The 2004 season started in fine fashion for the Castrol-supported MAN drivers Stuart Oliver and Egon Allgauer - the Englishman and his Austrian rival ending the opening round of the 2004 FIA European Truck Racing Cup occupying first and second places in the championship.
Full grids combined with intermittent rain made for some battlefield conditions during the weekend - and few of the front runners escaped without some scars. But there was certainly plenty of action to keep the 22,000-strong crowd entertained on a damp day.
Saturday
The Qualifying race saw a win for Allgauer ahead of Lacko. Oliver ran a strong third throughout with Vojtisek fourth, well clear of Jochen Hahn (Mercedes).
In the Cup Race Jochen Hahn overcame slippery conditions to take the win. Allgauer and Lacko had headed the field away - but clashed on the opening lap, allowing Vojtisek and Oliver (Castrol MAN) to move up.
After two laps Vojtisek had established a good lead with Oliver giving chase, followed by Hahn and Jose Rodrigues (MAN). But mid race disaster struck the leader when backmarker Daniel Seiler lost control and aquaplaned straight into side of Vojtisek's Renault, immediately eliminating the Czech driver. That allowed Hahn to take over the lead and ultimately the win.
Sunday
Starting from pole position Oliver took the Castrol Team Atkins MAN to its first win of the season in the Sunday Qualifying race with Bernau overcoming Lacko to take second place. Despite a first lap off that dropped him way down the field, Allgauer recovered to come home fourth.
In the Cup race Oliver was unable to make much from his pole position; at the start all the leading runners were squeezed out of place on the first corner as Hahn charged down the inside and hit Lacko, who in turn pushed Oliver and Bernau wide.
Lacko stayed on track and took an early lead with Allgauer right on his tail. After four laps Allgauer eased his way ahead of the young Czech to take a lead he was never to lose.
Allgauer's victory was enough to lift him to second overall in the championship standings - but a runner-up spot for Oliver leaves him five points clear on the top of the tables. Bernau's first weekend of defending his crown ended with him lying sixth overall.
The next next race is at Barcelona on April 17/18.
Above: Allgauer clinched a convincing win on Sunday
Below: But it was Oliver (centre) who came out on top
The Assen race was the first-ever FIA European Truck Cup event to be held at the famous TT circuit. The action-packed event attracted an audience of 22,000 despite wet and windy weather conditions. Four Dutch drivers helped to bring the total entry in the fiercely contested Racetruck category up to 19 starters - bringing a total of over 15,000 horsepower onto the grid! Current BTRA British Truck Racing Champion Stuart Oliver made a brilliant start to the European season in Holland, topping the championship tables. The Englishman scored a third place in the Saturday Qualifying race and then took a remarkable runner-up spot in the Cup race - despite a Stop&Go penalty. On Sunday he repeated his top form. Taking pole in practice, he then powered the Castrol Team Atkins MAN to victory in the Qualifying race, followed by a strong third place in the Cup race.
Saturday Cup Race
1 Hahn
2 Oliver
3 Crozier
Sunday Cup Race
1 Allgauer
2 Oliver
3 Lacko 1 Oliver Castrol Team Atkins MAN 45
2 Allgauer MAN (Castrol) 40
3 Hahn Mercedes-Benz 36
4 Lacko MAN 32
5 Crozier Renault 30
6 Bernau MAN (Castrol) 27 1 Oliver Castrol Team Atkins MAN 45
2 Allgauer MAN (Castrol) 40
3 Hahn Mercedes-Benz 36
4 Lacko MAN 32
5 Crozier Renault 30
6 Bernau MAN (Castrol) 27
:: Pembrey - Wins... Business as usual :: It was ‘business as usual’ for Stuart Oliver at Pembrey last weekend as the MAN driver claimed another two comfortable victories in Class “A” of the Delphi British Truck Racing Championship.
:: THE WINNING GOES ON AT THRUXTON :: Last weekend Team Oliver Racing was in action at the high speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire.
:: Late Entry to 2010 FIA European Truck Race Championship :: 'astonished at the unsporting actions of a fellow British team entered European Championship as well as the narrow minded, short sighted actions of the FIA truck racing Stewards.
