Truck & Driver Summer 2019^93
TRUCK RACING
Division One
Race one Despite missing out
on pole, reigning three-time
champion Ryan Smith won the
opener after producing a
jaw-dropping overtake on Dave
Jenkins into Paddock Hill Bend.
Starting on the outside of the
front row, the MAN driver
hounded the back of the pole
sitter in the opening laps,
dragging Stuart Oliver along with
him, but Jenkins managed toA
fter two action-packed
weekends – at Brands
Hatch in Kent and
Pembrey, South Wales- the first two rounds
of the Championship are
complete. Next up, the truck
racing teams head to Thruxton
on 29/30 June – and you can win
tickets to the event if you go to
page 15! In the following pages
is a rundown of what’s happened
so far in the Championship.
produce a resolute defence.
After showing his nose a
number of times Smith finally
made his move at the start of lap
four, slicing his way down the
inside heading into the first
corner. Once in front, the current
title holder banked the fastest lap
and built up a sizeable lead to
open his 2019 account.
Race two saw the grid
reversed and ten-time champion
Oliver rolled back the years to
produce a scintillating
performance, taking the
chequered flag by more than 12
seconds. Starting sixth, the Volvo
VNL driver steadily worked his
way up the order as Cees
Zandbergen and Mark Taylor
scrapped for the lead.
Taylor would move to the front
on lap two but soon saw his
three-second advantage begin to
be eaten into as Oliver closed in.
Making his move at Clark on lap
six, Oliver took control of the
race and checked out to
showcase his title credentials for
the year ahead.
Race three Smith delivered a
champion’s drive in race three of
the weekend as he notched his
second victory around
the iconic venue, despite
battling a misfire andMeet and greet: drivers have a
close relationship with their fansReigning Div 2 champ Luke Garrett has
made a flying start to his 2019 campaign