Charlotte, NC (December 15, 2015) – Robby Gordon and Team SPEED are returning to compete in the 2016 Dakar Rally in full force with Two super car HST Gordini’s contending for the overall win. Gordon will drive his familiar bright orange #312 SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires/ TRAXXAS entry; while 2015 Stadium SUPER Trucks Champion, and X Games Gold Medalist Sheldon Creed, joins the team and will be the youngest competitor into a Dakar Rally piloting a similar looking #337 SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires Gordini.

Both race vehicles will rely solely on Toyo Open Country tires to deliver the maximum Off-Road performance, and durability needed to tackle the 13-day challenge; 5,739-mile (9,237 KM) through the extreme terrain of Argentina and Bolivia.

Gordon, a Dakar fan favorite is no stranger to the event making 2016 his 12th start. Since the first in 2005, Gordon has gone on to capture 12 stage victories, with five top 15 overall finishes. By capturing the overall third place podium in 2009, Gordon became the first American in the history of the Dakar to capture a stage win and overall podium finish, even as a manufacture.

Joining Gordon in the cockpit of the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires/Traxxas Gordini will be previous 3-time Dakar navigator, and veteran Baja co-pilot, Kellon Walch.

“Kellon has been very involved in all our test sessions throughout 2015 as well as the Baja 500 and Baja 1000. The in-car communication and mechanical skills between the both of us is some of the best I have ever had for the Dakar.” stated Gordon.

For the first time since 2012, Team SPEED will enter an additional racecar in the Rally with 2015 Stadium SUPER Trucks Champion and X-Games Gold Medalist, Sheldon Creed making his first Dakar start.

Creed, who will be recorded as the youngest competitor in the 36-year history of the world famous rally will join veteran Dakar competitor Robby Gordon and Team SPEED to drive the vehicle that captured the final special of 2015 with sponsor support from SPEED Energy and Toyo Tires.

“Being a teammate with Robby for Dakar is an absolute dream come true. I’ve gotten to know him super well over the last few years, and I have seen how much hard work he puts into his Dakar program. Out of all drivers that I could have the chance to be teammates with, this is a true honor to be able to learn and test my driving skills against some of the best in the world under the watchful eye of a Dakar great,” Creed said.

As a Southern California short-course off-road racing phenom Creed boasts an impressive racing resume for an 18-year old, capturing 12 previous off-road championships, and staking claim to a season record 11-SST victories in 2015, including taking home the 2015 X-Games gold medal.

“When looking at drivers for the second HST Gordini we did not have to look very far as ultra talented 2015 Stadium SUPER Trucks Champion and X Games Gold Medalist Sheldon Creed is super familiar with the vehicle size and handling. My biggest challenge with Sheldon will not be going fast, but will be holding the reins back on him to make the vehicle last 13-days. The first half of the race he is a driver, but a student up against some of the best Rally racers in the world.”

Jonah Street, a motorcycle veteran whom has competed in six prior editions of the Dakar (2006-2012), will try his hand at navigating for the first time sitting along side of Creed.

“I think Sheldon is really talented, so getting to work with him in his first trip to Dakar is going to be awesome. I have watched him race this past year and he looks great!” Street commented in regards to competing with Sheldon.

Beginning on January 2nd in Buenos Aires, Argentina competitors will gather in front of hundreds of thousands fans for opening ceremonies, along with a short qualifying stage that will set the starting positions for the following day. From Buenos Aires competitors will be led West on narrow gravel roads and paths through forests and fields into the extreme elevations of the Andes Mountains North into Bolivia where competitors will be turned around, and head back South to Salta, Argentina then East to the finish in Rosario on January 16th.

Homebush, New South Wales (December 6, 2015)- Famed Australian stunt man and SST driver Matt Mingay captured his second Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS victory of 2015 on Sunday morning in the SST TRAXXAS trucks finale of the Sydney 500 on the temporary Sydney Olympic Park temporary street circuit in Homebush, New South Wales, Aus.

