Series 60 power races
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• Detroit Diesel's Series 60 engine, which is on trial with two UK hauliers, is to get its toughest test yet — powering Slim Borgudd's White GMC conventional racing truck.
The season opens at Brands Hatch on 12 April and the "specially prepared" 12.7-litre unit has been installed by Detroit service dealer West Coast Diesel of Pinxston, near Nottingham, whose team Borgudd drives for.
But the move has nothing to do with Detroit's own evaluation with hauliers Alfred Hyrrias and Railfreight, stresses West Coast managing director Ian Buchan, who has raced a GMC White with a Detroit 8V-92 engine since 1986.
Meanwhile, Detroit reports fresh interest in the Series 60 from UK truck manufacturers. The engine — in a three-axle Foden tractive unit belonging to Railfreight — will be tested exclusively by Commercial Motor in our 11 April issue.
Reaction to our test will help determine if Detroit launches the engine in the UK — it currently concentrates on the construction and marine areas.
The Series 60 racing engine is still being tuned: "We've given the engine more air and more fuel, but I can't say how," says Buchan.
Truck racing is now seen by
manufacturers as one of the best ways of testing products and technical developments which they hope to launch On to the road transport market, but few of them publicise the fact, fearing that the risks associated with truck racing will not reflect well on their image.
Borgudd's truck has been fitted with Wabco anti-lock and anti-wheeispin systems, Jured brake linings and Koni front shock absorbers. The Mobil 'Isruck Superprix takes place on 12, 13 and 14 April. Other rounds follow in Hungary, Austria, France, Sweden, Germany, Belgium and Spain.