Matt Brabham earns win and runner-up in Stadium Super Trucks at Toronto

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While still pursuing a full-time ride in the Verizon IndyCar Series, Matt Brabham is making quite a name for himself in Robby Gordon’s Speed Energy Stadium Super Trucks Series.

Brabham earned his third win of the season this past Saturday in Toronto, defeating defending champion and Traxxas teammate Sheldon Creed.

With Creed literally riding his bumper, Brabham was able to hold on for the win in what a series press release called “a memorable win in what could be regarded as one of the great races since Stadium Super Trucks was inaugurated.”

Brabham had hoped to make it back-to-back wins in another race on the same course the following day, but fell one spot short, finishing second to Creed.

“In the second race, the other guys got through the traffic a bit better than I did, but I was able to bump draft with Robby (Gordon) and Sheldon and be right in the mix,” Brabham said. “In the closing stages there it again came down to Sheldon and I and we swapped the lead back and forth almost every corner.

“I got slightly ahead on the final lap and thought I could snatch the win right before the second last jump. However Sheldon and I touched and I had to bail out of the jumps at the last minute.

“Both races were crazy with lots of battles and a plenty of passing.”

A win and runner-up showing in two days allowed Brabham to maintain his lead in the series’ North American standings, and is a close second to Creed in the world championship standings.

“It was a fun weekend and I really enjoyed the hard racing and the show that the Traxxas Stadium Super Trucks were able to put on for the fans,” Brabham said in a media release. “I’m very happy to come away with the overall win for the weekend and maintain the Series lead.

“The whole weekend was a huge battle and really awesome. It feels great to get a win here in Toronto and a Traxxas one-two with Sheldon.”

Through the first 14 rounds of the series this season, Brabham has earned wins at Detroit (both races there in early June) and the first of this past weekend’s two Toronto races.

He also has runner-up finishes at St. Petersburg 1, Long Beach 1, Townsville 3 (Australia) and in this past weekend’s second Toronto race.

Brabham also has seven other finishes between third and fifth place, meaning he has never finished a race in the series this season lower than fifth place.

Other drivers that took part in the weekend’s SST racing action in Toronto included Canadian native and former IndyCar champ (and NBCSN IndyCar analyst) Paul Tracy, IndyCar driver Max Papis and 2016 Dakar motorcycle winner Toby Price.

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Beta Motorcycles joins SuperMotocross in 2024, Benny Bloss named first factory rider

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Beta Motorcycles
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Benny Bloss will race for the factory Beta Motorcycles team in 2024 as that manufacturer joins SuperMotocross as the ninth brand to compete in the series. Beta Motorcycles will make their debut in the Monster Energy Supercross opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California in January.

Benny Bloss finished among the top 10 twice in Pro Motocross, in 2016 and 2018. – Beta Motorcycles

“The wait is over and we can finally share everything we have been working towards,” said Carlen Gardner, Race Team Manager in a press release. “It has been a great experience being a part of this development and seeing the progression. The only missing part was finding a rider that would mesh well with our Beta Family.

“After a one phone call with Benny, we knew it would be a good fit for him, and for us. We are happy to have him on board for the next two years and can’t wait to see everyone at Anaheim in January.”

Bloss debuted in the 450 class in 2015 with a 15th-place finish overall at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Bloss has a pair of top-10 rankings in the division with a sixth-place finish in the Pro Motocross Championship in 2016 and a seventh in 2018. His best Supercross season ended 15th in the standings in 2018.

“I’m extremely excited to join the Beta Factory Racing team,” Bloss said. “It’s cool to see a brand with such a rich history in off-road racing to come into the US Supercross and Motocross space. I know this team will be capable of great things as we build and go racing in 2024.”

Bloss is currently 22nd in the SuperMotocross rankings and has not raced in the first two rounds of the Motocross season.

Testing for Beta Motorcycles is scheduled to begin in August and the team expects to announce a second rider at that time.

The family-owned brand adds to the international flare of the sport. The company was founded in Florence, Italy in 1905 as Società Giuseppe Bianchi as they built handmade bicycles, The transition to motorcycle production in the late 1940s.

Beta Motorcycles competed and won in motocross competition in the late 1970s and early 1980s with Jim Pomeroy and other riders.

Beta will join Triumph Motorcycles as a second historic brand to join the sport in 2024. First established in 1902, Triumph has won in nearly every division they have competed in, dating back to their first victory in the 1908 Isle of Man TT. Triumph will debut in the 250 class in 2024 and plans to expand into 450s in 2025.