Ricky Carmichael Talks About the Path to Becoming a Supercross Star

One year ago today Feld Motorsports announced a new advancement system from amateur racing to pro supercross called “Ricky Carmichael’s Road to Supercross.”

Tyler Bowers...

AMSOIL Arenacross has been a welcome addition to the pro motocross racing circuit, not only providing a venue for emerging stars to cut their teeth and prepare themselves for the highest levels of racing achievement, but also giving fans in smaller markets the opportunity to see top quality racing excitement in their own home towns.

Here's a cool video of 5X Monster Energy Supercross Champion Ricky Carmichael talking about the new path to Supercross stardom. Hear what Ricky Carmichael had to say about the upcoming 2014 AMSOIL Arenacross Season and the "Road to Supercross."

...brings it home in KC.

Engines Rust, Too

It takes a hearty breed to make a homestead in our many of our Northern states where sub-zero temps chill the bone and icy roads make driving a hazardous adventure. The reality is, most people here know how to dress for the weather, and our highway departments know how to deal with those icy roads. With snowplows at the ready the main thoroughfares are kept open even in the worst storms. Salt and sand trucks are employed to keep ice melted at intersections and on highways, and to give traction where needed.

The downside of all that road salt, however, is a lot of rust formation on car frames and bodies. The problem of rust leads many owners of classic vehicles to place their gems in storage for the winter each year.

What many people don't realize though is that engines can rust, too. When an engine sits idle for months on end it's important to make sure your prized possession is protected from the inside out. Rust protection is one of the features of AMSOIL Z-ROD Synthetic Motor Oil which has been formulated with rust and corrosion inhibitors that protect component surfaces by forming a protective barrier to seal out water and contaminants. 

To prove its effectiveness, AMSOIL submitted Z-ROD Synthetic Motor Oil to the Standard Test Method for Rust Protection in the Humidity Cabinet (ASTM D-1748). This test evaluates the rust-preventative properties of oil under high-humidity conditions, similar to those faced by a covered hot rod in a damp garage. After 192 hours in the humidity cabinet the metal coupon treated with AMSOIL Z-ROD Synthetic Motor Oil showed no signs of oxidation while the coupon treated with a leading competitor’s product failed the test after 24 hours.

AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oils also contain anti-rust agents to protect again rust. Most bikers in our Northern Tier states park their bikes for the winter, both because of the cold as well as the hazardous road conditions. Rust can cause serious damage such as roller bearing failure, uncontrolled wear, compression loss and blow-by.

Don't wait till it's too late. Oil in an of itself doesn't protect against rust. What you need is to find an oil that is formulated to fight this predator. You don't have to look any further than AMSOIL.

Kittyhawk

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”~Leonardo Da Vinci

For centuries man dreamed of flying. DaVinci wasn't the first, but is probably the most memorable of these early schemer dreamers. In the late 1700's hot air balloons conveyed people skyward in opposition to the gravitational pull of the earth. And what a site it was, for those who flew skyward as well as those who appreciated those amazing adventurers.

As for the first really big advance in aeronautics, it occurred 100 years ago this month at an out of the way strip of beach called Kittyhawk. It was here that the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were credited with the first manned flight of an airplane on December 17, 1903.

There were a number of technical advances that made this achievement possible. One was their ability to test their apparatus in a wind tunnel. A second was the matter of developing a method for maintaining control of the plane once airborne. For the Wright Brothers, getting their self-propelled flying contraption off the ground was not an end, but a beginning. The sky was the limit... not simply a name in the record books.

What's fascinating is the distance recorded in that early first flight: 120 feet in 12.8 seconds, or 6.8 miles per hour. A horse could run faster! It was, however, a beginning. 

Eventually, 80 years  later, a trio of Northern Minnesotans began to develop an appetite for manned flight.... on snowmobiles.

Cross-country and oval track snowmobile races were fun, but the airborne antics of some snowmobile enthusiasts in Finland had stoked their imaginations. Thus was North American Snocross created, an Xtreme sport that became a feature of the Winter X Games, and produced what eventually evolved to be the International Series of Champions. Snowmobile racing like you've never seen before. 120 feet in a snap, with horsepower and speed, white knuckles and adrenaline...

The next race is slated for Shakopee, MN at the famed Canterbury Park.

To follow AMSOIL Championship Snocross or all our other AMSOIL racing activities, visit and bookmark AMSOILRacing.com.

