Team SPEED 2019 Dakar Race Report

January 8, 2019

Stage 2 Pisco to San Juan de Marcona

Liaison: 553 km / 344 miles

Special: 324 km/ 201 miles

No. 316 SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires SPEED Edition Textron XXR- Robby Gordon

Start Time: 06:18:00 AM/ET

WP1: +00:04:28

WP2: +00:05:46

WP3: +00:08:06

WP4: +00:12:21

WP5: +00:15:08

WP6: +00:18:07

WP7: +00:19:47

WP8: +00:26:57

Total Time: 04:09:30

Variation: +00:42:37

Stage Result: 25

Overall Position: 24

Overall Time: 05:19:39

Overall Variation: +00:46:54

Notes:

– Dakar Veteran Robby Gordon of Orange, California would start out Stage 2 at a

constant pace keeping the SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires SPEED Edition Textron

XXR within reach of the lead cars, but as the special would move onto the gravel

roads and along the coast with long stretches of beach. Gordon and navigator Kellon

Walch would be restricted to a 130 km/h (80 mph) speed limitation based on the

rules their race vehicle falls under. With yesterday’s short special strictly taking

place in the dunes this rule was not much of an issue.

– Besides watching car after car drive by them, today’s stage went smoothly for

Gordon and Walch whom only ran into trouble when the race vehicle become

stuck, and would need to loop around to clear the waypoint.

– Gordon would finish Stage 2 with a time of 4 hours 9 minutes and 30 seconds. Just

42 minutes and 37 seconds behind stage winner Sebastien Loeb.

– After Stage 2, Gordon now sits in 24th position overall 46 minutes and 54 seconds

behind leader Giniel De Villiers of South Africa.

Quote:

“What the ASO told us in the drivers briefing last night was that today’s stage would be a dune race and today would be majority dunes. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case we just cut across dunes and got back into valleys, along the beach for miles and miles for what could have been wide-open throttle for us. With the rules limitation they have on our car we had to remain at half throttle and play the speed control game. It’s very disappointing they have this rule on us. It wasn’t so bad yesterday as it only hurt us a little bit, but I wasn’t prepared for this today. We got passed by some pretty slow cars doing 50 mph faster than we were, and there’s nothing we could do about it. Other than the speed limit, today’s stage was a pretty uneventful besides getting stuck once, and having to loop back around. The car ran really good the whole time. We were running at 130 km/h what is 80 mph and just sitting there the whole time obeying the speed limit and the other competitors were just cruising by us like we were sitting still.”

No. 346 ICP/ Security State Bank/ Toyo Tires SPEED Edition Textron XXR- Cole Potts

Start Time: 06:42:00 AM/ET

WP1: +00:07:03

WP2: +00:11:32

WP3: +00:22:49

WP4: +00:30:51

WP5: +00:42:00

WP6: +00:49:18

WP7: +00:52:45

WP8: +01:02:20

Total Time: 09:15:38

Variation: +05:48:45

Stage Result: 87

Overall Position: 81

Overall Time: 10:37:41

Overall Variation: +06:04:56

Notes:

– After getting off to a good start in Stage 2 of the 2019 Dakar Rally, things became a difficult one for Scottsdale, Arizona driver Cole Potts and navigator Max Eddy as they encountered a broken axle midway thru the stage limiting the power and speed of the vehicle. With no one else from Team SPEED or other support behind them Potts and Eddy limped the car thru the dunes and gravel roads for over 5 hours to the finish in San Juan de Marcona.

-Potts would finish Stage 2 with a total time of 9 hours 15 minutes and 38 seconds.

– After the completion of Stage 2, Potts now sits in 81st position overall 6 hours 4 minutes and 56 seconds behind leader Giniel De Villiers of South Africa.

– Team SPEED will be able to repair the broken part over night, and the ICP/Security State Bank/ Lakes Region Casino SPEED Edition Textron XXR will continue on in Stage 3.

Quote:

“Lots of effort from Max (Eddy) and myself to get here to the finish today, unfortunately had some issues that were pretty terminal. Damn lucky to make it back in one piece. Congrats to Blade and Robby they had a pretty good pace going there. Our strategy was just to back off quite a bit. That was our insurance policy to have a legitimate shot at a top ten. The cars are really good, I think we just had a fluke issue out there that cost us a lot of time in today’s stage. Such a bummer for everyone who has worked so hard on this car to get it here.”