Mingay, a resident of Gold Coast, Queensland, Aus., drove his No. 2 Hot Wheels/ Castrol EDGE-sponsored truck to the front of the pack dodging bumping and banging trucks in front of him. Rob Whyte would get into the TRAXXAS truck of Scottsdale Ariz., driver P.J. Jones on Lap-2 allowing Mingay to get by into the second position behind early leader United Fiber & Data driver Matt Brabham from Gold Coast, Queensland, Aus.

A restart would set up a sprint for the finish as Brabham, Mingay, and 2015 SST Champion Sheldon Creed would go 3-wide for position down the extra wide back straight going into the corner. As the three would bump into each other not giving any ground Mingay would nab the lead, followed by Creed, shuffling Brabham back to the third position after been stuck on the outside.

As Creed looked inside Mingay for the lead going side by side over the TRAXXAS jump, the red flag was displayed as Nazareth, Penn., driver Bill Hynes would roll over his United Fiber and Data truck placing it on its side in the middle of the racing surface. Hynes would exit the truck unhurt, but the time limit of the event would expire cutting the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS final event of the 2015 season short 2 laps.

Mingay would be declared the winner, followed by Creed in the second position, and Brabham rounding out the podium.

Jones would be credited in the fourth position in his TRAXXAS truck, as LIVE / Think Loud Entertainment driver Scotty Steele from Peoria, Ariz., would recover from a rough start to the weekend to finish the race in the fifth position. Norwell, Queensland, Aus., driver Paul Morris in his SuperCheapAuto / Hungry Jacks truck would drive a conservative race capturing the sixth position.

South Australian driver’s Brad Gallard and Greg Gartner were credited with the seventh position and eighth positions respectively after both had contact early and lost valuable groud on the lead pack.

Hynes, would be recorded in the ninth position after his roll over troubles through the chicane. Gold Coast, Queenland, Aus., driver Rob Whyte’s race was ended early after his Just Car Insurance / Motul Oil TRAXXAS truck made heavy contact with the outside tire barrier.

SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires driver Robby Gordon of Orange, Calif., would continue with more bad luck as a motor would expire on in early in the race event crediting him with the eleventh position.

Sheldon Creed would capture the overall win for the weekend with the lowest average between all three races with his two wins and second place finish, Second was claimed by Norwell, Queensland, Aus., driver Paul Morris in his SuperCheapAuto.com truck, and the overall podium was completed by race 3 winner Matt Mingay.

With the finish of the third exhibition event at the Sydney 500 on Sunday morning the 2015 SST season has come to a close. Stay tuned to StadiumSuperTrucks.com and Facebook.com/StadiumSuperTrucks in the next two weeks for the release of the 2016 Stadium SUPER Trucks schedule.

SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by Traxxas
Sydney 500 Race No. 3 Homebush, New South Wales, Australia

