Bradley Morris Races His Pro Lite Truck on the Streets of the 2014 Long Beach Grand Prix

Bradley Morris soared over the streets of Long Beach Prix in his first ever Stadium Super Trucks race

The first time we took serious notice of Perris, California, native, Bradley Morris was in September of 2009. Bradley was 12, he was holding down a top-three spot in the SxS Nationals and a top-four position in the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series, driving a trophy kart. We learned that racing four wheels was actually his parents doing, Bradley’s first choice was motocross, but his folks nixed that on account of the risk level. So when he was 10, his dad wisely bought him a used trophy truck, in the event racing didn’t take hold. In his very first race Bradley finished 2nd – which is generally unheard of for a first timer, unless there were only two karts in the field. After that the kid was all in.

Bradley said he used the same tires on the street of Long Beach but the truck handled completely different

That initial result wasn’t an anomaly either, not by a long shot, with each season and every race since that first podium finish, Bradley has been devouring the race curve with such ferocity that it’s really anybody’s guess what he’s ultimately capable of.

Last year Bradley was a part of the Long Beach Grand Prix, displaying his Pro Lite in the K&N Filters display area and talking with fans, which included an autograph session and handing out hats and posters. This year he stepped it up and brought a Stadium Super Truck to go racing at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Soaring high above the streets, Bradley showed thousands of Long Beach Grand Prix fans something they’ve never seen before.

Bradley was battling in the lead for the first few laps at Long Beach before a mishap took him wide in a turn

This was Bradley’s first race in a Stadium Super Truck and he started on the front row after the qualifying sessions. Bradley was battling in the lead for the first few laps, but when he tried to pass the leader on the outside of a turn, the leader went up on three wheels and pushed wide taking Bradley with him. This allowed third place to slide underneath the two and take the lead. Then only a few laps later Bradley tried to avoid a spinning truck, but ended up hitting the tire wall and spun himself out. Utilizing his intrinsic driving skills, Bradley recovered to finish 6th place in his first Stadium Super Truck event.

Jumping straight from his buggy into the Pro Lite Bradley got the hole shot, led every lap and set the fastest time of the race

“It's pretty amazing to know that I was out there racing on the same track as the Indy car drivers. That is one thing that I would love to do while moving up through different disciplines of racing in my career,” Bradley made known. “I feel that it's neat that the Indy car guys looked at me and said wow that's cool that we're jumping and racing that track in off-road cars. I have never raced anything on asphalt before that race, and I know that I have a lot to learn, but I really enjoyed it and cannot wait to do it again.”

Bradley and the BME Motorsports crew will get their chance “to do it again” at the X Games in Austin, Texas June 5-8, at Circuit of The Americas.

“We don't use different tires but the truck handles completely different,” says Bradley comparing the dirt to the hard stuff. “The way that you turn the truck is totally opposite from when we are on dirt. You cannot slide the truck sideways much at all, and the straighter you can be, the faster you are. It is also very difficult to make passes on the asphalt in an off-road car.”

Before getting his focus too far ahead of with the next SST race however, Bradley had the next rounds of the Lucas Oil Offroad Series at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park to contend with. In round 3 the team had some issues with gearing in the Pro Buggy, yet Bradley still salvaged a 5th place finish.

“I jumped straight out of the buggy and into the Pro Lite and got some redemption by getting the hole shot and leading every lap and setting the fastest lap time of that race,” said Bradley.

“On Sunday I started 7th in the Pro buggy and drove a really tough race and got 3rd. I started 4th in the Pro Lite worked my way to 3rd, then I sat and waited for some opportunities to make passes, but they did not come, so I passed for 2nd and then got into 1st on the last lap, but I got taken out by (Brian) Deegan and finished in 2nd.” Bradley is currently second overall points in both classes.

“I'm only 11 points behind first in Pro Buggy, and one point out of first in Pro Lite and I am going to do everything I can to get both the points leads, and stretch them out giving me a cushion to win the championship later this season,” he adds.

Smart money would take that bet. BME Motorsports returns to LOORS action May 30 – 31 at Wild West Motorsports Park, in Sparks, Nevada.