BEN TAKES MAIDEN WIN AT BRANDS HATCH
A fantastic driver in the wet at last weeks event saw Ben cross the finish line
taking the top spot on the podium.
Well done from us all.
LAST RACE DISASTER AT JAMARA
A competitive weekends racing in Jarama Spain was brought to an abrupt halt
two laps from the finish line of the last race on Sunday when one of the normally
reliable OM457 conrods shot its way out the side of the engine block.
The Mercedes Axor race truck is now complete with a totally scrap engine
for the end of 2008.
Although this was the last European race of the season, Steve still has two
rounds of the British Championship to try and complete in the UK at Pembrey
and Brands Hatch.
LE MANS EUROPEAN MEETING 2008
Glorious weather and nearly 50,000 spectators witnessed the European Race Trucks
and experienced the atmoshere that only Le Mans can create over a race weekend.
Full grids and a challenging race track made the racing fast and furious throughout
the two days. The Mercedes Axor pair of Steve Horne and Jose Bermejo held their
own in midfield battles, with Steve Horne coming home just ahead of his team
mate. Allthough he failed to finish two races as a pipe came adrift in one race
on Saturday, and a 4 truck pile up caused by the Belguim Blaise on Sunday collected
Steve, with him ending up in the gravel on the last lap of the Qualification
race.
Next Race Jarama, Spain Oct 4th and 5th.
LE MANS 2008
As we pull out the yard at 5am after loading up at around midnight last night,
with Gavin and Ben almost imediately falling asleep, the dedication we are showing
to get on the grid at the next round makes me wonder if it is all worth it!!
But after 23 seasons and nearly 1000 race starts I suppose its just what we
do.
We should have left yesterday, but with all the repairs needed from the last
European round at Zolder taking the last 3 days to complete, we required the
extra day at base. We needed to catch the 8.45 am ferry from Portsmouth to Caen,
docking at 3pm, followed by the 3hr road journey to the famous French race track,
arriving around 7pm Thurs eve.
We had a couple of guests on board with us for this trip. Roger Carter is a
regular Show Truck entrant in the UK with his ERF. Mark Smith helps out at the
shows, and can only be described as my biggest fan, when he turned up at one
race with his own van in full Steve Horne racing colours, I was just amazed..I
wondered what they would make of a full blown European race meeting including
a Truck Show displaying France's finest custom trucks. There was to be no free-loading
on the Steve Horne Racing Team though, as Smithy was put in charge of cooking
and Roger the cleaning of the Race Truck. This I believe will give them a proper
birds eye view of the meeting from inside the team.
On top of the motorway bridge just before the dock sits Roger and Mark in the
van, waiting to drop into the port just behind us. On the pavement outside the
dock gate is a guy called Chris Jones, who Stuart Oliver has asked us to give
a lift to the circuit. With everyone now together we board the Brittany Ferries
vessel and get on our way.
The crossing then seems like 6 hrs stuck in a time zone, which I have no control
over!
We arrived at the track that evening. After unloading and setting up the pit,
it was time for a beer and a look around the paddock.
Everyone was here already, with most of them taking all week to make the journey
direct from Zolder via the beach, or Disney Land Paris, unlike us who had to
go home to work in between races. This race included a round of the French Truck
Racing Championships in which 8 British national racers have entered this year,
so a few extra Brits than normal were around in Le Mans to make up a paddock
of some 50 race trucks.
To be continued. Pictures from Le Mans are here in
the gallery.
Steve Horne.
8 HRS LEFT TO FIX TRUCK BEFORE LE MANS
...Wednesday 17th - still working on the truck - should be done by 11 pm
tonight - leaving at 5 am tomorrow...
48 HRS TO REPAIR HEAVY DAMAGE FROM ZOLDER
The heat is on as the team have only 48hrs to effect repairs and leave to board
a ferry to the next round of the European Truck Racing Championships at Le Mans,
France.
Last weekends European races at Zolder, Belguim were fast and furious at this
high speed circuit which has such history behind it.
When 22 five ton trucks are racing wheel to wheel at 100mph with drivers who
all want to win it is inevitable there will be some rubbing of paint to say
the least!
