turn up something a little different. This time, we were pleasantly surprised to discover Speedway Schools, home of the Speedway Sparkplugs. This urban school district is located on the west side of Indianapolis, famous for the 101-year-old Indianapolis Motor Speedway (co-founder Carl Fisher’s first step toward his then-ambitious goal of a “horseless city”) and the annual Indy 500, considered one of the three most significant motorsports events in the world.

The “School Town of Speedway” is an independent public school corporation that serves more than 1,500 students in four elementary schools, a junior high school and a high school. Each of the Speedway schools routinely ranks among the highest in Indiana in various areas including standardized and college prep testing, graduation rates and continuation to higher education. Speedway schools also boast award-winning performing arts, extracurricular and athletic programs.

Speaking of athletics, what better mascot for a school called “Speedway” than a spark plug? After all, it’s the ever trusty spark plug that gets the engine fired up in the first place. Speedway High School has teams for baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, cheerleading, men’s and women’s cross country, football, golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and  women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, volleyball and wrestling. That’s whole a lotta Sparkplugs action!

E3 Spark Plugs salutes the Speedway Spark Plugs and wishes them a great 2010-2011 school year! Of course, we invite all you seniors, coaches and staff to try E3 car spark plugs, E3 truck spark plugs and E3 motorcycle spark plugs to get you to class and the games. And if you’re in the racing biz, be sure to check visit the E3 Spark Plugs Racing website to see how to get the competitive edge on the tracks.

It’s a question that, much like a spark plug fires up an engine, sparks a sometimes heated debate: Who’s better at off-road motorcycle racing – the GNCC and OMA series guys from the East Coast, or the West Coast WORCS and AMA Hare & Hound guys? This Friday night, top GNCC racer Chris Bach will fuel the already fiery debate when he boots up for his EX debut. The Indiana native currently ranked fifth in the GNCC’s premier XC1 class will race the GEICO AMA EnduroCross presented by E3 Spark Plugs on his home turf at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ Pepsi Coliseum.

Top-ranked GNCC racer Chris Bach makes his EX debut at Round 3 of the GEICO AMA EnduroCross presented by E3 Spark Plugs August 27. Photo courtesy of www.ChrisBachOnline.com.

Bach hit the off-road racing scene hard and fast in 2009, landing the GNCC’s XC1 series “Amateur Rider of the Year.” Thus far this year, he has claimed three GNCC XC1 class podium finishes and another three top-five finishes in nine races this season. He’s fully aware that Indy’s EnduroCross course is a tough one – no matter which coast a rider calls home. And he’s ready to bring his A-game this weekend.

” EnduroCross is totally unique,” Bach says. “I don’t think you can say an East Coast guy will be good, or a West Coast guy will be good, or a trials guy will be good. It has evolved into its own sport and style of racing, so much so that I think within the next few years someone is going to be an EnduroCross specialist. That’s it. All they do is EX.”

Watch for Bach riding a GNCC-tuned KTM bike this Friday night (Aug. 27) at Round 3 of the GEICO AMA EX series. Starting time is 7:30 p.m. And if you want to boost your own A-game, pick up a set of E3 motorcycle spark plugs, E3 car spark plugs or E3 truck spark plugs. All feature our patented DiamondFire technology that promises a stronger, cleaner burn for superior performance. See you at the races!

Taddy Blazusiak wins Round Two of the GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross Series presented by E3 Spark Plugs. Image courtesy of EnduroCross/Source Interlink.

Round Two of the 2010 GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross series presented by E3 Spark Plugs delivered a dramatic show this past weekend at Guthrie, OK’s Lazy E Arena. Bets were on KTM racer Mike Brown, who dominated much of the race – until the checkers flew. After an exhausting battle across the biggest track of the series, KTM teammate Taddy Blazusiak pulled out all the stops for a spectacular come-from-behind win. After also taking the series opener at Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena July 17, Blazusiak thus far has a firm grip on the championship lead.