No. 367 King Shocks/ Toyo Tires SPEED Edition Textron XXR- Blade Hildebrand

Start Time: 06:33:30 AM/ET

WP1: +00:04:02

WP2: +00:06:57

WP3: +00:10:09

WP4: +00:16:18

WP5: +00:30:36

WP6: +00:34:37

WP7: +00:36:35

WP8: +00:42:04

Total Time: 04:31:41

Variation: +01:04:48

Stage Result: 33

Overall: 34

Overall Time: 05:47:52

Overall Variation: +01:15:07

Notes:

– Blade Hildebrand of Yucca Valley, California driving the King Shocks/ Toyo Tires

Speed Edition Textron XXR jumped out to a great start in Stage 2 of the Dakar

Rally setting a consistent pace for each waypoint.

– Similar to Team SPEED teammate Robby Gordon, Hildebrand would fall victim of

the 130 kmh (80 mph) rule for UTV’s. In sections where the car could run full

throttle Blade had to hold back. Ultimately, allowing cars he once passed to get back

by.

– The SPEED Edition Textron XXR would run the entire stage flawless until the very

end when the belt would overheat, and need to be replaced.

– Hildebrand would finish Stage 2 in a time of 4 hours 31 minutes and 41 seconds.

– At the completion of Stage 2, Hildebrand now sits in 34th position overall 1 hour 15 minutes and 7 seconds behind leader Giniel De Villiers of South Africa.

Quote:

“At the finish of Stage 2 the cars ran excellent. I have never been in a race before where we had to follow a speed limit, but that is what is killing us from not loosing time. I think we would be really have a good shot at the other cars in the class if we were not restricted with the speed limit these cars are absolutely insane in the dunes so light and so nimble. Other than that we had a clean run for the stage, only went thru one belt today. Was cautious thru the rocks took it nice and slow, didn’t want to get any flats. Was a consistent clean run similar to yesterday. Can’t be too upset.”

Continue to 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 SpeedEnergy.com, stadiumsupertrucks.com, and planetrobby.com.

Updates will also be available throughout the entire rally on Facebook.com/StadiumSuperTrucks, and Facebook.com/SPEEDSXS, Facebook.com/PlanetRobby.

Instagram pages of RobbyGordon, ColePotts60, BladeHildebrand, SSuperTrucks, and SpeedSXS will also be updated daily with content.

NBC Sports Network will produce daily television highlights, and interviews throughout the rally, shown at 7:00 PM ET each evening 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, ARB, Cometic Gasket, Kobalt, Razorback, ARP, 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.

Darwin, Northern Territory (June 16, 2017) – Veteran Aussie driver Paul Morris came into today’s Race 1 in Darwin looking for serious redemption as the last time he was on Australian soil (May/Perth) a last lap tangle with another driver spoiled an over all weekend victory.

With this weekend being the first visit of the SST trucks to fast and technical Hidden Valley Raceway that makes up the 14-turn 1.78-mile (2.85 km) course built for the newly re-named SuperCars series many drivers would struggle to hit their marks throughout the race running off the track into the grass.

However, the two drivers that would have no issues making there way through the field and on track would be Paul Morris of Gold Coast, Queensland and Orange, California driver Robby Gordon. The two veteran racers aggressively charged past truck after truck from their fourth and seventh starting positions respectively to put on a show for the fans at the front of the field the final six laps.

The two iconic racing heroes of Australia and the United States battled back and forth swapping the lead six different times with clean hard racing nearly colliding with each other multiple times. The last lap would see Morris complete a daring move to the inside of Gordon for the final time as the Morris Finance/ SuperCheap Auto No. 67 was just too much for the SafeCraft Safety Equipment entry. Morris would go on to capture the win much to the delight of thousands of screaming Australian Stadium SUPER Truck fans.

DeVILBISS racer Matt Brabham of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia never paid for a ticket, but had the best seat in the house to view the Morris/Gordon duel. Brabham would cross the finish line behind Gordon in the third position after leading the first two laps of the 12-lap event.

Gavin Harlien of Mesa, Arizona the hottest driver on the SST circuit the last month picking up overall victories at both Detroit and Fort Worth the last two weeks would qualify his Royal Purple Synthetic Oil truck in fourth in his first ever visit to Hidden Valley Raceway. Driving smart and keeping the truck in one piece to capture

Friday Fast Qualifier Jeff Hoffman driving the TruFuel 50:1 truck would advance from his last starting position after the full field inversion to run in the fifth position following his teammate and friend Gavin Harlien the entire race. On a tricky track to pass on for the SST trucks Hoffman would finish the race in the fifth position. Picking up valuable points in the weekend overall chase.

Greg Gartner from Penola, South Australia making his seventh SST start of 2017 finished sixth in the R & J Batteries/ Delkor Calcium Battery backed entry, while Adelaide, South Australia Ute veteran Craig Dontas would continue his struggles behind the wheel of the Shannon’s Insurance backed SST claiming the seventh position after sliding off course various times.

