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Truck Racing in Russia

Truck Racing in Russia

12. May 2010One of the most talked-about issues early this season is the round in Smolensk / Russia, integrated in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship and scheduled for early August – be it an invitation race or even a championship race. The Smolensk circuit – designed by Hermann Tilke, a race track architect from Aix-la-Chapelle – was built from scratch, and the FIA has yet to homologate the circuit. At the end of April, TRO chairman and FIA coordinator Fabien Calvet, together with team boss Egon Allgäuer and the Russian truck racer Michael Konovalov, were on site to get more information about the work progress. The Russian motorsports journalist Sergey Bednaruk, who was the only media representative present, described his impressions about the inspection of the track on the WebPortal „truckracing.de / truckrace.info“ as follows:
First of all they did a tour of the already paved track. Crash barriers and security fences had yet to be installed. The delegation was a bit worried about some very narrow bends – quite close to the starting grid – and relatively small safety zones.
They were impressed when they saw the big halls and the new hotel building right next to the circuit, the completion of which is planned for next year. Calvet judged the work progress positively, but – as the Frenchman pointed out – the actual acceptance test would be done by a FIA delegation. But even if the circuit was not homologated by early August, there would be a truck race in Smolensk. Certainly an invitation race would have the same advertising effect as a championship race and, what’s more, neither the pilots nor the organizer would be under such a tremendous pressure right from the start. Everything could take place in a quieter and more relaxing atmosphere. He believed that there might be a starter field of 12 – 15 RaceTrucks. And perhaps it would even be more convenient to have a smaller number of participants at the first race instead of having the entire ‘tross’ flock to the circuit. That way they could gain some experience, for instance in regard to the customs formalities.
The two protagonists of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship, MAN and Renault, and also Castrol, one of the big sponsors, declared themselves in favour of a race in Smolensk. And the Russian manufacturer of commercial vehicles, Kamaz, signalled their interest, too. At any rate, Calvet thought that there were bright prospects for a race on the Smolensk circuit already this season, and he promised to see to it that this will become a long-time project.
Egon Allgäuer’s reaction was similar to Calvet’s. He, too, would prefer to have an invitation race at the beginning, because of the previously mentioned great tension a championship usually causes. And, furthermore, he would be prepared to make a third truck available – besides his two RaceTrucks in the European championship – for a Russian guest driver to take part in the Smolensk race.
All in all, Bednaruk offers a very positive summary, and he is convinced that the truck racing event at Smolensk on August 7/8 will open a new chapter in the history of the Russian motor sports.

Photo: Sergey Bednaruk