Pro Stock Bike Preview

14 bikes on the entry list at the Kunmadaras UEM Drag Bike Championship season opener to run a 16-bike elimination ladder.

Last years champion Ulf Ögge Sweden is not going to be defending his win in Kunmadaras from 2010. Ögge and crew start the season with testing at the all-new Tierp Arena in Sweden on May 7-8th. Bold decision by Ögge tio sit out the season opener event at Kunmadaras. Will this interfere with his chances of winning the 2011 championship?



Laseur - eager for a place in the winner´s circle at Kunmadaras?

Another rider who sits out the Kunmadaras event is last years championship runner up Anders Abrahamson from Sweden, while the riders positioned no 3-7th in the championship 2010, namely Fredlund, Vik, Thiel, Lyrén and Laseur will be on site to try and get ahead and a good start in the UEM Drag Bike Championship 2011.


Thiel is a rider to watch out for

Jesper Thiel was second quickest in the field last year with 7.2482. The concrete track is said to be prepared to be quicker this time and if that is the case we know Thiel and some of the other riders are good for lower numbers, well under 7.20 seconds.

British Leonard Paget arrive to Kunmadaras after having been racing at the Easter Thunderball at Santa Pod, UK. Will he be warmed up and ready to go for an event win in Hungary?   

It will be interesting to watch young female rider Elvira Karlsson from Sweden enter the track at her first ever UEM Drag Bike Championship event. In addition Rasmus Olesen, Denmark, team mate with Jesper Thiel is also new in the championship 2011. 


Kalle Lyrén - no rookie anymore

Kalle Lyrén, Sweden enter the event on the same bike as 2010, while a new ride await for the forthcoming events this season. Kalle improved ET and gained confidence over the season his rookie year 2010 and has since then been to the US twice for practice. 
 

Team Ögge - 2010 champions


Lyréns Veidec Racing team mate Kenneth Vik had some bad luck in 2010, ended 4th in the championship, but struggled part of the season with mechanical failures. Let´s hope his luck has turned for the better.

As a rider Vik is among the best and last year at Kunmadaras he was in the final against Ögge after having taken out Dimitrios Petridis from Greece in the semi-finals. Petridis again entered, so a new battle between the two can soon begin.


Papp at European Finals 2010

Hungarian rider László Papp tasted the atmosphere of UEM Drag Bike Championship for the first time running at the European Finals at Santa Pod, UK in 2010. Can the home crowd help cheer him or fellow country men Borsai Szabolcs or Matusik Andrea to success at Kunmadaras?


Fredlund has the potential to win races

And lets not forget Fredrik Fredlund, the winner from the event at Gardermoen. With new weight rule, Fredlund has intentionally lost quite some weight (not that it was needed). Will that show to be a winning move? 

Also on the entry list Haralambos Bousinis, Greece and Karl-Heinz Weikum, Germany. Both tried the Kunmadaras track also in 2010, then resulting in a 1st round loss. Can they can improve performance and their luck this time? We believe they have the potential to win rounds.

No matter what, we know we can anticipate tight and exciting racing from the Pro Stock Bike field at Kunmadaras on April 29th-May 1st 


To check the complete entry list, program and more please follow the link in the article Talking with the organizers
 



Kenneth Vik, Norway focused on the task - 4th in the championship 2010
Event winner at Kunmadaras 2011 ? 



Text by Ĺsa Kinnemar
Photos: Patrik Jacobsson / Ĺsa Kinnemar & Aila Striem for Speedgroup

This article is part of the Speedgroup Club Europe Newsletter #3/2011
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