E3 Spark Plugs News

As the final group of trucks pulled out of the pits for the Lucas Oil Off Road Truck Championship at Glen Helen Raceway, a sold-out crowd were on their feet for the start of the very popular Pro 2 Unlimited class. Round 10 saw the MasterCraft/Rockstar Ford of Robbie Pierce starting on the front row alongside the E3 Spark Plugs Racing truck of multi-time champion Kevin Probst. This was the best starting position of the season for the #9 Chevrolet of Probst who has been plagued with gremlins and mechanical woes throughout 2010.

E3 Spark Plug's Kevin Probst put his #9 Chevrolet truck on the front row for Round 10 of the Lucas Oil Off Road championship series event at Glen Helen Raceway outside San Bernardino, CA. Photo courtesy of Lucas Oil Racing http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucasoil.

Robbie Pierce would grab an early lead but lots of lap-one action and a very rough track would leave the MasterCraft/Rockstar Ford on its roof in the track’s rhythm section bringing out a red flag. Emergency workers attended to Pierce who was visibly shaken after his spectacular flip and was taken to a local hospital for precaution. The Canidae Chevrolet of Jeff Geiser grabbed the lead on the restart but points leader Rob MacCachren wasted no time in working past Geiser. When the mandatory competition yellow flew, it was MacCachren, Ricky Johnson, Bryce Menzies, Carl Renezeder, and Geiser in first through fifth.

The #7 Bully Dog Ford truck of Menzies got by Johnson on the restart when the former AMA motocross champion pulled his Traxxas/Red Bull Ford off track with a mechanical failure. Johnson’s retirement would be the sign of things to come as trucks were crashing and breaking all the way around the rough San Bernardino track. In fact, Menzies would pull off just before the white flag leaving only six trucks to finish the full 20-lap race distance. Renezeder took second behind MacCrachren, with Greg Adler in third and Rogero Ampudia in fourth.

The E3 Spark Plugs racing team has a few weeks off to regroup before heading to the Speed World Off Road Park in Surprise, Arizona, for Rounds 11 and 12 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing series on September 25-26. There are only five championship rounds remaining before drivers compete for the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road Challenge Cup scheduled for December 12 at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix, AZ. If you are looking for championship performance from your truck, insist on E3 Truck Spark Plugs. Our patented DiamondFire technology delivers the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology both on and off road.

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The E3 Spark Plugs Racing team pulled through the gates at Glen Helen Raceway with high hopes for Round 9 of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road National Championship series, but so did every other team. It is always great fun to race in front of a packed house and the promoters at the San Bernardino track know how to put on a spectacular show for the Southern California race fans. Unfortunately for the racers, they have to endure three days of qualifying and racing on one of the roughest short tracks on the off road circuit. This year was no exception as several drivers in each class would find their truck upside down, over the berm or rim riding the walls.

The #7 Bully Dog/Super Clean Ford truck of Bryce Menzies was fast under the lights at Glen Helen Raceway finishing in second place of the Pro 2 Unlimited class for Round 9 of the 2010 Lucas Oil Off Road National Championship. Photo courtesy of Luca Oil Racing http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucasoil/.

Pro 2 Unlimited points leader Rob MacCachren would start the race from inside row 2 in his #21 Rockstar/Fox Racing Shox Ford. Pole sitter, Greg Alder would take an early lead in his 4 Wheel Parts/BFGoodrich Tires Ford just ahead of the Bully Dog/Super Clean Ford of Bryce Menzies. By the end of lap one, MacCachren moved to the front with Alder running just ahead of a hard charging Carl Renezeder who had slipped by Menzies. Renezeder attacked the Rhythm Section into turn three but could not get his Lucas Oil/General Tire Ford stopped and put Alder on his roof bringing out a red flag. Officials would black flag Renezeder sending his truck to the rear of the field for the restart.

Stronghold Motorsports rookie driver Robert “Fig” Naughton would move to second place for the restart ahead of the Bully Dog entry of Menzie in the 3rd place. Miller Motorsports Park winner Rodrico Ampudia would restart in fourth. Ampudia found a burst of speed and rocketed to the front, picking off Menzies and Naughton in the space of two turns. After a mandatory competition yellow, MacCachren made a rare mistake as he nearly spun in turn three. Ampudia was set to strike, but as the Pro 2 Unlimited field piled into the corner, Ampudia was spun around and ended up off the track. Naughton would again take over second place ahead of Menzies and the Red Bull/KMC Wheels Ford of Ricky Johnson.

Todd LeDuc got together with Naughton a couple of turns after the restart taking both trucks off track. The Bully Dog truck of Menzies would reclaim second place with Red Bull/KMC racer Ricky Johnson up to third. MacCachren would take the win in his Fox Racing Shox Ford, his fifth of the season and his eighth podium in nine races. Byrce Menzies would finish in second just ahead of former AMA motocross champion Ricky Johnson. Canidae Pet Foods/Geiser Bros. driver Jeff Geiser would finish fourth with Mike Johnson (no relation to Ricky) in fifth. If you expect peak performance from your truck, insist upon E3 truck spark plugs before you go off road. Our DiamondFire Technology delivers Energy, Efficiency and Ecology.