With a pole lap time of 1.58 down to 17th place at 2.02 you can see just how
close the first few laps may be.
A good start in the final Cup race Sunday saw Steve up to 8th place by the 4th turn. As he approached the first chicane all hell broke loose ahead as Algeaur and Janiec touched, with the latter heading down the wall at 100mph, towards the chicane tyre bales. As the sparks flew from the airborne wheel nuts contact with the concrete, it did not take a master tactician to decide he will take out the markers at the chicane together with anyone on that piece of tarmac at the time, as he wrestled to bring the Renault machine back to earth. The dust and tyres flew into the air as he speared across the chicane backwards at around 80 mph.
Steve found a way through the debris, and was on his way when a truck following totally misjudged the situation and ploughed into his drivers door…
Steve carried on racing with the door flapping open and closed, but the officials
called him into the pits, where the damage was such he had to retire.
See what happens to standard truck components when you fit them to a race truck - pictures here in the gallery!
Next UK race Pembrey, Wales Oct 11th and 12th
TOP TEN IN EUROPE
Steve brought the Mercedes Axor home in 10th place in the last race Sunday to
finish off a weekend of mixed fortunes in Most CZ.
Saturday qualifying went well when Steve set the 12th fastest time ahead of
the Russian and Hungarian MAN drivers and just behind the works Renault of the
CZ Frankie team.This then gave him a decent 6th row start for the first race.Where
as qualifying is important, it is normally the race where Steve makes up places
for the start of the next race! This race however proved to be a challenge,
as his finishing position was being controlled by decisions made up in Race
Control.
All was going ok until the half way point, as he ran 11th battling with the
Algaeuer MAN driver Konolov for 10th, but when he crossed the line this time,
a few inches behind him, a flag was being displayed with a number 28 alongside
it. (4 laps to go) The technical delegate had deemed the Mercedes Axor was in
his opinion emitting too much black smoke as top gear was pulled and full warp
drive engaged! The driver responded by trying soft pedalling the monster where
he could, and decided to try just to get to the finish.
However the next time he crossed the line a board was displayed with the words " DRIVE THROUGH " with a number 28 alongside it.(3 laps to go) Aaaargh!!! This time race control had received reports that truck 28 had taken out 2 corner markers so had kindly awarded this penalty upon the frustrated driver. Steve duly took his penalty at 50km an hr through the pit lane (2 laps to go) Back on track he is trying desperately to drag back the places he had just had taken away from him. As he crossed the line for the penultimate time, gently on the throttle, a black flag was being displayed with a number 28 alongside it.
(1 lap to go)
This cheered up the driver no end, and renewed his faith in the need for discipline
on the track !!! Crews on the pit wall could hear these loud roars coming from
the cab of the Mercedes as it flew down the straight at 100 mph. Exclusion for
apparently taking out 6 corner markers in one lap was the reason given by Race
Control! This must be a record in one lap as there were only 8 on the whole
circuit. The fact there were 3 other black race trucks out there which created
a case of mistaken identity is a more likely explanation for this decision.
It seems all race trucks that are not Skodas look the same to the local observers!
Dead last was then the starting position for the final race Saturday, which
is obviously not the preferred option, but does seem to be a regular for Steve
at least once most race weekends. Forward was the name of the game this race,
as he came home 11th making up 11 places in the 12 laps with no penalties. Not
bad for an old timer! We could tell he enjoyed himself out there that Saturday
afternoon.
Photos from Most now in the gallery.
Sunday race news from Most coming soon.
Next European race Zolder, Belguim Sept 13th and 14th.
Next UK race Pembrey, Wales Oct 11th and 12th
MOST BRINGS TEAMS HIGHEST RESULT SO FAR
The Mercedes Benz Truck Racing Team of Steve Horne and Jose Benjero visited
the poduim in Most CZ to receive a 2nd place in the European Championships Team
results last weekend.
The pair of Axor race trucks came over the finish line to pick up this highly
coverted trophy much to the delight of the drivers who showed they are good
buddies on and off the track.
