2021 Stadium Super Trucks Series
{{Short description|Ninth season of Stadium Super Trucks}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Motorsport season
|series = Stadium Super Trucks
|title = Stadium Super Trucks
|year = 2021
|previous = 2020
|next = 2022
|link = Stadium Super Trucks Series
|footer = Companion series:
Boost Mobile Super Trucks
}}
File:MatthewBrabham2018SVRA.jpg, the 2021 champion]]
The 2021 Stadium Super Trucks Series was the ninth season of the Stadium Super Trucks. The season began with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on April 24–25 and ended at the Grand Prix of Long Beach on September 24–26.
Matthew Brabham finished on the podium in each of the ten races and won twice to claim his third consecutive championship. This broke a three-way tie with Robby Gordon and Sheldon Creed for the most titles, and the former finished second in points.
Drivers
Schedule
The Grand Prix of Long Beach, which had hosted the trucks since the inaugural season in 2013 but was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returned for 2021.{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/03/sst-returning-to-st-petersburg-first-races-since-2017/|title=SST returning to St. Petersburg, first races since 2017|publisher=The Checkered Flag|date=March 17, 2021|access-date=March 21, 2021}} As a precaution with the pandemic ongoing, the race was moved from its traditional April slot to September.{{cite news|url=https://gplb.com/acura-grand-prix-of-long-beach-postponed-to-sept-24-26/|title=Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Postponed to Sept. 24-26|work=Grand Prix of Long Beach|date=December 17, 2020|access-date=March 25, 2021}} The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, also an IndyCar Series street circuit, returned to the SST schedule for the first time since 2017.{{cite news|url=http://gpstpete.com/news/281-public-ticket-sales-begin-thursday-for-the-firestone-grand-prix-of-st-petersburg|title=Public Ticket Sales Begin Thursday for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg|work=Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg|date=March 17, 2021|access-date=March 25, 2021|archive-date=March 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210317220918/http://gpstpete.com/news/281-public-ticket-sales-begin-thursday-for-the-firestone-grand-prix-of-st-petersburg|url-status=dead}} June and July weekends at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and IndyCar, respectively, both of which last took place in 2019, were also added to the slate.{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/05/sst-set-for-mid-ohio-return-as-xfinity-undercard/|title=SST set for Mid-Ohio return as Xfinity undercard|publisher=The Checkered Flag|date=May 26, 2021|access-date=May 26, 2021}} The series also joined IndyCar at the inaugural Music City Grand Prix in Nashville.{{cite news|last=Organ|first=Mike|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2021/07/09/robby-gordon-stadium-super-trucks-join-indycar-music-city-grand-prix/7918053002/|title=Robby Gordon's Stadium Super Trucks joining Music City IndyCar Grand Prix|newspaper=The Tennessean|date=July 9, 2021|access-date=July 9, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://stadiumsupertrucks.com/sst-added-to-nashville-indycar-weekend/|title=SST Added To Nashville IndyCar Weekend|work=Stadium Super Trucks|date=July 14, 2021|access-date=July 14, 2021}}
On March 18, SST announced it had partnered with the newly formed Great American Shortcourse (GAS) series to hold a season finale together in Southern California in November.{{cite news|url=https://www.ultra4racing.com/gas-announces-partnership-sst-series|title=GAS announces partnership with SST series|work=Ultra4 Racing|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 22, 2021}} However, GAS ultimately conducted its own weekend at Glen Helen Raceway without SST involvement while series head Robby Gordon was at the Baja 1000.{{cite magazine|url=https://motocrossactionmag.com/this-week-at-glen-helen-three-days-of-worcs-off-road-utv-quads/|title=This Week at Glen Helen: Great American Shortcourse, SoCal old timers, Stacyc Fall Series & Mud Factor Run|magazine=Motocross Action Magazine|date=November 9, 2021|access-date=November 13, 2021|archive-date=November 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114035216/https://motocrossactionmag.com/this-week-at-glen-helen-three-days-of-worcs-off-road-utv-quads/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.elvigia.net/deportes/2021/11/10/arma-robby-un-equipazo-para-la-1000-381238.html|title=Arma Robby un equipazo para la 1000|publisher=El Vigía|date=November 10, 2021|access-date=November 13, 2021|trans-title=Team Robby a great team for the 1000}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;"
! Round ! Track ! Location ! Date ! Supporting |
| 1
| {{flagicon|Florida}} St. Petersburg, Florida | April 24–25 |
|---|
| 2
| rowspan=2| Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course | rowspan=2| {{flagicon|Ohio}} Lexington, Ohio | June 5–6 |
| 3
| July 3–4 |
| 4
| {{flagicon|Tennessee}} Nashville, Tennessee | August 6–8 |
| 5
| {{flagicon|California}} Long Beach, California | September 24–26 |
Season summary
In addition to series regulars Gordon, Matthew Brabham, and Bill Hynes, the season opener at St. Petersburg marked the returns of Jett Noland and Gordon's 12-year-old son Max, both of whom debuted in 2020; Arie Luyendyk Jr., who won in the trucks' most recent race weekend; and reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Sheldon Creed, the winningest driver in SST history. Robert Stout, a sports car racer and the 2019 Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Production 1000 UTV champion, made his SST debut in the first race of a full-time season, while former NASCAR Truck Series driver Bo LeMastus was a late entrant.{{cite press release|url=https://mailchi.mp/8555ddf8ea19/robert-stout-set-to-compete-in-stadium-super-trucks?e=1f973c3c50|title=Robert Stout set to chase the 2021 Speed Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Championship!|work=Robert Stout|date=April 19, 2021|access-date=April 19, 2021}}{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/04/bo-lemastus-last-minute-entry-for-st-petersburg-sst-debut/|title=Bo LeMastus last-minute entry for St. Petersburg, SST debut|publisher=The Checkered Flag|date=April 24, 2021|access-date=April 24, 2021}} Creed held off Brabham to win both races.{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/04/sheldon-creed-completes-st-petersburg-sweep/|title=Sheldon Creed completes St. Petersburg sweep|publisher=The Checkered Flag|date=April 25, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2021}}
Preceding the first Mid-Ohio weekend, Xfinity Series driver Justin Allgaier participated in practice and qualifying; he was sixth of eight drivers.{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/06/matt-brabham-leads-sst-mid-ohio-practice-justin-allgaier-makes-guest-appearance/|title=Matt Brabham leads SST Mid-Ohio practice, Justin Allgaier makes guest appearance|publisher=The Checkered Flag|date=June 4, 2021|access-date=June 22, 2021}} Creed won the first race but retired from the second with a transmission failure that enabled Gordon to win.{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/06/sheldon-creed-robby-gordon-win-in-ssts-mid-ohio-xfinity-weekend/|title=Sheldon Creed, Robby Gordon win in SST's Mid-Ohio Xfinity weekend|publisher=The Checkered Flag|date=June 6, 2021|access-date=June 22, 2021}}{{cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Rob|url=https://www.galioninquirer.com/sports/65117/allmendinger-tops-at-mid-ohio|title=Allmendinger tops at Mid-Ohio|newspaper=Galion Inquirer|date=June 14, 2021|access-date=June 22, 2021}} Other drivers in the field included Aaron Bambach, who was running his first race since 2018, and NASCAR Cup Series veteran Greg Biffle. The second weekend at Mid-Ohio saw Hynes return after skipping the first due to scheduling conflicts; Noland and LeMastus also made their returns along with Jerett Brooks, who last made an SST start at the 2019 Race of Champions. Brabham swept the weekend.{{cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Rob|url=https://www.galioninquirer.com/sports/65537/newgarden-wins-at-mid-ohio|title=Newgarden wins at Mid-Ohio|newspaper=Galion Inquirer|date=July 5, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021}} The end of the first race saw a fight between Hynes and LeMastus regarding LeMastus' aggressive driving against Max Gordon, with LeMastus removing his helmet and throwing his steering wheel at Hynes before the latter spiked the former's helmet.{{cite news|last=Blackstock|first=Elizabeth|url=https://jalopnik.com/this-stadium-super-trucks-fight-has-more-layers-than-yo-1847227762|title=This Stadium Super Trucks Fight Has More Layers Than You Think|website=Jalopnik|publisher=G/O Media|date=July 4, 2021|access-date=July 5, 2021}}
The Music City Grand Prix weekend saw the returns of Ricky Johnson and Jeff Ward, both of whom last raced in 2013, and the debuts of NASCAR's Stanton Barrett and the Indy Pro 2000 Championship's Jacob Abel. Crosley Brands assumed naming rights for the weekend, which dubbed the series the Crosley Stadium Super Trucks, and sponsored the trucks of LeMastus, Johnson, Ward, Luyendyk, and Abel; Ricky Howerton was initially scheduled to drive before being replaced by Abel.{{cite press release|url=https://williamsonsource.com/crosley-announces-driver-line-up-for-crosle-stadium-super-truck-racing-events/|title=Crosley Announces Driver Line Up for Crosley Stadium Super Truck Racing Events|work=Crosley Brands|publisher=Williamson Source|date=August 6, 2021|access-date=August 22, 2021}} Gordon won the first race while Stout scored his maiden series victory in the second ahead of Abel.{{cite news|last=Organ|first=Mike|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2021/08/07/josef-newgarden-jimmie-johnson-crash-indycar-music-city-grand-prix-qualifying/5463308001/|title=Josef Newgarden and Jimmie Johnson crash in qualifying for IndyCar Music City Grand Prix|newspaper=The Tennessean|date=August 7, 2021|access-date=August 22, 2021}}{{cite news|last=Organ|first=Mike|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2021/08/08/marcus-ericsson-wins-indycar-music-city-grand-prix-nashville/5463367001/|title=Marcus Ericsson wins IndyCar Music City Grand Prix|newspaper=The Tennessean|date=August 8, 2021|access-date=August 22, 2021}}
Newcomers at Long Beach included rally raid driver Christian Sourapas, former motorcycle racer Brandon Parrish, and GT4 America Series competitor Mads Siljehaug. Zoey Edenholm, who made her SST debut in 2020, returned to the series. Operating on a "pretty smart" strategy of conserving his brakes, Brooks won the first race after starting at the back.{{cite news|last=Morales|first=Robert|url=https://www.presstelegram.com/2021/09/25/acura-grand-prix-of-long-beach-jerett-brooks-wins-first-of-two-super-stadium-trucks-races/|title=Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach: Jerett Brooks wins first of two Super Stadium Trucks races|newspaper=Press-Telegram|date=September 25, 2021|access-date=September 27, 2021}} Gordon won the second race to score his fourth victory at Long Beach and break a tie with Brabham for the most at the street circuit.{{cite news|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|url=https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2021/09/robby-gordon-becomes-sst-long-beach-all-time-winner-with-race-2-triumph/|title=Robby Gordon becomes SST Long Beach all-time winner with Race 2 triumph|publisher=The Checkered Flag|date=September 27, 2021|access-date=September 27, 2021}}