Brown and Blazusiak traded leads throughout the event, with Brown hitting triples and scrubbing speed in the straights and Blazusiak, true to form, holding the advantage in the technical rocky turns. In fact, it was one rock in particular that ultimately took Brown out of the running for the win. Wet sand had made the river rock 180-degree turn incredibly slick and it was there that Blazusiak made the pass that stuck. Several laps later, Brown’s KTM stalled and never fired back up, saddling its rider with a disappointing DNF.

Taddy Blazusiak wins Round Two of the GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross Series presented by E3 Spark Plugs. Geoff Aaron (right) took second, Justin Soule (left) third. Image courtesy of EnduroCross/Source Interlink.

Brown’s exit handed second place over to GEICO Christini rider Geoff Aaron, a ten-time National Trials champ. For a moment, it looked as if he may take the win when Blazusiak nearly performed an endo across a double jump on the last lap, but held on long enough to finish first. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Justin Soule took third place, making his first podium finish in only his second main event. The turn of events pushed Soule’s Kawasaki teammate Ricky Dietrich further away from regaining his AMA EnduroCross championship. Dietrich raced despite debilitating pain from a compound fracture of his pinky toe suffered just two weeks prior. The pain and a bent shift lever on the opening lap of the main left him with a modest ninth-place finish.

Next up: Round Three of the GEICO EnduroCross series presented by E3 Spark Plugs in Indianapolis, Indiana Friday, August 27 during MotoGP weekend. Be sure to check the E3 Spark Plugs blog for all the latest racing news. And to boost your own racing performance, pick up a set of E3 Powersports Spark Plugs at one of our licensed dealers with stores online and nationwide.
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The AMA Lucas Oil Pro MX Championship traveled to the leatherneck country of central New York State over the weekend for the 450cc MX pro national championship. Perfect weather. . HOT and perfect track conditions . . ROUGH awaited a world-class field of challengers for Round 9 of the 2010 season at the famed Unadilla motocross track. For the last 40 years, the same classic layout, has played host to the greatest outdoor motocross racers to ever race a dirt bike. This weekend was no exception and many had predicted this would be the best outdoor motocross race of the series.

Belgian Clement Desalle (riding for Rockstar Teka Suzuki) finished 2-2 for second overall at Unadilla in his only appearance at the Lucas Oil AMA MX Pro series. Desalle is currently second in points for the World Championship chase. (Photo Courtesy of Suzuki Racing.)

E3 Car Spark Plugs racing fans know that a rookie 450cc motocross racer is never supposed to win both the AMA MX Pro Championship and the AMA Supercross Championship in their maiden season. In fact, it has never happened in the history of professional motocross. Plus, the decked was stacked against Rockstar Makita’s Ryan Dungey. After all, San Manuel Yamaha rider James “Bubba” Stewart was making his return to outdoor motocross after a two-year hiatus. Plus, Belgium’s Clement Desalle, currently second in the World Grand Prix MX Championship, was scheduled to race in his only 450cc AMA motocross event of the season.

In Friday’s practice, Stewart let everyone know that he hasn’t lost any of his speed by clocking the fastest lap times of the day. But, in Saturday’s opening moto, Bubba’s timing was a tick off. After working his way around Red Bull Honda’s Andrew Short for second place, Stewart went down and had to work his way back through a talented field of the world’s best riders. Desalle had a solid ride and would finish in second. Late in the race, Stewart had passed the Belgian but crashed a second time and had to settle for third. Once again, somebody forgot to tell Ryan Dungey he was not supposed to win. So, he did.

The stage was set for Moto Two and neither Desalle nor Dungey would disappoint the Unadilla fans. At the start, It was yellow bikes out front and Stewart’s Yamaha was buried somewhere in the middle of the 40-rider field. A few laps later, Bubba would pull off the track and call it a day. Meanwhile, Desalle and Dungey put on a show. Desalle was in the lead and had been running the fastest lap times of the day, when Dungey picked up the pace and passed his Suzuki teammate. At the checkered flag, it would be Dungey’s win with Desalle in second. Geico Powersports’s Brett Metcalfe and Red Bull’s Kevin Windham would work past Andrew Short for third and fourth place finishes. Short would cross the line in fifth.