Kitty Hawk, December 17, 1903

Wright Brothers information courtesy Wikipedia.

AMSOIL Specialized Oil Sweepstakes Offers Big Thrills Under the Big Sky

There's something about snowmobiling that gets in your blood. First off, trails take you to vistas you would never reach any other way. How far can you really go on snowshoes?  Second, there's the thrill of acceleration and the excitement of motion through space and time.  And have we mentioned the vistas? Oh, yes, there's some spectacular scenery when the sun is glistening 'cross that blanketed landscape, especially out west under that big Montana sky.

The Specialized Oil Sweepstakes is your opportunity to embrace this once-in-a-lifetime experience: 4 days and 3 nights, all expenses paid trip to Montana that includes a 2-day guided snowmobiling tour, sled rental, hotel accommodations and round-trip airfare, plus $500 spending money. Are you ready for this?

Be sure to read the rules (some restrictions apply), then fill out the entry form, or sign up at one of the many snocross or snowmobile events we sponsor. The official deadline is March 31, 2014. Your Montana getaway will take place during the winter of 2014-2015.

Odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries. One of them should be you. Here in the Northland it's the favorite season for many of us. The days may be short, but we know how to stay warm, and we never stop being active.

"Sturgis Raw" Special to Feature Drag Race Burnouts Tonight

Vikki Bentz enjoyed making some noise.

Drag race burnouts held in the AMSOIL Booth  last summer in Sturgis will be part of a "Sturgis Raw" special. Footage that had been filmed by the Travel Channel during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this past August has been edited into several one-hour specials and have begun to air. The drag race burnouts that took place in the AMSOIL Booth will be part of tonight's Travel Channel Wednesday at 8 p.m. Central Standard Time. The program airs again at 11 p.m.CST

If you've never been to Sturgis and wondered what all the hoopla was about, this show might be the appetizer you've been looking for. Here’s a shout out to all the dragsters who joined us in the Black Hills this past summer:

Mark Chisholm and his Alcohol injected turbo funny bike

Bill Bentz with his Nitro Pro Drag bike

Vikki Bentz with her V-Rod destroyer gas drag bike

Ted "Bear" Brock - Pro dragster #17

Dale Nilles - 2011 Pro Drag Bike

The camera crew has arrived to get it all in the can.

2014 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour Schedule Announced

The 2014 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour is still months away, but you can make plans now for the road trip of a lifetime led by Street Rodder Magazine’s very own Jerry Dixey in his ’59 RT Chevy Impala. Built by award-winning builder Dean Livermore, the lead road tour car is currently undergoing transformations into the road-worthy, head-turning machine it was meant to be. We covered the Impala story last month with a sneak-peek at the rendering.

Since ending the 2013 tour in September, Dixey has set his sights on making the 2014 trip even better and preliminary plans look promising. While the full list of stops and roadside sights is still being finalized, the dates, starting points and destinations have been determined. Road tour participants always enjoy first-class access to the nation’s most renowned automotive museums, hot rod shops, car shows and even the prestigious SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

The open road awaits you, so check out the full list below and make plans now to join the exciting convoy that is the AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour. It’s a street rod enthusiasts’ dream that promises to be an unforgettable experience for the young and old alike.

For more information or to register for any of the 2014 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tours, call the Road Tour Hotline at 800-664-1362. Here's how Jerry Dixey has summed up the year ahead:

The Vintage Air Tour 
June 7-15
Vintage Air, San Antonio, Texas, to the 50th L.A. Roadsters Show, Pomona, California
Jack Chisenhall and Rick Love from Vintage Air lead the Tour to the golden anniversary edition of this Father’s Day classic.

Road Tour #2 
June 13-22
The 50th L.A. Roadsters Show, Pomona, California, to Back to the 50s, St. Paul, Minnesota
This cross-country trek will include stops in Las Vegas and Speedway Motors in Lincoln, Nebraska, home of the Smith Collection Museum of American Speed.

The Aeromotive Tour 
June 20-29
Back to the 50s, St. Paul, Minnesota, to the NSRA Rocky Mountain Nationals, Pueblo, Colorado  
Along the way, the folks at Aeromotive will once again provide a big welcome for us at their Kansas City area facility.

The Eastwood Summer Classic Tour
 July 18-26
The Syracuse Nationals, Syracuse New York, to the Eastwood Summer Classic, Pottstown, Pennsylvania
We will spend a full day in the Massachusetts area visiting shops on our way to the Eastwood Summer Classic car show.

