A Few Photos from Sturgis

It already seems half an age since the Sturgis 2010 bike rally, but there may still be people who wonder what they missed. Here are just a few of the sights, without sounds....

Something new this summer: AMSOIL expanded its line of premium motorcycle oils to include a new SAE 60 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil, specially formulated to excel in all areas unique to motorcycles, including the high operating temperatures of air-cooled engines, wet-clutch lubrication, and extreme pressure regions of gears and chains.

The new oil is an excellent choice for older Harley Davidson motors such as the Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead and other big-bore motorcycles requiring an SAE 60 viscosity grade.

AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour Completes Another Round

The AMSOIL Street Rodder Road tour has been underway for months and is now in the final stretch with only two tours remaining for 2010. AMSOIL always looks forward to the regular updates from tour leader Jerry Dixey, who never fails to deliver an unforgettable trip for those join him on the open road.

The Dynamat Road Tour recently wrapped up a week-long trip that took them from Louisville, KY to Bonneville Speed Week in Wendover, UT. Starting at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals event, 35 cars carrying 50 people got acquainted in anticipation of the week ahead of them. The trip took the road tourians to various car shops in support of the road tour, and gave everyone a glimpse of what goes into building the rods they love. They also had a chance to stop at the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee, WI, where they enjoyed a tour of the three-story building. The museum tells the history of Harley-Davidson by means of the innumerable bikes and memorabilia on display there.

While traveling through Minnesota the tour stopped at the small town of Northfield, made famous by outlaw Jesse James, then it was onward to South Dakota. The tour was welcomed by car collector Larry Olson as well as Bowman’s Real Hot Rods shop, where they were given tours of an amazing car collection and the shop that helped create many of them. After leaving, the Road Tourians stopped at the world-famous Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD before heading towards Pierre for another stop at an amazing car collection owned by Don Adams.

After avoiding the crush of people gathered in the Black Hills for the Sturgis rally, the tour arrived in time to see many motorcyclists heading home. Making another stop at Larry Ruth’s Hot Rods of Spearfish, the tour headed towards two of the most famous landmarks of South Dakota: Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Afterwards, a full day of driving awaited them as they drew closer to their final destination, the salt flats of Bonneville, UT. Dixey described driving onto the flats as ‘driving right onto the pages of a magazine’ with the blinding white salt and the mountains floating in the distance. Hot Rods were everywhere, and the tour fit right into the scene, enjoying the laid-back atmosphere as they watched the races. The stop at Bonneville Speed Week was the perfect ending to the weeklong tour, leaving many planning on doing it again next year.

There are still two more tours left in the 2010 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour, so now is your chance to get your rod out on the open road one more time before summer ends.

The Canadian Classic Cars Canada Tour
September 10 - 19
NSRA Nationals North - Kalamazoo, Michigan
To
NSRA Northeast Nationals - Burlington, Vermont

The Sherm's Plating Tour

October 9 - 17
Sacramento, CA -Sherm's Plating
To
The NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion - Bakersfield, CA

Sturgis Celebrates 70

The 70th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has been underway this week, and in usual form it has grown to be bigger and better than years past. As the Official Oil of the rally, AMSOIL is on hand to share its story with the estimated 500,000 to 700,000 attendees rolling into this normally quiet town for a week of excitement, Sturgis-style. From rock stars to Pee-Wee Herman and everything in between, Sturgis 2010 has managed to outdo itself while celebrating 70 years in action.

The weather has reached over 100° on some days, but that isn’t stopping bikers from getting out and riding while enjoying an abundance of entertainment options. Headlining bands this year included Bob Dylan, Ozzy Osbourne, Kid Rock and many more. There is never a dull moment to be had in Sturgis and whatever your taste, there is always something to do.

AMSOIL staff have been staying busy by keeping up with the demands of bikers in need of lubricants that will keep them on the road in these sweltering temps. The AMSOIL movement is rapidly spreading among not just those with a motorcycle, but all spectators in attendance. While AMSOIL motorcycle products usually tend to generate the most buzz, this year spectators are interested in protecting more than just their bikes. Interest in all products AMSOIL offers is steadily growing and shows no signs of stopping.

