PJ Jones captured Sunday’s thrilling second round of the SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road Presented by Traxxas race at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, beating Robby Gordon to the line by a truck length.
Jerett Brooks, 16, finished third, making it the high-school student’s second-consecutive podium finish after coming home second in Saturday’s first race.
Jones, a veteran of IndyCar, USAC Silver Crown and Sprint Cars, started sixth and drove a calculated yet aggressive race to hold off Gordon and a full field of strong trucks.
“We had a really fast truck and kept our mistakes to a minimum, but you do make mistakes in these trucks,” said Jones, the winner of two of the last three Formula Off-Road Presented by Traxxas races. “Robby and Jerett got racing each other behind me which helped, and I had to hold Robby off when he made a couple of late dives on me on that last lap.
“Best thing is that the crowd was really into it and people have been coming up to me all weekend saying how much they love the trucks and love watching them jump. A lot of them said we were the reason they came here this weekend and can’t wait to see us race again. The fans that didn’t know about us already are fans now, I’m sure.”
Following Saturday’s first race of the season, which had Gordon holding off Brooks and third-place finisher Justin Lofton in a driving rain storm, Jones considered Sunday’s victory redemption for a costly mistake on Saturday. Racing in some of the worst conditions possible, Sunday’s race was a complete opposite with brilliant blue Florida skies and warm temperatures.
More than 75,000 spectators lined the 1.8-mile 14-turn road circuit to watch Jones and the Traxxas-branded trucks launch off of man-made ramps on the same DOT-approved Toyo Tires that consumers can buy. The loud raucous cheers of disbelief from the massive crowd could be heard over the trucks as fans of traditional road racing saw the trucks literally fly through the air side by side.
Saturday and Sunday’s races at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be broadcast on NBCSN April 17 at 1 a.m. EST and 10 p.m. PST. (April 16).
Round 3 of the SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road Presented by Traxxas will be April 13 at the Long Beach Grand Prix in Southern California. Tickets to the race are available through the Long Beach Grand Prix web site at www.gplb.com.
Formula Off-Road Presented by Traxxas
Fact Sheet
Track: Grand Prix of St. Petersburg circuit
Circuit Type: Downtown temporary street circuit
Race Time: Sunday, March 31, 2 p.m.
TV Schedule: NBCSN, Thursday, April 18, 1 a.m. EDT
Track Layout: 1.8 mile, 14 turns
Defending Winner: First event at St. Petersburg
Web Site: www.stadiumsupertrucks.com
Twitter: @SSuperTrucks
Round 2 Finishing Order
1. 98 PJ Jones American Racing Wheels Scottsdale, Ariz.
2. 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy Orange, Calif.
3. 77 Jerett Brooks Synergy Electric Alpine, Calif.
4. 6 Justin Lofton Cometic Westmorland, Calif.
5. 74 Sheldon Creed Traxxas Alpine, Calif.
6. 5 Scotty Steele Steele Racing Peoria, Ariz.
7..55 Gavin Harlien A3, Smith Optics, IronClad Racing Mesa, Ariz.
8. 18 Apdaly Lopez VisitMexico.com Tecate, B.C., Mexico
9. 14 Davey Hamilton Traxxas Nampa, Idaho
WD 59 Craig Potts Potts Racing Scottsdale, Ariz.
Round 1 Finishing Order
1. 7 Robby Gordon SPEED Energy Orange, Calif.
2. 77 Jerett Brooks Synergy Electric Alpine, Calif.
3. 6 Justin Lofton Cometic Westmorland, Calif.
4. 55 Gavin Harlien A3, Smith Optics, IronClad Racing Mesa, Ariz.
5. 18 Apdaly Lopez VisitMexico.com Tecate, B.C., Mexico
6. 5 Scotty Steele Steele Racing Peoria, Ariz.
7. 98 PJ Jones American Racing Wheels Scottsdale, Ariz.
8. 14 Davey Hamilton Traxxas Nampa, Idaho
9. 74 Sheldon Creed Traxxas Alpine, Calif.
WD 59 Craig Potts Potts Racing Scottsdale, Ariz
