Speedgroup Club Europe

Leaving Alastaro Thiel is in the lead at 322 points, a confident lead before Kalle Lyrén who is at 209 points. The third place is held by Fredlund at 200 points.

And looking at consistency at a high level this pretty much shows what it has been looking like. The top 7 riders in the points standings have all been present at all events starting at Hungary, moving to the UK, further to Sweden and now latest Alastaro and Finland. All deserve a tribute for the efforts it takes to travel, be prepared and perform at the highest personal level the bike can manage and to stay focused despite extreme heat or rain..

Dave Beck entered the event in Finland on a borrowed bike, was happy to be there but said the bike could not compare to his own. With broken cranks at earlier events Beck now awaits replacements to have two engines prepared for the European Finals at his home track Santa Pod Raceway. Gardermoen and Hockenheim is not within budget at the moment, but shoud opportunity appear it will be with his own bike. Beck holds the European record that is srously being chased by Thiel and Fredlund. Beck himself also has the bike with standard to touch and improve the 7.078 sec that is still valid.

However it is Fredlund holds the speed record since Tierp (306.12 km/h) but what seemed like a walk in the park to reach the final for Fredlund at Alastaro was not to be.

The engine recently acquired from the US from Stoffer had already proven to do a big difference for Fredlund. And so also at Alastaro to start with. An impressive 7.086 sec run so close to the European record put him in the lead after qualifiations. We would would have thought Fredlund was able to be repeated. But when the main fuse came loose, the race was very suddenly and way too early over for Fredlund.

Some words of admiration also to riders like Martin Bishop and Karl-Heinz Weikum whose bikes have not yet reached the lowest ET:s and highest speeds, but nevertheless their personal records keep improving and their riders skills are good enough to take out any competitor if it was just for that.. Rasmus Olesen will be a rider to count with for the coming years we hope and with Kalle Lyrén now well established in the class and Elvira Karlsson running the full championship, the growth of the class looks promising.

Let´s hope Ulf Ögge and crew get to run the remainder of the season in a less problem filled manner and that Anders Abrahamson sort out the bike and join the top contenders again, as that is the level we have gotten used to watch him and Ögge race at and that is also were we think they belong.

Check the full points table under a separate headline in this edition.

Round #5 of the UEM Drag Bike Championship is held at Gardermoen Raceway on august 5-7th