,
Now, it was time for the main event; the Stadium Super Trucks! This race would feature 20 laps around the LA Coliseum and 13 Stadium Super Trucks. This race would also feature several legends in Off Road and Stadium Truck racing; Robby Gordon, Rickey Johnson, Greg Adler, PJ Jones, Jeff Ward, and Rob MacCachren. It would also feature Off Road racing upstarts like Lalo Laguna and Arie Luyendyk, Jr. Justin Lofton would also be in this final, after qualifying by way of the Last Chance Qualifier to get into the race in 6th place. It was a disappointing start for Lofton as he won Round 2 at Long Beach.
Stadium Super Trucks start with Robby Gordon in first, Lalo Laguna in Second, and Ricky Johnson in Third. |
Remember when I said timing the 70 foot gap jump was critical? |
This is the result of Ricky Johnson not timing the jump right and blowing out his right front tire. He would finish in 13th place of 13 trucks. |
At the start of the final, Rickey Johnson in the number 5 Jegs truck would find the gap jump first. However, he took it wrong and landed so hard that his front tire blew out on him and he could not clear the double. Johnson’s night was done before lap one. Robby would take a fairly commanding lead at the start of the race with his Speed Energy/Mapei number 7 truck and was one of the few trucks that could clear the gap and double jump with no problem. Jeff Ward in the number 4 Speed Energy truck was looking strong in third place until he got stuck on the hill. Wardy went off line and high centered his truck causing him to go several laps down and finish in 12th place.
The hill climb really gave the drivers some difficulty as not only did they have to navigate a dirt chicane at the bottom of the center palisade jump but also had to power out afterwards and climb the loose dirt hill! |
It didn't work out for everyone as Jeff Ward shows going several laps down and finishing in 12th place. |