NSRA Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals This Weekend

The next stop for the NSRA Nationals is June 24-26 in Pueblo, CO at the Colorado State Fairgrounds. The NSRA hosts various events throughout the nation all summer long, aimed at drawing out enthusiasts of the classic car movement. Car collectors from all over the area come out to display their restored classic vehicles in Pueblo, the largest event of its kind in the region. AMSOIL is pleased to be a part of this reputable organization that helps increase awareness of a true American pastime. AMSOIL Z-ROD Synthetic Motor Oil is specially formulated for these applications, so it’s a fitting partnership.

The Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals will include the Streets of Rods area, featuring various special interest groups. Included in the Streets of Rods are the following categories:

29 & Below: Featuring street rods owned and registered by participants 29 years of age and younger.

Hi-Boy Highway: All makes of cars that are fenderless hi-boys.

Bowtie Boulevard: Chevrolets of all models and years.

Bucket Brigade: Any bucket-type rod and make manufactured 1927 and earlier.

Fabulous Fifties: Any make or model of 1950s manufacture.

As with all NSRA events, the weekend promises something fun to do for spectators of all ages. Usual staples of the NSRA Nationals events will be included, such as the Women’s World area and vintage auto parts swap meet. Live entertainment will be provided in the fairgrounds amphitheatre on Friday and Saturday nights. If you are in the Pueblo, CO area don’t miss your chance to see thousands of street rods on display at the NSRA Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals.

What:
27th Annual NSRA Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals Plus

Where:
Colorado State Fairgrounds, Pueblo CO

When:
Friday, June 24th 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Saturday June 25th 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sunday June 26th 8:30 AM-3:00 PM

Admission:
Adults $14.00

Child 6-12 $5
6-Under Free
Discounts available to seniors, NSRA members and military personnel with proper ID.

Up Next for the AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour

Kicking off on Father’s Day June 19, the Golden Shine Tour is next on the itinerary for the 2011 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour. After meeting at the LA Roadsters Fathers Day event, the tour heads back east to land in Colorado for the Rocky Mountain Nationals hosted by the NSRA. Along the way participants will experience behind-the-scenes tours at Las Vegas Speedway, as well as an up-close look at the production facilities and Shelby Museum at Shelby American.

The Street Rodder Road Tour is an annual event led by Editor Jerry Dixey as they cross the nation to various car shows, events and sightseeing excursions. Street rod enthusiasts come out in force with their own vintage automobiles to experience a unique summer vacation. There are still 5 tours remaining for the AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour, and all are open to the public. If you own a rod and want to get it out on the open road, then this is the tour for you.

To see the full 2011 schedule and to learn how to join any of the remaining tours, please click here.

Another Live Update from Laconia Bike Week

It’s been a great week so far at Laconia Bike Week, and tens of thousands have turned out to attend the 3rd largest motorcycle rally in the country. We just got a report from AMSOIL Regional Sales Manager Peter Markham on some of the happenings taking place in the mountains of New Hampshire. A cold and wet start to the 88th annual rally didn’t deter bikers from attending, and it looks like things are just getting started.

The sun finally shone on the Laconia Motorcycle Rally On Wednesday and the riders came back out. The AMSOIL booth is set up in the Weirs Waterpark parking lot and features the HDT Diesel motorcycle for the USMC. HDT retrofits motorcycles with diesel engines for the US military. These bikes go back to the military filled with AMSOIL, an effort to help the forces reduce the different type of fuels that must be carried for the troops. The HDT bike really gets the attention of bikers, and leads into a great conversation on the benefits of AMSOIL for all applications.

With the sunshine on Wednesday, the fans were out in force at the Ridgerunners Hill climb at Gunstock Ski Area. This event allows both the young and old to race up the slopes of the ski hills. Not only are motorcycles shooting up the grassy slopes, but 4-wheelers and even snowmobiles. This annual event is a favorite of the Rally goers and draws several thousand spectators to the base of the NH ski slopes.

Wednesday wrapped up with rally-goers being treated to fireworks over Weirs Beach, a perfect end to a beautiful day on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Laconia Bike Week runs through Sunday, with hopes the weather will hold through the weekend so more rally patrons can ride the New Hampshire roads. If you are in the area, be sure and stop in to the AMSOIL booth to learn about the best motorcycle oil on the market.