The Autopalooza.org Tour 
August 9-16
A Week on Woodward Avenue, near Detroit, Michigan
Join us as we visit automotive shops and places of interest in the Detroit area, leading up to the world-famous Woodward Dream Cruise

The Shades of the Past Tour 
August 30-September 6
The 60th NHRA U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis, Indiana, to Shades of the Past, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
The big Labor Day race will kick off the Tour from Indy to the popular Shades of the Past Rod Run.

Road Tour #7 
September 5-14
Shades of the Past, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to the NSRA Nationals North Plus, Kalamazoo, Michigan
We will visit some great private car collections and street rod shops in the Ohio area on our way to K-Zoo

The Sherm’s Custom Plating Tour 
October. 31–November 8
Sherm’s Custom Plating, Sacramento, California, to the SEMA Show, Las Vegas, Nevada
We’ll make a return trip to the huge SEMA Show from a start in Sacramento, with a visit to Gene Winfield’s shop along the way.

The NSRA Nationals in Louisville is always a favorite stop on the Road Tour.

Aerosols: A Brief History and an Intro to Our Family

The concept of using an aerosol spray method of dispensing liquids or powders originated more than two hundred years ago, though the first patent wasn’t granted till 1899. Many evolutions later, the lightweight aluminum spray cans we’re familiar with came into being.

During World War II the military funded research to develop a lightweight means of spraying bugs so that soldiers would be protected from malaria-carrying insects. Thus it was that fluorocarbons became the propellant of choice for popular post-war products like hair spray and spray paints.

In the seventies the negative impact of fluorocarbons on the ozone layer led to the development of alternative propellants that were safe and environmentally friendly.

Today the aerosol method of dispensing products has widespread applications. AMSOIL has a number of aerosol cleaners, lubricants and protectants, each with different functions. Some, like our popular Miracle Wash, were converted to aerosol this past year. The others, from Silicone Spray to MP, have beeen attractively dressed in new packaging with a vibrant new look.

History can be fascinating. Everything that exists was at one time not. Something eventually sparked an idea, and others built on it. Even something as mundane as aerosol has a story.

What's your story?

2014 AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge Press Conference Scheduled for Friday at PRI

Engine builders and followers of the AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge will want to be on hand for the Official Rules Press Conference this Friday at the Indiana Convention Center. Over the past several years the competition has become continuously stiffer as the stakes get higher. Imagination and innovation combine with hands-on experience with the laws of physics to produce one of the most dramatic events in racing... in a pair of dyno cells at the University of Northwestern Ohio. Jon Kaase took home this year's trophy and crown. Who will take the next?

European Car Trivia

A list of the top ten European cars being sold in America included four models of Volkswagen, two BMW models, the Audi A4, Mini Cooper and two Mercedes-Benz models. Depending on where you live you may be noticing more and more of these cars.

Now here's the trivia question: How many of these top selling European cars are also in the top ten of cars being purchased in Europe?

Here's are some other questions. What kind of oil do you put in European cars? Do European cars require a different kind of oil than U.S. cars?

First, let's answer the trivia question.

The word trivia has its origins in the Latin word meaning trivial or inconsequential, unimportant. Unless you're an auto dealer for one of these brands this kind of information is nothing more than trivial fodder for light dinner party conversations. Those oil selection questions, if you drive a European car, are anything but trivial.

Since two of the top selling cars in Europe are American-made (Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta) we know the answer is eight or less. In fact, it's quite revealing to discover how very different these two lists are. It actually shows how different these two markets are.

Unless you're a car guy, there are some makes and models listed here that you may never have even heard of. Here's the list for June of 2013.*

1. VW Golf, top selling car in Europe
2. Vauxhall Corsa 
3. VW Polo
4. Ford Fiesta 
5. Renault Megane
6. Vauxhall/Opel Astra 
7. Renault Clio 
8. Ford Focus 
9. VW Passat
10. Peugeot 207 hatchback 

The two cars that made both lists were both manufactured by Volkswagen, the Golf and the Passat.

As for what oil to put in your European car, it's important to know that viscosity is not the only thing to pay attention to. A lot of us still remember when the only thing you needed to know about motor oil was when you last changed it and whether it was 10W-40 or not. It’s a whole new world. The primary differentiator among various makes and models of European car oils has to do with acceptable levels of sulfated ash, phosphorus and sulfur, which for our convenience is called SAPS.

