FIA ETRC Roars On To Autodrom Most This Weekend
ETRC - 2017 Race of Most - Preview
![ETRC, Race of Most](https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/styles/content_details/public/news/main_image/unnamed_34.jpg?itok=EavzbywM)
Where: Autodrom Most, Czech Republic
When: For timetable click HERE
Who: For full entry list click HERE
The FIA European Truck Racing Championship heads to Autodrom Most in the Czech Republic this weekend for the second part of an Eastern European double header.
The challenging Most track celebrates the 25th anniversary of hosting top class truck racing and the facility is a popular venue for the FIA ETRC family as it enters a crucial phase in the 2017 championship.
Most always guarantees action as witnessed last season after the closest ever FIA ETRC finish when Adam Lacko just defeated Jochen Hahn by 0.076s in race one.
The FIA ETRC event at Most, which last year so just short of 100,000 spectators attend, is the home race of 2017 points leader Adam Lacko. The Buggyra International Racing System driver leads the points standings by 58 points after extending his lead last weekend at the Hungaroring where he scored another hat-trick of wins.
Lacko will have the backing of tens of thousands of passionate Czech truck racing fans on home turf next weekend and will be using ‘people power’ to try and increase his lead as he pushes for the so far elusive FIA ETRC crown.
Lacko’s teammate David Vrsecky will also be racing in front of an adoring Czech public and the 2008 and 2009 champion has good form at his home circuit. Remarkably Vrsecky has won 11 FIA ETRC races since 2007, including a spectacular hat-trick of wins back in 2009 when he took his second title.
Jochen Hahn will be looking for revenge after two disappointing events by his own high standards. The four times FIA ETRC champion has won many races at Most and will be aiming to add to his tally of three wins so far this season.
Steffi Halm came away from Hungaroring with an identical points haul to Hahn with 39 on the scoreboard. It was another consistent weekend for the Reinert Racing MAN driver as she mounts a serious challenge at the top of the standings this season.
With Norbert Kiss (Tankpool24 Racing, Antonio Albacete (Truck Sport Lutz Bernau) and Ryan Smith (OXXO Racing) both in fine form there will be the usual solid frontrunners capable of mounting strong challenges this weekend.
Promoter’s Cup set for more thrills
If the main title fight is getting exciting the battle for supremacy in the Promoter’s Cup is equally enthralling.
Jose Rodrigues and Andre Kursim have been almost tied to each-others bumper in recent races and the pair will again go for maximum points again in Czech Republic.
After last weekend Shane Brereton has to be factored in to the fight for victories. The British driver almost took a clean sweep of wins but missed out in race one, where he also finished fourth overall on the road, due to a technical hitch on his MAN.
All local eyes will be on Frankie Vojtisek as the Czech driver prepares to make his third events start this season. The experienced campaigner will be keen to make the most of his weekend to make up for the disappointment of being forced out of the corresponding fixture last season.
Joining the grid for the Most weekend will be two new entrants as Grzegorz Ostaszewski and Maurice Monfrino (subject to FIA approval) join the fray.
Polish driver Ostaszewski has been a regular in the French series this season and comes from an off road racing background in motocross, quads and trucks. He brings his Renault truck as he returns to the FIA ETRC for the first time since 2013 when he ran in a Frankie Vojtisek run MAN in six events.
Monfrino comes back to the FIA ETRC after an absence of over a decade. The French national will compete in a Volvo truck this weekend after previously making three appearances back in 206 and 2007.
What happened last year?
Race 1: Adam Lacko
Race 2: Ryan Smith
Race 3: Jochen Hahn
Race 4: Jochen Hahn