Front row starter Bill Hynes of Nazareth, Pennsylvania whom would feel under the weather upon arriving to Australia would fight thru flew like symptoms to keep the Road Pod Transport Transformed truck on track to finish the race in the eighth spot.

The SST trucks will return to the Hidden Valley Raceway for there second round of the Darwin Supercars weekend on Saturday at 3:10 P.M. local time in front of an anticipated capacity crowd.

Fans can tune into the race by visiting https://stadiumsupertrucks.com or by viewing the Stadium SUPER Trucks Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/StadiumSuperTrucks
SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks
Round No. 15 Results
June 16, 2017
Hidden Valley Raceway
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

1. Paul Morris; Gold Coast, Queensland, Aus.; Morris Finance

2. Robby Gordon; Orange, Calif.; Safecraft Safety Equipment/ Toyo Tires/ KMC Wheels

3. Matt Brabham; Gold Coast, Queensland, Aus.; DeVILBISS/ Hawk Performance/ KMC Wheels

4. Gavin Harlien; Mesa, Arizona; Royal Purple Synthetic Oil

5. Jeff Hoffman; Phoenix, Arizona; TruFuel 50:1

6. Greg Gartner; Penola, South Australia, Aus.; R&J Batteries/ Fuchs/ Case IH Agriculture/ Delkor Calcium Battery

7. Craig Dontas; Adelaide, South Australia, Aus.; Shannons Insurance/ Milwaukee Tools/ Auto Masters

8. Bill Hynes; Nazareth, Penn.; Road Pod Transport Transformed

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 9, 2017) – Series veteran Robby Gordon had his Toyo Tires and KMC Wheels hooked up on Sunday afternoon jumping out to an early lead from the ninth starting position. With no one able to contest Gordon the Orange, California native would capture his second SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks victory of the 2017 season in convincing fashion.

From the wave of the green flag you could tell it was Gordon’s race to win as he weaved through the hornets’ nest of trucks in front of him. As all of the other competitors made contact with each other Gordon steered clear and was able to move into the second position by Lap-2.

Successfully making a move on Burbank, California driver Erik Davis at the start of Lap-3 for the lead was all that was needed. The final 9 laps Gordon went uncontested to claim victory at Long Beach once again.

Fast qualifier and Saturday winner Matt Brabham of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia driving the SafeCraft Safety Equipment truck would start in the twelfth position and would not have ability to the make it to the front as easy as Gordon. Getting stuck behind some slower trucks Brabham really had to work his way to get to the front. Never having a real good chance to contest Gordon for the lead, Brabham would settle for second place.

Gavin Harlien of Mesa, Arizona had a career weekend behind the wheel of his Royal Purple Synthetic Oil truck. Capturing a third place finish on Saturday, Harlien was eager to improve his position on the podium. Moving to the front of the field early in the event from his eighth starting spot, Harlien was able to hold off the charging trucks behind him to finish third for the second day in a row.

LIVE/ United Fiber and Data driver Paul Morris of Norwell, Queensland, Australia made early contact in the race with another driver where his hood would blow up in his face and hinder his vision for the first half of the event. Morris would shake the piece blocking his view during the competition caution, and would pass truck after truck to move into the fourth position. After challenging Gavin Harlien multiple time for the third position unsuccessfully, Morris held his ground and would finish in the fourth spot.

TruFuel driver Jeff Hoffman of Phoenix, Arizona raced to the front of the field from his sixth starting position and would remain there the entire race. Battling hard with the likes of Paul Morris, Matt Brabham, and Gavin Harlien. Hoffman would go on to finish in the fifth position for the second day in a row. After having seven asphalt races now under his belt in 2017 Hoffman has now gotten very comfortable behind the wheel of his SST to where he can be a front runner each time out.

Scottsdale, Arizona driver Arie Luyendyk Jr. in the LIVE/United Fiber & Data truck would hangout around near the rear of the field most of the race after making contact with the tire wall. The younger Luyendyk would recover to finish the 12-lap event in the sixth position one spot better than the day prior.

For the second day in a row Indianapolis, Indiana driver Davey Hamilton would run at the front of the field at the beginning of the race contending for his first ever podium. However, after the competition caution Hamilton would feel the swarm of other trucks behind him falling back position after position to ultimately finish in the seventh spot.

Anaheim, California driver Myles Cheek making his second ever SST start on Sunday proved the young racer was feeling right at home in a SST truck as he hung around the front of the field from his fifth place starting position until getting loose battling Gavin Harlien for the third position on Lap-5. Cheek would bounce off the tire wall and damage the front end of his CMI Precision Machining/ Outlaw LED truck. After making a trip down pit road to remove the hood, Cheek would limp the No. 257 around the track the final circuits to be credited with the eighth position.

