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The American Truck Racing Association began in 1979, bringing heavy tractor-trucks into motorsport with races on dirt and paved ovals.
The series has evolved through changes in ownership, rules, and venues.
Meanwhile, in Europe, truck racing began in the early 1980s and gained popularity for its close competition between large vehicles.
In 1985, the FIA launched the European Truck Racing Championship, contested on tracks such as Nürburgring, Hockenheim, Jarama and Zolder, which can accommodate these massive trucks.
European truck racing's popularity led to the founding of the Super Truck Racing Association of North America (STRANA) in 2001, with events planned to begin in Summer 2002. STRANA debuted at the Mid-American Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, where it introduced class-8 truck racing to North America and named ZF Group NAO the championship series’ main sponsor. The series aimed to attract not only motorsports enthusiasts but also a wide range of businesses connected to trucking and transportation. |
| The STRANA is a purpose-built race truck designed and constructed by Elan Motorsports Technologies. Elan was established in 1997 with its headquarters located in Braselton, Georgia. In addition to the truck, the company is best known for Panoz-branded race cars and components. The STRANA truck costs $310,000. It weighs approximately 10,000 lbs. Other dimensions include a wheelbase of 147.3 inches, front track of 87.5 inches and a rear track of 84.5 inches. The vehicle is 240.0 inches long, 100.0 inches wide, and 102.0 inches tall. The vehicle holds 26.0 gallons of diesel fuel. |
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| STRANA SUPER TRUCK | SPECIFICATIONS |
|---|---|
| PRICE | $310,000 |
| CURB WEIGHT | 10,000 lbs. |
| WHEEL BASE | 147.3 in. |
| TRACK (F/R) | 87.5 in. / 84.5 in. |
| LENGTH | 240 in. |
| WIDTH | 100 in. |
| HEIGHT | 102 in. |
| FUEL TANK | 26 gallons |
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The STRANA race truck features a Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine. It was introduced in 1987 and produced until 2011. Its innovative features include an integrated electronic control system. This technology supports precise fuel management, diagnostics, cruise control, and performance optimization, all of which make the engine well-suited for competitive racing. The Series 60 engine's versatility is evident in its widespread use across applications, including marine vessels and power generators. Its reliability and advanced electronics make it a natural choice for STRANA’s purpose-built race truck, ensuring high performance and operational efficiency on the track. |
| STRANA SUPER TRUCK | ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | Turbocharged Detroit Diesel Series 60 - six-cylinder |
| BORE & STROKE | 133.1 mm X 167.9 mm |
| DISPLACEMENT | 14,017 cc |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 15.0:1 |
| HORSEPOWER | 800 horsepower @ 2,500 rpm |
| TORQUE | 2,200 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm |
| TRANSMISSION | ZF 5-speed sequential gearbox |
| The truck uses a steel tube-frame chassis covered with a fiberglass body. The front suspension uses upper & lower control arms, pushrod tube shocks, coil springs, and a sway bar. The rear has a live axle, pushrod tube shocks, coil springs, and a sway bar. The STRANA race truck stops with 16.9-inch diameter rotors and a water-cooled Haldex pneumatic brake system. The truck rides on 315/70-R22.5 Continental tires, mounted on 22.5 x 9-inch Alcoa wheels. The vehicle uses a rack-and-pinion unit to steer. |
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| STRANA SUPER TRUCK | CHASSIS |
|---|---|
| LAYOUT | Front Mid-Engine / Rear Drive |
| CHASSIS | Steel Tube Frame |
| BRAKES | 16 inch diameter rotors water-cooled Haldex pneumatic disc brakes |
| WHEELS | Alcoa 22.5 X 9 inches |
| TIRES | Continental 315/70-R22 |
| STEERING | Race and Pinion |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | Upper & Lower Control Arms, Pushrod Tube Shocks and Coil Springs and Sway Bar |
| SUSPENSION - REAR | Live Rear Axle, Pushrod Tube Shocks and Coil Springs and Sway Bar |
| Despite its size and weight, the vehicle can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and is estimated to complete the quarter mile in 13.7 seconds at 98 mph. The braking distance from 0 to 80 mph is 250 ft. The truck's lateral acceleration on a 300-ft skidpad is 0.97g. |
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The trucks were not ready to compete in the Summer of 2002.
However, the truck's first demonstration came at Mosport during the American Le Mans Series event on August 18.
NBC viewers got to ride along with former GT driver Bill Adam.
The second demonstration event took place the weekend of September 21-22 as part of the Monterey Sports Car Championships at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey.
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In November, IMSA announced the Super Truck Celebrity Challenge, which it would sanction. It was meant to showcase road-racing superstars competing in STRANA trucks for charity. The races were expected to generate excitement for the series ahead of a full 2004 season. Tonka came on board as the primary sponsor. The Tonka 2003 Super Truck Celebrity Challenge ran in conjunction with IMSA’s American Le Mans Series races.
Just two trucks appeared for the opening round at Mosport. Road America staged two contests, with Justin Bell and Gunnar Jeanette securing victories. Other drivers who participated that weekend included Guy Cosmo and Olivier Beretta. The third race of the Tonka 2003 Super Truck Celebrity Challenge at Road Atlanta showed the series' potential. Boris Said won a come-from-behind victory in the Tonka-sponsored Super Truck. Jan Magnussen, driving the Haldex truck, finished just 0.308 seconds behind in the runner-up position. Duncan Dayton finished third in a Panoz-backed truck. After an on-track incident, Shane Lewis’ vehicle could not be repaired for the race. 2003 ended with plans for a full calendar next year. STRANA co-founder Craig Lerner said next season would align with the ALMS schedule and that between 12 and 18 trucks would likely compete. Tonka 2004 Super Truck Series schedule:
Despite sponsors such as Tonka, Haldex, Alcoa, Continental Tires, ZF, Arvin Meritor, www.1800Drivers.com, Truckin’ Bozo Radio Network, America Trucking On The Road magazine, and three one-half-hour shows to be aired on ESPN2, the 2004 season fell short of expectations, prompting staff to utilize the period for additional development on the trucks in preparation for the following season. The series' ambitious objectives were never met, and it folded without a formal announcement.
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