Results and standings
=Race results=
=Drivers' championship=
| valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center" |
| Rank
! Driver ! colspan=2| {{flagicon|Florida}} ! colspan=4| {{flagicon|Ohio}} ! colspan=2| {{flagicon|Tennessee}} ! colspan=2| {{flagicon|California}} ! Points |
|---|
| 1
| align="left"| {{flagicon|AUS}} Matthew Brabham | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 ! 296 |
| 2
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Robby Gordon | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1* | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2* | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1* | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1* ! 270 |
| 3
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Robert Stout | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4* | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1* | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 10 ! 208 |
| 4
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Max Gordon | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 5 ! 172 |
| 5
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Sheldon Creed | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1* | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1* | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1* | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 7 | | | | | | ! 116 |
| 6
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Jerett Brooks | | | | | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2* | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8 | | | style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 ! 111 |
| 7
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Bill Hynes | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8 | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 10 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7* | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9 ! 106 |
| 8
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Jett Noland | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 8 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8 | | ! 95 |
| 9
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Bo LeMastus | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 9 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9 | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9 | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 11 | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8 ! 92 |
| 10
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Arie Luyendyk Jr. | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | | | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | | ! 75 |
| 11
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Aaron Bambach | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3 | | | | ! 74 |
| 12
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Jeff Ward | | | | | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7 ! 59 |
| 13
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Greg Biffle | | | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | | | | | | ! 42 |
| 14
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Jacob Abel | | | | | | | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12 | style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2 | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 13 | DNS ! 39 |
| 15
| align="left" nowrap| {{flagicon|USA}} Christian Sourapas | | | | | | | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8 | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4 ! 32 |
| 16
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Brandon Parrish | | | | | | | | | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 11 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 6 ! 25 |
| 17
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Stanton Barrett | | | | | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8 | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 11 | | ! 23 |
| 18
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Zach Van Matre | | | | | | | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 10 | style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 9 | | ! 23 |
| 19
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Zoey Edenholm | | | | | | | | | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 10 | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 12 ! 20 |
| 20
| align="left"| {{flagicon|NOR}} Mads Siljehaug | | | | | | | | | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 12 | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 11 ! 19 |
| 21
| align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Ricky Johnson | | | | | | | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 13 | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 13 | | ! 16 |
| Rank
! Driver ! colspan=2| {{flagicon|Florida}} ! colspan=4| {{flagicon|Ohio}} ! colspan=2| {{flagicon|Tennessee}} ! colspan=2| {{flagicon|California}} ! Points |
| colspan=13| Source:{{cite web|url=https://stadiumsupertrucks.com/2021-standings/|title=2021 Overall Point Standings|work=Stadium Super Trucks|access-date=October 1, 2021}} |
| valign="top" style="font-size: 85%;"|
{{American Open Wheel driver results legend}}
|}
| {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%; text-align:center" |
| rowspan=2| Points
! colspan=28| Position |
|---|
| 1st
! 2nd ! 3rd ! 4th ! 5th ! 6th ! 7th ! 8th ! 9th ! 10th ! 11th ! 12th ! 13th ! 14th ! 15th |
| Heat
| 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | colspan=7| |
| Final
| 25 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
| style="margin-right:0; font-size:85%; text-align:center;" class="wikitable" |
| colspan=2 |{{center|Bonuses}} |
|---|
| Most laps led
| 3 |
| Position gained
| 1 |
| Fastest qualifier
| 1 |
|}
Notes
{{notelist}}