Mark Taylor shines at Nürburgring with impressive podium finishes
Sutton's Mark Taylor showcased his skills at the renowned Nurburgring, competing in the fourth round of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
The driver of the #81 truck secured a podium finish in the chrome category for three out of four races, solidifying his position as a formidable contender in the championship, though a mechanical issue in the final race left a disappointing mark on an otherwise stellar weekend.
The race events kicked off on Friday, 11 July , with Taylor qualifying in an impressive P2 within his category and P8 overall. This positioning placed him on the fourth row for the first race on Saturday. Demonstrating consistent pace and determination, Taylor crossed the finish line in a commendable P2, earning himself and the team a second place podium.
“ I was really happy with how the truck handled during the first race,” Taylor remarked. “ we had great support from the team, and it felt amazing to bring home the silverware”
The second race saw Taylor replicate his success, once again finishing in P2 within the chrome category, which led to another trophy for the cabinet. As the race weekend progressed, Sunday dawned with a renewed hope. In qualifying for the third race, Taylor secured a second place position in the chrome category and sixth overall, much to the delight of his team.
However, the third race encountered a red flag due to a three truck collision. Once the race resumed, Taylor maintained his composure, concluding with yet another P2 finish in his category and P8 overall, which set him up for pole position in a race four.
The final race began with promising momentum, but unfortunately, misfortune struck when a radiator hose came loose, resulting in a DNF.
“ it’s incredibly frustrating to end our weekend this way,” Taylor expressed. “ we thought we were on for a perfect run of second places, but the water hose issue ended our race prematurely. However, as a team , we win together and we lose together.”
Currently sitting in second place in the chrome championship, Taylor trails the leader by a mere four points. His team is now looking ahead to the next round in Most , Czech Republic, on the 30-31 Aug where they hope to reclaim the top spot.