LEVETT BEATS HANS STUCK AT NURBURGRING! - COLLETT ON THE PODIUM IN BOTH CLASS ‘A’ RACES - CLASS ‘B’ BATTLE SEES BALL BEATEN ON SUNDAY BY BOOCOCK

The 2009 ADAC Truck Grand Prix at Nurburging again lived up to expectations as the highlight of the international truck racing season – the action-packed event attracting a crowd of 177,000 over three days (July 24/25/26).

The visiting BTRA racers always provide the enthusiastic audience with maximum entertainment value – and mixed in with the British regulars were a number of  star ‘guest’ drivers including Hans Stuck, rally star Uwe Nittel and the slightly crazy ‘orange brigade’ Father and son duo of Heinz-Werner and Sasho Lenz.

For Chris Levett and the Bird’s Motorsport team the German event proved to be a huge success; after a difficult Saturday the young British driver really hit top form on Sunday – ending the weekend with a memorable victory in the ADAC-Mittelrhein Cup race...ahead of  the legendary Hans-Joachim Stuck.

Ricky Collett also found himself standing alongside the famous ‘local hero’ as he gained 3rd overall (but first among the BTRA points-scorers) in the Saturday race.

Having taken ‘pole’ position for the first of the first of the Mittelrhein Cup races (which score towards the Delphi British Championship) Levett had high hopes of victory in the Saturday race. But Levett was eliminated on just the 2nd turn, thanks to a hefty shove from fellow Brit Stuart Oliver (who himself retired 3 laps later).
That left crowd favourite Hans-Joachim Stuck to take an untroubled win ahead of  Frenchman Phillipe Arlaud (Renault).
Hard-charging David Jenkins had been en route for the Class ‘A’ BTRA honours – but his silver MAN was clocked for overspeeding three times by the GPS system resulting in David’s exclusion from the results.
That promoted Ricky Collett (MAN) to first of the Brits ahead of the similar machine of Matt Summerfield and Graham Powell (ERF) .

The Class ‘B’ battle brought yet another win for David Ball (Seddon Atkinson) ahead of Elton Boocock and Steven Powell (Ford).
Sunday’s  Mittelrhein Cup race saw Levett clearly determined to made amends for the dismal result on Saturday – storming from the back of the grid to overhaul early leader Stuck and bring home the bacon for the Bird’s Motorsport team. Stuck joined Levett on the podium – but he was over 4.5 seconds behind , despite having started with the considerable advantage of ‘pole’ position!  Arlaud took the final podium spot... but the Renault driver was nearly 23 seconds behind the leading duo!

In terms of the BTRA runners it was Summerfield who took the 9 point for 2nd ahead of Collett...with a decidedly off-form Championship leader Oliver struggling home in 5th.

The Class ‘B’battle proved as entertaining as ever with Ball clearly not up to full speed bringing his bright green Seddon home in 3rd – which left Elton Boocock (Seddon) and Andy Lovenberry (Sisu) really slugging it out to be top dog. Eventually – after some real door-to-door action – Boocock grabbed the advantage to take his first Class ‘B’ win of the season.

For those contesting the full 2009 Delphi British Championship there is no let-up in the schedule – with Donington Park hosting the next races on August 8/9 and Thruxton following just one week later (August 15/16).

by JONATHAN REEVES
.