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When you choose Champion spark plugs, you’re taking advantage of more than 100 years of design, development and manufacturing expertise. That’s a whole century’s
worth of credibility.

Yet, Champion spark plugs are backed by more than just expertise and time in the market. Impressively, more than 400 Formula 1 winners to date have been driving vehicles fitted with Champion spark plugs. That’s an amazing ‘track’ record!  That kind of confidence speaks volumes about the performance, reliability and durability of the brand.

According to Motospecs Brand Manager, Richard Smith, Champion spark plugs truly are the choice for champion drivers – drivers who put their very lives on the line when they race, and whose need for a high performance, trusted spark plug is absolute.

“Rodney Sylvestro is a case in point,” explains Richard. “As a Top Fuel Drag Bike rider, he risks his life every time he races. In the event that his spark plug fails, the
likelihood is that the bike’s engine would explode under his chest. Rodney has absolute faith in Champion spark plugs, and says with confidence that he would never change his brand of spark”. 

Money simply can’t buy that kind of endorsement.

Top Door Slammer champion, Victor Bray, is another iconic figure in motorsport who swears by Champion spark plugs. 

“According to Victor, there is no other spark plug to use if you want reliability and performance,” says Richard. “Drag racing vehicles are incredibly powerful, producing up to 8,000 horsepower compared to the average car that produces 200 – 300 horsepower. With cars like these there can be no mucking about, and certainly no compromise on the choice of parts such as spark plugs.”

“A key point to make about the experiences of serious drivers like Rodney Sylvestro, Victor Bray and others who choose Champion – such as the Australian V8 Utes where every driver uses Champion Iridium Spark Plugs, as well as Top Fuel dragster driver and team owner, Darren Morgan – is that Champion is their personal choice. Champion does not pay these drivers for their endorsement.”

“Of his own accord, Darren chose to use Champion spark plugs, and since using Champion he has won back to back Top Fuel championships.”

This same quality and engineering goes into all Champion spark plugs including the Iridium range, featuring the “dual precious metal” advantage of both Iridium and Platinum. Champion spark plugs are the highest quality product at an affordable price point.

“The quality of Champion spark plugs today is unquestionable.”

For more information please contact 0800 809 808, or visit www.championsparkplugs.co.nz

Two Roush Fenway Racing Fords will start on the front row of the Daytona 500, and both are powered by “Performance Driven™” Champion® spark plugs. 

Carl Edwards and the Champion-powered No. 99 Aflac Ford captured the pole during the qualifying session with a speed of 194.738 miles per hour, edging out Roush Fenway teammate Greg Biffle and the No. 16 3M Novek Ford (194.087 mph). Beyond the two Fords in the front row, fans will have to wait until the completion of the twin Gatorade Duel 150 qualifiers to determine the lineup for the 54th running of “The Great American Race.” 

“Carl is starting the year the same way he ran most of 2011 – at the front of the racing field,” said Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director Tim Nelson. “We’re obviously very proud that Champion spark plugs will help power these two cars and several more at Daytona, and we’re certain that Champion will help power several Sprint Cup victories in 2012.”

The Champion racing plugs used by NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series teams feature Champion’s latest surface gap designs to help optimize spark location within the combustion chamber for maximum burn rate. Each plug is equipped with a solid nickel core electrode for maximum performance and thermal efficiency in today’s most sophisticated engines.

When Brisbane mechanic, Sean McCaughey, attended an Autopartners trade night in September last year, he never expected to walk away with the lucky door prize, nor did he expect it to be a weekend in the pits at the upcoming Armor All Gold Coast 600!

 “I was really pleased to win the prize,” says Sean, who although a car enthusiast, had limited experience with the V8 utes racing series. He describes his three days at the Armor All Gold Coast 600 as “a real eye opener and a whole lot of fun.”