After bicycling his truck and crashing hard into the wall on Saturday afternoon Erik Davis of Burbank, California would start from the pole position on Sunday. Davis would lead the first two laps of the race before being over taken and running mid pack until a Lap-8 spin. Davis would recover and finish the Always Evolving truck in the ninth position.

United Fiber and Data/ LIVE driver Bill Hynes of Nazareth, Pennsylvania whom was fighting a case of the flu all weekend would fight through it and run a steady and clean race go on to finish the ten-lap event in the tenth position.

After hard contact on Saturday afternoon the SST crew worked hard overnight to get Lodi, California driver Troy Deide ready for Sunday afternoons race, but after pulling onto the track for the sight in lap Diede immediately pulled Diede Construction entry directly onto the pit road with brake issues. The No. 441 would not start the race and was credited with the eleventh position.

The overall standings over the three races would see Matt Brabham first, with Robby Gordon claiming second, and Paul Morris rounding out the top three.

SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks will continue the 2017 SST World Championship with Rounds No. 8, 9, & 10; May 5, 6 & 7 at the Barbagallo Raceway in Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Tickets to the race are available through the SuperCars website at http://www.supercars.com/perth/.

SST Grand Prix of Long Beach
Long Beach, Calif.
April 9, 2017
Round 7 Results

1. Robby Gordon; Orange, California; Toyo Tires/ KMC Wheels

2. Matt Brabham; Gold Coast, Queensland, Aus.; Safecraft Safety Equipment

3. Gavin Harlien; Mesa, Arizona; Royal Purple Synthetic Oil

4. Paul Morris; Norwell, Queensland, Aus.; LIVE/ United Fiber & Data

5. Jeff Hoffman; Phoenix, Arizona; TruFuel

6. Arie Luyendyk Jr.; Scottsdale, Arizona; LIVE/ United Fiber & Data

7. Myles Cheek; Anaheim, California; CPI Precision Machining/ Outlaw LED

8. Davey Hamilton Jr.; Indianapolis, Indiana; Always Evolving/ AerNow/ Outlaw LED/ Dahl Tug and Barge

9. Erik Davis; Burbank, California; Always Evolving/ AerNow/ ReplayXD

10. Bill Hynes; Nazareth, Pennsylvania; United Fiber & Data/ LIVE

DNS Troy Deide; Lodi, California; Deide Construction

Round 4 – St. Petersburg – 3/11/17

The inaugural Mike’s Peak Hill Climb Challenge at the legendary Mike’s Sky Rancho in Baja California, Mexico, will run October 13-16, 2016.

There are 2 maps available for download: Mike’s Peak directions from Ensenada, and the Mike’s Peak race course map. Both maps are available in PDF format.

If you are still interested in competing, registration will be available at the Mike’s Peak base camp on Thursday, October 13. Visit the Mike’s Peak Race page for more information.

Questions? Email us at mikespeak@stadiumsupertrucks.com

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, October 13 – Tech Inspection/Registration (Base Camp, Road to Mike’s Peak, B.C. Mexico)

Friday, October 14 – Practice

Saturday, October 15 – Race Passes

Sunday, October 16 – Race Passes

** All registered entries will get 1 practice run and 2 race runs up the hill **

Mike’s Peak Directions Map Mike’s Peak Race Course Map

From Robby Gordon:

“I personally want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers during what has been the most difficult time of my life. We are truly grateful for all the love and support my family has received. That being said, I want everyone to know that the Mike’s Peak Hill Climb Challenge, October 13th-16th in Baja California, Mexico, WILL GO ON as scheduled.

In honor of my father, “Baja Bob” Gordon, we will change the name of the event to ” Baja Bob’s Mike’s Peak Ultimate Race To The Top”, as he would have wanted us to keep on following our dreams and continue racing. Thank you and hope to see everyone there!”

To register, please visit www.mikespeakrace.com

Robby Gordon Wins Stadium SUPER Trucks Night 1 in Costa Mesa, California

Costa Mesa, California (September 16, 2016) – On a night where 11 Stadium SUPER Truck (SST) drivers returned to the series’ roots in Southern California, it was Robby Gordon who came out on top besting P.J. Jones at the OC Fair and Event Center Friday night.

The temporary race track the SST staff built adjacent to the world renown Sand Sports Super Show features various aspects of the 2016 SST World Championship season including sweeping high-speed turns, a difficult sand pit section, multiple tight corners, and a massive cross-over jump that sends competitors flying over another section of the race track with trucks passing directly underneath.

After a series of single truck qualifying runs and heat races, Friday’s 20-lap main event– which featured the entire field of SST’s on DOT approved Toyo Open Country A/T II tires saw TRAXXAS driver Matt Brabham from Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia jump out to the early lead after the land rush standing start. Brabham would remain in that position until getting pressure from Orange, California’s Robby Gordon whom muscled his way past truck after truck to the front of the field. Brabham would hold off the hard charging Gordon for multiple laps until Gordon would opt to take the joker lane late in the event and slip past Brabham by a near bumper.

The last lap would see Brabham trying hard to get back past Gordon, but would come up short as P.J. Jones substitute driving for Pat O’Keefe in the SafeCraft Safety Systems truck would quietly work his way into contention and make contact with Brabham moving him out of the way.
Gordon would go on to win the event ahead of Jones, and the third finishing Brabham.

Sara Price of Canyon Lake, Calif. racing in front of many hometown friends and family in the her United Fiber and Data/BitTorrent truck would remain patient throughout the event running her own race. A late race mishap by Arie Luyendyk Jr. would allow her to capitalize on the position. Price would go on to claim her best SST finish to date in the fourth position.

Back in the Royal Purple Synthetic Oil colors this weekend Arie Luyendyk Jr. of Scottsdale, Ariz. would run with the top four competitors majority of the race until contact with the retaining wall with four laps to go would allow Price to slip by. Luyenkdyk would be credited with the fifth position.

Norwell, Queensland, Australia driver Paul Morris would find trouble with six laps remaining putting his United Fiber & Data No. 67 truck on its roof thru the treacherous sand pit. In typical SST fashion track officials rolled the truck back over and Morris was able to continue the 20-lap event finishing in the sixth spot.

Short course ace Kyle LeDuc of Beaumont, Calif. driving the Toyo Tires/ 4 Wheel Parts truck would battle power steering issues all night. As the SST technicians would thrash to get it fixed for the final, Leduc would run Robby Gordon’s Arctic Cat/ Toyo Tires truck in the qualifying heat. Adapting quickly to the challenging course configuration of the Costa Mesa track in his own truck for the final Leduc would race to finish respectfully in the seventh position.

2016 SST World Championship points’ leader Sheldon Creed of Alpine, Calif. would quickly race out to the front of the pack and challenge for the lead but a broken axle would damper that effort suddenly. Looking to gain as many points as he possibly could Creed would limp his battered and bruised TRAXXAS truck to a eighth place finish.

Returning to the facility where he made his first SST start in 2014, Bill Hynes of Nazareth, Penn. would drive a consistent and smart race to finish the United Fiber & Data truck in the ninth position.

SuperKart driver Troy Diede of Lodi, Calif. making his first ever SST start held his ground early in the main event as he quickly raced out to the early lead from his first starting position. Laying down consistent laps Diede would find himself running in the top five for majority of the event until contact with P.J. Jones would spin him around losing valuable track time to the leaders. Staying out of trouble for the entire race Diede successfully finished his first SST race in the tenth position.

After having various scheduling conflicts the last few months Tyler McQuarrie of Walnut Creek, Calif. left off right where he did the last time he sat in his SafeCraft Saftey Systems Stadium SUPER Truck. The tight and narrow corners of the temporary Costa Mesa track suited the driving style of the professional drifter as he ran in the top three majority of the main event before mechanical failure forced the ultra quick driver out of competition. McQuarrie would be credited with the eleventh position.

The second and final race during the Sand Sports Super Show weekend for the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS will take place Saturday night at the OC Fair and Event Center. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. PST with racing starting at 7 p.m. PST. Tickets are available at the gate for $30 for adults, while tickets for children 12 and under, police, fire, and military are just $15.

SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS
Round No. 17 Results
September 16, 2016
Costa Mesa, California

1. Robby Gordon; Orange, Calif.; Arctic Cat/ Toyo Tires/ SPEED Energy
2. P.J. Jones; Scottsdale, Arizona; SafeCraft Safety Equipment/ GoPro/ Golden Gate Petroleum
3. Matt Brabham; Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; TRAXXAS
4. Sara Price; Canyon Lake, California; United Fiber & Data/ LIVE/ BitTorrent
5. Arie Luyendyk Jr.; Scottsdale, Arizona; Royal Purple Synthetic Oil
6. Paul Morris; Norwell, Queensland, Australia; United Fiber & Data/ LIVE/ Think Loud Development
7. Kyle LeDuc; Beaumont, California; Toyo Tires/ 4 Wheel Parts
8. Sheldon Creed; Alpine, Calif.; TRAXXAS
9. Bill Hynes; Nazareth, Penn.; United Fiber & Data/ LIVE/ Think Loud Development
10. Troy Diede; Lodi, California; Diede Construction/ Diede Racing
11. Tyler McQuarrie; No. 6; Walnut Creek, Calif.; SafeCraft Saftey Equipment/ GoPro/ Golden Gate Petroleum

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (July 15, 2016) – Returning back to North America from a successful 3-race weekend just one week prior in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. An ultra talented field of 12 SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS drivers will invade the 1.755 mi (2.824 km) temporary street course of the Honda Indy Toronto for 2 races of high flying action Saturday and Sunday.

