Truck racing returns to Winton

The big boys of the racing world return to northern Victoria…

For most of us, driving a truck is about getting the most from every litre of fuel to maximise efficiency. This involves being soft on the pedals to minimise fuel use and tyre wear, and looking out for the freight on the back. There are a few lucky (and brave) drivers who don't need to worry about all that though, and this weekend they will be showing the crowd at Winton Raceway just what a high-powered truck can do.

Three categories

The ANTRO Giti Tyres Truck Racing Series covers three categories of trucks, with the big banger Super Trucks, Race Truck and Light Truck categories all competing for space on the track and a spot at the front of the field.

At the lighter end of the scale, the Light Trucks are based on Isuzu units, with the engines tweaked to deliver around 600hp and running around 45psi of boost from a single turbocharger. These run a mixture of manual and automatic transmissions, depending on how they came out of the factory.

While 600hp may not sound that big a number, with the light weight of the smaller truck and higher cornering speed, these little trucks well and truly take it up to the big boys, especially on the tight Winton circuit.

Next up is the Race Truck category, with these guys having to make manual gear changes through a 10-speed Roadranger gearbox. Given the need for speed and reduced weight, these transmissions have been modified to provide faster shifts, with some even having the lower gears removed from the gearbox. Low range is only used for getting the truck moving.

The big bangers at the top of the scale are the Super Trucks. These run a variety of engines, but all run automatic transmissions that are modified for manual shifting. With up to 1400hp on tap and weighing in at over 5500kg, these are the heavyweights of the racing world. While many of the modifications are secret, most of these trucks run around 70psi of boost, with modifications to the fuel system to keep up the diesel supply.

In order to pull them up, some of the trucks use water cooling on the brakes to reduce brake fade. This is operated manually by the driver – as if they don't already have their hands full!

As far as restrictions go, there aren't many in this category. The teams can choose any powerplant they like, as long as there were 15 trucks and 100 engines of that model built in the same year. The cab and chassis must be from the same truck, with matching numbers from the factory. The Super Trucks all run on a control tyre, specially developed for racing by series sponsor Giti Tyres.

As a safety measure, the trucks are limited to a top speed of 160km/h. This is monitored through GPS, with a unit supplied by ANTRO fitted in each truck before racing and checked after the event. There are also restrictions on the amount of black smoke emitted, with a five second limit on visible smoke. Don't let this put you off though – there's still plenty to go around!

Winton comeback

Charlie Zammit, president of ANTRO, is obviously excited about the return to Winton, the series having missed the circuit last year.

"The track was resurfaced in 2016 so we didn't race here in order to give it time to cure," he said.

"All of the teams are excited to be back here – we have 10 trucks and all the teams are hungry for a good result. At Wakefield Raceway earlier in the year there was a fair bit of push and shove, and I can't see that changing here. Most trucks are evenly matched now, and nobody will give an inch."

While there are only a limited number of racing rounds for the trucks each year, Charlie said the profile of the sport is definitely on the rise.

"Truck racing has always been here, but it has kept a low profile and that's about to change," he said.

"Anyone coming out to Winton to watch will not be disappointed. The trucks are big and built to cop a hiding, and the drivers are not scared to push the point. If you don't believe me, come and see for yourself."

Even if you can't make it to Winton this weekend, all of the races will be available to view on the Super Truck Facebook page and website next week. It's worth a look at the website anyway, with a couple of videos of the action from Melbourne's Calder Park circuit and a few big-name racing drivers getting testing their skill behind a much bigger wheel. Check it out at www.truckracing.com.au.

Truck racing returns to Winton

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