From 21 – 23 October, Sean, who works at Suzi Auto Services in Springwood, Brisbane, was a member of the Auto One pit crew, working on the Auto One Wild Card Ute and enjoying a true ‘behind the scenes’ racing experience.

 “The whole event was pretty full on. The amount of work that goes into the cars is huge…much more than I ever realised. There’s a massive amount of preparation before each race and numerous pre-checks. I was amazed at how quickly all the work has to be done and how many parts the pit crew have on hand – you could practically re-build a whole car with everything they had there!” says Sean.

Given his experience as a mechanic, Sean was welcomed by the pit crew and even given a nickname – Lucky.

“They called me Lucky because I won the lucky door prize,” Sean explains. “I did feel really lucky to be there and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, even though it was a lot of hard work! We looked after four cars so there was always something happening. I enjoyed the chance to work on each one of them.”

“I assisted with wheel alignments, changing tyres, changing starter motors, fluid checks and more. Each time we worked on a car it was like doing a ‘pre-check’ back at Suzi Auto. We needed to be so thorough. After all, you are dealing with someone’s life in motor racing. The driver really relies on the mechanics to make sure everything in the car is just right so he can concentrate 100% on driving.”

During the three days, Sean pit-crewed for Auto One Wildcard Ute driver, David Besnard’s car.

“Meeting David was a great experience. It was good to get some photos and he gave me a signed t-shirt as well.” 

While he thoroughly enjoyed the Armor All Gold Coast 600, Sean is just as enthusiastic about the event that led to his prize – the Autopartners trade night.

“It was at Dick Johnson’s workshop in Stapylton in Brisbane. It was a really useful evening and I got a lot out of listening to the presentations. Having detailed information on products is vital in our business. If you can give customers honest, accurate information about the products you use in their cars it really gives them confidence in you. Word of mouth is so important in our industry and this can help boost your local reputation.”

“At the trade night I was interested to hear more about Champion spark plugs and how they resist the heat created in the engine using thermal heat technology and I am going to pass that information onto my customers.”

As Sean saw first-hand, drivers in the V8 Utes Australia racing series stand by Champion Iridium spark plugs 100%, thanks to their reliability, durability and consistent performance both under pressure and across varying heat ranges.

These are the same plugs that are available for use in every day road vehicles across the country.

“I’ve just turbo charged my own car and I’m planning to give the Champions a go after learning about them at the trade night then seeing them perform so well at the Armor All Gold Coast 600,” says Sean.

“My boss at Suzi Auto Services is also planning to give Champions a go. Because they last so much longer they’re a good product to sell to customers as far as I’m concerned.”

Although they are a relatively small part, spark plugs play a crucial role in the performance of any engine. Vital to generating horsepower, without a quality spark plug a vehicle simply can’t perform at its best, whether it’s on the road or on the racetrack.

For Greg Evans, owner/operator of the largest driver experience operator in Australia, V8 Race Experience, fitting his company’s vehicles with an inferior spark plug simply isn’t an option. Greg and the V8 Race team choose and proudly endorse Champion Iridium spark plugs – exactly the same plugs as fitted by countless mechanics and discerning vehicle owners to everyday road cars around the country. Reflecting the popularity of Champion Iridium, Greg says there is no other plug on the market that can match it for performance, life span and reliability.

V8 Race Experience offers regular drivers the chance to drive a racing car in an authentic race environment. With operations at major raceways in six states, Greg says the performance and durability of Champion Iridium spark plugs helps him to run a successful venture.

“V8 Race cars experience some of the harshest conditions possible. They depend on spark plug durability, as all drivers expect maximum performance from our vehicles, from dawn to dusk.”

Vehicles within the V8 Race Experience fleet are required to perform at a rate beyond even that of a professional racing car, as each V8 Race car is driven continuously at high speed for up to eight hours each day.

