Truck racing
Truck racing is a form of motor racing which involves modified versions of heavy tractor units on racing circuits.
The sport started in the United States at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 17, 1979 and was the opening scene in the movie Smokey and the Bandit II. As a sanctioned sport it began as ATRA (American Truck Racing Association) in 1979 then was sold to N. Linn Henndershott in 1982 and it became the Great American Truck Racing circuit. The races were run on dirt and paved ovals mostly in the Eastern United States. The trucks used in the beginning were actually working trucks with tandem rear axles and used street tires yet still attained speeds of 150 mph (241 km/h) on the front straight at Pocono Raceway and set the closed course record of 132 mph (212 km/h) in qualifying at Texas World Speedway by Charlie Baker on March 21, 1982.
After 1986 when the series was bought by Glenn Donnelly of DIRT (Drivers Independent Race Tracks) the GATR trucks became highly modified with the bodies being cut and lowered, losing the tag axle and shedding more than 2,000 pounds in weight. The last sanctioned GATR race in the US was in July 1993 at Rolling Wheels NY.
The FIA European Truck Racing Championship was created in 1985.
In Brazil, the Fórmula Truck has been held since 1996, featuring several factory teams.
The Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series debuted in the United States in 2017, giving America its first truck race series since GATR in 1993.
Maximum race speed is restricted to 160 km/h (100 mph) for safety reasons, and a minimum weight limit is 5500 kg. Races start from a rolling start, and commonly races last from 8 to 12 laps. Although a non contact sport, due to the physical size, and closeness of trucks to one another during races, minor collisions can often occur. However, injuries to drivers are very rare.
Unlike other forms of motor sport, race trucks look like their road-going counterparts and conform to regulations to ensure that major components used are the same.
Mexico also started its own truck racing version called Tractocamiones, which ran from 1992 to 2000 and was revived in 2015. Notable international drivers that have raced in the series include former Champ Car race winner Michel Jourdain Jr., former F1 driver Allen Berg, Indy 500 Rookie of the year Bernard Jourdain, the late Carlos Pardo, Rubén Pardo, Jorge Goeters, Carlos Contreras and Jimmy Morales among others.[1]
T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship is a truck racing championship in India by Tata Motors. This was also on the calendar of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). This event was held 23 March 2014 at Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida.
United States
In the United States, the top promotion is the Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series. 13 races are scheduled for the 2017 season, with historic tracks Hickory Motor Speedway and Greenville-Pickens Speedway included on the schedule.
Britain
In England, however, in the last few years the profile of truck racing has increased, and currently over 30 teams regularly compete. The sporting regulations came under the control of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) later, to ensure that the vehicles conform to the layout and original style of the truck, whilst defining the safety standards required to race.
The makes of truck currently represented in truck racing cover most of the common marques over the last 20 years.
The regulations allow for trucks to compete in two classes, so trucks with less sophisticated engine management systems, suspension, and braking systems can compete effectively.
The organising body for truck racing in the United Kingdom is the British Truck Racing Association founded in 1984. The British Championships and race events are organised by the British Automobile Racing Club.
Race truck manufacturers
2014 Calendar
Provisional Dates for the 2014 British Truck Racing Association Championship are as follows:[2]
12 Apr 2014 - Brands Hatch 13 Apr 2014 - Brands Hatch 17 May 2014 - Pembrey 18 May 2014 - Pembrey 14 Jun 2014 - Thruxton 15 Jun 2014 - Thruxton 19 Jul 2014 - Nürburgring 20 Jul 2014 - Nürburgring 24 Aug 2014 - Donington 25 Aug 2014 - Donington 13 Sep 2014 - Snetterton 14 Sep 2014 - Snetterton 04 Oct 2014 - Pembrey 05 Oct 2014 - Pembrey 01 Nov 2014 - Brands Hatch 02 Nov 2014 - Brands Hatch
See also
References
External links
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