Tuff Truck Racing

 Tuff Truck Racing usually takes place where there is a Monster Truck Show. These are not huge machines like other Amsoil sponsored Monster Trucks, but rather your more everyday truck that someone has taken the time, and gotten the idea to race on the same course that the Monster Trucks race. The truck and driver usually take a severe beating going over the bumps and jumps, with many of the trucks not even making it through the race.

Ken Avis is one of these racers, and has appeared numerous times on ESPN2 and TNN and usually in the winner's circle. He likes to put on a show in his Toyota 4x4, Just Redneckin', by flying over the jumps, and putting his truck through maneuvers most others avoid. Because of his showmanship, he has become a favorite on the circuit.

Ken first approached me to purchase some AMSOIL Gear Lube for his truck, and later called me for more fluids. He told me he used to race using other oils, and often would blow his engine when he would reach high revs in the race. After switching to AMSOIL 5W-30 and the Series 2000 75W-90 Gear Lube, he had yet to loose one. Ken became an AMSOIL Dealer himself, so that he could save more money on what he was always using, as well as being able to supply it to his other truck friends.

My first event with Ken was the Monster Truck Show in Orlando, Florida in February 1999. I had never been to one of these before and didn't know what to expect. We set up a small display near his truck and showed some of the spectators and other drivers what it was that he ran. When the race was about to begin I took my place in the stands and watched the event. Ken put his truck through the paces and ended up winning third place out of twenty-four other racers.

After the race I went down to talk with him and he was all excited, but not just from his victory, but because he still had his truck. On the first race he lost his cooling fan, and every race after that, his temperature gauge was pegged. He made a total of four runs. On the last one, he also had to wait for the track to clear due to a truck that rolled on the previous run. Ken waited at the start line with his truck running at idle and in the red for about 10 minutes before his race started. He told me he was convinced he was going to loose his engine, but he was there to race, and nothing was going to stop him from trying.

He completed the race, came in third, and didn't loose his engine. Later in the week he looked his truck over, fixed the fan, and it was ready to go again. That next weekend he raced it up in Jacksonville, Florida, and it is still racing now with no problems from that occurrence. He swears had he been using anything other than AMSOIL, he would have been rebuilding his engine that weekend rather than racing in Jacksonville.

Ken has converted all of his vehicles over to AMSOIL, including a Ford he uses to tow his trucks, a Mud Truck he races, and the rest of the family vehicles. His experiences has helped him to promote AMSOIL to others. Nothing better then a testimonial from a fellow racer. Watch for him at upcoming shows, and on television.

Read Ken's interview in Florida Motor Sports Magazine

See more pictures of Ken racing