Thursday, 28.03.2024 | Deutsch | English
Truck Racers at the IAA

Truck Racers at the IAA

26. September 2010Certainly truck racing has already been introduced more complex at the IAA Nutzfahrzeuge (commercial vehicles) previously, but this year there were again several truck racers in Hanover. On the open air grounds at the foot of the Hermesturm (Hermes Tower) the Volvo “Green Hybrid Truck” of truck racing legend Boije Ovebrink is presented painted in eye-catching green. The futuristic-looking RaceTruck is equipped with a 1,900 HP diesel engine. Together with an additional electric motor the horsepower totals up to about 2,100 and the race truck is supposed to accelerate to more than 270 km/h. Now the Swede wants to set new world records. But prior to that Ovebrink plans to go to Jarama for the final, “but without my race truck, because I would not be allowed to participate in the Green Hybrid Truck as this is not a legal vehicle” he said with a laugh, and, for the consolation of the active pilots he added: “I will just watch the races”.
Two of the active pilots were present at Renault Trucks, and Markus Bösiger and Markus Oestreich were the top celebrities. Here truck racing seemed to be the centre of attention at the IAA presentation. The third Renault RaceTruck belonging to MKR Technology was lit by bright spot lights. On several monitors and on a huge flat panel LED television display non-stop truck racing videos were shown, and during the official press conference Stefano Chmielewsky, President of Renault Trucks, proudly presented his drivers. Time and again Bösiger and Oese were encompassed by a flurry of camera flashes, because many of the distinguished guests wanted to have their pictures taken together with the two pilots – preferably standing in front of the race truck. And when the guests had really got themselves into truck racing they had a chance to prove themselves at a driving simulator – the computer truck racing. The two pilots climbed into the bucket seat, too, and after the first lap Bösiger uttered a bit perplexed, “but that has nothing to do with reality”
And when you left the Renault hall and kept slightly to the left on the open air grounds, you came across the company Haller – Iveco Tuning and Refining, where the white Iveco RaceTruck of the Schwabentruck Team took centre stage. That’s the truck Gerd Körber made quite a splash with during the Truck Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. According to tradition, just as in a paddock, team boss Georg Glöckler received his guests in the team’s marquee, among them Markus Bösiger, Mario Kress and Lutz Bernau.
A MAN truck – the brand currently leading in the championship – was not presented in Hanover, but on those days when the exhibition was open to the public several MAN-pilots and team managers were available not only to answer questions but also to sign autographs, just as Gerd Körber did at the Schwabentruck.
At the MAN stand the focus was clearly on the streamlined Concept S, a truck styled consequently with the intend to minimize wind resistance – certainly an ideal requirement for a new RaceTruck.
All the other sponsor partners of the WebPortal „truckracing.de / truckrace.info“ are also represented at the IAA, everyone with their own stands of different sizes. And in a Setra bus there is a representation of a new infotainment system based on the software of digimago Digital Signage Technology.