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25 years of Truck Racing in Spain

The schedule for the European Truck Racing Championship has just been released. This year a new event opens in our country, including the Circuit of Navarra, although one of the most important races is the one traditionally held at the Madrid Circuit of Jarama in October: the GP Truck of Spain. This year will be the XXVII edition: more than 25 years, which make Truck Racing a classic of motor sport.

The first truck race in the world was held at the beginning of the 80s. In our country there was no tradition in this type of competition, with a marked American influence, until 1987, and its evolution was parallel to that of the rest of Europe.

At first, the races were the closest thing to a gathering of friends who got together on Sundays to run with their trucks, which were the same ones they used to work. But, little by little, the vehicles have evolved in an impressive way, the drivers have become professional and the money that moves around the competition has increased dramatically.

The Jarama circuit, at the beginning of the 90s
The Jarama circuit, at the beginning of the 90s

From the beginning and until 1992 there were three different categories in the European Championship: "Class 1" included all the tractor units whose engines did not exceed a maximum displacement of 11.950 cubic centimeters. The “Class 2” comprised trucks from 11.951 to 14.100; while the "Class 3" went up to a maximum of 18.500 cm3 (!).

As of the '92 season, these categories became two: "Super Truck", or "Super Trucks", also known as Class A; Y "Truck" or "Trucks" to dry, Class B.

The Super Truck was reserved for prototypes; that is, to experimental vehicles of the different brands with free preparation. In it, manufacturers could develop all the "inventions" they considered, without any type of restriction. This was only available to the most powerful teams, and was an equivalent to Formula 1 motorsport.

A young author next to a colossus
A young author next to a colossus

The resemblance of these vehicles to their road counterparts was merely outward. The latter were rough work machines, while those that fought on the circuits were prototypes in which acceleration, more efficient braking, and weight reduction counted more than load capacity or energy efficiency.

The second class was reserved for trucks derived from series and with limited preparation, in which the most modest could take part without the need for exorbitant budgets.

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An unstoppable booming show

According to Antonio Albacete, European Champion and Spanish Truck Racing Champion, “From 95 to 2000 there was a lot of interest from both Man and Mercedes. They had their official team, built the racing trucks, and handed them over to the teams to run. In this case, Mercedes had 4 trucks, Man had 4 others, Daf had 2, Caterpillar one ...

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Show at the Supersiete del Jarama at the end of the race
Show at the Supersiete del Jarama at the end of the race

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This category reached such a level of development that costs skyrocketed, and then the brands could no longer cope with supplying the teams; and it was what made this category go into decline, disappear and unify everything into one starting in 2005. This was cheaper, and therefore it was possible to try to bring back the brands, which had left ".

Truck racing is a spectacle in an unstoppable boom. Aside from the commercial interests of brands and sponsors, what is also not open to discussion is the unrivaled spectacle offered by these road monsters. Their powers vary, between 800 and 1.500 horses. The limit for engine revolutions is 2.600 per minute. This regime is controlled at all times, and pilots are penalized with 10 seconds for every 10 RPM in which they are exceeded.

The speed is limited to 160 km / h, although it has little to do with the real possibilities of these vehicles, capable of exceeding 200 kilometers per hour in tests such as the Paris Dakar. Their lap times are faster than those of the old Renault Clio Initiation Cup; or even almost as fast as those of the Citröen Saxo Cup.

The Today…

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As for safety measures, the bow is mandatory inside the cabins. The interior protections are reinforced by side fenders, placed to prevent deformation of the structure in the event of an accident and, above all, to protect the fuel tank. The front and rear have strong crash protections.

The seat belts are firmly attached to the cabin structure, never to the seat, and have four anchor points.

The most powerful trucks achieve accelerations from 0 to 100 in less than six seconds and, in terms of consumption, they reach drink 60 liters per 100 kilometers, which is about 25 liters per truck in each sleeve.

And yesterday ...

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The races (and the memories)

The European Truck Championship races are made up of two rounds. The scale of points goes from the 15 obtained by the winner to the only one of the tenth classified.

