Paul Morris Wins Race 3 At Clipsal 500 Adelaide

ADELAIDE, S.A., AUSTRALIA (March 5, 2017) – Veteran Australian racer Paul Morris of Norwell, Queensland, Australia captured his first ever SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks win Sunday in the shortened finale of the Adelaide Casino Stadium SUPER Trucks portion of the Clipsal 500.

Shortly after the green flag waved Friday’s Round 1 winner Craig Dontas of Adelaide, South Australia would bicycle his Shannons Insurance/ Milwaukee Tools truck around turn 7 tipping it upside down. The accident would bring out the red flag, and would require an extensive amount of time for the removal and clean up of the vehicle.

Due to the length of the delay the amount of laps of the race were shortened due to time constraints. The new scheduled amount of laps would be five instead of the originally scheduled eight.

The single file rolling restart saw both Royal Purple Synthetic Oil trucks of Phoenix, Airz; driver Jeff Hoffman and Mesa, Ariz.; driver Gavin Harlien race side-by-side before Hoffman would pull a three truck lead on him.

However, the man on the move was the driver of the SuperCheap Auto/ Hungry Jack’s entry as Paul Morris moved past Harlien, and caught Hoffman passing him in a drag race down the pit straight starting the third lap.

On the last lap Gold Coast, Queensland driver Matt Brabham driving the SafeCraft Safety Equipment truck would battle hard for the third position with Orange, Calif.; Robby Gordon, and Boost Mobile driver Sheldon Creed from El Cajon, Calif.; the three drivers would slice back and forth changing positions until Creed would loose the handle on his truck spinning out in the grass loosing the lead pack.

The same lap saw Gavin Harlien loose the handle on his truck spinning in front of the field, and causing complete chaos behind him involving multiple other competitors.

Morris would go on to capture his first ever SST victory, ahead of Brabham, and Hoffman who rounded out the podium.

Gordon, driving his familiar orange and black SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires truck would finish in the fourth position, ahead of Creed who would be credited with the fifth position.

For the third straight day Greg Gartner of Penola, South Australia would keep the R&J Battery/ Fuchs entry towards the front of the field, but would run out of time and be credited with the sixth position. After spinning on the last lap from his third running position Gavin Harlien driving the Royal Purple Synthetic Oil truck would get the truck back pointed in the right direction and would finish the chaos filled race in the seventh position.

Just like the two days prior Erik Davis of Burbank, Calif.; driving the Always Evolving/ AerNow/ Replay XD truck would once again end up in a late race tangle that would affect his finishing position landing in the eighth position, while Jeff Hoffman from Phoenix, Ariz.; driving the Royal Purple Synthetic Oil truck was credited with ninth.

Travis Milburn of Adelaide, South Australia after having finishing in the top five the two previous days would not fair so well in race 3. Milburn would be involved in the chaos on the last lap and would bring the No. 25 TRG Transport across the finish in the ninth position.

Saturday’s Round 2 runner-up Toby Price of Aberglasslyn, New South Whales driving the McDonalds/ Preston Hire truck would be credited with the tenth spot after being spun around in a last lap skirmish with multiple trucks. Nazareth, Penn. driver Bill Hynes piloting the No. 57 Fleurieu Milk truck would keep his truck clean all weekend avoiding all the carnage and finishing in the eleventh spot.

After flipping on the first lap, the damaged Shannons Insurance/ Milwaukee Tools truck of Dontas would be taken back to the paddock, and was scored in the twelfth position.

The overall standings over the three races would see Sheldon Creed first, with Paul Morris claming second, and Matt Brabham rounding out the top three.

SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks will continue the 2017 SST World Championship with Rounds No. 4 & 5 next weekend March 11 & 12 at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Tickets to the race are available through the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg website at www.gpstpete.com/.

Results:

1. Paul Morris
2. Matt Brabham
3. Jeff Hoffman
4. Robby Gordon
5. Sheldon Creed
6. Greg Gartner
7. Gavin Harlien
8. Erik Davis
9. Travis Milburn
10. Toby Price
11. Bill Hynes
12. Craig Dontas