Speedgroup´s Aila Striem and Åsa Kinnemar wore their Australia hats and paid a tribute to the Australian Super Twin Bike team Attitude with rider Mark Ashelford, who has been performing well since the first round out on European soil at Tierp in june. Mark is pictured far left and the team plans to return in 2012 to run the latter half of the championship - we will be reporting in fortcoming editions on team Attitude´s activities in Australia which includes some racing downunder during the nearest months. 

Speedgroup´s crew apparel is designed by contingency sponsor and corporate partner Vicci, whose managing director Allan Hermansen was on site at Santa Pod meet with Speedgroup and make plans for 2012 and not least connect with the European championship teams. Teams that have chosen to work with Vicci already include European Pro Stock Bike champions team Sovereign (Jesper Thiel and Rasmus Olesen), European Pro Mod champion Micke Gullqvist, Micke Kågered and team Andersen in top fuel dragster, the Habermann´s two car methanol dragster team. And Speedgroup of course encourage more teams to follow!
  

Four of the key staff members that operate Trakbak Racing and Santa Pod Raceway - David Lloyd-Jones (finance), Caroline Day (marketing), Kelly Dormer (VIP hospitality) and Darren Prentice (track) 


German two car team Habermann was happy to see their driver Timo pass the finish line first in the Top Methanol Dragster Final. Timo is the 2010 champion who leaves over the title to the European Finals runner-up Fred Hanssen from Norway 


Top Fuel Dragster legend and several times European champion Andy Carter UK made his final appearance at the European Finals before retiring from drag racing to focus on son Alberts karting career. He will be missed by drag racing Europe we are sure. Andy is one of the most experienced profiles when it comes to working with sponsorship and marketing and in the forthcoming edition of newsletter Andy shares his thoughts on what is important to become successful when working with corporate sponsors. 


 24 shiny championship trophies provided by Speedgroup awaited the no #1-3 drivers and riders in the 5 FIA Car and 3 UEM Bike categories. UEM:s comission chairman Ap Ruitenbeek and Ted Bartlett assisted Trakbak Racing and UEM promoter Keith Bartlett in handing out the UEM awards at the prize giving ceremony. The 5 FIA champions will in addition receive an official FIA award (same as the champions in F-1, rally and the other motorsports run under the FIA regulations)   


Team Erbacher sadly announced that both crew chief Robin Grice (right) and rider Lorenz Stäuble (second from the left) quit after the European Finals and a few of the other crew members with them. We can always hope they keep the connection to the sport in one way or another!


The achievement obtained by Peter Svensson (far left) and team Kendall must be said to the THE most impressive of them all. What about 5.88 sec at 224 mph on a Top Fuel Bike where many struggled to get down the track. Stunning! Congratulations to the well deserved 2011 European Top Fuel Bike Champions title! Also pictured Pär "Pippi" Willén in the background, who entertained the crowd as an expert commentator while the UEM classes were out on the track. Missing in the photo is crew chief Sören Svensson. Read team Kendall´s own pressrelease in the Top Fuel Bike class report in this newsletter!


Announcers Colin and Darryl finished off the event by handling the trophy presentation. Their entertaining way of keeping the crowd up to date and their high level of knowledge in drag racing is much appreciated by the teams as well as the spectators. Well done guys!