FIRST WIN IN MERC COMES AT THRUXTON
A third place followed by a win showed Steve was on form last weekend at Thruxton.
It was fitting he managed his first win in the Merc at a circuit he knows so
well and now regards as his home track. Although when it rained, Steve was the
first to admit he is still struggling to find a set up in the wet with this
Mercedes Benz race truck...
Ben also did well, finishing 2nd in his group after his first corner incident
at Donington left him with two non-finishes.He is proving he can run at the
front with the best of them in only his secondseason.
With Steve's non-finish at Donington dropping him to 4th in the overall standings
and Ben now dropping to 6th in class B it seems the Horney pair are up against
it to finish on the podium in the British Championships this season.
Next European race - Most CZ Aug 30th and 31st
Next UK race - Pembrey Oct 11th and 12th.
Pictures from Thruxton are in the gallery.
SUNSHINE AND SHOWERS FOR TWO WEEKENDS OF RACING
Two weekends of racing started with TruckAttack at Donington Park Circuit on
July 27th. Donington was the home of truck racing back in 1984. This year, after
a four year break, the trucks were back for a one-day event in the Delphi British
Truck Racing Championship.
It was an eventful day for both Steve and Ben. Steve gaining a 4th place in the first Group A race - followed by a turbo hose falling off in the second race putting him out of the race. After a quick repair job Steve was back on the track for the last race. Starting at the back of the grid, in 22nd place, finishing a stylish 2nd - but no points for the championship. Steve's comment afterwards: "That's racing for you". (That was the polite version!)
Ben's luck was about the same. In the first Group B race, a power steering pump failure left him in a mess at Kramer Curves. The damaged truck was out of it for the day. That's racing!
.
PODIUM FINISH IN THE RAIN AT THE NÜRBURGRING
This years visit to the Nuerburgring for the ADAC International Truck GP started
with dif problems but ended with a place on the podium in front of the 192,00
crowd.
See below for a full report on Steve's year so far and his adventures in Germany.
Pictures and report with thanks to Jonathan Reeves
STEVE’S SEASON…so far
A look back over the first half of the 2008 truck racing season
by JONATHAN REEVES
It’s certainly been a busy four months for Steve Horne and his hard-working team since the 2008 season kicked off on Easter Monday at Brands Hatch.
Only a few weeks earlier Steve had collected the ex-Jochen Hahn Mercedes-Benz…and
Horne was determined it would be looking good with a superb new black and silver
colour scheme finished just in time for the first rounds of the British Championship.
The Mercedes certainly looked the part…but weather conditions in Kent were hardly ideal for getting a “feel” for an unfamiliar truck… most of the races were held in a snowstorm with temperatures hardly rising above freezing. (Well, what can you expect on a British Bank Holiday?).
But Steve soon settled in and was setting some respectable lap times…although he was the first to admit that he was struggling to find traction and with such limited grip and increased power the new truck was “a bit of a handful”. But he survived unscathed to end the weekend 5th overall in the Delphi British Championship standings.
Next UK outing was on familiar territory – at Pembrey circuit in south Wales. Now feeling a lot more comfortable with the Mercedes, Steve collected some good results; a 3rd and a 4th place – and even briefly headed the field in one outing. A hefty ‘push’ from rival MAN driver David Jenkins sent Horne spinning (mid-way along the main straight)…and we all held our breath as the immaculate Mercedes headed for the barriers, but it came to a stop with a few metres to spare!
After the Welsh outing it was time to head off to Spain for the opening round
of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship – where Steve joined up
for the first time with his new “team-mate’’, Spaniard Jose
Bormejo – another Mercedes-Benz racer.
Anyone expecting a sunny weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya was in for a rude
shock as it proved to be cold and windy…and the main event on the first
day was held in torrential downpour. With parts of the famous GP circuit flooded
with standing water the organisers delayed the start – but still the rain
fell, so eventually the race got underway in seriously wet conditions.
While many of the fancied front runners fell foul of the slippery track, Horne
stayed on the tarmac and came through to collected 3 valuable championship points
with a fabulous 8th place. With his team-mate Bormejo also splashing his way
to the finish the new “Horne/Bermejo” pairing collected the third
place trophy in the FIA Teams’ Championship.