“A single car does more than the entire length of Bathurst in a day, and we run them for 90 days each year. In addition, each V8 Race Experience vehicle is driven by a large number of different drivers each day. We choose Champion Iridium because we know they help guarantee our delivery of authentic, high speed driving experiences to each of our customers, day in, day out.”

Greg says V8 Race Experience have used Champion Iridium in their vehicles’ engines for more than seven years and have consistently found them to offer superior performance. More than 20,000 drivers every year enjoy the V8 Race experience, further reflecting the quality and dependability of Champion Iridium, even in incredibly demanding conditions.

“Champion Iridium provide peak performance, optimum spark at high revs and continued performance even in the face of extreme under bonnet temperatures and minimal recovery time,” says Greg.

“Because they continuously deliver performance and long life, Champion Iridium is the spark plug of choice to ignite our drivers”.   

When it comes to product endorsement, you can’t get much better than that!

For Rob Anderson and his brother-in-law, Ben, drag racing is a passion the pair have enjoyed together for more than a decade. With Ben as driver and Rob as engine builder, the duo have successfully competed at drag racing events all over Australia.

Rob and Ben have built and raced a few different cars over the years, the most recent being a late 1970s LX Torana hatchback. As engine builder, Rob says he was experiencing difficulties with the vehicle, and no matter how much he tinkered and tweaked he could not get it to perform at its peak.

“We converted the Torana from a carburetted engine to mechanical fuel injection. From that point on, tuning the engine became an exercise in frustration as no matter what I did I couldn’t seem to get it quite right,” explains Rob. “We were getting close, but we couldn’t achieve consistent engine performance and get the car to the level we thought it should be. Nothing we did was making a real difference.”

Success came for the pair once Rob installed a Champion Drag spark plug.

“We attended the Victor Bray Trade Night and after speaking to the Champion reps at the event we thought we’d give Champion spark plugs a go.”

“Such a small part, but it made all the difference!” says Rob. “We fitted the Champion drag racing spark plug in time for the Winternationals warm up event and the car ran quicker straight away. It gave the engine more consistency and round after round the performance improved…it just got better and better!”

The best was yet to come, however. At the actual Winternationals event, held at Queensland’s Willowbank Raceway in June 2010, the Torana recorded a personal best time.

“She actually achieved one PB after another,” says Rob. “She’d run a PB then in the next round she’d beat the PB she’d just recorded. It was amazing! We finished up with three PBs in a row, with a final PB of 9.470 which we were both thrilled with.”

Rob says fitting the Champion drag racing spark plug has meant that driver, Ben, can now focus on driving, instead of worrying about trying to get the engine to perform.

“To be competitive in drag racing you need repetition and consistency. If things keep changing all the time while you’re trying to drive, the more problems you have and the harder it is to focus on the race. Now Ben can actually drive the Torana the way it’s supposed to be driven, which is the ideal situation.”

Rob says he’s found that Champion spark plugs outlast any plug he has run in an engine previously.

“Round after round they give us better power plus the consistency we need.”

Away from the track, Rob has experienced further success with Champion spark plugs. He is the owner/manager of Queensland Ski Boat Sales (ski boat sales and repairs), as well as Armstrong Automotive (all vehicle mechanical servicing and repairs). He has completely switched both businesses to stocking, using and recommending Champion spark plugs and says the feedback he’s had from customers has been excellent.

“Customers want to use something that the workshop recommends and I’m very happy to endorse the performance of Champion. I show my customers that I’ve converted the Torana and tell them our story and they’re very impressed. The proof’s in the pudding as they say!”

After announcing his partnership with Champion, Harvick claimed his second consecutive NASCAR® Camping World Truck Series victory on Saturday, 20 August at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Harvick became the first driver to win a race in all three NASCAR national series at MIS after taking the lead on the final restart in a thrilling green-white-checkered finish. 

“Kevin and his drivers put on a great show right in our backyard,” said Michael Proud, Marketing Director for Champion in North America. “The entire Champion spark plug team is proud to be associated with one of NASCAR’s premier drivers and team owners.”

