Bringing The Thunder

The BTRC kicked off on 25 March and ahead of the new season T&D talks to 10-time British Truck Tracing Champion Stuart Oliver about his hopes for 2017.

- Don Parton

Stuart Oliver might be in the autumn of his racing career, but as he gears up for the 2017 British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC) his passion and desire to win remain undiminished. The Division 1 runner up in 2015 and 2016 is determined to go one better this year.

“We race to win, not to come second,” he says. “We have a new race truck – it’s a new style altogether – and hopefully it will perform to get us where we want to be.”

Like many competitors in Division 1 of the BTRC, Stuart debuted new machinery at the opening round at Brands Hatch. This year, he is again racing a Volvo, but now with a US-style bonneted cab. While it has the same chassis and engine as last year, there have been many changes to the set-up of the truck.

“It has new aerodynamics and cab with a bonnet now, so the weight distribution is improved.”

His own workshop

The truck was built in Stuart’s own workshop – he says working on it has helped to keep him in shape during the close season – and was set for its first run-out just prior to the opening meeting. But Stuart is under no illusions about how difficult the task will be to get back onto the top step of the podium. For instance, 2016 Champion Ryan Smith is again expected to be among the front runners, as will a number of other fellow MAN truck drivers.

Last year, the MAN trucks proved to be extremely reliable, something that over the course of the season is vital, and, as Stuart admits, his truck had its share of mechanical problems.

No crystal ball