1. Matt Mingay; No. 2; Gold Coast, Queensland, Aus.; Hot Wheels/ Castrol EDGE

2. Sheldon Creed; No. 74; Alpine, California; TRAXXAS

3. Matt Brabham; No. 83; Gold Coast, Queensland; United Fiber & Data / Think Loud Entertainment

4. P.J. Jones; No. 47; Scottsdale, Arizona TRAXXAS

5. Scotty Steele; No. 48; Peoria, Arizona; LIVE / Think Loud Entertainment

6. Paul Morris; No. 67; Norwell, Queensland, Aus.; SuperCheapAuto.com / Hungry Jacks

7. Brad Gallard; No. 454; Renmark, South Australia, Aus.; 360Fly

8. Greg Gartner; No. 500; Penola, South Australia, Aus.; Clipsal 500 Adelaide / Toyo Tires

9. Bill Hynes; No. 57; Nazareth, Pennsylvania; United Fiber & Data / Think Loud Entertainment

10. Rob Whyte; No. 11; Gold Coast, Queensland, Aus.; Just Car Insurance / Motul Oils

11. Robby Gordon; No. 7; Orange, California; SPEED Energy / TRAXXAS / Toyo Tires

Stadium Super Trucks Sydney Coateshire 500 Entry List

#2 – Matt Mingay (AUS)
#7 – Robby Gordon (USA)
#11 – Rob Whyte (AUS)
#47 – PJ Jones (USA)
#48 – Scotty Steele (USA)
#57 – Bill Hynes (USA)
#67 – Paul “The Dude” Morris (AUS)
#74 – Sheldon Creed (USA)
#83 – Matt Brabham (AUS)
#454 – Brad Gallard (AUS)
#500 – Greg Gartner (AUS)

3 days of racing, December 4-6

CBS Sports Network Broadcast SST Las Vegas

Wednesday, November 18th
9pm/et (6pm/pt)  * re-air at 2am/et (11pm/pt) & 5am/et (2am/pt)

Sunday, November 22nd
2pm/et (11am/pt)

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (November 5, 2015) – Sheldon Creed drove his TRAXXAS truck to victory over Robby Gordon in the season finale of the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS race Thursday night, as the standing room only crowd cheered in excitement.

Transformed overnight the Thursday event adjacent to the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip, featured two unique divisions of off-road racing. The Arctic Cat Wildcat Stadium Side x Sides, and the main attraction Stadium SUPER Trucks.

The Las Vegas victory was the 18-year-old Creed’s ninth of the season. After breaking an axle in the heat race the Alpine, Calif. off-road prodigy would blast out to the early lead from his second starting position and would never look back. By strategically taking the joker lap later in race segment Creed would be able to put sizable lead on the hard charging Arctic Cat/ Toyo Tires driver of Robby Gordon whom ran out of laps as he tried to catch the ultra quick Creed and settled for second position in the 12-lap main event.

Scotty Steele from Peoria, Arizona would overcome his hood blown up in his line of vision for majority of the race to navigate the LIVE/Think Loud Recordings/ Think Loud Advisors truck around the twisty and fast paced circuit to well earned third place finish.

NASCAR Europe standout Anthony Gandon, from Bayonne, France making his first SST start drove a smooth and clean race to finish with a respectable fourth place finish in the Red Style!/ Carrosserie Ayensa truck. Rounding out the top five was famed Gold Coast, Australia Stuntman turned SST driver Matt Mingay, driving for Team LIVE/Think Loud Recordings/United Fiber and Data.

Gandon and Mingay whom both traveled thousands of miles to participate in the SST Las Vegas event both displayed huge smiles after the checkered flag flew.

“I have driven many forms of racecars, and been to many events around the globe, but these SST trucks and the event Robby Gordon and staff put on is like nothing I have ever experienced before, the chaos on track and pure entertainment for the fans is one of a kind,” stated the young Frenchmen.

The most intense battle on the track however took place between Austin, Texas driver Charles Dorrance in the Sportsman’s Finest truck and Nazareth, Penn., driver Bill Hynes in the LIVE/Think Loud Recordings/Think Loud Advisors SST. The two drivers battled hard lap after lap the entire 12-circuits, even colliding with one another and coming to a halt prior to the cross over jump on one instance. The two drivers who have battled hard with each other all year did not make the Las Vegas event an exception. Dorrance went on to finish ahead of Hynes in the sixth position, while Hynes claimed seventh.

Making his return to an SST truck since X Games Austin in 2014, Manhattan Beach, Calif. competitor Greg Adler in the Toyo Tires/ 4 Wheel Parts truck would incur some damage after sliding into the cross over under and would ultimately finish the race in eighth spot with a beaten and battered truck body.

Crandon, Wisc. driver Keegan Kincaid would encounter a broken axle after the competition caution and would not finish. His TRAXXAS truck would go on to be credited in the ninth position. Los Angeles, Calif. driver Burt Jenner in his Gladiator Tires truck would also encounter a broken axle and would be credited with the tenth.