The race procedure begins with a launched start after a lap at the pace set by the fastest truck in practice. From that moment there will be 10 laps, which will be followed by one more cool down, to preserve the mechanics and avoid the turbos getting seized, after the finish flag.

The origin of the pilots is very varied: various journalists, an ex-singer (who was part of the mythical group Abba), pilots from other disciplines, such as rallies or the Paris Dakar ... Already mythical names that have filled the pages of truck racing with laurels are the foreigners Jokke Kallio and Steve Parrish, or the Spanish Juan Escavias, Salvador Cañellas, Manuel Santos (who was Champion of Spain before Antonio Albacete), Jordi Gené and , currently, Antonio Albacete, with whom we have had the opportunity to chat about his memories in these races.

Manuel Santos, predecessor of Antonio Albacete, in the early 1990s
Manuel Santos, predecessor of Antonio Albacete, in the early 1990s

- When you got to Truck Racing, within the Super Trucks category, those vehicles were real racing prototypes, almost equivalent in development, performance and price to a Formula 1, right?

[su_quote] «Yes. They were true prototypes. The chassis had nothing to do with those of the standard trucks, made of stringers. Everything was built expressly for that category. The level of development was increasing, and each time it was much more expensive. Mercedes and Man decided to retire mainly due to a cost issue; and then everything was unified in the same category. " [/ su_quote]

- In the past, I think there was an almost romantic side, of the transporter who worked with his truck during the week, and on the weekend he went to the circuit to run; Or you would take a truck out of the junkyard and fix it by adapting it for racing. Is that lost and now everything is more professional and colder?

[su_quote] «Yes, it is true that at the beginning it was like that. But by hosting the championship the International Automobile Federation (FIA), made it safer. And trucks were forced to carry the same security measures that exist in passenger cars. Then you couldn't take the truck you used to drive on the road every day and then go for a run with it. Everything has evolved, the leading machines have been transferred to smaller teams, and right now all the trucks out there are built and made for racing. " [/ su_quote]

The Pegaso del Jarama ramp, 20 years ago
The Pegaso del Jarama ramp, 20 years ago

- Even so, there are still differences between the wealthiest and the most modest teams ...

[su_quote] «Yes, there are differences between the last generation trucks of the official teams and the trucks of the private teams, which may be five or six years old. The evolution is noticeable. Besides, the official teams have better mechanics -most of them supplied by MAN and Renault-, and the other engines, although they seem the same, they are not.

Man is currently supplying four teams with good thrusters. The others are engines in appearance the same, but they do not have as much power or development. And with the trucks themselves, the same thing happens: the leading teams carry the latest evolution of what is being designed, up to date, and those who are staying or renting old trucks are below. The teams from the middle of the table down, which are totally "amateurs", have machines five or seven years apart from ours. And in that passage of time, you notice the evolution. " [/ su_quote]

- Apart from the leading trucks and those of the amateur teams, it seems that there are always some with older vehicles dedicated just to show, more than to get a good position in the classification.

[su_quote] «For example, Team Alvi is attached to the Pegaso brand. They want to keep them alive, (hence that sign painted on their cabins that says "Pegasus is still alive"), and of course with those trucks they cannot fight for positions above the average.

People like to see those trucks rolling around and putting on a show. But it is the only thing they can aspire to. " [/ su_quote]

Pegasus still alive?
Pegasus still alive?

- Another endearing team was the "Negrito", with a black Dodge Barreiros.

[su_quote] «Yes, Team Negrito too… In the end it's a shame that they are disappearing! But we would have to start making another category: classic trucks. " [/ su_quote]

- What I wanted to get to: before, since there were three categories, it seems that everyone could run.
Instead now, with a single with more expensive and more evolved vehicles, it seems that more people are excluded.

[su_quote] «What happens is that unfortunately there are not so many ... There are times that here, at the Jarama Circuit, we get together a lot of trucks. Sometimes up to thirty-something. But in the rest of the championship it is not like that, and it does not give to do two categories.