Check back next week for a full recap of what went down at the 2010 Sturgis Rally, and start making plans now to attend Sturgis 2011 so you can experience it yourself.

Mopar Nationals Set to Celebrate 30th Anniversary

Thousands of people descend to National Trail Raceway in Columbus, OH each year to attend the Mopar Nats. Drawing collector cars of all shapes and sizes, competition is always fierce and gives the public plenty to see and do throughout the weekend. This coming weekend marks the 30th Anniversary of the Mopar Nationals, drawing a multitude of classic cars at least 26 years and older along with Mopar-related memorabilia. This years’ event will feature a special tribute to the Dodge Coronet and Super Bee, where these vehicles will be on display together.

A Mopar is defined as a Chrysler-built vehicle including Dodge, Plymouth, Imperial, and more. This market draws thousands of enthusiasts loyal to the brand, which is known for producing solid engines that can withstand severe duties. A favorite saying among enthusiasts is ‘Mopar or No Car’ and many live up to this creed.

On the same note, AMSOIL is title sponsor of the AMSOIL Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge. This event pits engine builders against one another to see who can build the best Mopar engine. Competitors will have their engine builds on display at the Mopar Nationals before they are shipped off to Comp Cams testing facility to gauge their power and output. Watch for upcoming details on this challenge, where AMSOIL is the Official Lubricant and Sponsor. For now, get your Mopar fix at the 30th Anniversary of the Mopar Nationals and see an integral part of a beloved American pastime.

What: 30th Annual Mopar Nationals
When:
August 13 8:00 AM-7:00 PM
August 14 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
August 15 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
Where: National Trail Raceway, Columbus, OH

The photos here were taken at a previous Mopar Nationals gathering.

For more information check out the Mopar Nationals website at http://www.moparnats.org.

Louisville Prepares for 40th Annual NSRA Street Rod Nationals

For those of you keeping up with the AMSOIL Promotions Blog or the National Street Rodder Association (NSRA), you are no doubt familiar with the NSRA events happening across the country each year. For those of you who aren’t, the NSRA is an organization of street rod enthusiasts that gathers in variations locations across the U.S. to display their vintage restored hot rods at large local gatherings. Next stop is Louisville, KY for the 40th Annual NSRA Street Rod Nationals, the biggest event of them all.

The NSRA is expecting upwards of 11,000+ street rods to be put on display this weekend. These beautifully restored vehicles are driven in and range in value from $20,000 to $150,000. In all, the total value of all vehicles on display reaches well over $3 million so there is plenty to see and explore up close. In other words, it is a big event, and it takes up the Louisville Convention Center, inside and out.

In addition to the thousands of street rods, there is a lot to see and do for the entire family. As with all NSRA Nationals events, there is a Women’s World area with arts and crafts, as well as several games designed especially for children. A swap meet runs the entire weekend, and hundreds of booths on are hand to display products and services pertaining to this market.

Louisville also has some extra special attractions that are not the usual staples at NSRA events. First up, a ‘Builders Showcase’ area with cars built by the top professionals in the industry will be on display. An appearance will be made at the Mothers polish booth on Friday and Saturday by ‘Overhaulin’ TV host Chip Foose, an established car builder and TV personality. Norm Grabowski will on hand as well showing off his ‘Kookie Clone 09’ replica, made famous by the 70’s series ‘Sunset Strip’ as well as his ‘Kookie II’ magazine car. Included in this section is the prestigious 2010 Ridler Award winner ‘Gold Digger’, and the famous ‘Grave Digger’ monster truck. Live entertainment, from a Rolling Stones tribute to an Elvis tribute, will also be on hand to ensure there is never a dull moment. Be sure to attend if you're in the vicinity, and while there stop by one of the AMSOIL booths.

What: 40th Annual NSRA Street Rod Nationals

Where: Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville KY

When: August 6, 8:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
August 7, 8:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.
August 8, 7:00 A.M.-7:00 P.M.
August 9, 8:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.

If you're into cars and you've never been to the Nationals in Louisville, you owe it to yourself to get there somehow, some time in your life.