Speedgroup Club Europe

Gullqvist is not short of trophies. Despite this winless season, his five victories since Pro Mod acquired FIA status in 2006 are more than double anyone else’s tally – or were until this race. Urban Johansson’s third FIA win has now narrowed the gap.

Johansson and Marc Meihuizen both had that man-on-a-mission look from the outset. They were the only two among the 22 entrants to clock 6-second ETs on every pass. By contrast, Gullqvist had a strangely uneven weekend. A strong headwind and a tricky transition point between newly-laid start-line asphalt and the existing track made life difficult for tuners and drivers. Gullqvist did manage to set low qualifier – indeed, Low ET of the Meet – at 6.068, but it was his only truly representative pass of the event.

In his first elimination round, Gullqvist struggled to a 7sec win against the 9sec Frenchman, Jean Dulamon, then was disqualified for crossing the centre line against Johan Lindberg in round two. Gullqvist’s exit was ideally timed to open the window of opportunity for his closest championship challenger, Bruno Bader. If Bader could now win the event, he would snatch the FIA crown from his Swedish opponent’s grasp. Just three pairs later, however, Urban Johansson stepped forward to quash Swiss hopes. A month earlier, Bader had beaten Johansson at Hockenheim. Now Johansson chose this critical moment to return the favour and the championship chase was over – Michael Gullqvist confirmed as FIA champion for the second time, the only Pro Mod racer to achieve this distinction.

If a slice of luck had helped propel Johan Lindberg past the swerving Gullqvist in round two, a chunk of it fell into his lap in the semi-final. While Lindberg shook to a 16sec ET, opponent Marc Meihuizen threw away a fine 6.21/232 on a red light.

With the chance now beckoning for Lindberg to win the race and overtake Bruno Bader for second place in the FIA points, luck then deserted him. Lindberg reserved his strongest pass of the event, 6.13/234, for final-round opponent Urban Johansson, but wasted it on a red light of his own creation. A steady 6.20/223 sped Johansson to his first FIA trophy since Alastaro in 2006. Indeed, Johansson’s two previous FIA victories had come at the first two races of the FIA era.

Elsewhere in the show, Robert Joosten continued his Pro Dutch Camaro’s slow rise to respectability by qualifying fifth at 6.24. Mechanical problems helped evict Joosten from round one of eliminations against first alternate ‘Bert’ Englefield, subbing for a broken Andy Robinson. Reigning MSA British champion Robinson had wanted a final flourish from his distinguished and distinctive Studebaker in its retirement year but a damaged rear axle dashed his hopes. Not only had Robinson and the Stude accomplished a magisterial FIA win at 2009’s Main Event, the car had also carried him to four runner-up race finishes and a pair of narrow misses at the FIA crown itself.