However, there are separate classifications, as for example in the Spanish Championship races (apart from the European races), with one of their own for the most amateur. They have their podium, they take their trophy, and they have their table apart. " [/ su_quote]

- Of all these years, would 2005 be your favorite for having achieved your first European Championship?

[su_quote] "Yes!" [/ su_quote]

Dodge Barreiros "Negrito", late 70's
Dodge Barreiros «Negrito», from the late 70s (from via64.com)

- And, apart from that year, What other moments do you have a special memory of?

[su_quote] «A very special memory is that of the first time I got on a truck. It was a super truck, in '97, and I was surprised by the performance. Especially the power it had. He came from running in the category of Superturisms, of the Spanish Touring Car Championship, and I was very surprised by the power of the truck. » [/ su_quote]

- But in that category you had come to drive cars as powerful and brutal as a BMW M3!

[su_quote] "Well, bear in mind that the machines of then gave about 1500 horsepower ... Although they weighed more than they do now, about 4.800 kilos, 1500 hp was a beastly power." [/ su_quote]

- The maximum speed limit of 160 km / h is still preserved, right? »

[su_quote] «Yes. In addition, the same format of the races of then is still maintained. Although there were a couple of years, I think in 2000 and 2001, when we only ran on Sundays; we trained on Saturdays and there were only two races the next day. But then it went back to the format of having four races: two on Saturday and two on Sunday, with what is won in show. " [/ su_quote]

Patrick Bourny in action ...

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- Apart from the races themselves, there were also shows like Patrick Bourny's stunt trucks, for example, whom we haven't seen for a long time.

Has that also been lost?

[su_quote] «Well, it depends on the circuits. At the Nürburgring, for example, there is a competition where people sign up with their own trucks. They are calling her Go & Stop. They go out on the straight of the circuit, put some cones at the end, and the one who gets closer to the last cone without crossing a line, in the shortest time possible, is the one who wins. They sign up a lot: 70 or 80 machines! It depends on the circuits, but there are usually exhibitions. " [/ su_quote]

- Speaking of circuits: Over time, tracks have been incorporated into the European Championship. In fact, last year you have been to Russia. And this one catches my attention that there is a new circuit in Spain, the one in Navarra.

[su_quote] «We had two races here in Spain, in Albacete and at Jarama, but with the economic situation it seems that the Albacete circuit is almost close to closing and it will not be able to organize the races. That is why last year it was both at Jarama. And this one has found a substitute in Navarra, which I think is a good option. I rode with cars, it looks very good and I think it's going to be a pretty good track for trucks. Anyway, the Jarama is the favorite for us, because of the fact of being at home and because of its history ... The Nürburgring is one of the star races of the championship, and Le Mans also has something other than the amount of public that goes. Each has its own story.

Jarama is like my home, it is my circuit and the one that I have the most affection for, because it has seen my sports career begin, and for having achieved the highest title that I have achieved so far: the European Championship. »

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Antonio Albacete winning the 2005 European Championship at Jarama
Antonio Albacete winning the 2005 European Championship at Jarama

As a conclusion to our interview, Antonio Albacete tells us that «It is missed that there are more brands, because now almost all trucks are the same ... And as a pilot, I miss the research: the super trucks, that they had a beastly development, and were true running machines. We are a little limited by the regulations, but I am also aware of the economic situation worldwide and costs must be contained as much as possible. But even so, I think it is an attractive and interesting competition for the public. "

Without a doubt, we believe it too.

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Photography | Author file, via64.com (Dodge Barreiros "Negrito")
Video | Author file, multimediabgoat www.transporteprofesional.es y www.camionactualidad.es[/ Su_spoiler]

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Written by Michael Angel Vazquez

Miguel Ángel Vázquez, graduated in Audiovisual Communication from the European University of Madrid and Master in Dubbing, Translation and Subtitling (UEM). I have been a motor racing fan since I was a child, but my connection, let's say "professional" with Classic Vehicles began ... Read more

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