2016 Speed Energy Formula Off-Road season
2016 Speed Energy Formula Off-Road season | |||
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The 2016 Speed Energy Formula Off-Road presented By Traxxas season was the fourth season of the Speed Energy Formula Off-Road series, and third with the name.
2015 champion Sheldon Creed defended his title when he recorded twelve wins in 2016. Matthew Brabham finished second in the championship with 570 points, a 75-point differential between him and Creed, while Robby Gordon took third.[1]
Drivers
No. | Driver(s) | Round(s) |
---|---|---|
1 | Sheldon Creed | 1-8, 10-21 |
Robby Gordon | 9 | |
2 | 10-12, 19-21 | |
Matt Mingay | 1-3 | |
5 | E.J. Viso | 10-12 |
6 | Tyler McQuarrie | 4-7, 9, 17-18 |
7 | Robby Gordon | 1-7, 13-18 |
Matt Brabham | 8-9 | |
83 | 1-7, 10-21 | |
E.J. Viso | 8-9 | |
9 | Max Papis | 13-14 |
12 | Shaun Richardson | 10-12, 19-21 |
20 | Arie Luyendyk Jr. | 15-16 |
25 | 8-9 | |
30 | 10-12, 17-18 | |
57 | Bill Hynes | 1-9, 13-18 |
76 | 10-12, 19-21 | |
67 | Paul Morris | All |
Schedule
Race summaries
Rounds 1–3: Adelaide
2016 Indianapolis 500 driver Matt Brabham, who ran the Formula Off-Road round at Toronto in 2015, made his return to the series for Adelaide.[24] Adelaide driver Travis Milburn made his SST debut in the race weekend;[25] other Australians in the field included Paul Morris, Rob Cowie, Matt Mingay, Greg Gartner and 2016 Dakar Rally winner Toby Price.[26]
2015 champion Sheldon Creed started eleventh in the twelve-driver grid, but drove his way through the field. Price led the race until lap six, when he collided into the wall. Morris inherited the lead and dueled with Creed for the position. As the two entered the final ramps, Morris went sideways and missed the second jump, enabling Creed to take the win.[27]
On the first lap of the second race, Mingay rolled his truck as he entered turn fourteen. Mingay nearly landed on Burt Jenner, but he was able to avoid Mingay's truck. Jenner battled with Price for much of the race before passing him on lap six, holding off Gordon to win.[28]
Mingay's struggles continued in the third race when he was spun by Price on lap three as he entered the ramp.[29]
Rounds 4–5: St. Petersburg
The series returned to the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for the third consecutive season.[30]
Rounds 6–7: Long Beach
On the final lap, Pat O'Keefe landed off a jump erratically, causing his truck to slide over the second ramp before hitting the catchfence dividing the track from pit road. The wreck ended the race as Sheldon Creed was declared the winner.[31]
Rounds 8–9: Detroit
Series veteran Arie Luyendyk Jr. made his season debut in Detroit.[32]
In the second race, Matt Mingay's truck flipped on lap three, prompting a red flag and suspending the race. He was taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital for facial injuries.[10]
Rounds 10–12: Townsville
In support of the injured Matt Mingay, Robby Gordon drove his No. 2 Hot Wheels truck at Townsville.[33]
Rounds 13–14: Toronto
Entering the race weekend, 17-time motocross champion Sara Price made her series debut, becoming the first female driver in SST history.[34] Also debuting in the series at Toronto was Champ Car and NASCAR driver Max Papis, while 2003 CART champion Paul Tracy, who last ran an SST race in 2014, returned to the series.[35]
Rounds 15–16: Charlotte
In August, the SST partnered with TORC: The Off Road Championship to race the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. To accommodate the stadium trucks, track officials added a 36-inch tall aluminum ramp to the start/finish line.[36] NASCAR drivers Kenny Wallace and Brian Ickler made their series debuts.[37]
Rounds 17–18: Costa Mesa
The Sand Sports Super Show weekend was marred by tragedy when Robby Gordon's parents were found dead in their nearby Orange, California home on Wednesday.[38] In a statement released on Thursday, Gordon stated the race weekend would go on as planned, but added that "to switch from what happened to a business mode really stinks."[39]
In the first race, Matt Brabham took the lead at the start, while Gordon moved his way up from the back of the field. Late in the race, Gordon took the Joker Lap to get past Brabham and claim the win. P. J. Jones, who was substituting for Pat O'Keefe in the SafeCraft Safety Equipment truck, was able to pass Brabham to take second. With six laps left in the race, Paul Morris flipped his truck but was able to finish sixth.[40]
Mike's Peak Hill Climb Challenge
On October 13–16, the series went to Baja California to run the inaugural Mike's Peak Hill Climb Challenge, held at Mike’s Sky Rancho. The hillclimbing event featured 144 competitors across various vehicle classes including SST.[41] Held on a 19.5-mile (31.4 km) course with 203 turns, water crossings and cattle grids, it marked the first time a stadium truck raced on such a track. Gordon dedicated the hillclimb to his late father Bob Gordon. "We've spent many, many nights here [at Mike's Sky Ranch]. We'd share a room, share a bed," he stated. "I think if I would have stopped this event, he would have been mad at me."[42]
The field of competitors featured a variety of drivers, such as SST veterans Robby Gordon and Sheldon Creed, and an eleven-year old racer with his father serving as co-driver.[42] 2015 Baja 500 winner Apdaly Lopez, who won the SST gold medal at X Games Austin 2014, entered the event driving an unlimited truck.[43]
On Friday, Gordon recorded the fastest time of the 16-driver field with a time of 17:08, followed by Sheldon Creed with 17:29.[44] He repeated the feat on Saturday with a time of 16:51, a 22-second advantage over second-placed Creed.[45]
Rounds 19–21: Surfers Paradise
