The Stadium Super Trucks series has been dropped from the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 support bill after CAMS suspended the category from racing on safety grounds.
Next month’s Gold Coast 600 was set to host the penultimate round of the series as a support class to Supercars, featuring on the bill alongside Porsche Carrera Cup Australia, SuperUtes and Aussie Racing Cars.
However, a CAMS spokesperson has confirmed to Speedcafe.com that the category has been suspended based on safety grounds and that discussions are ongoing with the category manager regarding its future in Australia.
Stadium Super Trucks have proved a hugely popular with event goers since their introduction as a support act in Australia at the Adelaide 500 in 2015.
The class has been a mainstay on the support bill at the event ever since.
Founded by former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Robby Gordon, the wild jumping trucks have featured at the Gold Coast 600 in 2015 and 2016 but were due to return this year after an absence in 2017.
Super Trucks have also raced on the Supercars support bill at the Sydney 500 in 2015, Townsville (2016), Darwin last year and in Perth for the last two years.
While the racing has gone ahead largely without issue, this year’s round at Perth in May saw a wheel hit a spectator bridge crossing the track at Barbagallo Raceway, having been flung from one of the Super Trucks.
However, the series owner and CAMS have clashed previously when Gordon was charged with a dangerous driving offence by Northern Territory police for performing burnouts in a Super Truck in Darwin city centre.
He was subsequently fined $4,000 after an appearance in Darwin Magistrates Court and was then denied a competition visa by CAMS.
An apology from Gordon and a $10,000 donation to the Australian Road Safety Foundation saw the visa ban overturned in October last year.
Speedcafe.com understands that the door has not been completely closed on Super Trucks but at this stage the category has been removed from the Gold Coast 600 schedule.
The Stadium Super Trucks series is currently led by Australian Matthew Brabham.
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