The win was Dungey’s eighth in a row and allowed “the rookie” to extend his point’s lead in the Lucas Oil AMA 450cc MX national championship series to triple digits. The teams will have two weeks off and a little time to regroup before heading to Massachusetts for Round 10 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship at the famed Southwick Moto-X 338 track. Don’t forget to follow your favorite rider on the E3 Spark Plugs Racing blog and, for peak performance from your bike, always ask for E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs. Our patented DiamondFire technology is designed to deliver Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for all of your engines.
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Racing the GEICO AMA EnduroCross presented by E3 Spark Plugs is tough enough. Now, the toughest guys on wheels must face a new competitor with a strong track record and something to prove. Kerrie Swartz is the latest of just a handful of female riders with enough talent and gumption to make an EnduroCross attempt over the years, and will do just that this Saturday in the Amateur Open class at Guthrie OK’s Lazy E Arena. But the petite 33-year-old mom and ICU nurse ain’t no novelty rider. She’s also a US ISDE (International Six Days Enduro) team member set to rep the states in the 85th annual competition in Morelia, Mexico Nov. 1-6.

US ISDE and EnduroCross competitor Kerrie Swartz. Photo by Lauren Durbin Photography.

“As a female in a male dominated sport, it is even more prestigious due to the fact that we are given no special treatment and are required to ride the same course, follow the same time schedule, and perform our own maintenance just as the men,” Swartz said of her ISDE invitation in a letter to fans on her website. “Women are finally getting recognition as not only racers, but serious racers.”

The “serious” in Swartz’s racing no doubt will be in full-on mode at Saturday’s event.

“I think I’ll be alright, just try to ride clean,” Swartz told reporters. “My husband’s raced EnduroCross, so I’m familiar with it. I do a lot with log crossings and that, but that Matrix has me a bit worried. And the rocks in the corners – man, I wish I could just ‘Taddy Blazusiak’ that!”

Racing is, indeed, a family affair. Husband Allan and son Alex race as well.

“We eat, sleep and breathe dirt bikes,” says Swartz. “We’re all seriously addicted.”

“Given the rough and rugged nature of GEICO EnduroCross we don’t usually get women competitors. In fact, it’s quite rare,” adds Mike Karsting VP of Events for Source Interlink Media, which produces the GEICO AMA EnduroCross presented by E3 Spark Plugs. “However, when we do have a woman sign up she’s usually pretty darn good.”

We at E3 Spark Plugs give serious props to Swartz and all women who have what it takes to make their racing goals realities despite the gender barrier. We’re looking forward to seeing Swartz in action Saturday. For rules and race information, visit www. EnduroCross.com. For TV airing dates and times, visit www.motorsportshour.com. And to boost your own ride, make sure you get a set of E3 motorcycle spark plugs.

Hey all you E3 Spark Plugs racing fans, it’s party time! This Friday night (August 13) is the traditional racer get-together held each year just prior to the GEICO AMA EnduroCross, presented by E3 Spark Plugs, at Guthrie’s Lazy E Arena in Oklahoma. This year’s party revs up at nearby Pole Position Raceway in Oklahoma City, an indoor kart racing track.

Come with E3 Spark Plugs and top motocross racers at Pole Position in Oklahoma City Friday night.

Ever dreamed of going head-to-head against the world’s top off-road motorcycle racers? Now is your chance. Of course, you and your worthy opponents will be in electric go-karts on smooth, bumper-lined tracks rather than on motorcycles traversing an obstacle course of rocks, boulders, logs, sand, mud, waterholes and giant tires. But the competitive spirit remains alive in this family-friendly fun place frequented by the likes of Chad Reed, Jeremy McGrath, Travis Pastrana and NASCAR champion Kurt Busch.

