He laid down the lap on his last trip around the 11-turn temporary circuit for the session, but it’d be exactly what was needed as Robby Gordon would top the charts in the SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road presented by TRAXXAS practice/qualifying session. Gordon finished off the session with a lap of one minute and 33.511 seconds around the 1.755-mile course behind the wheel of his No. 7 SPEED Energy truck.
Even though he posted the quickest lap, Gordon will not start pole for the event tomorrow afternoon as he will draw a number from a hat during the pre-race driver’s meeting to determine how many rows are inverted before the start of the event.
Defending race winner Sheldon Creed posted the second quickest lap at one minute and 33.904 seconds during the 20-minute session. Creed commented afterwards that he likes the format of doing practice and qualifying in one session together.
“I kind of like it as it’s basically go out and lay down your best lap in 10 laps so it puts everybody in the same box to go for it,” Creed said.
Commenting on the track, the youngster noted that it’s one of his favourite tracks that the Stadium Super Trucks go to over the course of their season.
“I like the track a lot as you carry a lot of speed here down the straightaways and then the tight corners at the ends,” Creed commented. “It’s different than any of the other road courses that we go to and I like it the best.”
Scott Steele was third quickest, followed by Canadian Paul Tracy. Tracy is set to return behind the wheel of a truck after the first outing didn’t go as planned last year, ending with a crash on the frontstretch in the Sunday event. Aaron Bambach and Bill Hynes rounded out the top six.
Apdaly Lopez’s qualifying session didn’t go as he hoped as on the opening lap up to speed, he would lock up the brakes heading into the first corner, resulting in heavy contact with the turn one tire barrier.
SST officials stated that Nick Vanis did not post a lap, but will be in attendance for both races this weekend as his travel to Toronto was delayed due to a family illness.
With qualifying in the books, the SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road Presented by TRAXXAS is set to take to the track on Saturday at 2:20 p.m. EST, with live coverage available online via the series website at http://www.stadiumsupertrucks.com. NBCSN will broadcast the race at 10 p.m. PDT on July 31 (1 a.m. EDT Aug. 1).
Honda Indy Toronto
SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road Presented by TRAXXAS
Session Results
| 1 | 7 | Robby Gordon | SPEED Energy | 1:33.511 |
| 2 | 74 | Sheldon Creed | TRAXXAS | 1:33.904 |
| 3 | 5 | Scotty Steele | Steele Racing | 1:35.488 |
| 4 | 3 | Paul Tracy | TRAXXAS | 1:36.456 |
| 5 | 87 | Aaron Bambach | 3 Dimensional.com | 1:40.015 |
| 6 | 57 | Bill Hynes | LIVE@Freaks for LIVE/UFD | 1:43.296 |
| 7 | 18 | Apdaly Lopez | VisitMexico.com/RPM | Accident |
| 8 | 13 | Nick Vanis | Magnaflow/Outlaw LED | DNP |