“Kevin has a great shot at a Sprint Cup title and he’s clearly having a lot of fun in his limited Truck Series schedule,” said Motorsports Director, Tim Nelson. “The No. 2 Chevrolet simply overpowered the rest of the field over the final 10 laps – it was a very convincing performance by Kevin, the KHI team and Champion spark plugs.”

On the same day as his own victory, Harvick – who is the name behind the hugely successful Kevin Harvick Inc (KHI) team – also celebrated the debut of the Champion-sponsored No 33 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Ron Hornaday, which finished an impressive seventh.

KHI has three full-time teams in the NASCAR Truck Series and two full-time teams in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, competing for both the driver and owner championship titles in each series. 

In addition to his success in the Truck Series, Harvick stands third in 2011 Sprint Cup Series points with three wins plus six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. His No 29 Budweiser Chevrolet, owned by Richard Childress Racing, is powered by “Performance Driven™” Champion spark plugs, as are KHI’s two NASCAR Nationwide cars and three Camping World Truck Series trucks.

“It’s great to partner with Champion and we wanted to kick off our new business relationship in style,” Harvick said. “I’m pleased with our win and a top-10 for the Champion Silverado, but this is only the beginning. Champion plugs give us a proven power advantage on the track and we’re going to make the most of it every time the green flag flies.”

“Champion helps our teams build more power,” Harvick added. “I’ve seen it in every NASCAR car and truck I’ve raced.”

Harvick’s appointment as Champion’s new spokesperson fits seamlessly with the brand’s reputation for quality and performance in Australia, where Champion is the choice of Australia's own version of the NASCAR truck series – the V8 Ute Racing Series. Drivers in this series stand by Champion spark plugs 100%, thanks to their reliability, durability and consistent performance both under pressure and across varying heat ranges.

Australian V8 Ute drivers routinely applaud the Champion brand. 2010 V8 Ute Racing Series winner, Grant Johnson from Hi Tech Motorsport, says he’s had 100% dependability and stellar performance from the Champion plugs that were fitted to his SS Holden last year, and which contributed to his outstanding results on the track in 2010.

“I haven’t had a single problem with Champion spark plugs,” says Grant. “I won three rounds and achieved four pole positions during the series, then finished up as the 2010 winner. Champion spark plugs are perfect for me and the rest of the team, because they are a high quality product and 100% reliable.”

Grant’s sentiments are echoed by go-kart racer turned V8 ute racer, Ryal Harris, who credits Champion Iridium Spark Plugs with delivering better lap times during his races.

“The engine really cops a beating during each V8 Ute event, yet compared to the plugs I was using previously, with the Champions I definitely noticed an improvement in engine performance and lap times,” says Ryal.  “Champion plugs produce a noticeable performance gain over race distance, which is impressive.”

“Other advantages with Champion spark plugs are that they make the engine run more smoothly and they also burn very cleanly. I have more confidence driving with Champions under the bonnet. Knowing how well they work helps me concentrate 100% on my driving.”

In fact, the Champion brand has enjoyed unparalleled success in motorsports worldwide, with championships in NASCAR, NHRA, IHRA and Formula One competition as well as in leading motorcycle, go-kart, snocross and other series across the globe.

As any racing vehicle driver will attest, what’s under the bonnet can either make or break your performance. This is especially true for drivers of V8 racing utes, who put their high calibre engines through some insanely demanding conditions in their quest for glory on the track.

In this category of motorsport, where horsepower is everything, one of the most critical engine operating parts is the spark plug. This inexpensive component may seem unassuming, yet for V8 ute racers a high quality spark plug is worth a lot more than its purchase price. Likewise, quality Champion spark plugs deliver additional reliability and performance to ordinary, everyday Australian motorists.

