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Countdown to the 2016 season: Team Schwabentruck

Countdown to the 2016 season: Team Schwabentruck

21. February 2016Among the German teams, which as you might expect overwhelmingly race MANs and Mercedes, is the only team in the European championship that runs Ivecos - Schwabentruck from Ulm. Iveco trucks were built in Ulm from 1975 till 2012, when production was shifted to other European locations. Since then the Ulm site has concentrated exclusively on the manufacture of firefighting vehicles, bringing the Swabians full circle - it was with vehicles for the fire brigades that the history of truckmaking in Ulm first began in 1866, when Conrad Dietrich Magirus established Feuerwehr-Requisiten-Fabrik C.D. Magirus (C.D Magirus Factory for Firefighting Requisites). Following a chequered history the enterprise extant was taken over by Iveco 40 years ago, and trucks were series-built here till the last Stralis rolled off the line in August 2012. Since then the Iveco-Magirus brand has been reduced to simply Magirus as the factory builds firefighting vehicles on chassis of other manufacturers as well besides Iveco. The huge display hall is full of fire trucks with almost every badge on their grilles.
Nevertheless many former Iveco employees see the Schwabentruck team with Schorsch Glöckler at its core as their kindred. Several mechanics from tkv-Thermoking, in whose vicinity somewhat north of Ulm the race team is based, also feel a special bond to Schwabentruck.
Indeed, were it not for the enormous engagement of all these truck racing enthusiasts there would be no Schwabentruck Iveco Team.
Glöckler & Co are satisfied with their preparations for the coming season.
After all, in Gerd Körber they have not only one of the most successful, but also one of the most experienced race-truck pilots on board. Körber won the first of his three European titles as far back as 1991.
For the 2016 season Team Schwabentruck will take part in at least as many races as it did last year - and maybe one two more besides, team boss Glöckler lets on with a wink. In any case, the team has two fully race-ready trucks at its disposal. The choice of which races to participate in will depend on various factors, primarily the availability of finances and the time it will require for the team members, all of whom sacrifice a huge part of their leisure time for truck racing. Discussions about who can make themselves available for which events are still ongoing.

Impressions:

Countdown to the 2016 season: Team Schwabentruck
Countdown to the 2016 season: Team Schwabentruck
Countdown to the 2016 season: Team Schwabentruck
Countdown to the 2016 season: Team Schwabentruck