The SST Honda Indy Toronto race weekend will feature 6 World Championship contenders, the return of some old faces, and two new competitors who look to make their first ever attempt behind the wheel of the fastest growing motorsport that is taking the world by storm.

Returning back to the SST racing since 2014, quite possibly the most famous Canadian racer, and 2003 CART/Champ Car Series Champion Paul Tracy, a native of Scarborough, Ontario will make his third attempt in a Stadium SUPER Truck with all of his previous starts coming in front of his hometown Toronto fans. Capturing three victories previously on the Exhibition Place course in 24 starts, Tracy will use his aggressive driving style and track experience to lead the No. 30 Royal Purple Synthetic Oil truck to the front.

Also joining Tracy on the streets of Toronto will be veteran road course racer Max Papis. Hailing from Como, Italy; Papis will use his extensive CART/Champ Car and NASCAR experience to make his first ever start in the identically prepared 650-hp trucks. Driving the SafeCraft Safety Equipment No. 9 there is no doubt that Papis will quickly adapt to unique form of racing the Stadium SUPER Trucks offer sliding through corners and hitting four strategically positioned ramps along the circuit.

Sara Price, a successful multi-championship Professional Motocross and UTV racer from Southern California will make SST history this weekend on the streets of Toronto becoming the first woman to compete in the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS race. Sara held a successful test session back in July, and much like Papis will adapt quickly to the extreme driving conditions of the SST trucks, and will not have any fear mixing up her BitTorrent No.78 truck up with guys.

Making his first North American SST start, 2016 Dakar 2-Wheel champion Toby Price of Singleton, New South Wales, Australia will take a break from his current Dakar training to get back behind the wheel of a SST truck, driving the SafeCraft Saftey Equipment No. 87. Coming off a successful runner-up finish at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, South Australia back in March, Price will look to have two more opportunities to get back on the podium.

Capturing 3 wins in 29 starts, Scottsdale, Ariz. driver P.J. Jones returns back to drive an SST truck. Jones last competed at the 2015 season finale at the Olympic Park Street Circuit in Homebush, New South Wales, Australia. Joining the United Fiber and Data 3-truck team for his first race of 2016, Jones a former 24 Hours of Daytona winner and experienced NASACR veteran whom has driven in the SST series since the exception in 2013 is always a threat to win with seventeen top five finishes to his credit.

Russell Boyle, a native Toronto teenager whom has shown success on karting tracks all over Canada, and United States will join the SST field at the Honda Toronto Indy for the second straight year. Boyle whom didn’t get many competitive laps in last years SST debut will look to grab a pair of respective finishes against a very talent field of competitors.

As the super talented group of infrequent SST competitors look to challenge the SST regulars, the race for the 2016 World Championship has not slowed down with an extremely good battle for the points lead brewing with 2015 SST Champion Sheldon Creed of Alpine, Calif. in his familiar red TRAXXAS truck just 48 points ahead of TRAXXAS teammate and 2016 Indianapolis 500 participant Matt Brabham of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia going into Round 13 on Saturday. Creed a four-time winner at Toronto will look to extent his points lead on Brabham, at the very track he gained his first ever SST victory back in 2013.

Off-Road veteran and SST founder Robby Gordon of Orange, Calif. whom always is a threat for a win in anything he is driving will look to continue the positive momentum of his win from last weekends Round 11 in Townsville as he looks to put the bright green Arctic Cat/Toyo Tires/ SPEED Energy No. 7 back in podium contention.

Fielding three trucks in this weekends Honda Indy Toronto; Team United Fiber & Data drivers Bill Hynes of Nazareth, Penn. and Paul Morris of Norwell, Queensland, Australia will welcome P.J. Jones to the bright blue brigade as the United Fiber & Data trucks will be well represented in SST competition. Always a strong competitor in any racecar he is driving, veteran V8 Supercar driver and Sprint Car driver Paul Morris coming off a successful weekend in Townsville will continue to compete for his first win of the season.

Rounding out the entries for the Honda Indy Toronto, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. driver Dustin Scott in the SPEED Energy/ Toyo Tires No. 20 making his seventh SST start of the season. A championship dirt track racer born on the slick tracks of the Midwest will adapt well to the little grip offered on the bumpy Honda Indy Toronto track, as he looks to capture his first podium finish of the season.

Thousands of fans from all over the Canadian providence of Ontario will be in amazement as the 12-SST drivers launch there specifically made trucks over the four 36-inch-tall man-made ramps as much as 20 feet in the air and 150 feet down course with speeds in excess of over 130 mph. The identically prepared trucks that are made to resemble their scaled-down TRAXXAS radio-control-car counterparts will leave all fans at the Honda Indy Toronto with something to talk about.

Race one will take place on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. ET, while Race two will take place at 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday prior to the IndyCar Honda Indy Toronto finale.

Advance ticket sales to Rounds 13 & 14 are available through the Honda Indy Toronto website at http://www.hondaindytoronto.com

Townsville, Queensland (July 9, 2016) – Robby Gordon driving the Hot Wheels No. 2 truck for injured SST driver Matt Mingay captured Saturday’s thrilling second round of the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS (SST) at the Townsville 400 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia beating Alpine, Calif. driver Sheldon Creed to the line by less than a truck length.

SuperCheap Auto/ Hungry Jack’s driver Paul Morris of Norwell, Queensland, Australia finished third, holding off the hard charging TRAXXAS driver Matt Brabham whom spun early in the event and would work his way back to fourth position.

Gordon, a veteran off-road racer from Orange, Calif., started second on the grid after encountering mechanical issues in Friday’s opening round, but wasted no time jumping out to the lead after making a strong move early in the event to work past early leader Rob Whyte of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

From Lap 1 Gordon drove a smart and conservative race to keep the aggressive driving of Creed and Morris behind him. Creed Friday afternoons winner on a last lap pass raced through the field from his twelfth starting position to be knocking on the door of race leader Gordon by Lap-7.

The final two circuits saw the TRAXXAS driver Creed apply heavy pressure to Gordon as he attempted everything in his bag of tricks to work his way past the ultra quick Gordon.

The last lap saw Creed try to make the same last corner pass he did one day prior, but would ultimately come up a few inches short as the Hot Wheels No. 2 of Gordon and the TRAXXAS No. 1 went side by side down the front straight to the checkered flag.

Gordon would capture his first victory of the 2016 season ahead of Creed, and Morris.

Following Saturday’s second SST race of the Townsville 400, Gordon considered Saturday’s victory special as not only was he racing for fellow injured competitor and friend Matt Mingay, but the victory snapped an eleven race winless streak dating back to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2015.

“It’s great to be back on top of the box, and to capture my first victory of the year in the Hot Wheels Castrol EDGE No. 2 driving for Matt is something special. We all are wishing Matt the best of luck in the recovery process, and hope to see him back out here competing with us again real soon.” Gordon Stated after the win.

As thousands of spectators lined the 13-turn 1.78-mile (2.85 km) Townsville Street Circuit to watch 12 TRAXXAS-branded trucks launch off of man-made ramps on the same DOT-approved Toyo Tires that consumers can buy. The loud raucous cheers of disbelief from the thousands of Australian SST fans could be heard over the trucks as fans of traditional newly renamed Supercar racing saw the trucks literally fly through the air side by side beating and banging in complete racing chaos.

Arie Luyendyk Jr. from Scottsdale, Ariz. finished fifth in the Royal Purple Synthetic Oil truck for his second consecutive top five finish, while Penola, South Australia driver Greg Gartner claimed the sixth position in his R&J Batteries/ Delkor Calcium Battery No. 410 truck.

Caracas, Venezuela driver E.J. Viso driving the Mount Margaret Residential Estate No. 5 would run in the second position behind Gordon for the first five laps of the race until trouble would strike him spinning on his own after getting passed by Morris and Creed. Viso would be go on to be credited with the seventh position.

Rob Whyte of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia driving the AVA Performance Tuning No. 11 would have a better luck than Friday finishing in the eighth position.

Burbank, Calif. driver Erik Davis would encounter a late race spin, and would be scored in the ninth position at the finish of the ten-lap event.

Shaun Richardson from Scunthrope, United Kingdom making his second SST start driving the Positive Automotive/ Positive Trailers No. 12 would feel more comfortable behind the wheel of his SST today running with the lead pack for a good portion of the event before a tangle with Paul Morris would send him to the back, ultimately finishing in the tenth position.

Park City, Utah driver Todd Romano was credited with the eleventh position in the Arctic Cat/ Toyo Tires/ KMC Wheels No 33 after making contact with the wall and falling back in the field.