Creed with his SST victory would go on to clinch the 2015 SST Championship ahead of Robby Gordon by merely single digits. All year long Creed and Gordon battled back and forth on the track and in the point’s standings swapping positions multiple times. Creed’s great runs in Australia the last two weeks, where Gordon got mixed up in trouble set Creed up for the opportunity to come out ahead in Las Vegas. Creed would go on to capture his first SST Championship and the first Championship for Team TRAXXAS.

Gordon would finish the points standing in the second position, while Creed’s teammate Keegan Kincaid would finish in the third position, followed by Gladiator Tire pilot Burt Jenner in the fourth position.

Joining the SST trucks as a support category for the second time in 2015 was the ultra popular Arctic Cat Wildcat Stadium Side x Sides. Just like their big brother the SST’s the Wildcats are identically prepared, and put the drivers up against one another with pure driving talent. SST drivers took the reigns of the Wildcat’s this night and just like in the SST race Sheldon Creed and Robby Gordon broke out to the early lead and would go on to finish that way three wheeling and sliding thru the corners truely displaying the power and capability of the Wildcat suspension.

The SST race from the Las Vegas Village in Las Vegas will be shown on CBSSN November 18 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT with a re-air on November 22.

As the 2015 North American SST season has come to an end, the season will continue with a non points race at the Coates Hire Sydney 500 December 4-6 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. SST will once again begin its 2016 season at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, Australia March 3-6 followed by a full slate of races globally, a complete schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

Sheldon Creed Wins Stadium SUPER Trucks Return To Dirt At Valvoline Raceway

GRANVILLE, New South Wales (October 31, 2015) – Current Stadium SUPER Trucks (SST) points leader Sheldon Creed continued his assault on the SST competition capturing his eighth SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS victory of the 2015 season in exciting fashion over taking the lead from Robby Gordon on the last lap in Saturday’s mud filled event in front of a capacity Australian crowd.

The slick track conditions from a consistent drizzle all afternoon would truly test the grip of the DOT approved Toyo Open Country AT II Tires on the soaked temporary dirt short course circuit constructed inside the Valvoline Raceway.

Creed, a resident of Alpine, California wasted no time driving his No. 74 TRAXXAS sponsored truck from its tenth starting position to the front of the field on Lap-2 over taking early lap one leader Bill Hynes of Nazareth, Penn. Contact between second running Hynes and Orange, Calif. driver Robby Gordon in the SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires truck would send Gordon into a spin loosing multiple positions.

The next lap would see TRAXXAS driver Keegan Kincaid and Penola, South Australia driver Greg Gartner able to work their way past Hynes into the second and third positions. As the battle for the second spot was hot Creed would completely take advantage and build up a large lead the next four laps.

After a restart on Lap-7, Scotty Steele was the driver on the move in the Def Leppard/LIVE truck as the Peroia, Ariz. driver was able to move past Gartner and Kincaid into the second position. Steele did not stop there as he continued to pressure Creed for the top position.

Creed, Steele, Kincaid would put on a show for the capacity crowd as the three trucks battled corner to corner, slinging roost, and maneuvering their 600-horsepower TRAXXAS trucks around the track much to the delight of the ecstatic crowd.

Lap-12 would see Norwell, Queensland driver Paul Morris got upside down in his SuperCheapAuto.com truck bringing out the red flag.

The restart would see Gordon bonzi the bottom in the hairpin causing complete chaos sending Steele and Kincaid into spin and bunching up the rest of the field.

Creed would slide high on Lap-14 allowing Gordon to get by but as the white flag flew Creed would set up Gordon on the last lap with a aggressive maneuver creating heavy contact between the two trucks much to the delight of the roaring fans. The damage on Gordon’s truck was too much to keep pace with Creed as he limped his battered truck back around to the start. Gordon would go on to be credited with the eighth position.

Matt Brabham from Gold Coast, Queensland would avoid all the carnage on the last lap in his Def Leppard/LIVE/Think Loud Recordings truck to finish in the second position, as teammate Bill Hynes would recover from early contact to finish in the third position to get his first podium finish in SST competition.

