Championnat de France Camions in Nogaro

08. June 2018Nogaro - Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro in the south of France has, since 2000, been a permanent fixture on the calendar of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship (Truck Racing Cup till 2005). Races of the French national championship took place concurrently.
The popularity of the event grew year after year, and this picturesque Gascony town on the Way of St James soon became a pilgrim destination of sorts for truck lovers of every tread. Over the second weekend in June, more than 10 times as many visitors descend on Nogaro as the town’s own inhabitants, coursing through the narrow streets to arrive at the action.
The fact that the weekend doesn’t figure on the ETRC calendar again this year – for the second time in a row, – hasn’t affected the popularity of the event one bit.
A long-standing tradition of the Friday in Nogaro is the parade into the town centre. This was the highlight of the evening this year as well. Nowhere else are the inhabitants so closely connected to the goings-on on a circuit that’s so integrated into the very life of the community.
Before the truck racers could go off and enjoy themselves for the evening there were five practice sessions to get through and press rides to give.
The day was very warm, but the sky was nevertheless considerably cloudy. Following on from Pentecost weekend in Castellet, MAN pilots Anthony Janiec and Thomas Robineau continued to top the timing monitors. The two had also raced as guests at the opening round of the FIA ETRC in Misano a couple of weeks ago. Janiec’s Lion teammate Téo Calvet, who created history here last year as the first 16-year-old to win a truck race, came thundering after, a tad quicker than Renault pilot Lionel Montagne.
This quartet is considered as having the best chances of finishing on the podium.

Impressions: