The Original Synthetic Motor Oil

AMSOIL Completes One of the Best Snowmobile Racing Seasons Ever

Snocross Sponsorship Provides National Exposure

ESPN interviews Justin Tate.

Team AMSOIL is a media favorite.

The benefits of sponsoring a Snocross team are often subtle, like the conversion to AMSOIL lubricants by teams simply through word of mouth. Teams learn quickly on the circuit what other teams, and winners, are using. AMSOIL Series 2000 2-Cycle Oil has become the lubricant of choice. It's also about the relationships developed between AMSOIL and other sponsors. There's a great exchange of ideas and expertise that goes on amoung sponsors.

Benefits can be more tangible too. Pick up most any snowmobile magazine or motosports publication that covers Snocross and you'll see something about Team AMSOIL. The familiar black sleds are exposed on the pages of publications like SnoX, Race Gas and Snow Week in practically every issue and this, in turn, increases AMSOIL name recognition all over the country. Flip through, and you'll see usually multiple advertisements showing Team AMSOIL in competition or on the winner's podium. If you watch any Snocross competition on the ESPN networks, you'll see a large portion of time dedicated to the coverage of Team AMSOIL. An open door policy by team owner Steve Scheuring allows reporters and photographers to come and go freely. Media members know this access allows for great pictures and straight answers. This policy has lead to numerous feature stories and increased race coverage.

It all starts with the team. AMSOIL, Polaris and Scheuring have created a potent combination. A team still has to be out front to get noticed. The key has been staying competitive and winning. Of the 10 rounds on the World Snowmobile Association schedule, the AMSOIL team put a driver on the podium seven times. Six of those finishes were in the highly competitve and coveted Open class. Before suffering a serious knee injury, DJ Eckstrom had three top-three finishes in the first four races. Justin Tate picked up for his fallen partner and ended the season with four podiums in the last five events. Ross Martin was brought on to ride for Eckstrom and he, too, contributed with dramatic racing. Tate and Eckstrom shined at the 2003 Winter X Games. Eckstrom earned a silver medal.

The "proof is in the pudding" as they say with regards to benefits of sponsorship. AMSOIL is now a sponsor of the Big East Snocross Tour and the Rock Maple Racing Association. Dealers in the regions report terrific exposure and increased sales. In fact, sales of AMSOIL 2-Cycle Oil have steadily increased during the period in which AMSOIL has been in Snocross racing. The growth isn't accidental. Snowmobile racing has played a tremendous role in the conquering of the snowmobile market in the U.S.

Villeneuve Finishes Second in Oval Championships

Jacques Villeneuve is a racing legend and AMSOIL user.

Jacques Villeneuve is regarded as one of the best oval ice racers in North America. The veteran Canadian driver is a former world champion. At each event of the Eastern Pro Tour Championship, you'll find his AMSOIL/SkiDoo team near the top, bidding for another title.

Oval ice racing is terribly demanding on man and machine. As drivers lean into turns at tremendous speeds, great stress is put on the snowmobiles. Villeneuve finished the 2003 season second in Eastern Pro Tour standings. He had seven podium results on the year.

Preston Preston lights up Edison Field with a win in Anaheim.

Gosselaar Gosselaar on podium at PacBell in San Francisco.

Byrne Byrne heats up the Metrodome in 125cc action.

Young Guns Give Fire to Team AMSOIL

It didn't take long for people to notice which team was putting the most riders on the podium, which team was the most consistent and which team was leading the way in performance . . . Team AMSOIL.

The 2003 supercross season has been fraught with pain from injury for AMSOIL/Chaparral/Honda team leader Mike LaRocco. A shoulder problem slowed the front-running veteran, but it didn't keep him from posting some spectacular top-10 finishes. On March 5, LaRocco underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair tears in the muscles of his rotator cuff. He could be back on the track before the end of the season. The team is targeting either Salt Lake City on April 26 or Las Vegas on May 3 for his return. However, they want to be careful not to rush and jeopardize the summer/s motocross season. In the meantime, LaRocco's young teammates have picked up where "The Rock" left off.

Travis Preston, the reigning 125cc West supercross champion, started this year's campaign posting a victory. The win at Anaheim 1 put motion his drive to a repeat title. Preston has since posted multiple top-10 finishes, including three seconds on his Honda 125, and has ridden a Honda 450 to respectable results in the rest of the events.

Always fast, Chris Gosselaar pasted top-four finishes with a strong podium placement at San Francisco. "Goose" was flying until a broken foot fractured his title chances. Still, he pushes on in 125 West action and will resume his outstanding season this month when the supercross series moves back west for the final events.

One of the great stories in supercross this year has been the racing of Michael Byrne. The Australian is a student of racing. His favorite subject to watch is LaRocco. They rode together and train together. "Byrner" not only got better with each 250cc race, but was in the top six overall. At Minneapolis, round 7, he switched to 125cc East action and didn't skip a beat posting a third place.

Rookie Ryan Mills isn't lost in the shuffle. Mills is an amateur champion who's making a mark with the pros. The kid is in the top 10 overall and showing real promise as an addition to Team AMSOIL.

The homestretch will be exciting for the team as the East series wraps up, the West fires up and the riders of AMSOIL lead the way to the podium.

Humm-dinger of an Eye-Catcher

This 2003 Hummer 2 belongs to AMSOIL snocross team owner Steve Scheuring. It's been turning heads from Valcourt, Quebec to Aspen, Colo. to Aurora, Minn. It's hard to miss.

Scheuring has always been a trend-setter. He was the first independent to incorporate a tractor/trailer to transport the team. He was the first independent to build a first-class race shop with test track. Now, he's rolling over the competition again.

The H2 has a 316 horsepower Vortec 6000 V8 engine and a 123 inch wheelbase. Scheuring will have this Humm-dinger on display at the convention.

P.J. Osmer gets the chance of a lifetime to meet his motocross idol Mike LaRocco.

P.J. has earned over 127 trophies in his short riding career.

P.J. meets 125cc West champion Travis Preston.

Holding on for a Hero

LaRocco and Team AMSOIL Riders Make Future Star's Dream Come True

Patrick Osmer didn't say much. He didn't need to. His ear-to-ear grin said it all. It's not every day you get to meet your heroes. P.J., as he prefers to be called, began competing on motorcycles at age 3. Now at 10 he has 127 trophies in his collection. Early on, P.J. learned the best riders are dedicated to the sport and committed to maintaining their bikes. It's about that time he started following the career of Team AMSOIL rider Mike LaRocco. There is no finer role model than the two-time National Champion and reigning World Champion when it comes to the discipline and hard work needed to succeed in the grueling world of motocross.

A bright and warm January day graced the first race of the 2003 supercross season. The parking lot of Edison International Field swarmed with activity as teams prepared for the season's start. P.J., his family and some friends made the more than three-hour drive from his home in Caruthers, near Fresno, down to Anaheim. This was like the Super Bowl. All the big names were there. LaRocco was there.

P.J. made his way to the AMSOIL/Chaparral/Dr. Marten's/Journeys/Honda pit area. The team was busily going about business. Mechanics made adjustments to bikes. Riders compared mental notes following a walk-through of the track. P.J. didn't want to get in the way, but when AMSOIL Racing Coordinator John Schuldt asked if he wanted to see the inside of the race trailer, how could he refuse? The chrome, tools and plain size of the rig compared to the trailer he and his father use mesmerized the young rider. The team presented P.J. with an AMSOIL cap. This meant a great deal since AMSOIL is the motor oil of choice for his bike. In a letter P.J. once sent to AMSOIL he remarked that, "AMSOIL's products allow me to get great performances and reliability out of my bikes. AMSOIL's friendship has helped me become more confident." Upon exiting the trailer, P.J. met another idol, 2002 125cc West Champion Travis Preston. Preston took a moment for a photo. "Thank you," P.J. mustered up. Preston, with cap cock-eyed on his head, responded, "No problem. Glad to do it."

It was quiet over at the LaRocco trailer. No sign of the supercross star. The one guy P.J. needed to see and he was nowhere around. Michael Byrne was available. He said, "Hello," which sounds so much cooler with an Australian accent. Byrne posed for a picture. As quick as a snap of the shutter, LaRocco had made his way to his trailer and inside. P.J. waited. Surely LaRocco would be only a moment. After several minutes it became clear the anchor of the AMSOIL team might be awhile. P.J. and his entourage decided to enter the stadium to watch practice. They'd try again later.

Hours passed and still hours left to go until race time. P.J. knew the team was scheduled for an autograph session. He got in line. LaRocco was just up ahead. Somewhere. The line seemed to crawl along. Everyone wanting photos, shirts and posters signed. Finally, the person he had come to see was in sight. Suddenly P.J. was face-to-face with the man who had become like a personal friend, though they had never met. P.J. swallowed hard and gathered the composure to ask for a photo. With a broad smile, LaRocco gestured for P.J. to come around. The kid from Caruthers stood right next to the superstar from South Bend. Unbelievable, thought P.J. From this point on, it didn't matter what would happen in a couple of hours in the show. It could rain for all he cared. The day was complete.

Canaan Manley looks to improve on his sophomore racing season.

Backdraft Motorsports blows away the competition with AMSOIL products like the 10W-40 Motorcycle Oil.

Backdraft Racing Looks Toward the Promised Land

Canaan was "the Promised Land" according to the Old Testament. In racing, the Promised Land could be seen as a championship or even a podium finish. Canaan Manley races motorcycles. He made it up the mountain once in 2002, finishing third on his 750 Superbike at a race in North Florida Motor Park. Manley rode his Suzuki TL 1000-R to three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes last year to place fourth in 750cc Superbike Novice and sixth in Heavyweight Twins Novice overall nationally. Not quite the promised land, but not bad for his second year.

Manley and his Backdraft Motorsports team have been featured in more than a dozen articles. He's worked diligently to build a solid reputation in racing and promote AMSOIL products. Dealer Ray Ozimek supports the team through a co-op sponsorship. The Tennessee native counts as one of his racing highlights the finishing of a six-hour endurance event. Like Manley, AMSOIL goes the distance too. "The 10W-40 Motorcycle Oil provided longer life to our race engines," says Manley, who was able to stretch oil changes after a minimum of three events. He says the engines ran up to 10 degrees cooler, allowing for more horsepower. After adding AMSOIL Series 2000 Octane Boost, Manley says the bike had more power out of corners, reached top speed faster and ran all season with only one spark plug change.

With AMSOIL leading the way, Canaan is on the horizon speeding toward a long, bright future in the promised land of motorcycle racing.

Ron Hoke will never switch again. He's sold on the quality of AMSOIL for his motocross bike.

Nothing Hoke-y About the Promised Performance of AMSOIL Products

Ron Hoke wants high performance from his motorcycle oil. His Kawasaki KX-100 runs with AMSOIL Series 2000 2-Cycle Oil, but Hoke nearly made a terrible choice. He took his bike to his local shop for some carburetor work. The mechanic offered this ill advice: "If it was my bike, I'd leave on the stickers and use Golden Spectro oil. "The AMSOIL was drained and the inferior oil added. It didn't take long for Hoke to realize he made a terrible mistake. "The mechanic tuned the bike great, but he has a lot to learn about lubrication," says Hoke. "I brought the bike home, sucked out the Golden Spectro and I've never looked back." Hoke says he's now converted everything he owns with a motor to AMSOIL - his Toyota, his Polaris, even his radio-controlled boat. "My whole family uses AMSOIL. Thanks for such great oil technology."

Legends Race Driver Wins With AMSOIL Lubes

Modified legends race car driver Tim Curtis, Winston-Salem, N.C. learned the value of AMSOIL products through experience on the track.

