Semi truck racing found it's roots as the American Truck Racing Association (ATRA), the first race was held in 1979 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the trucks driven were non modified street legal tractors with tandem axles. In 1982 it was sold and the name was changed to the Great American Truck Racing Series, trucks were still unmodified and racing resumed as normal. Drivers were performing on used regrooved tires and reached a top recorded speed of 150 mph. Truck racing came to an end in the late 1980's. Some say it was due to the fact that NASCAR bought out most of the major race tracks in the nation, and that at the time semi-trucks were causing to much destruction to the tracks. The top layer of asphalt was tore up after a single race of trucks weighing well over 12,000 pounds and when they crashed they would penetrate through barrier walls, wreaking havoc.
"The truth is that NASCAR purchased all the Rights to the asphalt aspect of TRUCK RACING and stopped the fast growing and quickly becoming the more desired sport and without a doubt the demise of what is now an every day sport in america. I know this to be the truth because I was there. NASCAR is the one to blame. NASCAR took my job and many great moments from fans that car racing can never match". -Amos B Cravens
"Nothing put truck racing out of business but NASCAR I raced trucks back then and people loved it at Atlanta, Rockingham, Phoenix, Pocono, Bristol, Dover, Ontario,Texas world speedway every track we went people loved it but it wasn't NASCAR so they made the tracks stop running us. the tracks wanted it, the people wanted it, but the giant NASCAR wasn't making any thing off of it so it had to go. sad but true so we raced on dirt small tracks but it wasn't the same so it died. if you want to thank someone thank NASCAR"- old great american truck racer #44 Virgil Taylor.
In the late 1980's the series was once again sold to Drivers Independent Race Tracks (DIRT) and racing changed. The rear axle was cut off the trucks and the suspension was lowered on the trucks, they reduced the weight of the racing trucks by 2,000 pounds. Eventually the races lost their fan base when they were removed from the big tracks and that ended the era of semi-truck racing. The last known race was held Rolling Wheels, N.Y. in 1993.
Good News! Semi -Truck racing is about to kick off in 2015 as The Champ Truck World Series. This means that the great sport of semi-truck racing is back. They are planning on having televised events and if spectatorship is not good enough for you that's okay, anyone can build and race a truck if they want to, have the time to do so, and the financial resources for the task. If you are interested in more info on the series you may find it at http://www.champtruck.us.com/.