Two huge crashes end Stadium Super Trucks practice in Adelaide

The Super Trucks series, which has had safety issues in the past, is back in the spotlight after two huge crashes in Adelaide.

Two spectacular crashes forced an early end to the opening practice session of the Stadium Super Trucks event at the Adelaide 500 on Thursday.

Following a four-year absence, the American Stadium Super Trucks series has returned to Adelaide, pitting identical 600 horsepower off-road trucks against each other.

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Adding to the excitement, the powerful trucks jump over huge ramps and they were the cause of all the carnage at the Adelaide circuit, which will host the Supercars finale over the weekend.

In the first practice session, former Supercars driver Shae Davies ended up in a nosedive after hitting the second jump on the front straight, crashing into the barrier and flipping into a series of rolls down the track.

Shae Davies braces for impact as his truck rolls. Photo: Twitter

He then waved to the crowd as he got out of the truck. Photo: Twitter

Emergency crews were quickly on the scene and 34-year-old Davies waved to the crowd seemingly unhurt after he exited the side-on vehicle, before the truck was pushed over and a red flag was waved.

Commentators on Sky Sports were grateful for the pit fence and the fact Davies was able to walk away from the huge impact.

“Here’s a shot from the pit fence and why we have the best barriers, which well and truly can contain one of these Stadium Super Trucks,” the commentator said.

“You can see Shae just holding on, it did land on its side but climbing out to the applause of the crowd just a few moment sago.

Matt Mingay loses control of his truck. Photo: Twitter

Makes heavy contact with the wall. Photo: Twitter

The moment the fuel cell broke loose. Photo: Twitter

“Not the way he wanted to start. Hopefully that truck isn’t too banged up.”

Then, not long after the restart, the red flag was flying again after Matt Mingay also lost control coming over a jump at the penultimate turn.

Mingay’s 1300kg truck landed awkwardly after the jump and he lost control, shooting sideways into a barrier and then flipping, with the fuel cell ripped from the back of the truck and bouncing across the track in a fireball.

“It’s the final ramp, awkward, exit stage right,” the commentator said watching a replay.

“Big contact with the debris fence on the right hand side and right in the middle of the field.

“That’s the fuel cell,” he added after a close up of the flaming hunk of metal.

File photo of Matt Mingay, who appeared to be unhurt from the crash. Picture: Contributed

Shae Davies also walked away from his crash. Photo: Instagram

Thankfully, Mingay also appeared to escape injury, climbing out of his truck as drivers and emergency crews raced to check on him.

After the second big incident, off-road racer Justin Nguyen tweeted: “Practice is unsurprisingly over, after about four laps.”

X account JT Melb also posted: “Glad both drivers are OK, but umm, yeah, I think the Stadium Super Trucks are done here.”

Adelaide hosted races in the Super Trucks series from 2015 to 2021, split up by Motorsport Australia revoking the licence in 2018 over safety concerns.

After safety was improved, the ban was lifted until a new agreement failed to materialise for 2022 and beyond, with this year marking the official return of the trucks to Australia.

Provided the trucks can be repaired in time — and organisers are satisfied with the current safety of the track — they will return for qualifying at 12:20pm AEDT on Friday.

They then have two races scheduled for Friday afternoon and Saturday before the Supercars take to the track on Sunday afternoon for the main race.