Bill Hynes of Nazareth, Penn. would be credited with the twelfth position after encountering transmission issues on Lap-7 in the World Gym No. 76, and would not complete all of the scheduled laps.

The SST trucks will return to the Townsville Street Circuit for their third and final round of the Townsville 400 on Sunday at 2:10 pm local time in front of an anticipated capacity crowd.

Photos Courtesy of DirtComp Magazine

SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS
Round No. 11 Results
July 9, 2016
Townsville, Queensland, Australia

1. Robby Gordon; No. 2; Orange, Calif.; Hot Wheels/ Toyo Tires / Castrol EDGE
2. Sheldon Creed; No. 1; Alpine, Calif.; TRAXXAS
3. Paul Morris; No. 67; Norwell, Queensland, Aus.; SuperCheap Auto/ Hungry Jack’s
4. Matt Brabham; No. 83; Gold Coast, Queensland, Queensland, Australia; TRAXXAS
5. Arie Luyendyk Jr.; No. 30; Scottsdale, Arizona; Royal Purple Synthetic Oil
6. Greg Gartner; No. 410; Penola, South Australia, Aus.; R&J Batteries/ Delkor Calcium Battery/ Fuchs
7. E.J. Viso; No. 5; Caracas, Venezuela; Mount Margaret Residential Estate
8. Rob Whyte; No. 11; Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; AVA Performace Tuning/ Motul Oil/ Drift School Australia
9. Erik Davis; No. 75; Burbank, Calif.; Always Evolving/ AERNow/ Replay XD
10. Shaun Richardson; No. 12; Scunthrope, United Kingdom; Positive Automotive/ Positive Trailers/ Savino Del Bene/ Master Tow
11. Todd Romano; No. 33; Park City, Utah; Arctic Cat/ Toyo Tires / SPEED Energy/ TRAXXAS
12. Bill Hynes; No. 76; Nazareth, Penn.; World Gym Australia

High octane V8 Supercars, iconic Australians bands ICEHOUSE and Choirboys and the spectacular Stadium Super Trucks will be part of the biggest and best Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 in July. V8 Supercars stars Chaz Mostert and Scott Pye today joined Stadium Super Truck star Paul Morris to officially launch the event in Townsville.

Created by former IndyCar racer Robby Gordon, the 600hp V8 Stadium Super Trucks will make their first visit to North Queensland, with their 200kmh plus speeds and massive jumps sure to thrill the crowds at Reid Park. General admission trackside tickets for the event start at $46, with Saturday Rock ‘n’ Race tickets starting at just $81, including access to the concert featuring ICEHOUSE and Choirboys. Children aged 12 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.

V8 Supercars Managing Director Matt Braid said the event would be the biggest and best since it started in 2009. “The Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 is the premier motorsport and entertainment event in North Queensland and that is thanks to the people who have supported it from the start,” he said. “From the Stadium Super Trucks and the Saturday night concert to the Disney Zone for our younger fans, we have everyone covered. But most of all it is sensational value for the fans and a show the people of North Queensland won’t want to miss.”

Queensland Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones said the on and off-track entertainment would help promote North Queensland as a premier events destination. “The Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 showcases the city as a world class sporting events destination, boosting tourism and creating jobs in the region,” Ms Jones said. Castrol Marketing Director Diana Hall said that Castrol was proud to again be the naming rights sponsor of the Castrol EDGE Townsville 400, North Queensland’s premier motorsport and entertainment event.

“V8 Supercars is such an iconic sport, where the cars and the drivers battle it out each and every time they hit the track. Endurance and strength are pivotal and together with the dynamic crowds that the event draws each year, make this event such a massive success,” she said. Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 would bring excitement and entertainment to the region. “In our 150th year, it’s appropriate that it looks like this year could be the best one yet. The event has always been very well supported by Townsville residents, and brings a huge influx of visitors and offers a fantastic boost to the local economy,” she said.

DJR Team Penske racer Scott Pye had a top-five finish in Townsville last year and said he was looking forward to returning to the unique ‘street and park’ layout. “I enjoy Townsville as spectators can get up really close to the racing and there is a great party atmosphere,” said Pye. Supercheap Auto Racing young gun Chaz Mostert agrees, saying that the North Queensland fans are some of the most passionate in the country. “The Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 is always an awesome event. It’s one of the great atmosphere rounds with the rock ‘n’ race aspect of the weekend and it’s always good to get back to some warmer weather,” he said.

On track the V8 Supercars will be complemented by quality support categories including the V8 Supercars Dunlop Series, V8 Utes and Australian GT Championship. The Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 will be held from 8-10 July and is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland as part of the It’s Live! in Queensland major events calendar.