T1 PRIMA TRUCK RACING CHAMPIONSHIP COMES TO INDIA
Six Teams with two trucks each and international drivers ready to go Mumbai, March 22, 2014: Tata Motors latest initiative, India’s first truck racing championship –T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship, is all set to start tomorrow as the company today introduced the six participating teams and adriver line-up with internationally proven excellence in the field of truck racing.The six teams will competeat the Budh International Circuit in Greater Noida, on March 23, 2013. Cummins, Castrol, Tata Technologies, JK Tyre, Wabco and Accenture are the key sponsors for the event, with Tata Steel, Setco Automotive, RSB Group and Rane Group as associate sponsors.
The six teams for the T1 Championship are: Castrol Vecton, Cummins, Tata Technologies Motorsports, Allied Partners, Dealer Daredevils and Dealer Warriors. With two trucks running per team, all teams will compete in a qualifier race, followed bythe main race, with a rolling start of big Prima race trucks. WABCO is the official braking technology partner and JK Tyre is the official tyre partner for the entire event.
Conducted under the aegis of FIA & FMSCI, the T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship will featureTata PRIMA trucks, built specifically for the purpose. India’s firsttruck racing championshipis being organised by Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC), with safety and performance standards as per the guidelines of the British Truck Racing Association (BTRA).
Mr. Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicle, Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors Ltd., “We are excited about the commencement of the T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship tomorrow which offers a wonderful showcase for the Indian trucking industry. We welcome all our partners – the team owners and sponsors, and are delighted in joining hands with them in putting together this ground-breaking event of India’s first truck racing event, an adventurous and unique form of motorsports. We would like towish all the teams the very best, as they strivefor glory, in this grand spectacle of big beautiful Prima race trucksrace against each other”.
Details of the sixteams and their respective drivers are as follows – TeamDriver 1Driver 2TATATECHNOLOGIES MOTORSPORTSDAVID JENKINSBRIAN BURTCASTROL VECTONSTUART OLIVERDAVE BALLCUMMINSMAT SUMMERFIELDSIMON REIDALLIED PARTNERSSTEVE ROTHERYPAUL Mc.CUMISKYDEALER DAREDEVILSSTEVE THOMASGRAHAM POWELLDEALER WARRIORSBEN HORNESTEVEN POWELL A one-make championship, T1 Prima Truck Racing will havea rolling start of 12 big Tata Primarace trucks competing against each other for top honours. The Prima race truck is the Prima 4038.S model with massive power of 370 BHP @ 2100 RPM and a top speed of 110 Km/h.
The Tata Prima is a multi-award-winning range of trucks from Tata Motors, first introduced in 2009, in an effort to bring ‘The way the world trucks’ to India. With technical inputs from across the world – an Italian cab design, engine technology from the USA and Europe, gearbox expertise from Germany, chassis frame know-how from Mexico, sheet metal dies from Japan and Korea, combined with Swedish precision on a robotic weld line, the Tata Prima is hence also referred to as the 'World' truck. Besides focusing on the mechanics of the vehicle, the uniqueness of the Tata Prima is that its cab focuses on driver comfort.
To make these Prima trucks fit for racing, guidelines from British Truck Racing Associationwere followed and subsequently 22 key modifications were made to meet a mix of safety and performance needs. Some of the changes made are on –the Fuel Tank, brake cooling system, propeller shaft guards, racing seats and safety belts, exhaust, steering wheel, a role cage etc.
About T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship
The T1 Prima Truck Racing Championshipis India’s first ever truck racing championship, by Tata Motors. Conducted under the aegis of FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) and FMSCI(the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India), India’s first ever truck racing championship has been inscribed on the calendars of FIA & FMSCI and will be held on March 23, 2014, at the internationally acclaimed Budh International Circuit. The T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship will feature 12 Tata PRIMA trucks, built for the purpose. These will be divided among six teams, with participation from experienced international drivers. The truck racing championshipis being organised by Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC), with safety and performance standards being followed as per the British Truck Racing Association (BTRA) guidelines.
About Tata Motors Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of Rs. 1, 88, 818crores ($ 34.7 billion) in 2012-13. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, Spain, South Africa and Indonesia. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, the business comprising the two iconic British brands. It also has an industrial joint venture with Fiat in India. With over 8 million Tata vehicles plying in India, Tata Motors is the country’s market leader in commercial vehicles and among the top in passenger vehicles. It is also the world's fifth largest truck manufacturer and fourth largest bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, South America, CIS and Russia.