Lexington, Ohio (July 27, 2019)- Cole Potts would out duel Greg Biffle with an incredible pass to the outside of the KMC Wheels ramp in the last segment to capture Stadium SUPER Trucks first ever event at the Mid-Ohio Sport Car Course.

Race pole sitter Bill Hynes of Nazareth, Pennsylvania would jump out to the early lead in his bright blue United Fiber & Data truck before Gavin Harlien of Mesa, Arizona driving the VP Racing Fuels & Lubricants entry would quickly apply pressure and drive past into the lead at the close of the first lap.

On the next lap Vancouver, Washington driver Greg Biffle making his third ever SST start would pull up along side Harlien, and battle him for the lead. As the two banged doors with one another Biffle would pull out front for a brief second but only for Harlien to battle back and regain the position. Biffle would slide wide into the grass and loose a position to Scottsdale, Arizona driver Arie Luyendyk Jr.

As Harlien would start to pull away from the field, the race for the second position started to heat up as Cole Potts would move the Security State Bank truck in the mix with Luyendyk and Biffle.

After the first competition caution on Biffle would work his way back close enough to battle Harlien for the lead. As the two once again would bang doors Harlien would develop a problem and drop back out of the mix. Biffle would inherit the lead for the next three laps as Potts would move past Luyendyk for the second position.

As the final competition caution would wave Potts would strike immediately working his way to the outside of the KMC Wheels ramp exiting the keyhole turn to catapult his truck into the lead past Biffle for the lead.

Potts would waste no time working his way out to the size able lead the final two circuits.

Friday’s fast qualifier and current Stadium SUPER Trucks points leader Matt Brabham of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia would start the race with a conservative approach for the first portion of the race from his eighth starting spot as he normally does, but this race proved to be a bit different for Brabham as he found himself in the fourth position after just four laps. After working past Luyendyk Jr. for the third position the driver of the Carlisle/Headstrong entry would need to hold off challenges from Robby Gordon the next several laps to remain in the third position as Potts and Biffle just were too fast for Brabham to track down.

Potts would go on to win his second SST race of the year ahead of Biffle and third finishing Brabham.

Second fastest in Friday qualifying Robby Gordon of Orange, California driving his familiar bright Orange SPEED Energy truck would lurk mid-pack for majority of the race letting things sort themselves out. After the second competition caution Gordon would make his move battling hard with Brabham and Hoffman for third. As the checkered flag flew over the field Gordon would finish behind Brabham in fourth.

Toyo Tires driver Jeff Hoffman of Phoenix, Arizona would encounter problems from the start of the race falling back from his sixth starting position. The driver whom was third fastest in qualifying would go off the track and fade to the back for first eight laps. Hoffman would look to make his move after the second competition caution ultimately finishing in the fifth spot.

Scottsdale, Arizona driver Arie Luyendyk Jr. driving the bright yellow SPEED Energy entry this weekend would immediately move his truck to the front of the field from his fifth starting position, and remain in the second spot for the first four laps. But as is the case in SST racing maintaining your equipment throughout the race is half the challenge, Luyendyk would over heat his brakes and begin to fade to the back of the pack. Luyendyk Jr. would be scored in the sixth position in his first SST race of the 2019 season.

After leading the majority of the first lap before being passed by Harlien, Bill Hynes would hang strong in the top five the next lap before dropping back in the pack after missing his braking mark and running wide. Hynes would go on to finish the race in the seventh position.

After leading majority of the race Harlien would develop a fuel pressure issue on Lap-6 as his trucks engine would start stumbling. Harlien would pull into the pit lane to see if the SST technicians could diagnose the problem. After having a great beginning to the race Harlien would complete the required amount of laps off the pace in the eighth position.

SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Race 2 will be contested Sunday afternoon at 12:35 P.M. local time prior to the start of the NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy 200.

Tickets are still available at http://www.midohio.com/

Fans that are at the track Sunday are invited to come to the SST Drivers Autograph session at 12:45 PM at the SST merchandise trailer adjacent to the SST paddock.

However fans that are unable to be at the track can tune into the race by visiting https://stadiumsupertrucks.com or by visiting the Stadium SUPER Trucks Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/StadiumSuperTrucks

SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks

Round No. 9

July 27, 2019

Lexington, Ohio

1. Cole Potts; Scottsdale, Arizona; Security State Bank/ Innovative Computer Professionals

2. Greg Biffle; Vancouver, Washington; Continental Tire

3. Matt Brabham; Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Carlisle/ Headstrong/ KMC Wheels

4. Robby Gordon; Orange, California; SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires/ KMC Wheels/ Menards

5. Jeff Hoffman; Phoenix, Arizona; Toyo Tires

6. Arie Luyendyk Jr.; Scottsdale, Arizona; SPEED Energy

7. Bill Hynes; Nazareth, Pennsylvania; United Fiber & Data/ LIVE/ Think Loud Development

8. Gavin Harlien; Mesa, Arizona; VP Racing Fuels & Lubricants

Charlotte, NC (December 11, 2018) – Robby Gordon and Team SPEED will return to the 2019 Dakar Rally with three SPEED Edition Textron Off-Road XX’s and competing in the car category. The vehicles will have sponsorship from Toyo Tires, King Off-Road Racing Shocks & SPEED Energy Drink.

