Lacko is tuning up for the peak of the season in Most at the Nürburgring

Adam Lacko is returning to the European Circuit Truck Championship after a three-year break. The Buggyra ZM Racing driver will make the first of two planned starts in the FIA ETRC this year at the Nürburgring this weekend. The second will come at the end of August at the home event in Most.

The Nürburgring will be a sharp return to the European truck top for the 2017 European champion. The famous German event is traditionally one of the highlights of the season and this year it has an even more exceptional focus. The Int. ADAC Truck-Grand-Prix celebrates its 40th anniversary and the largest field of the season so far is expected at the start. In addition, Lacko is arriving after the last off-road racing program, so he will be faced with a significant change in discipline and technique.

"I'm really looking forward to the Nürburgring. I've raced off-road now and it will be a change again. As I say in rallying: Hopsa hejsa in gazík. I love the Nürburgring. The 40th anniversary of truck racing will be celebrated there. It will be in grand style and with a great atmosphere," says Adam Lacko.

The experienced Czech driver will not be starting with the Buggyra racing special, with which his career has been associated for a long time. For this year's two selected events, he will get behind the wheel of an Iveco. The different concept of the car will be one of the main topics of the weekend. "It will be a change, I will be driving an Iveco. It is a big difference. Unlike the nose-shaped Buggyra, the cabin is in the front. The big difference is in the center of gravity. But I quickly got used to it after a few laps during the tests," describes Lacko.

The new technology will also require adjustments to riding habits. "I have to adopt a slightly different riding style. I have to adjust the braking, pedal in different places and come out of corners with feeling," he adds.

Although Lacko expects that he will not have an easy position against the absolute top, he is not going to Germany just to collect kilometers. "I would be happy with fifth place. We will see how it turns out, but you go to races to win. I have an older generation Iveco. Jochen Hahn and Norbert Kiss are a little different, but I am grinding my teeth for the rest of the racing field. If we come with the cup, I will be even happier," he adds.

For Buggyra, the Nürburgring is also an important preparatory point towards the home peak of the season in Most. This is where Lacko will introduce himself to the Czech fans at the end of August. "The goal is to get a feel for the championship and see where it has moved. We are going to two major events of the truck season, the Nürburgring and Most. That is why we chose these two events. The goal is for Adam to train before Most and be in the best shape before the home race," explains the team's head of communications, Jan Kalivoda.

Most has a special meaning for the team and Lacko. "Adam has already won several victories in Most. The great atmosphere can motivate him. It is the highlight of the season and we are really looking forward to it. In the end, we decided on Iveco. We made some changes to the car after testing in Most. So we will see if it went in the right direction," adds Kalivoda.

The race weekend program at the Nürburgring will begin on Thursday with technical and administrative scrutineering, tractor lifting and recovery exercises, driver briefings and the first free practice. The second free practice and the first qualifying will follow on Friday.

The main racing part comes on the weekend: on Saturday, the first race of 12 laps awaits the drivers from 10:20. The second race will start at 15:25 and will be run in a reversed order on the starting grid. On Sunday, the second qualifying session is scheduled, followed by the third race from 11:45. The fourth race will conclude the weekend program at 15:55 and, like Saturday's second race, will be run in a reversed order on the starting grid.

$PHOTOS