Giti Tire supporting Reid Freight Services on road and track

Regional fleet runs on range of Giti products – including two British Truck Racing Championship trucks

Reid Freight operates 34 standard tractor units alongside its 45 trailers, which include specialised abnormal load transportation
(Photo: Andrew Bogie/Tyres & Accessories)

Craig and Simon Reid and the rest of the team at Reid Freight Services are completing final preparations to transport their two racing trucks to Brands Hatch for the first event of the 2023 British Truck Racing Championship season when Tyres & Accessories visits the regional haulage firm’s Stoke-on-Trent site. The brothers and their father, David, have a long history of competing in one of motorsport’s most unique disciplines, with a reception area lined with trophies and memorabilia from track-based competition to show for it. In 2023, both brothers are competing in division one of the BTRC. Craig, who is infectiously enthusiastic about racing if also endearingly downbeat about his own chances in the competition, took the time to tell T&A about the Reid brothers’ trucks, the competition, and his affinity for the tyres of the series’ exclusive tyre supplier, Giti, both on-track and on the Reid fleet of trucks, heavy haulage trailers and specialist rail logistics units.

“You won’t find anyone more Giti than me,” claims Craig Reid, and looking around the haulier’s site on the Cinderhill Industrial Estate, off the A50, you can see what he means. While they are not the only brand fitted, the South-East Asia based manufacturer supplies many of its most recent truck and trailer fitments to the firm. Giti tyres on show include the GSR225 steer tyre, the GDR655+ and retread GDR691 drive tyres, and the GTR955+ and retread GDR990 trailer tyres. And this is before we include the 12 Giti Race-Tuned v1 global competition truck tyres in size 315/70R22.5 per race weekend that the Reids will use across the 35 races over seven of the UK’s leading motor racing circuits.

The business offers standard transport and haulage solutions alongside its specialist heavy haulage operations for abnormal loads, which include railed bed trailers for the transportation of railway cars and carriages. These latter units require up to 96 tyres.

Reid Freight has a business relationship with Giti Tire for around 10 years, fitting first GT Radial truck tyres before moving with the company’s decision to supply its synonymous Giti brand to the European commercial vehicle sector in around 2016. Craig Reid tells T&A that the reason for the longevity of the relationship is that Giti’s products offer good durability and ability to handle torque.

Craig Reid is similarly effusive about the Giti tyres supplied to the truck racing championship. Comparing the tyre to the Goodyear model previously used in the BTRC, he says the tyres are stiffer in the shoulder area.

(l-r) Simon and Craig Reid complete work on their two Iveco racing trucks ahead of the BTRC 2023 opener at Brands Hatch (Photo: Andrew Bogie/Tyres & Accessories)

Racing provides ‘excellent platform’

Entering its second season as the exclusive tyre of the BTRC, Giti says the series serves as an “excellent platform” for its commercial tyre business in the UK. With competitors like the Reid brothers and Giti-sponsored racer Stuart Oliver – commercial truck operators who enjoy weekend competition, the series offers plenty of scope for mixing the business of fleet supply contracts with the pleasure of racing. It’s also an opportunity for Giti to see how its latest CV tyre technologies are received by operators and end-users who are aware more than anyone of what trucks can do on the right tyres. Tony McHugh, TBR sales and marketing director UK at Giti Tire, calls the BTRC “a massive boost for the Giti brand,” hailing its “excellent marketing and social media opportunities.” He adds that the experience of the brand on track helps to increase their interest in the wider Giti truck and bus portfolio. The Giti Race-Tuned v1 global competition truck tyres themselves are available to purchase via Truck Sport UK.

What chance do the Reid Freight racing trucks have in the 2023 BTRC, T&A asks Craig Reid. He suggests that Simon could compete at the top end of the championship this year, with a new Euro VI engine propelling him into contention. Meanwhile, Craig is waiting for another Euro VI engine to enable him to reach the very top end of competition, though he fancies his chances of the odd podium finish – his current Euro V engine needs much more work than the more recent technology. After the first weekend, the Reid brothers’ Ivecos sit fourth (Simon) and sixth (Craig) in the standings.

Giti Tires fitted by Reid Freight

Reid Freight operates 34 standard tractor units alongside its 45 trailers, which include specialised abnormal load transportation (Photo: Andrew Bogie/Tyres & Accessories)

The Giti Combi Road is a high-performance steer and trailer tyre for national and regional operations. It features new compounds in the tread and carcass, which help to promote increased mileage and regular wear. The tyre also offers increased load capacity for higher axle loads on Euro 6 vehicles, as well as excellent wet and dry handling properties.

The GDR655+ is a new Combi Road non-directional dive axle tyre. It features a new tread design concept to enhance traction and mileage, and new casing construction for a longer tyre life through enhanced casing stiffness and optimised footprint.

The Giti GTR955 Combi Road was originally launched at the start of 2019 in 22.5” sizes, with 17.5” following the next year. The tyre allows maximum load capacity with high mileage potential while a rolling resistance of C delivers reduced fuel consumption. Designed for regional and long-haul operations, key features include vastly improved regular wear and an optimised footprint which has been achieved through an enhanced the tyre profile, advanced belt construction and a newly developed tread compound. The tyres are fully retreadable and carry the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol denoting safe all-year usage.

The two retread tyres are part of the Genesis retread range of hot cure bead-to-bead retreads manufactured using certified Giti casings. The manufacturer’s objectives with this range are to offer lower costs for fleet operators and reduce the environmental impact of its tyre programme. Giti estimates that a recycled tyre saves 68 litres of oil, 44 kilograms of rubber and 88 kilograms of CO² across the life of the product.