The SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks/Boost Mobile Super Trucks‘ Race #2 from the Adelaide 500 saw a dramatic finish between former series champions. As 2017 champion Paul Morris took the white flag, it was a photo finish between two-time champs Matt Brabham and Robby Gordon coming to the checkered, one that the reigning titlist Brabham claimed.
A Qualifying Shootout took place earlier in the day. Following the field invert, Matt Mingay started on the pole ahead of Shaun Richardson, Sara Price, Luke Vanna, Greg Gartner, Bill Hynes, Morris, Paul Weel, Shae Davies, Brabham, and Toby Price. Gordon, who won Race #1 and led the shootout, started in last.
Mingay quickly built an early lead over Richardson. Entering the final hairpin, Vanna experienced an awkward landing that leaned his truck to the right, causing him to spin when he tried to correct. A lap later, Sara Price clipped a tyre barrier in turn five followed by brushing the wall, causing damage to her hood. At the front, Gartner took second.
On lap three, Morris capitalised on a three-wide battle with Gartner and Davies through the staircase sector (turns four through six) to claim second. He took the lead from Mingay later on the lap, while Davies began to fall after making contact with Brabham.
By the competition caution on lap four, Morris led Mingay, Brabham, Gartner, Gordon, Sara and Toby Price, Weel, Vanna, Richardson, and Hynes.
On the restart, the trucks continued single file through the Senna Chicane before making their moves in the staircase. Davies attempted to pass Gartner on the inside, but his brakes locked up and sent him into Gartner, causing the two to spin into the gravel; race commentator Matt Naulty remarked the error was the “motorsports version of elbow to the chin.” Gartner’s race worsened when he hit a kerb and went off course again.
Brabham chased down Mingay into the Dequetteville Hairpin for second. On lap six, Mingay was holding off a charge by Toby Price, who went wide and fell to tenth.
Coming to the final lap, Morris faced pressure from Brabham and Gordon. Brabham dived into Morris’ inside in turn seven, which was followed by Gordon running alongside Morris as they approached turn nine. Gordon successfully cleared Morris for second in Dequetteville and tried to chase down Brabham. As the leaders went through the final hairpin, Gordon committed to the inside line. Brabham and Gordon raced side-by-side to the finish, with the former winning by 0.036 seconds.
Behind the podium finishers were Weel, Toby Price, Mingay, Vanna, Sara Price, Richardson, Davies, Hynes, and Gartner.
“Rough race two, had some small issues with brake bias and had to adjust after my first spin,” Toby Price tweeted. “Got that settled and ran out of talent and under braking the truck stalled and lost steering so had to restart the engine and get moving. Salvaged a 5th so it’s all on tomorrow!”
Race results
Finish | Start | Number | Driver | Laps Completed | Total Points Earned | Status |
1 | 10 | 83 | Matt Brabham | 7 | 34 | Running |
2 | 12 | 7 | Robby Gordon | 7 | 32 | Running |
3 | 7 | 67 | Paul Morris | 7 | 24 | Running |
4 | 8 | 50 | Paul Weel | 7 | 22 | Running |
5 | 11 | 87 | Toby Price | 7 | 22 | Running |
6 | 1 | 2 | Matt Mingay | 7 | 15 | Running |
7 | 4 | 38 | Luke Vanna | 7 | 14 | Running |
8 | 3 | 78 | Sara Price | 7 | 13 | Running |
9 | 2 | 12 | Shaun Richardson | 7 | 12 | Running |
10 | 9 | 88 | Shae Davies | 7 | 11 | Running |
11 | 6 | 57 | Bill Hynes | 7 | 10 | Running |
12 | 5 | 410 | Greg Gartner | 7 | 9 | Running |
Most laps led (3 bonus points): Paul Morris