Rounds one and two of this season’s Stadium Super Trucks have completed in St. Petersburg, Florida with this weekend’s races being both waterlogged and eventful. Despite the “worse weather conditions I’ve ever competed in.. in thirty years,” Robby Gordon took the first round of SST.
Amazingly, second place was taken by newcomer Jerett Brooks of California, who at only sixteen years of age, is proving himself to be a racer to watch. Fellow Californian Justin Lofton took third.
During the fourteen-turn, 1.8-mile course, standing water on what was a completely paved circuit – the same circuit used for the IndyCar Grand Prix – proved to be a tough slog for SST drivers. Nearly every driver spun out at least once and most of the race was between Gordon, PJ Jones, and Lofton. The conservative driving style of Brooks, however, paid off and he jumped into the podium position thanks to his patient play.
That was Saturday and Round 1. In Round 2 on Sunday, the races picked up again and were more favorable as the rain had let up. PJ Jones took the lead early, but kept swapping it with Gordon and Brooks, finally finishing the race a length ahead of Gordon for the win. Brooks again made the podium, this time in third place.
Jones credited his victory Sunday to the dry conditions and his lack of mistakes, both of which pushed him out of the running the day before.
Round 3 of Stadium Super Trucks takes place on April 13 in Long Beach, California as part of the Long Beach Grand Prix.