Greg Gartner would recover to finish in the fourth position in his Toyo Tires/ Clipsal 500 truck, as SuperCheapAuto.com driver Paul Morris from Norwell, Queensland would recover from the Lap-12 roll over to finish the race in the fifth position.

Danny Reidy from Brisbane, Queensland in the TFE Hire/ Illuminated Water making his first SST start would finish in the sixth spot. Scotty Steele would end up in the seventh position in his Def Leppard/ LIVE/ Think Loud Recordings truck.

Gold Coast, Queensland driver Matt Mingay would encounter a flat tire and would not finish in his Hot Wheels/ Castrol EDGE truck and would be recorded in the ninth position. After contact with Gordon and Steele on Lap-13 Kincaid would retire and be recorded in the tenth spot.

Los Angeles, California native Burt Jenner in the Gladiator Tires truck made heavy contact with another driver early in the event crunching his hood as it eventually blew up over his viewing area forcing him out of competition. Jenner would get created with eleventh position.

The SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by Traxxas series will continue with its final points event of 2015 with Round 21; November 5 at the Las Vegas Village across from the Luxor in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets to the event will be available at the gate day of race.

Robby Gordon has rolled up his sleeves to help with construction of the Stadium Super Trucks course in preparation for an historic double-billing alongside Sprintcars at Sydney’s Valvoline Raceway on Saturday night (October 31st)

Fresh from its highly entertaining showing at the Castrol Gold Coast 600, Gordon’s SST will run on the same program as Round 4 of the Ultimate Sprintcar Championship. It will represent the first time the Charlotte-based trucks have raced on dirt outside of North America. Gordon will drive alongside his American compatriots who include Burt Jenner, who won the opening race at the Gold Coast, and Sheldon Creed (Race 2 and 3 winner).

Both Gordon and Jenner were involved in the track preparation of the infield which includes the manicuring of 2000 tonnes of dirt. The purpose-built layout includes five temporary ramps and a huge 10m jump which is a combination of a shipping container topped by a ramp. “We have a big job ahead of us, but it is all coming together,” said Gordon. “We had a massive event on the Gold Coast last week and I think everyone’s eyes were opened to what Stadium Super Trucks can deliver. “This is the home environment for these trucks and we have built some massive jumps which will leave 25 feet (7.6m) of air under the tyres.”

The 37-year-old Jenner has developed a solid racing career after receiving his break via a reality motorsport competition. “The Gold Coast was a hell of an event and I think we have plenty of more fans as a result,” said Jenner. “The dirt is not my home, I would prefer to be on the black stuff, but we will go out there and keep out of trouble and make sure we are in a position to ‘get dirty’ over the last few laps.”

The Australian contingent will be headed by Gold Coast round winner and 2014 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 winner Paul Morris, Matthew Brabham and Australian action athlete Matt Mingay, who won the final race at Surfers Paradise.

The Stadium Super Trucks will be joined by the 900 horsepower Ultimate Sprintcars on Saturday night from 6pm with the event supported by Supercheap Auto, myPlates and the Daily Telegraph.

Tickets can be purchased online at ticketek.com.au or direct at the gate.

Article source: www.speedcafe.com

GOLD COAST, Queensland (October 25, 2015) – Famed Australian stunt man and SST driver Matt Mingay captured his first Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS victory in exciting fashion Sunday in the SST TRAXXAS trucks finale of the Gold Coast 600 on the temporary beach side street circuit in Surfers Paradise in front of another capacity crowd.

Mingay, a resident of Gold Coast, Queensland whom lives just steps away from the race circuit drove his No. 2 Hot Wheels/ Castrol EDGE-sponsored truck in the shadows of Norwell, Queensland SST newcomer Paul Morris from the start of the l0-lap shootout, as the two Australian’s wasted no time moving to the front of the pack from there sixth and seventh starting positions.

