SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks made a return trip to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif., for the second and final time in 2013.
Five distinct racing divisions took to the track to test their driving skills on the uniquely prepared dirt and asphalt course. Robby Gordon, Larry Swim, Apdaly Lopez, Derek Costella and Shelby Anderson were able to record wins in Round No. 5 of SST competition.
Robby Gordon, of Orange, Calif., driving the #7 SPEED Energy / MAPEI / Toyo Tires truck held off the hard charging Sheldon Creed of Alpine, Calif. to claim his second SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks victory of the season.
The 20-Lap SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks final began from a staggered start, and saw first place starter Arie Luyendyk Jr. from Scottsdale, Ariz., quickly jump out to the early lead navigating his way through the first set of turns. Iron River, Mich., driver Nick Baumgartner would waste no time working his way past the No. 25 to lead Lap-1.
Using the clear track to his advantage Gordon would take the cross-over option on Lap-2 to race his way to the front of the field from the fifth starting position.
Scottsdale, Ariz., native P.J. Jones driving the No. 98 American Racing Wheels truck found trouble on Lap-5 flipping over. On the restart second running Baumgartner would high center his truck on one of the jumps and become stuck losing multiple positions.
Outside front row starter Sheldon Creed would work his way back into the mix, battling Gordon for the lead on Lap-11. The 15-year old young gun would take the lead away from the off-road veteran for a half lap before Gordon would battle back to a slight advantage with Creed glued to the rear bumper.
Lap-14 saw Baumgartner would lose the handle on the No. 12 making contact with the outside k-rail with the truck coming to a rest on top.
Creed would work to the inside of Gordon once again on Lap-18, as the two would race side by side for much of the lap before the No. 7 would power back ahead. Creed would make one more run at Gordon on the final lap, but could not find the opening to get past.
Gordon would race the No. 7 SPEED Energy / MAPEI / Toyo Tires truck to a Round No.5 victory ahead of Creed and third place finisher MacCachren.
After the race Gordon commented on winning for the second time this season:
“San Diego No. 2 was defiantly better for me than San Diego No. 1. I had a great battle with youngster Sheldon Creed with him pressuring me the entire race. Two laps to go he got down inside of me and I thought he was going to put the door to me. So the next lap I went over the big cross-over jump, and we came out of the inside outside line side by side coming to the last corner. It was a great race, these Toyo tires really worked well tonight, and I can’t thank all the fans enough for coming out and supporting us. “