At the next European outing Horne and co. finally got to run on a dry track in some very warm conditions as the FIA Championship moved on to the Circuit Paul Armagnac at Nogaro in the southwest of France. But despite the sunshine Horne was not feeling so bright; he was having problems with the suspension ‘set-up’ and then found his engine power was dropping off – mainly due to a blocked smoke filter. But despite these problems the ‘Horne/Bermejo team’ was again on the podium – collecting third prize in the Sunday teams’ competition. And Steve had the added pleasure of pipping his team-mate to the post – just nipping inside of the rival Mercedes on the final lap!
Latest News Update…. Nurburgring.
Mid-July saw Horne attending the ADAC International Truck GP at Nurburging
– an event which counts towards both the European and British Championship
series’. With a crowd attendance of 192,000 and major support from all
corners of the truck and transport industries this really is the highlight of
the truck racing season.
The weekend didn’t start so well for Steve…as he experienced major
troubles with his differential. But a late night and some serious surgery saw
the Mercedes running again in time for the Mittelrhein Cup race.
After a couple of false starts – (where other drivers managed to spin
off and then block the track!) the race finally got underway for the third time
- with rain making the track very slippery.
Horne had a great race – running wheel-to-wheel with the legendary German sportscar racer Hans-Joachim Stuck (a guest driver for the MAN factory). The German ‘star’ did finally get ahead – but post-race scrutineering revealed that Mr Stuck had exceeded the 160km/h official speed limit by a considerable margin…so with him excluded from the results it was a delighted Steve Horne who climbed on the podium to claim the third place trophy (alongside fellow Brits Stuart Oliver and Chris Levett).
Next events for Steve in a busy summer period will be the BTRA Championship races at Donington Park on July 27 – followed just one week later by the Thruxton International event (August 2/3).
By JONATHAN REEVES
ENDS…
ALL THE WAY TO SPAIN FOR YET MORE RAIN
A last minute decision to sign up for the European Truck Racing Championships
saw Steve Horne travel to the Circuit De Cataluna, Nr Barcelona for the opening
rounds to get some dry track time with this new Merc.
And yes you've guessed it, it rained and rained and rained for 3 days solid.Apparently
it had not rained in this part of Spain for 6 months you know. So the shorts
and sun tan lotion stayed in the bag while England sweltered in the highest
temps this year to date.
Anyway we finished 8th in the rain and gained valuable points in this highly
competitive series so went home happy but soaked.
The Last race Sunday pm was the only dry session of the weekend. A selection
of photos are in the gallery.
Next UK Race July 27th Donington Park - see you there.
ON THE PODIUM AT SECOND MEETING
The Merc starts to show its pace at Pembrey this weekend as Steve drove to finish
3rd in Saturdays race.
Pictures are here in the gallery.
ARCTIC CONDITIONS MAKE MAIDEN OUTING A CHALLENGE
Last weeks Easter opening meet at Brands was difficult, to say the least, to
try out the new Mercedes Benz Axor race truck.
Heavy snow coupled to diesel being laid round the entire track early on race
day turned the days racing into a skating rink on which to try to learn to drive
this beast!
U Tube are currently showing one of my spins on the day while trying to find
the limit.
We came away with 12 points for two 5th places.
Next race Pembrey 19th and 20th April 08.
BEN PROVES HE CAN CUT IT
Ben Horne made his racing debut in his dads old White at the back end of last
year finishing 5th in the class B Championships.
2008 will be busy for Ben as he will be chief mechanic on his dads truck in
class A and also driving his own truck in Class B.
How will he do I wonder?
Steve
Mercedes Axor Details Released
Steve is now in his 22nd year competing in the British Truck Racing Championships.
The new Mercedes Axor is his 6th race truck and details of this beast have just
been released:-
* Mercedes Benz Axor 1843 with:-
* Mid-mounted Mercedes OM457 straight six 12 litre race prepared diesel engine
* 5000n/m of torque and around 1,150 hp
* Mercedes 16 speed gearbox and limited slip diff
* Weighing in at 5,500 kgs with a minimum 60% on the front axle
* Water cooled disc brakes all round with adjustable racing shocks and tramps bars
* From 0 - 60 mph in around 6 secs (another 4 secs from 60 - 100 mph)
This truck was developed and raced during the 2007 European Truck Racing Events - winning the final rounds in Spain.
