“Thrill-a-minute!”
The video of the 3rd round of the Europa Truck Trials – click here to share in the excitement!
An exciting Truck Trial weekend in Langenaltheim (D) has come to an end. Several thousand visitors watched on as the HS-Schoch-Hardox and BFS Trucksport teams put the competition under serious pressure in challenging terrain, and with great success. Trucker’s World met up with affable drivers Marcel Schoch, Marc Stegmaier and Jan Plieninger for a quick chat away from the race track.
Congratulations on your second win of the season, Marcel. Can you imagine your life without Truck Trial?
Marcel: “That’s hard to imagine! (laughing) I’m so into it, I never get tired of it. We’ve known the other teams for years, so that would be a big loss. And when the fans cheer us on at the track, it really spurs me on!”
What do you like most about your race truck, Jan?
Jan: “I’m blown away by how robust it is. Our converted series-produced truck can take an incredible amount of punishment, it goes over one-and-a-half-metre rocks with no issues at all. In terms of power, it can reach 3000 Newton metres of torque and drive up a hill from a standstill. Putting your foot on the gas is an awesome feeling every time.”
Isn’t it boring going back to a “normal” truck after the race when you move your equipment over?
Jan: “Not at all! Driving straight ahead at 80 km/h on the motorway with air suspension and lots of comfort is great fun. It’s kind of like moving from a wooden chair to a comfy TV chair.”
Marcel: “You have to take some risks in truck racing and push your truck to its limits. It’s different when you’re out on the road. When you’re doing that, you have the time to enjoy the innovative features of your MAN truck and to see how the series is evolving.”
What do you look forward to most before and after the race?
Marcel: “After the race? My own bed. But there are downsides to coming home as well (laughing). You need to unpack – and most of the time we are ‘lucky’ enough that it rains during the race and our equipment arrives home muddy.”
Marc: “Before the race, the excitement just builds and builds. That is the pure adrenaline and happiness talking. I look forward to getting together with everyone at the race track in the evening. We are a tight-knit community in this racing business.”
Want to experience the thrill of truck racing? Then catch it live at the race track – or watch it right now in this video!