In practice for Friday's race, teammates Paul Morris and Sara Price collided as they entered a turn, causing the two to roll over as they went into the barrier.[46]
Final standings
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References
- ↑ "2016 OVERALL POINT STANDINGS". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 1 – Clipsal 500 – 3/4/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Round 2 – Clipsal 500 – 3/5/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Round 3 – Clipsal 500 – 3/6/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Round 4 – St. Petersburg – 3/12/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Round 5 – St. Petersburg – 3/13/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
- ↑ "Round 6 – Long Beach – 4/16/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 7 – Long Beach – 4/17/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 8 – Detroit – 6/3/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- 1 2 Trister, Noah (June 4, 2016). "Driver Mingay in Serious but Stable Condition After Crash". ABC News. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
- ↑ "Round 9 – Detroit – 6/5/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 10 – Townsville – 7/8/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 11 – Townsville – 7/9/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 12 – Townsville – 7/10/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 13 – Toronto – 7/16/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 14 – Toronto – 7/17/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 15 – Charlotte – 8/19/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 16 – Charlotte – 8/20/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 17 – Costa Mesa – 9/16/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 18 – Costa Mesa – 9/17/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 19 – Gold Coast – 10/21/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 20 – Gold Coast – 10/22/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Round 21 – Gold Coast – 10/23/16". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Brabham booked for Adelaide Super Trucks tilt". Speedcafe. February 26, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ↑ Burns, Josh (March 4, 2016). "Stadium Super Trucks to Kickoff 2016 Season in Australia". Off-Road. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Driver Lineup Confirmed For The 2016 Clipsal 500 Adelaide". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. February 25, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ↑ "Sheldon Creed Wins Stadium Super Trucks 2016 Opener in Adelaide, Australia". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
- ↑ Herrero, Mark (March 5, 2016). "SUPPORTS WRAP: TCM, ARC, V8 Utes, Trucks". Speedcafe. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ↑ "Sheldon Creed Wins the Round No. 3 of Stadium Super Trucks at Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, Australia". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. March 6, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
- ↑ Burns, Josh (February 1, 2016). "Stadium Super Trucks Added to 2016 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg". Off-Road. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ↑ "Watch catchfence stop Stadium Super Truck from flying into pit area". Foxsports.com. April 23, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
- ↑ Brudenell, Mike (June 1, 2016). "Arie Luyendyk Jr. preps for full weekend of trucks at Belle Isle". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
- ↑ "Robby Gordon Snaps Winless Streak, Capturing Townsville Australia Race 2". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. July 10, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
- ↑ Hall, Emme (July 15, 2016). "Sara Price becomes first woman to race Stadium Super Trucks". CNET. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ "Stadium Super Trucks To Air on CBS Sports Network Thursday". Off-Road. August 3, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ "TORC Series adds Stadium Super Trucks for Charlotte Motor Speedway stop". TORC: The Off Road Championship. August 9, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ "Sheldon Creed Launches to Victory in Stadium SUPER Trucks First Dirt Event of 2016". Speed Energy Formula Off-Road. August 22, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ↑ "Father of driver, SST founder Robby Gordon found dead". Racer. September 15, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ Sudock, Joshua; Dottore, Damian; Pimentel, Joseph; Haire, Chris (September 15, 2016). "Police say Robby Gordon's stepmother was strangled, and his father apparently shot himself". Orange County Register. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ↑ "Robby Gordon Wins Stadium Super Trucks Race in Costa Mesa". Off-Road. September 19, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ Headlee, Jake (October 11, 2016). "Event Alert: Mike’s Peak Hill Climb Oct 13-16, 2016". Offroad Xtreme. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- 1 2 Horncastle, Rowan. "King of the Hill". Top Gear. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ "RPM Off-Road Enters 5 Trucks in Mike’s Peak Hill Climb Challenge". Off-Road. July 20, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ Speed Energy Formula Off-Road (October 16, 2016). "Baja Bob's Mike's Peak Saturday Race 1 Results". Facebook. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ Speed Energy Formula Off-Road (October 16, 2016). "Baja Bob's Mike's Peak Saturday Race 2 Results". Facebook. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ↑ Reiman, Samuel (November 21, 2016). "Two trucks roll over in Stadium Super Trucks crash". Foxsports.com. Retrieved January 17, 2017.