E3 Spark Plugs News

Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey won the battle at Pala MX Raceway but Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ryan Villopoto won the war and claimed his first Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX outdoor championship in the 450cc class. Photo courtesy of http://www.suzukicycles.com/Racing/Motocross/Gallery.aspx.

In the 450cc class of the Lucas Oil AMA MX Pro Championship, the national title would not be decided until the final lap of the final moto of the 2011 season at Pala Raceway. Southern California race fans turned out in record numbers to watch the showdown between Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, last year’s national champion, and Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto, this year’s AMA indoor Supercross champion. To keep the pair of title contenders honest, Honda had rookie rider, Justin Barcia, and a seasoned former-national champion, Chad Reed of Two-Two Motorsports, ready to compete for the event win. After losing points to Villopoto when his Rockstar Makita Suzuki did not show up on time for the start of the second race at Steel City MX, Dungey was confident that with a little luck he could still make up a fourteen-point deficit.

At the beginning of Moto One, both Dungey and Villopoto looked beatable. The duo were buried in mid-pack as KTM’s Mike Alessi pulled the holeshot and started to gap the field. Canadian national champion Colton Facciotti was running second with the big red machine of Justin Barcia in third. Realizing his opportunity for another moto win, Barcia quickly moved his Honda to the lead. However, the two Ryans were just getting started and collectively worked their way to the front of the pack. Villopoto was first to get by Barcia for the lead followed by Dungey. At one point, the two Ryans were literally swapping the lead between corners. Villopoto would eventually garner a three-second gap over his rival. Barcia held on for a well deserved third followed by Alessi in fourth place.

Even though he increased his points lead at the end of the first moto, Villopoto knew all too well how quickly you can end up on the ground, out of the race, and out of the championship. So, as the gate dropped on the most important race of the season, the two Ryans again prepared themselves for one last battle in 2011. The Honda of Chad Reed would lead Justin Barcia and the rest of the 450cc riders across the line at the end of lap one. It didn’t appear that either contender would be able to catch Reed or Barcia early on. But, as the race neared the half way mark, Barcia pressured Reed into a mistake and took over first place. As the championship contenders caught Reed, Dungey would slip by leaving Villopoto to battle with the former champion.

Dungey would catch and pass Barcia for the win but it was too little, too late. Villopoto’s third place was good enough to win the “450cc War” allowing the Kawasaki rider to claim both the indoor and outdoor motocross titles, just as Dungey had done in 2010. Ironically, or maybe rightfully so, Dungey and Villopoto have been chasing each other their entire lives and were fierce competitors throughout their amateur motocross and 250cc Pro careers. So, what’s upcoming for the two Ryans? Both riders will be teammates representing the United States in the Motocross Des Nations next weekend in Saint Jean D’Angely, France. A big shout-out from all of the E3 spark plug racing fans to all of the Mx teams and a special thanks to Lucas Oil for sponsoring another terrific AMA outdoor motocross season.

Cooler weather and a well-groomed track awaited the Lucas Oil AMA 250cc MX Pro riders at Steel City Raceway outside Delmont, Pennsylvania, over the Labor Day Weekend. E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs fans lined the fence early to watch another great battle for the AMA Lites national championship. The day was overcast early, sunny late and long sleeve weather all day. Oklahoma’s Trey Canard trailed former 250cc World Champion Christophe Pourcel by 13 points coming into the eleventh round of the 2010 AMA Pro MX Lites season. But, the Frenchman came to Delmont with a spectacular win in the final moto of last week’s national at Unadilla, NY, where Pourcel put on a late charge and blasted past Canard with two laps to go.

Geico Powersports Honda rider Trey Canard celebrates his 1-1 finishes with the fans at Steel City Raceway outside Delmont, Pennsylvania, over Labor Day Weekend in the Lucas Oil 250cc Lites National Championship. He now trails Pourcel by 7 points for the 2010 outdoor national title. Photo courtesy of http://motocross.transworld.net/

Grand Marshal for this year’s Steel City National was fan favorite and former Lites national champion Timmy Ferry.  Ferry had the crowd cheering as he and his son Evan took a farewell lap aboard the #15 factory Kawasaki before the start. When the gate dropped on Moto One, Monster Engery/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s  Tyla Rattray took the lead with teammate Pourcel close behind. Honda’s Canard was riding just inside the top ten early on but would mount a charge through the pack to catch and pass Pourcel for the win. Pourcel would finish in second place in Moto One ahead of Rattray and Geico Powersports Honda rider Eli Tomac.

In Moto Two, a couple of rookie 250 Lites riders, Pro Circuit’s Dean Wilson and Honda’s Eli Tomac, blasted to the lead off the starting line. Wilson would get the better of Tomac before the end of lap one and looked to be in control of the race. Geico Powersports Honda rider Canard was running in fifth behind Yamaha’s Nico Izzi and Suzuki’s Wil Hahn. Kawasaki rider Rattray was holding off Honda’s Justin Barcia who was holding off the Kawasaki of points leader Christophe Pourcel. By mid race, Canard and Pourcel had passed Wilson and the race was on. Canard (who never bobbled) and Pourcel (who never let up) put on a show for the E3 Sparks Plugs Racing fans.

Pourcel would set the fastest lap of the race late in Moto Two but Canard was almost flawless and never gave the Kawasaki rider a chance to pass. For the last five minutes of the moto, the two championship contenders battled as though it was the last lap of the race. Each showed great respect for the other by keeping the racing very clean. As the championship contenders caught race leader Dean Wilson, Wilson showed his respect for the senior Lites riders and let both Canard and Pourcel past. You could sense the tension in the Honda camp as everyone knew Canard would need to win points over Pourcel at Steel City to have a realistic shot at the national championship in Pala, CA next weekend.

Canard’s lane choices and his ability to jump the triple later in the race allowed him to hold off Pourcel for the moto win and first overall at Delmont. Pourcel would finish in second for the moto and second for the day which helped to minimiz the damage to his point’s lead. Canard now trails Pourcel by seven points for the AMA Lucas Oil Outdoor MX championship as teams travel west this week to race the newest venue on the schedule, Pala Raceway outside San Deigo, CA. If you are looking for Pro Performance from your bike, insist upon E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs for street bike, dirt bike or chopper. E3 delivers the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology needed for today’s high performance engines.
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