Euro team wins California-held ChampTruck races this weekend, ’88 Mike’ the runner-up (with photos)

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Updated Aug 30, 2016
Krisztian Szabo, center, won the points-earning race at the Thunderhill ChampTruck event, with Mike Morgan, left, placing second and four-wheeler racer Corry Weller, right, coming in third.Krisztian Szabo, center, won the points-earning race at the Thunderhill ChampTruck event, with Mike Morgan, left, placing second and four-wheeler racer Corry Weller, right, coming in third.

In the second race weekend of the Meritor ChampTruck World Series‘ inaugural season, Hungarian racer Krisztian Szabo won the points-earning Podium Race, with Nashville-based Mack technician Mike Morgan following up on his win in last month’s race by taking home second place.

The race was held in Willows, Calif., at the Thunderhill Raceway, and it was Szabo’s first appearance in the series. And he wasn’t the only new competitor to make waves — professional racer Corry Weller, who drove the No. 11 Optima Batteries Freightliner, placed third in the Podium Race, along with winning an earlier heat race.

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Szabo, who races the No. 23 Bendix-sponsored Volvo, won the first two heat races of the weekend, and Morgan, who goes by ’88 Mike’ on the circuit and drives the series’ No. 88 Mack, won the fourth and final heat race before the Podium Race.

The ChampTruck races were held in conjunction with the Dynaflex-sponsored Overdrive’s Pride & Polish show.

See photos of the weekend below, and click here to the winners of the Pride & Polish show.

The ChampTruck races were held in conjunction with the second stop of the 2015 Pride & Polish circuit.The ChampTruck races were held in conjunction with the second stop of the 2015 Pride & Polish circuit.

Small fleet owner Allen Boles of North Carolina races this black and green Peterbilt 359 for his Jupiter Motorsports team.Small fleet owner Allen Boles of North Carolina races this black and green Peterbilt 359 for his Jupiter Motorsports team.

Mack tech Mike Morgan's No. 88 Mack racer.Mack tech Mike Morgan's No. 88 Mack racer.

Minimizer's No. 63 Volvo, Team TestedMinimizer's No. 63 Volvo, Team Tested

Mike Morgan clips the corner of one of the track's turns in his No. 88 Mack.Mike Morgan clips the corner of one of the track's turns in his No. 88 Mack.

Minimizer's No. 54 'Team Tortured,' Krisztian Szabos's No. 23 Bendix Volvo and Weller's No. 11 Optima Batteries Freightliner.Minimizer's No. 54 'Team Tortured,' Krisztian Szabos's No. 23 Bendix Volvo and Weller's No. 11 Optima Batteries Freightliner.

Weller's No. 11 Freightliner leading the pack.Weller's No. 11 Freightliner leading the pack.

Krisztian Szabos's No. 23 Bendix VolvoKrisztian Szabos's No. 23 Bendix Volvo

Minimizer's No. 54 'Team Tortured' VolvoMinimizer's No. 54 'Team Tortured' Volvo

Jupiter Motorsports' No. 14 Peterbilt, driven by Ricky Proffitt.Jupiter Motorsports' No. 14 Peterbilt, driven by Ricky Proffitt.

Small fleet owner Allen Boles of North Carolina races this black and green Peterbilt 359 for his Jupiter Motorsports team.Small fleet owner Allen Boles of North Carolina races this black and green Peterbilt 359 for his Jupiter Motorsports team.

Minimizer's No. 63 Team Tested Volvo and ChampTruck's No. 31 Freightliner.Minimizer's No. 63 Team Tested Volvo and ChampTruck's No. 31 Freightliner.

Corry Weller's No. 11 Optima Batteries FreightlinerCorry Weller's No. 11 Optima Batteries Freightliner

Krisztian Szabos's No. 23 Bendix Volvo, Mike Morgan's No. 88 Mack and Weller's No. 11 Optima Batteries Freightliner.Krisztian Szabos's No. 23 Bendix Volvo, Mike Morgan's No. 88 Mack and Weller's No. 11 Optima Batteries Freightliner.

The No. 63 Minimizer 'Team Tested' truck caught the ditch on the second turn of the Thunderhills track in one of the Saturday heat races and rolled over. It was ready to race again for the Sunday races, however.The No. 63 Minimizer 'Team Tested' truck caught the ditch on the second turn of the Thunderhills track in one of the Saturday heat races and rolled over. It was ready to race again for the Sunday races, however.

The Overdrive's Pride & Polish trucks on display got to take a turn on the track too.The Overdrive's Pride & Polish trucks on display got to take a turn on the track too.