BILSPORT Pro Modified Review European Finals Back in May, Michael Gullqvist would have been many people’s choice to end the year as FIA European Pro Mod Champion. But who would have wagered he might do it without winning a race? Gullqvist is not short of trophies. Despite this winless season, his five victories since Pro Mod acquired FIA status in 2006 are more than double anyone else’s tally – or were until this race. Urban Johansson’s third FIA win has now narrowed the gap. Johansson and Marc Meihuizen both had that man-on-a-mission look from the outset. They were the only two among the 22 entrants to clock 6-second ETs on every pass. By contrast, Gullqvist had a strangely uneven weekend. A strong headwind and a tricky transition point between newly-laid start-line asphalt and the existing track made life difficult for tuners and drivers. Gullqvist did manage to set low qualifier – indeed, Low ET of the Meet – at 6.068, but it was his only truly representative pass of the event. In his first elimination round, Gullqvist struggled to a 7sec win against the 9sec Frenchman, Jean Dulamon, then was disqualified for crossing the centre line against Johan Lindberg in round two. Gullqvist’s exit was ideally timed to open the window of opportunity for his closest championship challenger, Bruno Bader. If Bader could now win the event, he would snatch the FIA crown from his Swedish opponent’s grasp. Just three pairs later, however, Urban Johansson stepped forward to quash Swiss hopes. A month earlier, Bader had beaten Johansson at Hockenheim. Now Johansson chose this critical moment to return the favour and the championship chase was over – Michael Gullqvist confirmed as FIA champion for the second time, the only Pro Mod racer to achieve this distinction. If a slice of luck had helped propel Johan Lindberg past the swerving Gullqvist in round two, a chunk of it fell into his lap in the semi-final. While Lindberg shook to a 16sec ET, opponent Marc Meihuizen threw away a fine 6.21/232 on a red light. With the chance now beckoning for Lindberg to win the race and overtake Bruno Bader for second place in the FIA points, luck then deserted him. Lindberg reserved his strongest pass of the event, 6.13/234, for final-round opponent Urban Johansson, but wasted it on a red light of his own creation. A steady 6.20/223 sped Johansson to his first FIA trophy since Alastaro in 2006. Indeed, Johansson’s two previous FIA victories had come at the first two races of the FIA era. Elsewhere in the show, Robert Joosten continued his Pro Dutch Camaro’s slow rise to respectability by qualifying fifth at 6.24. Mechanical problems helped evict Joosten from round one of eliminations against first alternate ‘Bert’ Englefield, subbing for a broken Andy Robinson. Reigning MSA British champion Robinson had wanted a final flourish from his distinguished and distinctive Studebaker in its retirement year but a damaged rear axle dashed his hopes. Not only had Robinson and the Stude accomplished a magisterial FIA win at 2009’s Main Event, the car had also carried him to four runner-up race finishes and a pair of narrow misses at the FIA crown itself.	Another Dutch racer on the rise, David Vegter, made an impression too, qualifying ninth with personal-best figures of 6.42/220.14, then bettering his ET with a 6.39 in a losing cause via a first-round red light against Lindberg – another slice of luck for the young Swede, who puttered through to a 9sec win. Switzerland’s Rolf Ammann also called it a day at this event. Popularly remembered for several wild rides in his gleaming gold Blown Nugget ’38 Chevy Coupe, as well as a Hockenheim runner-up finish in 2008, Ammann left the stage in dignified style, qualifying 10^th at 6.60 before exiting in round one against Sweden’s other Johansson, Roger. One pair later, Marco Maurischat assumed the Ammann mantle for unintentional thrills with a mid-track trip from the left lane to a fortuitously light brush with the right-hand wall, losing to Bruno Bader. Britain’s Andy Frost gave his Vauxhall