Let's see what it can do in the cold and wet of the 2008 British Truck Racing Championships
- see the Events page here and get along to your nearest race track to see it in action!
NEW MERC FINALLY SEEN ON TRACK
Here are the first pictures of the Mercedes Axor Race Truck to be raced by Steve
Horne in 2008 - seen at Brands Hatch Media day on Feb 14th.
See more pictures here in the gallery.
Picture by: Jon Reeves
BEN PROVES HE CAN CUT IT
Ben Horne made his racing debut in his dads old White at the back end of last
year finishing 5th in the class B Championships.
2008 will be busy for Ben as he will be chief mechanic on his dads truck in
class A and also driving his own truck in Class B.
How will he do I wonder?
Steve
IT'S ALL CHANGE FOR 2008!
2008 is upon us and here we go again for the 22nd season in my Truck Racing
career!
Will this be a same old year I ask myself? Definitely NOT is the answer to that one!
While I spent 2007 driving my trusty ERF as fast and as hard as she would go, it would be the most frustrating year on record for me, with the lowest finishing position achieved in over a decade.
The thing that kept me going through last season is what you will see on the track at the all new Easter meeting to be held at Brands Hatch driven by yours truly!
It's been a long time coming, but now its here I can tell you it's bloody fast!
The image on the front page may give you a clue to the machines identity.
Steve
THE NEW SEASON AND NEW RACES FOR 2008
2008 will see the strongest calendar for British Truck Racing in the UK for many years.
An all new race meeting at Easter at Brands Hatch together with a full-blown FIA International race at Donnington Park in the height of summer fully supported by our national teams also racing, shows the hard slog that has taken place behind the scenes by a resilient few for the last few years finally coming to fruition, with the tracks sitting up and noticing at long last the appeal the trucks bring with their own brand of exciting wheel to wheel racing.
If the 23,000 crowd who turned out at the last Brands meet are an indication of things to come, I genuinely believe Truck Racing in the UK is due for a major surge forward this year.
I hope the organisers can improve their decisions in 2008 by bringing some consistency into the running of our events so us mere competitors know where we stand from one event to another.
I also hope that the other competitors see this as an important time in British truck racing and clean up their act!
Make sure you are at the events this season to check it out for yourself.
For where and when see our events page.
Be sure you are there to be part of it.
PREVIOUS YEARS
THE CHASE HOTS UP AT THE RING
Rounds 4 and 5 of the British Truck Racing Championships moved to the Nurburgring, Germany last weekend with crowds of some 180,000 turning out to watch the trucks race on this famous circuit.
With lap times tumbling from last year, the on-track action was fast and furious!
Early un-timed practise sessions on the Friday looked promising for Steve Horne, claiming 2nd fastest slot with his ERF, but as the weekend progressed a catalogue of fates and twists unfolded to put pressure on the team to come away with good results from these races!
SANTA POD TRIALS
At a recent test day for a new event to be held at Santa Pod Raceway, Northants
on Aug 20th Steve Horne tried his ERF race truck down the famous quarter mile
for the first time.
As the Detriot Diesel power was unleashed on the ultra sticky surface the 6
ton ERF machine made the run in 15 secs hitting 100mph from a standing start.
Not bad for an old truck, aye! Quicker than a Porsche 911!
So dont miss this new truck show combined with on track action on Aug 19th and
20th.
A SOLID 2nd COMES OUT OF THE HEAT OF NOGARO WEEKEND
This race meeting lived up to its hot and humid reputation with temperatures
up near 40 degrees again to put the truck and driver to the test of going the
distance!!
Friday night saw us changing the clutch after it began to slip on track.
A first corner ram in the side by a fast moving Iveco wrecked our offside bodywork
in race one, but it didnt stop us finishing 2nd.