“Everyone had a great time when we opened the 2010 GEICO EnduroCross season at Pole Position Raceway in Vegas. Our Oklahoma City event at Pole Position Raceway should prove to be just as fun,” said Lance Bryson, Director of Sales and Marketing, GEICO EnduroCross. “Everything’s casual and friendly – until the GEICO EnduroCross racers get behind the wheel, then all heck breaks loose.”

If you’re in Oklahoma for Saturday’s race come out Friday night and race go-karts with the world’s top off-road motorcycle racers, sit in on some bench racing sessions and grab a few autographs. It all happens from 6-8 p.m. at Pole Position Raceway, Oklahoma’s coolest motorsports enthusiasts’ hangout. And if you want to boost your own motorcycling performance, be sure to get E3 motorcycle spark plugs, designed specifically for motorcycle engines. We’ll see you at the races!

Got an automotive-inspired tattoo? E3 Spark Plugs wants to hear from you.

It’s been said that a tattoo is a window to one’s soul. It’s also been said that a tattoo is a permanent symbol of temporary insanity. Who knew your love for that cute brunette you met during that weekend bender in Vegas last year wouldn’t outlast her name inked across your chest after all? Or that the hair band you got tattooed up and down your forearm back in 1987 wouldn’t get another record deal? In the moment that the tattoo gun fires up, it all makes timeless sense.

Whether your ink proves an enduring testament or a regrettable moment, they’re all interesting sights, particularly those with great stories behind them. A quick Internet search turned up dozens of images of spark plug tattoos sported by men and women who are car, truck and motorcycle enthusiasts – or who loved one. They range from the simple to the elaborate, sweet to sexy. But alas, no E3 spark plug tattoos. Want to be the first? If you have or plan to get a great spark plug tattoo – especially an E3 spark plug tattoo, we want to hear from you! Leave a comment on our blog sharing your story and your image. In the meantime, check out a few of E3’s favorite spark plug tattoos.

If you’re just not ready to commit to permanent ink, but still want a fast, strong, clean ride be sure to check our website for E3 car spark plugs, E3 truck spark plugs and E3 motorcycle spark plugs. We promise you’ll have no regrets.

If you’re as big a moto fan as we are here at E3 Spark Plugs, you’ll want to know about motoXcinema, a one-stop-shop for dozens of films, books and posters on all things moto.  MotoXcinema is the premier source of Motocross and dirt bike films, including action flicks, documentaries, how-to and instructional videos and DVDs starring the all the best on the tracks today.

"Moto: the Movie" is among the top recent documentary films about dirt bike riding and racing.

Our favorites include the recently released “The Great Outdoors: American Summer” with appearances by MX stars Mike Alessi, Christophe Pourcel, Andrew Short, Chad Reed, Ryan Dungey and more. Forget swimming pools, baseball and beaches. For these guys, summer means one thing only – outdoor Motocross. Filmmakers were granted an all-access pass onto the tracks and into the lives of today’s top MX pros throughout the 2009 season, which proved full of surprises. Follow the cameras right into the living rooms of your favorites for a glimpse into life as a motocross racer both on and off the track.

Another E3 Spark Plugs racing favorite is Moto: The Movie, a high-definition journey into the world of dirt bike riding and racing. This film covers the spectrum including big mountain freeriding to Supercross, woods, trials, European Extreme Enduro, FMX and Motocross. This film too covers the 2009 season and features many of the same riders as “American Summer,” plus Trey Canard, Taddy Blazusiak, Nathan Woods and more. The first proved such a wild success that filmmakers immediately launched in to production of “Moto 2: The Movie,” which will feature all the 2010 season action from around the globe.

"The Great Outdoors: American Summer" gives viewers a glimpse into the lives of today's top motocross racers.

Feeling inspired? Boost your bike skills with instructional videos and video series including “DirtWise with Shane Watts,” “OffRoad with Nathan Woods” and “Motocross Skills with Ryan Hughes.” And make sure your bike’s motor can take the beating by using E3 motorcycle spark plugs with our patented DiamondFire technology. See you on the dirt!