Packing horsepower of over 1,000, these titans can hit speeds of up to 250 km per hour. However, for safety reasons the maximum speed for the trucks here is restricted to 160 – still quite enough to make many spectators fall in love with the sport at first sight.

It was no surprise the European championships leg hosted in the Smolensk region over the weekend became a great event for the locals.

The world's top truck racers met up at the so-called Truck Battle Russia 2010, held at the newly-built track, which met the highest international standards.

The racers had one day to get ready and have practice laps while Saturday was time to get behind the wheel for real.

The first race of the day produced no surprises, with championship leader Antonio Albacete claiming the first victory on the new circuit.

Having started the second race from pole position, Russia's most successful racer Aleksandr Lvov had a great chance to shine on home soil. But a bump with Jochen Hann cost him a podium place, while the German confidently kept the lead to the end.

“It's a very technological sport, and sometimes it's not all up to the driver. Everybody fights, everybody gives his all to win. I should've driven in a tougher manner, and I've learned a lot for the future,” the Russian noted afterwards.

Hann kept his winning ways the next day, clinching victory in race three. This win helped Hann move up to second place on the championship table. Nevertheless, it was Albacete who proved his class in the end, winning the final race of the event in style and keeping the overall championship lead.

In less than three weeks, the racers will head to Czech Republic for the sixth leg of the championship.