His first season of driving on the INEX legends circuit in 1998 was a long one, with lots of engine problems. He decided to see what AMSOIL products could do to improve durability and performance in his 5/8 scale legends race car.

ON THE TRACK - AMSOIL Dealer Tim Curtis of Salem-Winston, N.C. has added several wins to his legends PRO division record since he started usnig AMSOIL motor oils and other products.

"I tried every other oil under the sun that first season," Curtis said. "These cars run hot with the Yamaha 1200 air-cooled engine and no matter what I used or how often I changed it, it still smelled burned when it came out. The season ended with an expensive blowup. I started doing research on oils and found the performance characteristics of AMSOIL very intriguing, and the hype from loyal users was too much to ignore, so I bought a case to try out."

The results spoke for themselves, he said. The engine ran cooler and didn't seem to bleed power when it got hot. The next season's engine lasted the entire year and upon rebuild looked great, with reduced wear.

Curtis signed up as an AMSOIL Dealer in 2000 and took his testimony to the track. "MY AMSOIL business continues to grow," he said.

The legends car is AMSOIL-equipped from front to back with Series 2000 20W-50 Racing Oil in the engine, a Super Duty Oil Filter, synthetic Heavy-Duty Grease protectiong the wheel bearings, suspension ball-joints and steering box, AMSOIL 80W-90 Gear Lube in the differential, and all of the rod-ends lubricated with AMSOIL MP Metal Protector.

The fiberglass body components are kept show-room clean and shiny with Miracle Wash and after a long night at the track, the crew cleans up with BriteSide Heavy Duty Scrub hand cleaner.

It doesn't end there. The 1999 Ford Expedition tow vehicle also is fully AMSOIL-equipped. It got a dose of AMSOIL Engine Flush when he bought it two years ago with 25,000 miles on the engine. "It is running strong as ever with 77,000 miles, pulling a 6,000-pound trailer in the 95-degree Carolina summer heat," Curtis said. He runs AMSOIL 5W-30 Motor Oil in the engine, uses a Super Duty SDF-11 Oil Filter, and AMSOIL Universal ATF in the transmission. "I use the same in my wife Connie's 2001 Honda Odyssey," Curtis said. "The door hinges on my trailer also get a shot of AMSOIL MP Heavy Duty Metal Protector. I also use AMSOIL 100:1 2-Cycle Pre-Mix in my mowers and trimmers."

In 2002, with two cars and sponsorship from his Direct Jobbers, Gary and Sandra Newport also of Winston Salem, N.C., Curtis has collected several wins and finished an impressive top 10 PRO division N.C. state points championship for oval track legends, and a top 5 in PRO division N.C. state points championship for road course legends. He also sponsors a limited late model team at his home track, Caraway Speedway near Asheboro, N.C.

"It's great to have a product you can rely on and believe in," Curtis said. "When you talk about performance enhancement from lubrication you may get some funny looks, but the savvy guys will listen to you. Mainly what racers want is protection of their investment and AMSOIL products deliver both protection and performance."

The 2002-2003 snocross season is quickly racing by. As in years past it all gets started in Duluth, Minn. on Thanksgiving weekend.

Remember as a kid when everyone got together in the backyard for some fun and games? It was especially nice when it was your backyard because you could play by your rules. There was a comfort level, a familiarity with the lay of the land. The world's best snowmobile racers came to the backyard of AMSOIL to play in the first round of the World Snowmobile Association snocross season. Team AMSOIL riders Justin Tate and DJ Eckstrom used the home field advantage to post some great results. The track was white with machine-made, snow-like ice pellets. With a clear sky and bright sun, those little icy BBs stung the face and blinded drivers.

Team AMSOIL entered the year with perhaps the most on the line. Prior to the season there was great intrigue over the switch to Polaris sleds after a long and successful relationship with another manufacturer.

In the Pro Stock class Eckstrom showed his strengths with skillful and artistic riding. He was running strong until a large ice chunk from the track got stuck in the sled's suspension, derailing the track. Eckstrom limped to a 10th place finish.