:: Oliver signs off with second Truck Superprix victory :: Stuart Oliver signed off a successful 2009 British Truck Racing Association Championship campaign by clinching his second victory of the weekend at Brands Hatch today (Sunday).
:: OLIVER CLINCHES CROWN WITH THREE WINS :: The second visit of the season to Pembrey produced the usual frantic first-turn action that the Welsh circuit has become renowned for – with the Class ‘A’ races generating some particularly spectacular action.
:: Oliver Wins at Thruxton :: The latest rounds of the Delphi British Truck Racing Championship took place at a sunny and warm Thruxton circuit last weekend (August 15/16) – and saw a double win for Stuart Oliver
:: Team Oliver in China :: British Truck Racing drivers Stuart Oliver, Ben Horne and Dave Ball joined Swedish driver Mikael Johansson and Russian Mikhail Konovalov at the finals of the China Truck Racing Championships
:: Most - Czech Republic :: Sunday’s race ended in mechanical failure for Stuart when after a collision he was forced to retire.
:: Race Winning Form at Donington :: Stuart Oliver strengthened his position in the Delphi British Truck Racing Championship to 8 points with two clear wins at Donington Park on 27th July.
:: European Championship - Albacete, Spain :: An enthusiastic Spanish crowd of 20,000, saw Spanish driver Antonio Albacete take his MAN to victory on Sunday (winning both the Qualifying and Championship races).
:: Stuart to drive BTCC :: In what can only be described as the best thing that has happened to BTC Racing in its short history, Stuart Oliver – the 2007 Delphi British Truck Racing Champion – has signed to drive for BTC Racing,
:: Stuart does it for a seventh time!!! :: 2007 Champion Stuart Oliver cemented his title with a dominant victory in the second Class A race of the British Truck Racing Championship at Brands Hatch.
:: Stuart Oliver wins International Truck Challange :: Torrential rain and floods hit the South of England as teams made their way to the Thruxton rounds of the Delphi British Truck Racing Championship.
:: Round 2, Zolder, Belgium :: Stuart Oliver held his eighth place position after the second round of the 2007 European Championship held at the Zolder circuit in Belgium.
:: British Championship Pembrey :: Stuart Oliver – Battles to gain a First Place Finish – Just missed another due to a ‘Racing Incident’
:: Barcelona 2007 :: Team Oliver returned to European racing with good finishes
:: MAN TG-A Complete Outfit FOR SALE! :: Team Oliver will be enhancing the team presence in both the British and European Championships for 2007.
:: Brands Hatch 2006 :: True to expectations, a crowd of thousands filled every corner of the prestigious Brands Hatch circuit over the weekend
:: Team Oliver win win win :: Champion Stuart Oliver (MAN) came back into top form with straight wins in all races and fastest laps to add to his points
:: Brands Hatch – Press Preview By JONATHAN REEVES :: Steve Horne, Stuart Oliver and David Ball had a busy day at Brands Hatch – assisting with a Press ‘preview’ for the forthcoming Truck Superprix, the final event of the 2006 season on November 4/5.
:: Team Oliver - Fastest Drag Race Truck! :: Recently, twelve of the BTRA teams, including Team Oliver, had a weekend away together at the Santa Pod Raceway.
:: Thruxton August 2006 :: Over the weekend of August 5th/6th Team Oliver was at the Thruxton circuit to participate in a weekend of truck racing events, including rounds 6 and 7 of the British Championship
:: Nurburgring - Truck Grand Prix 2006 :: Since Stuart Oliver aired the Team Oliver MAN TGA race truck at the Pembrey circuit in Wales over the Easter weekend, the vehicle has undergone extensive work to bring it back up to competitive racing standards.
:: Pembrey April 2006 :: Easter weekend saw the return of Stuart Oliver to the Truck Racing circuit when he took to the track for the first rounds of the British Championship
:: Stuart Oliver extended his lead.... :: Stuart Oliver extended his lead in the FIA European Truck Racing Cup dominating the first day of action at Alastaro in Finland while Sunday’s races brought success for Jochen Hahn.