It was a mixed weekend for Relssert Racing’s Neil Tressler as the 2014 Pickup Truck Racing Championship headed to Rockingham Motor Speedway’s high speed 1.5 mile banked oval for rounds 3 & 4 of the championship.
After securing a highly respectable 7th and 8th during Sunday mornings qualifying sessions Neil headed to the grid for race one, starting from row four. A flying start saw the Warwickshire-based driver battling hard amongst the front pack in true American style. The #37 truck showing genuine speed but all progress was soon halted on lap 13 when an engine rod failure ended Tressler’s weekend prematurely.
Despite being unable to finish the race Tressler was only 0.084 seconds off the fastest lap time set by Paul Tompkins #12 on lap 35.
The team headed back to the workshop after race one to take the engine out and by Sunday night it was fully stripped at AP Racing Engines. “It really hasn’t done much damage at all, we we’re very lucky” Said Tressler “despite the rod clearly failing, not one of the shells was even scratched to our amazement”
Tressler continued: “We had such a competitive truck this weekend, it’s a shame that our weekend had to end so soon but we’ll be back, it’s just the way racing goes sometimes”
“I’d also like to thank Andrew at AP Racing Engines for taking the time on Sunday night to strip down our engine”
The next stop for the 2014 Pickup Truck Racing Championship sees the Pickup Trucks return to the world famous Brands Hatch circuit on the 7/8th June for the 2014 American SpeedFest, heading the Whelen Euro NASCAR.
📷
Photo courtesy of Graham Holbon – holbonphotography.com