TOCA unveils state-of-the-art Safety Truck

The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Series Organisers, TOCA, have revealed its all-new ‘TOCA Safety Truck’ that will be used during the 2018 season.

Imported from the USA solely for TOCA events, the state-of-the-art Ford F250 is the only one of its type in Europe and is equipped with the very latest and best in rescue and cutting equipment.

Undergoing a host of tests in recent weeks, the vehicle made its operational debut at the BTCC Season Launch at Donington Park on March 27 and will be a permanent fixture of the paddock and pit lane across all ten race weekends this year.

The truck will be deployed to any incident where needed, not only in the BTCC but also across all support championships that feature on the TOCA package.

Manning the truck will be a dedicated and fully trained TOCA safety team and paramedic, with Safety Team Crew Chief Martin Hunt and TOCA Medical Director Dr Paul Trafford overseeing all operations.

In a ground-breaking deal with TOCA, Holmatro is supplying their latest state-of-the-art rescue set, including the Inclined Cutter, which is a unique design to Holmatro. The set will be continually updated as further new tool innovations and technologies are developed.

Holmatro is the world leader in producing advanced rescue equipment, including the hydraulic Cutters and other tools in widespread use across top-level motorsport including the INDYCAR Series in the United States.

Elsewhere, MacTools and its sister company DeWalt, global leaders in their own fields, are also providing a full range of battery-powered equipment and other essential tools.

BTCC Series Director, Alan Gow, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the new ‘TOCA Safety Team’ truck. It represents an investment of nearly £200,000 by TOCA and its partners, underlining our real and ongoing commitment to the very highest level of safety, rescue and recovery.in UK motorsport.

“This state-of-the-art rescue vehicle carries the very latest in cutting and rescue equipment and, most importantly, will be manned by the same dedicated crew at all events. Our team have worked with the BTCC for many years and I consider them to be the ‘best of the best’.

“This introduction provides the BTCC and its supporting series’ with the very latest equipment and expertise available anywhere in the world for when dealing with serious incidents.”

TOCA Medical Director, Dr Paul Trafford, added: “TOCA has always supported the safety initiatives we have made over the years and the ‘TOCA Safety Team’ rescue truck is going to make a huge difference to our ability to respond to any serious incidents in the British Touring Car Championship and its support series’.

“It really is state-of-the-art equipment from Holmatro, MacTools and DeWalt. This will be complimented by the latest medical monitoring equipment supplied by Remote Diagnostic Technologies (RDT), operated by a dedicated crew, making the vehicle very special indeed.”