India’s first truck racing championship – T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship, was on the heap of a triggered news making items, concluded in grand style with an action-packed 45 minute final race with Stuart Oliver winning the debut championship. The massive and powerful Tata Prima trucks proved to be a treat for motorsports fanatics in an intense race that witnessed a lot of edge-of-the-seats overtaking and high speed corner action. The debut season of the Championship on India’s F1 track, Buddh International Circuit, witnessed an audience of over 25000 screaming enthusiasts who cheered on the speeding Prima trucks. The winning Team Castrol Vecton was followed by Team Cummins and Team Tata Technologies Motor Sports in the final Team points standings.
The T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship comprised two races, a 5-lap Sprint Race and a 15-lap Main Race, with the Champion Award granted to the winning driver on the basis on combined points from both the races. The Team Championship was awarded on the basis of the combined scores of the two drivers of the respective teams from both the races.
The series used 12 heavily-modified Tata Prima beasts capable of putting out 370 horsepower and reaching a top speed of 110 km per hour driven by experienced international drivers. The sight of these mega trucks racing with each other was enough to set any motorsports enthusiasts pulse racing.
Stuart Oliver, T1 Prima Truck Racing Champion 2014 said “It was an amazing experience. The track is beautiful and trucks were performing great. I am thrilled to have won the first ever Truck racing championship in India, among the enthusiastic crowd who were cheering each time we drove past the grand stand. I see a lot of potential of this sport here and would love to come back and race again.”
Commenting on the successful weekend, Mr. Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director – Commercial Business Unit, Tata Motors said, “We have had a tremendous day here for the truck racing with a really pumped-up atmosphere and we have been delighted by the response received for the launch of our debut truck racing event. Tata Prima trucks proved their racing prowess and build quality in this high intensity race. We are extremely delighted with the performance of T1 teams and drivers who have been supportive throughout the event. We would like to congratulate the winning team, sponsors and all participants for making this first of its kind, debut racing event, a historic day.”
Besides the winning drivers, there were top British truck racing drivers, including Bran John Burt, Dave Jenkins, Paul McCumisky, James Horne, Simon Ashley Reid, Richard Collett, Steven Powell, Steven Thomas and Graham Powell, showcased their driving skills during the event. The spectacle, the first-ever truck racing championship held in India, will certainly mark another small step forward for Indian motorsport as the country increasingly asserts itself on the global motor-racing stage.
T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship Results:
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*Steve Horne, competition number 00, was the wild card entry and the 13th driver for the T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship – 5-lap Sprint Race today. Steve qualified in 4th position in the qualifying session held a day before the race.
Tata Motors, the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, introduced this popular sport to India as T1 Truck Racing Championship, marking yet another pioneering effort by Tata Motors. 12 Prima Race trucks competed against each other for the top spot. The trucks are modified based on the BTRA guidelines and has been certified by FMSCI after having undergone stringent security check-ups. To make these Prima trucks fit for racing, guidelines from British Truck Racing Association were followed and subsequently 22 key modifications were made to meet a mix of safety and performance needs for the Truck Racing environment. Some of the changes made are on – fuel tank, brake cooling system, propeller shaft guards, racing seats and safety belts, exhaust, steering wheel etc. The Prima truck used as race truck is a 4038.S model with massive power output of 370 BHP @ 2100 RPM and a top speed of 110 Km/h.