Lap-3 leader Brett Thomas from Gold Coast, Queensland would spin after contact with Crandon, Wisc. driver Keegan Kincaid. The contact would allow Morris and Mingay slip by Kincaid into the top two positions. This would set up a tremendous three-truck battle for the final five laps of the race.

Mingay, Morris, and Kincaid put on a show for the capacity crowd as the three trucks battled corner to corner, sliding sideways, making contact, smoking the Toyo Open Country A/T II tires and maneuvering their 600-horsepower TRAXXAS trucks around the track much to the delight of the ecstatic crowd.

As the white flag flew Mingay would set up Morris for a final pass. As Morris missed his mark in turn 5 Mingay aggressively moved into the lead position. Mingay would go on to the win his first SST race, followed by Morris, and Kincaid rounding out the podium.

Burt Jenner from Los Angeles, Calif. would finish in the fourth position in his Gladiator Tires truck, as Traxxas driver Sheldon Creed from Alpine, Calif. would recover from contact early in the event to finish the race in the fifth position. Def Leppard/LIVE/Think Loud Recordings teammates of Scotty Steele from Peoria, Ariz. and Nazareth, Penn. driver Bill Hynes would finish sixth and seventh respectively.

Orange, Calif. driver Robby Gordon was eighth in his Xbox One/Halo 5 Guardians/SPEED Energy No. 7 followed by early race leader Australian Brett Thomas in the TFH Hire/Illuminated Water truck. Matthew Brabham from Gold Coast, Queensland in the Def Leppard/LIVE/Thinking Loud Recordings truck was credited with tenth after making hard contact with the wall on Lap-3. Penola, South Australia driver Greg Gartner in the No. 14 Toyo Tires/ Clipsal 500 SST truck was credited with eleventh after having an early mechanical problem.

Morris, one of the most versatile drivers in all of Australia capitalized on two podiums finishes in his first weekend behind the wheel of a SST truck to claim the overall weekend victory. Creed would finish second overall, with Matt Mingay claiming third.

RACE 4 RESULTS

Sheldon Creed Wins Stadium SUPER Trucks Race 3 at Gold Coast 600

Earlier in the morning SST Championship points leader Sheldon Creed would go on to win Sunday’s first round of the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS (SST) at the Gold Coast 600 in Gold Coast, Queensland, beating Peoria, Ariz. driver Scotty Steele.

Robby Gordon debuting a new X Box One Halo 5 Guardians paint scheme would cross the line in the third position after a Lap 1 tangle with Paul Morris, Matt Mingay, and Creed.

In a very impressive drive Creed would pass every single truck in the field in route to his seventh victory of the year.

Gold Coast, Queensland driver Matt Mingay was fourth in his Hot Wheels/ Castrol EDGE No. 2 followed by Paul Morris in the SuperCheapAuto.com truck. Greg Gartner from Penola, South Australia in the Toyo Tires/ Clipsal 500 truck was credited with the sixth position. While Gold Coast, Queensland driver Brett Thomas in the No. 69 TFH Hire SST truck finished seventh after leading multiple laps.

Nazareth, Penn. driver Bill Hynes driving the Def Leppard/LIVE/ Think Loud Recordings truck finished in the eighth position followed by Friday’s race 1 winner Burt Jenner in the Gladiator Tire truck.

Gold Coast, Queensland native Matthew Brabham made heavy contact with the outside retaining wall and was credited with the tenth spot, while TRAXXAS driver Keegan Kincaid was not able to start the race.

The SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by Traxxas series will continue its Australian tour with Round 20; October 31 at Valvoline Raceway in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Tickets to the race are available through Ticketek at the following link: http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=STADIUMT15

Round 17 of 20 – Gold Coast Race #2 – 10/24/15

– Starting lineup: Full field inversion from race #1 results. Passing point bonus of 1 point per position (points TBA)

BONUS POINTS

TBA

Round 16 of 20 – Gold Coast Race #1 – 10/23/15