Founded in 1911 to produce horse-drawn carriage lamps, the Electric Autolite Company was a thriving automotive parts manufacturer by the 1930s. The company’s signature product was developed in 1935 when a new laboratory was equipped and staffed specifically to engineer the first Autolite spark plug. Success came quickly, and soon Autolite was supplying spark plugs and ignition components to original equipment manufacturers such as Chrysler, Studebaker, Packard and Willys.
Today, the Autolite brand continues to grow, providing the automotive aftermarket and OEMs with the high-quality ignition products, including spark plugs, ignition wire sets and coil-on-plug boots. State-of-the-art process control and automated inspection helps ensure that quality Autolite products meet rigorous internal and customer demands.
Autolite® spark plugs are warranted to the purchaser against defects in materials and workmanship by Autolite®, a division of FRAM Group Operations LLC.
Since 1967,UCI/Framgroup brands – Prestone®, FRAM® and Autolite® – have actively participated in the world of racing. As avid sponsors in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), AMA Superbike Pro roadracing and Snowmobile endurance racing, Autolite has relationships with a number of drivers who constantly push the brands’ products under the most extreme conditions.
Autolite racing experts are constantly trackside, helping crews fine-tune their machines and providing them with avariety of high-performance products that meet today’s strict racing standards.
From hardcore enthusiasts to backyard mechanics, from the guys at the counter to the guys at the garage, people in the know trust the brands that not only bring excitement to the track, but use that passion and know-how to produce high-quality, long-lasting replacement and performance parts for the real world of everyday driving.
Autolite proves that great products can result from the real-world test-lab of racing. From drag strips and dirt tracks to driveways and highways, Autolite is dedicated to providing technology that helps vehicles, both on and off the field of racing.
After driving to another top-ten finish in points last season, Cory “Mac” McClenathan continues his partnership with FRAM in 2010. McClenathan has seventeen top-ten finishes in the NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel points standings, and ranks sixth all-time on the Top Fuel win list. It takes a great spark plug to fire up this 8,000-horsepower engine, and Autolite can make it happen at over 300 mph!
Autolite-sponsored rider Mike Morgan began his racing career at age 11, initially racing motocross on 80cc motorcycles before moving up to 125cc bikes. At age 17, he transitioned from dirt bikes to road bikes and has never looked back. Mike placed on the podium with a 2nd-place finish in his first year. He continued to place on the podium the following year and won his first race as an amateur.
In 2003, Mike turned expert, and by mid-year he had accumulated enough points to acquire an AMA Professional Racing License. Mid Ohio Sports Car Course was Mike’s first AMA Pro race. He finished 21st against Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda factory teams. In 2006, Mike focused on the AMA Professional Series exclusively, attending 6 out of 11 rounds held across the U.S. To date, the top finish in AMA Pro races for Mike has been 18th, competing against, and sometimes beating, much larger teams.
Autolite-sponsored Isaac Wolfgang is making waves in the snowmobile racing world. After winning rookie of the year in 2002, he has quickly become the rider to beat on the oval track circuit, winning the 500cc and 600cc Championships in 2009. Riding for Skid Row Racing, he finished 7th in the grueling I-500 race in 2009, the oldest and toughest snowmobile race in the world. This race is a true test of men and machines, and Autolite spark plugs powered him all the way.
Jerry Reeves, Autolite spark plug Engineering Supervisor, has the dual role of using his Pro/Am road racing bike for both Autolite spark plug and FRAM oil filter development. He loves to ride, and Autolite continually uses his bike to prove their products under extreme racing conditions.