In 2010, all teams racing in Australia’s V8 Ute Racing Series have used top quality, Champion Iridium Spark Plugs – the same plugs used and trusted by many regular Australian road users. Having just concluded a tough and intense eight-race series, several of the drivers involved made comment on how they have been impressed by the consistent performance and durability of Champion plugs.

2010 V8 Ute Racing Series winner, Grant Johnson from Hi Tech Motorsport, says he’s had 100% dependability and stellar performance from the Champion plugs that were fitted to his SS Holden at the beginning of the season. According to Grant, the reliability of the Champion plugs contributed to his outstanding results on the track in 2010.

“I haven’t had a single problem with Champion spark plugs,” says Grant. “I won three rounds and achieved four pole positions during the series, then finished up as the 2010 winner, so it’s been a great year. Champion spark plugs are perfect for me and the rest of the team, because they are a high quality product and 100% reliable.”

Grant’s sentiments are echoed by Hi Tech Motorsport’s team manager, John Pachos.

“We were given two sets of Champion Iridium Spark Plugs at the beginning of 2010 but we’ve only used one set because we haven’t needed to replace them! Lots of people blame the spark plug when an engine runs into problems, but that certainly isn’t the case for our vehicles. In fact, I’ve never had a Champion spark plug fail me in all my years in racing,” says John.

Former go-kart racer turned V8 ute racer, Ryal Harris, credits Champion Iridium Spark Plugs with delivering better lap times during his races in 2010. His year’s highlights include achieving a lap record at Indy as well as coming third at both Homebush and Bathurst.

“The engine really cops a beating during each event, yet compared to the plugs I was using in 2009, with the Champions I definitely noticed an improvement in engine performance and lap times,” says Ryal.  “Champion plugs produce a noticeable performance gain over race distance, which is impressive.”

“Another point about Champion spark plugs is they make the engine run smoother. They burn very cleanly and each time we checked the engine the plugs were very clean. I have more confidence driving with Champions under the bonnet. Knowing how well they work helps me concentrate 100% on my driving.”

This is an ideal situation for racing drivers, who want to focus totally on their race and not be worried about being let down by an engine component.

For Chris Pither from Ice Break Racing, achieving third place and a spot on the podium in the 2010 V8 Ute Racing Series was “a great achievement for myself and also for the whole team.” Chris says in the past he’s thought of spark plugs as “consumable parts” that need replacing frequently.

“This is not the case with Champion. They last longer…we’ve been able to put them in and just forget about them.”

Gary Baxter from Sage Automation Racing came a respectable sixth in this year’s V8 Ute Racing Series. A seasoned driver and trained mechanic, Gary has been motor racing for more than 30 years and says his Champion Iridium Spark Plugs have been “faultless” throughout 2010.

“To be honest, I’m a Champion spark plug fan anyway, but it’s been great this year to put the Champions into the vehicles with confidence, and know that they won’t let us down.”

According to Gary, “when a spark plug is working properly you don’t even think about it.” But when things go wrong it spells disaster.

“Losing a spark plug half way through a race would be a catastrophe…you’d lose such a massive amount of horsepower. We spend a considerable amount of time and money on our cars and we just can’t take the risk of installing a low-grade product that might fail on the day. We always run with the best products, and Champion falls into that category.”

Gary says track conditions during the V8 Ute Racing Series can be extreme.

“Every single race is demanding because you’re continually revving the engine to the rev limit. In locations such as Darwin, Townsville or Adelaide it can also get incredibly hot on the track, meaning the spark plug is under a lot of pressure. Within the combustion chamber there is an explosion at the tip of the spark plug about 40 times every second. Multiply that by the average length of a race and you can see why a quality spark plug is such a big deal.”

For both drivers and team managers, Champion Iridium Spark Plugs have proven themselves across all eight of this year’s V8 Ute Racing Series events, offering performance enhancement plus absolute reliability. Given the tough and gruelling conditions of the series, there simply couldn’t be a better endorsement of the quality behind the Champion brand.