By RaceScene Publisher on Saturday, 26 November 2022
Category: The Checkered Flag

SST returning to Long Beach in 2023

Save for the COVID-wracked 2020, the Stadium Super Trucks have raced at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach every year since the series’ inaugural season in 2013. As the lone track from that first year that is still on the calendar, Long Beach will be the first to hit double digits in rounds when the trucks return on 14–16 April 2023 to support the NTT IndyCar Series.

“We have put together another exciting event on the track for 2023,” said Grand Prix Association of Long Beach head Jim Michaelian. “After returning to our traditional April date this year, we had an extremely successful event and we are looking forward to building on that momentum to bring even more excitement and family fun back to the streets of Long Beach. It’s going to be a beach party full of activity for the entire family.”

2022 saw a Gordon family sweep as Max Gordon scored his maiden win in Race #1 ahead of his father Robby Gordon, who claimed the second race. The weekend saw the SST début of popular YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland, who nearly won Race #2 before spinning just moments before crossing the finish and has been one of the series’ biggest supporters since.

The older Gordon holds the most SST wins at Long Beach with prior victories in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2021. Matt Brabham holds the second most with three (2017 through 2019), and Sheldon Creed is the only other driver with multiple wins as he swept the 2016 weekend. Single-time victors include Justin Lofton (2013), E.J. Viso (2015), and Jerett Brooks (2021).

After hosting a single race annually from 2013 to 2015, Long Beach elevated to an SST doubleheader—one on Saturday and another on Sunday—in 2016.

Long Beach is the first track with a confirmed SST date in 2023. One can also expect the Honda Indy Toronto (15/16 July) and Music City Grand Prix (5/6 August) to return as IndyCar street courses that SST frequently supports; the trucks dropped the former in 2022 at the last minute due to Gordon’s business obligations. Also on the 2022 SST calendar was the IndyCar round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which is scheduled for 1/2 July in 2023, and Bristol Motor Speedway as part of McFarland’s Bristol 1000 on Labor Day weekend.

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