Next race Nurburgring, Germany July 22nd
The Chester based UK market leader for horsepower uprates of road trucks has
agreed to support our team this season with funding to display their logo on
track.
The journey to Charade, Nr Clermond Ferrand in southern France was made worthwhile
by finishing 3rd at our first outing in the Coupe De France series.
The red ERF performed well within this competitive field of trucks to stay on
the pace all weekend despite the mixed weather conditions.
Next race Nogaro, South of France 17th and 18th June.
The British Truck Racing 2006 season kicked off at Pembrey, South Wales on
April 15th and 16th.
One of the items we had replaced over the winter was our hydraulic gear
shift because we were worried the seals in it wouldn't last another season!
But I think even the old one would have got me a few laps in. This £1,300
new part failed on us as we unloaded from the transporter on Friday pm.
So there we were, in a field in deepest Wales,on Bank Holiday Friday, broken
down!
The seasons opener fastly turning in to an unbelievable nightmare for Race
Truck Drivers.
Now the thing is, with my new chilled out attitude for 2006 I asked Ben and
his mate to work all night to try and fix it, and went to the pub for a
drink!
Bad that, dont you think? Not what you would expect from a past Champion! I
really should have laid under that ERF holding the torch for him all night
you know.
In the morning it became clear that we were in big trouble, with nothing
that they could do in the night to maintain a full set of forward gears.
A phone call to our Oxford dealer to check availability on Easter Sat
located the parts at Lancaster, only some 6 hrs away. Even with the fastest
van, as it was now nearly lunchtime before the courier was despatched we
would not be on the track today!
Saturday's timetable was qualifying for race 1 and 2 followed by race 1.
So I missed 2 timed practises and the first race by being parked up all of
Saturday.
We decided to call a Welsh hose doctor to replace the hydraulic hoses that
afternoon to go with two new operating valves on the gearbox that were on
the way, this then fully replacing the whole gear selection system as we
could not take any more chances of a no show.
At 6pm we were fit for service.
It turns out, as I didnt qualify for race 2 I would have to start from the
pit lane in the morning.
As 19 trucks went flying by, I was allowed to join the hunt dead last to
finish a respectable 5th and pick up a few points in the 8 laps available
without any damage.
We finished 4th in the last race of the day collecting a few more points. But
all in all we are down at least 10 points after the first meeting and are
playing catch up now.
Firstly, I must apologise for not updating this website for a while, but I have
been busy doing my work with the racing having to take a back seat while I concentrate
on earning a living.
The 2005 season ended in a huge dissapointment for the whole team after leading
the British Championship throughout the year, only to lose it on the last lap
of the last race at Brands Hatch in November, ending up in the gravel trap with
a rearranged rear axle.
GUTTED was the word!
It turned into our closest chance of winning for a few years, but was full of
grief from start to finish over one thing or another was 2005.
2006 is now here and we find ourselves once again contesting the British Truck
Racing Championships with our ERF Race Truck. Although I feel after being at
the wheel of one race truck or another for 21 years the time has come to find
another hobby! If anyone out there is interested in purchasing my ultra fast
red ERF for next year, let me know. She has not done many miles, has had many
light frontal, n/s and o/s impacts with occasional heavy rear damage, been through
a hedge at 100 mph coming to a sudden stop embedded in a ditch nr Andover, the
roof came off in Czech which has never been found, presumably now a feature
in a fans residence. But apart from these few things she's fine!
Now we have decided to compete in the French national races this year, called
"The Coupe De France" as well as the British, taking us to 3 events
in France and 1 in Spain making 9 race meetings in all having a crack at 2 Championships
to keep us busy.
On top of this we are attending a new Drag Race type truck event at Santa Pod
in August which should be fun if the prop, clutch and diff will take it! Then
we will be attending a few static Truck shows to fly the flag for the BTRA and
gain exposure for our team within the trade,stuck in a field in the rain!
2006 will see new trucks and new teams competing in our ever popular British Truck Racing Championships with the field now swelling to 20 trucks bringing this exciting form of motorsport alive, so make sure you visit a race this year to see these 5 ton monsters race wheel to wheel on limited tarmac space.