SAPS makes up a significant part of an engine oil’s additive content. Different SAPS levels are necessary because some emissions systems and after treatment devices, such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and catalysts, are sensitive to the SAPS content of oil. These engines require lower SAPS formulations. Many vehicles, however, are not equipped with emissions systems that are sensitive to higher SAPS levels; they are best protected by full-SAPS oils.

The bottom line is that there’s been an evolution in engine designs and in European lube recommendations so that we have low, medium and high SAPs formulations now. Even though 5W-40 engine oils are in widespread use in Europe, not all 5W-40s are created equal. Depending on the application they have different SAPS levels.

If you own a European vehicle, here's a starting point to help you select the correct engine oil.

* Source: The Telegraph, Motoring Picture Galleries

AMSOIL Is For Lovers.... Horse Lovers, That Is

A lot of folks don’t realize how large the horse industry is in this country. In addition to close to 900,000 race horses there are 2.7 million show horses, 3.9 million recreational horses and 1.7 million other horses for a total of 9.2 million horses. It has a 39 billion dollar annual economic impact according to a 2005 report by the American Horse Council Foundation. In addition to our country’s two million horse owners there are 2.6 million people involved in feeding, breeding, competing, and other activities related to horses.

As most horse owners know there are many additional unnoticed expenses. Horse trailers and the trucks that tow them are all part of the business. This is where AMSOIL comes in to lend assistance. Towing puts strain on any vehicle, but especially in those parts of the country with hills and mountains where a lot of horse owners live. For example, the relatively short drive from Sedona to Flagstaff in Arizona climbs 2,000 feet in elevation and it’s uphill all the way. This puts great strain on a drivetrain. The increased heat generated can result in thinning transmission fluid, which makes it less effective as a lubricant resulting in more heat, more thinning, and ultimately thermal runaway.

It’s bad enough to break down in any vehicle in a hot day, but especially so when you’ve got Ginger and Cricket in the back and it's 110 degrees on an open road.

For people who tow, whether its horse, boats or travel trailers, taking care of that tow vehicle can be the difference between a great vacation or the dismal alternative. Here's a tip: Check out Infohorse for more information on how AMSOIL helps horse owners and the vehicles they own.

AMSOIL can help take care of your truck so your mind can be on your dreams.

AMSOIL Shines at Houston Autorama

John Pena's 1966 International 1000A is so cool it's hot!

John Pena has been a regular on the show scene for some time, parking his custom vehicle builds at high-profile car shows around the nation and landing magazine coverage both online and in print. He has nine custom builds under his belt, and visions of future projects constantly flowing for his next undertaking.

Most recently Pena attended the Houston Autorama show with his 1966 International 1000A and sent us photos of his masterpiece that speak volumes to his talent. The International 1000A was not an easy project to rebuild, and many dollars and months were spent turning it into the head-turner it is today. After so much time and effort was put into the project, Pena wanted to ensure it was ready for the road and sought out AMSOIL to keep his engine and components running peak. We agreed, and this impressive truck now has AMSOIL installed throughout. Here is a look at his latest photo update from Houston.

Gorgeous from any angle.

Park Your Vehicle Info at MyAMSOILGarage

Where do you park your vehicle information? Do you have a special place where you keep your maintenance records? Wouldn't it be great to bring a little organization to your vehicle maintenance info?

Even though AMSOIL is a synthetic oil company that offers products for all your vehicle lubrication needs, we also have some great online tools to help you as well. Being that this is Cyber-Monday, it seems like a great time to share our online parking garage... MyAMSOILGarage.

Currently vehicle information for more than 135,000 vehicles is stored here with reminders so you know when to schedule your next change your oil, along with records of every other kind. Whatever your make and model, we have a safe place for you to keep it... or rather, to keep your records. We've got Jaguars, Minis, Cadillacs, Alfa Romeos and even a Yugo.

You can also store info on your powersports toys as well. And here are two bonuses: (1) it's free, and (2) you don't have to be an AMSOIL customer.

Here's an interesting stat. One quare foot of real estate in Manhattan is now $3,000. We're offering you as much real estate as you can possibly use for parking ALL your vehicles, and your friends' vehicles, too.

Visit MyAMSOILGarage and open an account today.

Whatever you drive, you can park it at MyAMSOILGarage.