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TRUCKS: CAT's European SuperTruck Team wins Championship

19 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

CORNELIUS, NC -- For the second time in four years, Caterpillar's European Supertruck team won its series championship. The Supertruck team competes in the FIA European Truck Racing Cup. Harri Luostarinen, the driver of the Caterpillar Racing truck, drove the single truck team to the 2000 season championship October 8 in Jarama, Spain. Luostarinen went into the event with a 16-point lead and emerged with a 35-point advantage during the final stop on the circuit.

The Caterpillar team uses a Cat C-12 truck engine, which generates over 1600 horsepower. The No. 3 Caterpillar truck overpowered the competition, which included three teams sponsored by Mercedes Benz and four teams that were factory sponsored by MAN trucks of Germany.

Luostarinen won the championship for Caterpillar in 1997 and was third in the point standings last year. His 2000 season included 13 victories, 27 podium finishes, 11 pole positions and three outright lap records. In 2001, the Caterpillar Supertruck will switch from No. 3 to No.1 for the whole season.

A track audience that totaled over 600,000 at 10 venues in eight different countries watched the 2000 FIA European Truck Racing Cup. Many millions more captured the action via Eurosport TV throughout Europe. Some of the racing action was also replayed in the Untied States on Speedvision.

Plans are being made for driver, Harri Luostarinen, team owner, Chris Hodge and general manager, Henry Gracia to visit Caterpillar's Headquarters in Peoria, Ill., sometime in late November.

Text Provided By Heidi Stoddard

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.