Gordon will drive his familiar bright orange and black SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires/ SPEED Edition Textron XX entry. Joining Team SPEED for their first Dakar Rally attempt, young Stadium SUPER Truck racers Blade Hildebrand and Cole Potts will field their own separate SPEED Edition Textron XX race vehicles.

Xavier Gavory, Director of the Dakar Rally, commented the following after learning of Gordon and Team SPEED’s return in 2019.

“The Dakar Rally is excited to welcome back Robby Gordon the most famous American competitor in it’s history. An absolute legend of the Dakar for his aggressive driving style and showmanship, Gordon and Team SPEED will be one of the teams to keep an eye on in the 2019 edition, 100% Peru, 100% Dakar.”

All three race vehicles will race on Toyo Open Country M/T tires, which will deliver the maximum Off-Road performance and durability needed to tackle the 10-Stage challenge; 3,107-miles (5,000 KM) through the extreme sands of Peru.

Gordon, a Dakar fan favorite, is no stranger to the event and will make his 13th start in the historic rally. Since his first Dakar Rally in 2005, Gordon’s vehicles have captured 17 stage wins & five top 15 overall finishes. 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 / SPEED Edition Textron XX will be his previous 4-time Dakar navigator and Dakar special winner, Kellon Walch.

“Kellon has been my navigator for three out of my last four Dakar’s. I fully intend to come to Peru to compete for the overall, and there is no better person to have in the right seat than Kellon. The in-car communication and mechanical skills between the both of us over the years allows me to have the trust to concentrate on driving,” stated Gordon.

For the first time since 2010, Team SPEED will enter two additional racecars in the Rally with Stadium SUPER Trucks racers Blade Hildebrand and Cole Potts driving their own SPEED Edition Textron XX’s.

Hildebrand, whom spent 2018 in his first season behind the wheel of his Empire Destructive Stadium SUPER Truck, claimed eight top 5 finishes, while reaching the podium twice.

“DAKAR, Yeah it’s that real! This is a race I’ve followed all my life, and to represent Team SPEED and the USA at the international level, competing against the worlds best off-road racers in the most grueling race known to man. What an absolute honor! To partner with King Shocks, Toyo Tires, and my mentor Robby Gordon, I have the right people on my side, and I am ready for the ultimate challenge.” Commented Hildebrand on the Dakar experience.

Jonah Street, a motorcycle veteran whom has competed in six prior editions of the Dakar (2006-2012), will navigate for his second Dakar, sitting along side of Hildebrand.

“I think Blade is super talented, so getting to work with him in his first trip to Dakar is going to be awesome. Having navigated for Sheldon (Creed) back in 2016 gives me the prior experience to help get him up to SPEED quickly!” Street commented in regards to competing with Blade.

Cole Potts, who also competes in the Stadium SUPER Trucks Series, is a talented young racer who claimed victory in just his second SST race of the season, driving the HallmarkTrust.com SST entry.

An excited Potts commented on the Dakar Rally.

“Having this unique opportunity to participate in the 2019 Dakar Rally, with Team SPEED and Robby Gordon in a SPEED Edition Textron XX is an absolute honor. Having raced North America’s toughest off road races already, I’m very interested to see how Dakar compares to them. With the opportunity to compete in the Dakar in the country of Peru is an exciting opportunity. As we are going to be able to tackle some of the world’s toughest sand dunes and witness some beautiful terrain.”

Max Eddy, a veteran motorcycle racer, has claimed victory in the Baja 1000 and Vegas to Reno, will navigate for Potts, providing the driver with extensive course detail and direction.

“Cole has proved to be an excellent competitor this year in the Stadium SUPER Trucks series as well as in the desert with the Trophy Truck. I am confident Cole will be able to adjust to the XX, and course conditions easily to get a respectable finish in each Stage.” Stated Eddy.

Beginning on January 6th in Lima, Peru, competitors will gather in front of more than a hundred thousand fans on the worlds stage for the traditional Dakar opening ceremonies. Each team in the rally is recognized prior to the start. Stage 1 will feature a short 84 km special with a 247 km liaison bringing the competitors from Lima to the Southeast along the Pacific coast to the port city of Pisco.

Follow the quest for an American podium finish in the 2019 Dakar Rally for Team SPEED through live timing and scoring on Dakar.com, updates at http://www.SpeedEnergy.com, https://stadiumsupertrucks.com, and http://www.planetrobby.com.

Updates will also be available throughout the entire rally on https://www.facebook.com/StadiumSuperTrucks, and https://www.facebook.com/SPEEDSXS, https://www.facebook.com/PlanetRobby.

Instagram pages of RobbyGordon, SSuperTrucks, and SpeedSXS will also be updated daily with content.

NBC Sports Network will produce daily television highlights, and interviews throughout the rally, starting January 7 at 7:00 PM ET featuring Team SPEED drivers and navigators.

The 2019 Dakar Rally would not be possible without the support of the following great partners; Textron Off-Road, Toyo Tires, KING Off-Road Racing Shocks, SPEED Energy, KMC Wheels, SPEEDSXS.com VP Racing Fuels, DeVilbiss, Hawk Performance, IMPACT, Mastercraft Safety, Ron Davis Racing Products, Lincoln Electric, Torchmate by Lincoln Electric, Techni Waterjet, Eibach Springs, Rugged Radios, Loctite, Race Case Design, and all the hard work from the staff at Team SPEED.