Red Victor 3 a debut for the second time after severe engine damage had quickly obliterated its first outing at May’s Main Event. This time everything went to plan and the world’s only street-legal Pro Mod clocked an encouraging 7.23/199 to qualify 18^th, one place ahead of the event’s other turbocharged car, the Graham Ellis-owned Plymouth Superbird driven by Nick Davies, another entry that missed figuring out the tricky track until too late. All too soon, the season is over. Let the 2012 speculation begin – and we’re not out of September yet. Meanwhile, keep an eye open for Adam Flamholc as he takes on the cream of America’s Pro Mods on their home turf. The FIA Pro Modified class is sponsored by BILSPORT Check the full points table under a separate headline and don´t miss to read what European Finals winner Urban Johansson had to say in the "Talking with the winners" article.
FIA PRO MODIFIED RESULTS EUROPEAN FINALS ELIMINATION LADDER QUALIFICATION RESULTS click to open separate documents as pdf - courtesy of TSÍ time keepers, Eurodragster.com and Santa Pod Raceway QUALIFYING: Best ET MPH KPH mph 1. Michael Gullqvist SWE 6.068 234.89 378.02 2. Mats Eriksson SWE 6.149 234.06 376.68 3. Urban Johansson SWE 6.171 220.12 354.25 228.19 4. Marc Meihuizen NED 6.175 233.60 375.94 233.95 5. Robert Joosten NED 6.246 227.87 366.72 228.16 6. Bruno Bader SUI 6.265 226.91 365.18 7. Roger Johansson SWE 6.282 225.66 363.16 225.86 8. Johan Lindberg SWE 6.313 234.99 378.18 9. David Vegter NED 6.420 220.14 354.28 10. Rolf Ammann SUI 6.601 211.88 340.99 212.07 11. Marco Maurischat DEU 6.635 221.14 355.89 12. Andy Robinson GBR 6.648 229.32 369.05 13. Norbert Kuno DEU 6.667 172.41 277.47 14. Roger Moore GBR 6.828 205.19 330.22 15. Graham Ellis GBR 6.992 202.42 325.76 202.58 16. Jean Dulamon FRA 7.084 202.45 325.81 Alternates: 17. Philip Englefield GBR 7.118 202.39 325.72 209.84 18. Andy Frost GBR 7.232 199.80 321.55 19. Nick Davies GBR 7.422 221.10 355.83 20. Wayne Nicholson GBR 7.544 161.34 259.65 21. Marcus Hilt SUI 8.780 200.64 322.90 22. Linda Thun Tønseth NOR 20.494 35.96 57.87 ELIMINATIONS: Round 1: Johan Lindberg 9.343sec, 95.03-152.94 def. David Vegter 6.398, 202.56-325.99 DQ R/L Roger Johansson 6.689, 209.87-337.75 def. Rolf Ammann 6.753, 204.42-328.98 Bruno Bader 6.243, 225.56-363.00 def. Marco Maurischat no time DQ C/L ALT. Philip Englefield 7.212, 199.04-320.32 def. Robert Joosten 7.534, 133.39-214.67 Marc Meihuizen 6.234, 231.38-372.37 def. Norbert Kuno 10.090, 109.91-176.88 DQ R/L Urban Johansson 6.106, 231.30-372.24 def. Roger Moore 7.209, 191.40-308.03 Mats Eriksson 6.123, 230.49-370.94 def. Graham Ellis 6.534, 208.94-336.26 Michael Gullqvist 7.690, 166.67-268.23 def. Jean Dulamon 9.622, 92.56-148.96 Round 2: Johan Lindberg 6.307, 232.86-374.75 def. Michael Gullqvist 9.264, 101.21-162.88 DQ C/L Marc Meihuizen 6.365, 231.36-372.34 def. Philip Englefield 6.936, 213.09-342.94 Mats Eriksson 6.078, 234.08-376.72 def. Roger Johansson 9.301, 91.77-147.69 Urban Johansson 6.159, 230.00-370.15 def. Bruno Bader 6.526, 221.45-356.39 Semi-final: Johan Lindberg 16.171, 68.65-110.48 def. Marc Meihuizen 6.219, 232.59-374.32 DQ R/L Urban Johansson 6.621, 223.36-359.46 def. Mats Eriksson 7.829, 155.21-249.79 Final: Urban Johansson 6.204, 223.39-359.51 def. Johan Lindberg 6.137, 234.07-376.70 DQ R/L Low Elapsed Time of the Event: 6.068sec. – Michael Gullqvist Top Speed of the Event: 234.99mph / 378.18kph – Johan Lindberg Personal-best performances set during event: ET MPH KPH Nick Davies - 221.10 355.83 Andy Frost 7.232 199.80 321.55 Marcus Hilt - 200.64 322.90 David Vegter 6.398 220.14 354.28
European Finals winner Urban Johansson (right) with runner-up Johan Lindberg Text: Robin Jackson Photos: Remco Scheelings This article is part of the Speedgroup Club Europe Newsletter #15/2011 Published by Speedgroup www.speedgroup.eu All material, text, images and logtypes are the property of Speedgroup AB Any use of the above requires permission from Speedgroup email: asa.kinnemar@speedgroup.eu © Speedgroup 2011