E3 Spark Plugs News

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.

A shot from the 2010 Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series at Speedworld Off Road Park Sunday, September 26, 2010.

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.

Monster Energy racer Chad Reed has retired the Number One plate for the remainder of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Championship. The defending outdoor national champion returned home to recover from the Epstein-Barr virus. Photo courtesy of www.chadreedracing.com.

Big news came this week from the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship series as the defending outdoor national champion Chad Reed dropped out of the chase for the 2010 title.  After being diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Reed has decided to recover at home with his wife and their new son Tate. Reed had struggled throughout the season with chronic fatigue syndrome before falling out of the series’ top 5 in national 450cc points last week at the Millville MX.

Hondas grabbed an early lead in Moto One as Red Bull’s Andrew Short led the way over Kevin Windham and Ben Townley. Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey was charging from a lack luster start when Townley crashed hard in the whoops injuring his right shoulder and ending the day for the fast Kiwi. Dungey would manage his way through the field sailing past Windham for second place before tracking down Short for the lead. Windham would fade to ninth late in the race as Honda riders Short and Aussie Brett Metcalfe would claim second and third in Moto One.

Red Bull Honda rider Andrew Short would grab his second holeshot of the day and his eighth holeshot of the season in Moto Two of the Washougal MX National. Windham would position his 450cc Red Bike into second place as Dungey chased the pair of Honda riders up Horsepower Hill.  As the race approached the halfway point in Moto Two, Dungey stepped up the pace to pass Windham and Short for the lead. Rockstar Energy’s Tommy Hahn put on an impressive ride to third and Yamaha rider Justin Brayton rebounded from a disappointing first moto to finish fourth.

The victory at Washougal was Dungey’s seventh of the 2010 Lucas Oil AMA season giving the factory Suzuki ace a commanding 95 point lead over Short for the championship. Townley’s misfortunes would allow Metcalfe and Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha rider Josh Grant to move past the injured Honda rider to take over third and fourth place in the points championship. Popular privateer Nicholas Wey would have his best result of the season finishing fifth overall behind a very fast Tommy Hahn. Suzuki’s Hahn turned in the fastest times of the day and seems to be recovering nicely from his own nagging injuries.

The 450cc pro riders will have two weeks off before teams head all the way across the country for Round 9 of the AMA Lucas Oil MX Pro Championship in New Berlin, New York. Don’t forget to follow the action on the E3 Spark Plugs Racing blog from the famed Unadilla MX track as the world’s top riders battle all the way to the 2010 AMA Championship. If you want peak performance and great fuel mileage from your car, truck or SUV, ask for E3 Car Spark Plugs at your favorite auto parts store. Our patented DiamondFire technology is designed to deliver Energy, Efficiency and Ecology for your ride.

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