When trucks hit the track

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Trucks and racing somehow just don't sound right in the same sentence. But the truck racing championship has been around for almost 35 years and it makes its debut in India on March 23 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida.

Tata Motors is behind the T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship which will see internationally acclaimed truck drivers showcase their skills. Countries in Europe have dedicated truck racing championships, the British one being the most popular. Although the T1 championships had started in the USA in 1979, the concept of truck racing did not make it to Asian countries, until now.

Before they hit the track, the 12 race-prepped trucks undergo a lot of modifications. The basic platform of the Prima Trucks remains the same - the chassis, engine, gearbox, axle, all are like those of the trucks one sees on the roads.

But the driver's seat is replaced by racing seats, a roll cage is added, the steering wheel is altered and the fuel tank modified to make the trucks lighter.

A 2.1-km short loop has been created at the Buddh International Circuit where the average lap time is supposed to be around two minutes. The top speed of these trucks is about 110 kmph.

British truck racing champion Mat Summerfield will be among those who will be participating in the race. Forty-year-old Summerfield, a mechanical engineer, has built his racing truck himself. He has worked on some other racing trucks as well. Then there's Steve Thomas, who owns and runs a truck rental service. Thomas, 50, took to truck racing three years ago. Before that he raced motorbikes. Brian Burt is another veteran truck racing driver who has been participating in the championships for the last 12 years.

Each team is owned by principal sponsors and as in Formula 1 racing, each team has two trucks competing in the race. There will be two races - first, the qualifying, and then the main race. Mumbai-based Setco Automotive is one of the associate sponsor and co-owner of Allied Partners, one of the racing team. Tata Technologies is also the principal sponsors of one of the teams.

Vinod Sahay, head, sales and marketing (medium and heavy trucks), Tata Motors, says that the company is aware that it will take time for the concept to gain popularity in India. Sahay hopes the race will help draw attention to the significance of the trucking industry. "Truck drivers don't get the kind of respect other drivers do. But if trucks stop to operate even for a day, the economy comes to a grinding halt," he says.

The T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship will have to follow the safety and performance guidelines laid down by the British Truck Racing Association guidelines.

With Formula One's future in India appearing bleak, the T1 championship looks like a good idea to try out. Whether it works in the long run and become a serious sport is difficult to say at this point. Vicky Chandhok, president, Federation of Motor Sports Club of India, believes that races cannot always be about cars and bikes. "Commercial vehicles also hold interest among people and this concept is quite good," he says. And, this can also help identify regular truck drivers who can go on to become race truck drivers in the future.