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