Top Truck Challenge is a Wrap

The Top Truck Challenge 2011 is a wrap after three days of swamps, slopes, boulders & quagmire. The challenge concluded Thursday after the final event took out a few rigs in the Tank Trap, hailed as the most difficult challenge of them all. Huge water-filled holes successfully wiped out some of the competitors as they tried to clear the course, dashing the hopes of winning for a few of the participants. AMSOIL Technical Powersports Manager Len Groom sent a report on Friday on the final event of the 2011 TTC, and as expected it was grueling. The Tank Trap swallowed trucks, causing some of them to flip on the steep incline and require an extraction. Some of the holes made it impossible to even see the tires that ranged in size anywhere from 46’ to 54’, which illustrates the magnitude of the challenges found in the Tank Trap.

Despite all the difficulties these competitors faced, the Top Truck Challenge couldn’t wipe out everyone. Taking the win in the Buggy class was Alex Sanders out of Arkansas in his 2008 Chevrolet Buggy. While others battled against the odds in the Tank Trap, Sanders had a good run and cleared it so fast it was hard to get pictures. Overcoming an underdog position, Sanders achieved his stellar performance in a $2,000.00 rig.

Steven Montpas out of Roseburg, OR took home the title in the Truck class with his 1949 Willys pick-up. He performed well and kept ahead of the competition, landing him the top spot. Both winners performed consistently all week, earning them ultimate bragging rights and a trip back to compete in Top Truck 2012.

And so another Top Truck Challenge event is now behind us after a series of impressive attempts from all competitors. Next year Four Wheeler Magazine is inviting past winners to the 20th annual Top Truck Challenge, providing an interesting new platform to shake things up. Congratulations from AMSOIL to all of the competitors who were selected, but especially Alex Sanders and Steven Montpas for outdoing the competition and taking home the glory in what is known as the Olympics of off-roading. Both winners received a shopping spree courtesy of AMSOIL to keep all their toys and equipment running peak.

Top Truck Challenge Day 2

The second day of the Top Truck Challenge wrapped up on Wednesday, and it didn’t go without a hitch. Competitors were introduced to the Obstacle Course, Hill Climb and Mini Rubicon events. AMSOIL Technical Powersports Manager Len Groom provided us with another update straight from Hollister Hills, and reports this years’ event isn’t holding back any punches. Judging by the pictures, these rigs are facing some extreme obstacles as they make their way to through each event and try to remain in the competition.

The Obstacle Course held plenty of surprises for competitors as they attempted to clear it. Deep water and deeper holes proved this to be extremely difficult, catching some of the drivers on the ledge causing them to roll. Despite the challenges the competitors faced, most made it through to face the next challenge-the Hill Climb event.

The Hill Climb is a 60° slope with holes and ditches dug throughout, aimed at either flipping the rigs over or stopping them completely. There is no stopping or backing up in the Hill Climb event, momentum must be maintained while dodging the treacherous terrain at the same time. On a hill that’s difficult to even stand on, let alone drive, most drivers were able to clear it though there were a couple of rollovers.

Up next we saw the Mini Rubicon, one of the most challenging events in the Top Truck Challenge. The proving ground for this event was bigger than in years past, and producers made sure it wouldn’t be easy. In addition to deep holes, giant boulders were placed throughout to ensure some broken parts at the end of the day. In spite of all the hurdles, the Mini Rubicon didn’t take out any competitors and they were all able to move on to the dreaded Tank Trap on Thursday.
The winner of Top Truck Challenge will soon be announced. Be sure to check back later for the next update on what went down in the Tank Trap event, and who won the battle in Top Truck Challenge 2011.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Top Truck Challenge Day 1: More Brutal Than Ever

We just got a report from AMSOIL Powersports Technical Product Manager Len Groom, who is live on the scene of the 2011 Top Truck Challenge in Hollister Hills, CA. The challenge kicked off Tuesday, with the competitors being introduced to the 2011 event by the Tow Test, Mud Pit and Frame Twister events. While the Tow Test claimed only a broken driveshaft on a buggy, the Frame Twister lived up to its name and kept most competitors from even finishing. The Frame Twister event is a formidable proving ground filled with holes, rocks and logs aimed at taking out these monstrous trucks with little effort. Len Groom reported that is was the most demanding Frame Twister yet and summed up what has been seen so far in one word: Tough.

After numerous extractions and broken parts in the Frame Twister, the challenge moved on to the Mud Pit event. These rigs don’t typically do well in this type of sludge but competitor Mike Keller (pictured) hit the mud flying and skimmed along the top, making it look easy. We are now in Day 2 of the 2011 Top Truck Challenge, which will see the competitors battle the Obstacle Course, Hill Climb and Mini Rubicon. Judging by the photos we have received thus far, things are just getting good.

