The Stadium Super Trucks and Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) have reached an agreement that will open the door to the series’ return to Australia. On Tuesday, CAMS officials announced their ban on SST has been lifted with a three-year commercial rights deal.
“The leadership at CAMS has always wanted to see the Stadium SUPER Trucks in Australia and we are pleased to say that all of our safety concerns and related issues have been fully addressed and resolved,” CAMS CEO Eugene Arocca stated in a release. “There’s never been any doubt about the trucks’ popularity here in Australia and after months of discussions we are pleased to say SST racing is able to resume under CAMS.”
In May, the two parties reported discussions of mending ties were positive. SST, which began racing in Australia in 2015, had been prohibited from competing in CAMS-sanctioned events after a wreck at Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway in May 2018 sent a loose wheel into a vacant pedestrian bridge. CAMS, who had clashed with SST on various occasions prior, barred the series from racing alongside the CAMS-overseen Supercars Championship and other related events for safety reasons.
SST officials were not notified of the news until July, and the ban sparked a court trial in October 2018 and various modifications to the trucks, though SST lost the case. SST’s last Australian race took place at Sydney Motorsport Park as part of the Australian Auto Sport Alliance.
As part of the new agreement, SST will also feature various safety modifications. Ramps are expected to be smaller, while the tethering system – which was a primary concern that led to the detached wheel incident – has a new design and such a system will also be used for body parts. Driver behavior is also expected to be scrutinised under a new review process according to CAMS guidelines.
While no Supercars support dates have been revealed, it is possible that the trucks can make their return to Australia as early as October for the Gold Coast 600 weekend; SST had originally expected to run the 2018 600 weekend before the ban took place. Held in Surfers Paradise, the 600 hosted SST in 2015 and 2016, with Sheldon Creed winning the latest round.
“It is super exciting to be able to have SST return back to racing in Australia under the CAMS banner,” former Adelaide 500 general manager Nathan Cayzer said. Cayzer, who helped bring the series to Australia in 2015, had also partnered with Boost Mobile head Peter Adderton to help grow the series in the country prior to the ban.
“An enormous amount of work has gone on behind the scenes for both parties to get to this point. With this positive result it is an overall win for all the supporters and motorsport fans of Australia.”
