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:: Late Entry to 2010 FIA European Truck Race Championship ::

 Stuart Oliver a dedicated truck racer and former European Champion and current nine times British Champion is astonished at the unsporting actions of a fellow British team entered in this years European Championship as well as the narrow minded, short sighted actions of the FIA truck racing Stewards.

Due to the current world financial situation Team Oliver Racing was resigned to the fact that for the 2010 Truck Race season the team would participate in only a selection of races using their old but reliable MAN race truck.

Three days prior to the first round of the Championship race in Misano Italy, a deal was agreed with the famous Czech based team, Buggyra International Racing Systems, this secured Stuart a drive in one of team’s Buggyra branded Caterpillar powered Freightliner race trucks.

As the championship entry closing date had passed Stuart's late entry into the Championship was presented and accepted immediately by the championships governing body the FIA in Geneva, on the proviso that all the participating competitors and manufacturers accepted his late entry. The deadline for receipt of all the team’s approval signatures was at 14.30 hrs on Friday 21st May, this being the official start time of the meeting.

Thirty minutes prior to the deadline the FIA race director, Tony Iddon, informed Stuart that due to the shortfall of one signature of approval from his rival English MAN race team it would not be possible for him to enter the whole 2010 Championship. “This however was not the case for the other late entry participants into the Championship”.

Discussions then took place in the FIA steward’s room to consider if Stuart could race in Misano without the eligibility to score points as only a poor field of 15 trucks had made the long journey to the Italian circuit. However due to an apparent threat from the opposing team that they would withdraw from the event and possibly the whole championship if Stuart was allowed to participate, the stewards concluded that Stuart would not be allowed to participate in Misano or even for the rest of the 2010 Championship as a full season participant.

Further to this to enter the second round of the Championship in Albacete Spain on 5th 6th June on a “race by race” entry basis without the need for the fellow British competitor’s signature of approval Stuart’s entry needed to be submitted a full fourteen days prior to the start of the event, i.e. before 14.30 hrs on Friday 21st May, this obviously could not be done.

Stuart who has a huge following throughout the world, due to his outstanding racing achievements over the past 12 years, said he believed he is an active ambassador for the sport of truck racing and is dumb founded by the unsubstantiated and unsporting actions that prevented his participation in a sport that currently needs every possible entry to secure its survival.

To date no valid reason has been given to the objection.