The big showdown is always the Pro Open final. Eckstrom again qualified for the front row. Tate, as in Pro Stock, ran into an early round tangle and missed the final. Eckstrom picked up the AMSOIL effort. At the drop of the green flag, Eckstrom's sled was first off the line. He grabbed the holeshot. He was eventually caught and relinquished his lead. Trying to gain ground with only three laps left, Eckstrom attempted to launch man and machine through the air over a triple jump. He landed very hard and nearly ejected from the sled. With every muscle he managed to hold on. Eckstrom gathered his composure and remained in the thrilling race to finish third. The hometown fans roared with appreciation. It's fun to play in your own backyard.

Team AMSOIL Soars, Takes Home Hardware in Supercross Opener

Preston Proves 2002 No Fluke

Travis Preston is a tall, lanky guy with that California cool look. You might expect to see him on the beach. Instead, he rides the ebb and flow of motorcycle racing. Right now he's riding the crest of the wave and taking AMSOIL long with him. The Team AMSOIL rider is proving that last season's 125cc West Championship was no fluke. Preston has plenty of pressure to repeat, but it didn't show as he prepared for the AMA supercross series at Edison International Field in Anaheim, Calif. on January 4. Maybe the lofty expectations did affect him a bit as he fell in his preliminary heat. The budding star got up quickly, regained composure and went on to qualify for the final. Teammate Chris Gosselaar flew around the track for the win.

The main event was spectacular for AMSOIL/Chapparal/Honda Racing. Gosselar grabbed his second holeshot of the night for an early lead. By lap four Preston had caught him and passed him using a great blocking move on the way to the front. It was all Preston from that point on. Gosselaar finished fourth, but all the talk was about Preston. He was never challenged on his way to his first victory of the season and took a giant first step toward retaining his number one plate.

Look for Supercross Superstar in Front at the End

They don't call Mike LaRocco "Iron Mike" for nothing. There is no quit in him. The track layout at Edison International Field for the 2003 supercross opener was challenging to say the least, even for the veterans.

LaRocco got one of the best starts in the final. The leader of Team AMSOIL came out of the gate third. Often "The Rock" is pushing ahead from the pack, but with this start fans knew something extraordinary was about to happen. By the middle of the first lap the reigning World Champion and 2002 US Open champion had his AMSOIL 250cc Honda in second place and flying. Behind him was Travis Pastrana and teammate Michael Byrne. Coming out of a corner entering a difficult whoops section, LaRocco got cockeyed and went down. Pastrana with nowhere to go smacked hard into the fallen icon. Like a train wreck, Byrne crashed into the two only to be followed by another rider. Ironically it was Pastrana that ended LaRocco's promising 2002 campaign by causing an injury. The pileup left Byrner's bike bent and his night was done. Pastrana pulled off soon after. LaRocco mustered the strength to go on and finished 17th. It's that kind of character that will have LaRocco and AMSOIL at the front of the pack when all is said and done.

Travis Preston poses with his 2003 Anaheim supercross trophy. The number one rider uses the number one synthetic oil...AMSOIL.

AMSOIL Truck Showcased at SEMA Show

Dan VandenHeuval puts AMSOIL front and center at the SEMA show.

More than 80,000 attendees of the 2002 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) convention had an opportunity to see the AMSOIL/Kumho Tire truck of Dave "The Flying Dutchman" VandenHeuval up close and meet one of the top drivers in off-road racing. The truck was a big hit with those waking the convention floor. The red, white and blue Chevy turned heads as it sat majestically as a center piece in the Kumho booth.

VandenHeuval is coming off of a very successful season of Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR). He was third in overall Pro-2 points with 10 podiums and never finished a race out of the top 10. VandenHeuval capped his season with a dramatic third place finish in the prestigious Borg-Warner Championship.

AMSOIL and its Dealers sponsor several drivers in CORR racing including Mike Oberg (3rd place Sportsman 2), Ben Wandahsega (4th place Sportsman 2) and Mark Kleiman (Stock Champion).