Who will emerge victorious in the 2011 Top Truck Challenge? Be sure to check back for more photos, updates and quotes directly from the competitors in the thick of it.

Top Truck Challenge Gets Underway This Week

The Top Truck Challenge was established 19 years ago, and has been steadfast in keeping with the original idea of pushing 4x4’s to their ultimate limits in Hollister Hills, CA. The Top Truck Challenge is a grueling week-long competition that tests the mettle of some of the toughest trucks and drivers in the country. AMSOIL has been the Official Oil of the Top Truck Challenge for several years, which provides an excellent proving ground to show what AMSOIL lubricants are capable of handling. Hollister Hills is a Mecca for off-road and dirtbike enthusiasts, with over 4,000 acres of terrain designed for every skill level.

Selected by readers of Four Wheeler Magazine, competitors in the Top Truck Challenge are pitted against one another in a series of extreme off-road events over the course of 4 days. Aptly named challenges such as the Tow Test, Frame Twister, Mid Pit, Obstacle Course, Hill Climb, Mini Rubicon and Tank Trap claim some of the mightiest rigs. While each of the events plays a part in taking competitors out, the Tank Trap is known as the ‘crown jewel’ of the Top Truck Challenge. This event in particular is aimed at pushing each truck to its limit as they face unrelenting obstacles while the clock works against them.

The TTC is filmed and aired on national television later in the year, but AMSOIL is on site and will be providing exclusive updates throughout the week. You can also read our previous blog post here to meet this year’s competitors and decide who you think will be crowned the winner in 2011. Be sure to check back often throughout this week for a sneak-peek into what is going down in Hollister before it airs, and find out who will win the battle in the 2011 Top Truck Challenge.

AMSOIL Super Chevy Best of the Best Vote Reveals Next Round of Winners

The third Super Chevy event is a wrap and the votes have been counted. Online readers of Super Chevy Magazine turned out to determine which 5 cars stole the show in Petersburg, VA to become Best of the Best in their respective categories. See the latest round of winners below, all of which will be included in the final vote to determine who holds the title of the ultimate AMSOIL Best of the Best Chevy.

If you haven’t been following along with the AMSOIL Super Chevy Best of the Best event, please click here for all the details. Be sure check back for future updates on upcoming Super Chevy events right here on the AMSOIL Racing site.

Camaro Class
‘69 Z/28
Owner: Eddie Sells

Chevelle/Malibu Class
’68 Chevelle
Owner: Gary Ingram

Full Size Class
’60 Impala
Owner: Barry Barnet

Nova Class
’66 Nova
Owner: Kevin Lovern

Tri-Five Class
’55 Nomad
Owner: Kirby Montgomery


Photo courtesy of Super Chevy Magazine
Barry Barnet’s ’60 Impala that won in the Full Size class

York, PA Set to Host Next NSRA Nationals Event This Weekend

AMSOIL is making a big impact in the street rodder market, most recently with the addition of our new AMSOIL Z-ROD Synthetic Motor Oil.

As an official product sponsor of the National Street Rod Association (NSRA), the AMSOIL message reaches thousands of street rod enthusiasts each year. This is largely due to the fact that the NSRA hosts Nationals events all across the country throughout the spring and summer, drawing out huge numbers of enthusiasts and spectators alike. This coming weekend will find the NSRA Street Rod Nationals East Plus event at the York Expo Center in York, PA. Over 4,000 street rods, muscle cars, customs, and specialty vehicles from all over the country are expected, together accumulating a total worth of over $112 million.

In addition to the thousands of ‘main attractions’, the NSRA goes to great lengths to ensure the entire family has something fun to do and see. A Model Car Contest is a special attraction geared at attendees of all ages, and is open to the public. Activities ranging from the Streets of Rods to the Women’s World area round out the weekend, with live entertainment providing a soundtrack to the festivities. Over 165 manufacturers and dealers descend on York to participate in the trade show and vintage swap meet, featuring both inside and outside exhibits.

Additionally, over $83,000 is SuperPrize giveaways and special Sunday $weep$take$ are awarded to registered participants, making this even more of a can’t-miss event. If you are in the York, PA area be sure to attend this remarkable experience and see what other activities the NSRA has in store at the 38th Street Rod Nationals East Plus.

What: 38th Annual Street Rod Nationals East Plus
Where: York Expo Center, York PA
When: June 3-5, 2011

Hours
Fri: 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Sat: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Sun: 8:30 AM-3:00 PM

Admission
Adult $14

Child 6-12 $5
5-Under Free