The problems continued for 2010 champion Ulf Ögge at Tierp. The team had damaged the engine during tests in May and this was Ögge´s first championship event for the season. Already behind in points before Tierp and one qualification run of 7.64 sec. did not do the job. Ögge in 10th place and out of competition already before the eliminations. When the final was run sunday afternoon, team Ögge was already on their way back home to start over again.
Kenneth Vik from Norway hurt the crank at the Main Event in England, came to Tierp prepared and qualified 6th with 7.39 sec. He improved a tenth of second during the first elimination round but against Fredlunds 7.04 sec run in the quarter finals Vik could do nothing. Another race to the files for Vik that was not the success we guess the team would have wished for.
Anders Abrahamson, Sweden is a rider with a personal best of 7.11 sec. The team changed clutch for this season and the event in Tierp was team Abrahamson´s first entry the championship season 2011. Keeping in mind it takes time to adjust the the new clutch and find a working setup, it was impressive to see that Abrahamson qualified 3rd quickest. He took out Kalle Lyrén in the first round before loosing to event runner-up Fredlund in the semi-final.
The final Thiel vs Fredlund was to be the fastest side by side final in the history of European Pro Stock Bike. 7.145 sec for Thiel vs Fredlund´s 7.159, what a final for a first championship event at this state of the art track.
Impressive performance by gigant Thiel who is taking a firmer grip of the championship lead and great to see Fredlund´s decision to bring in Stoffer paid off in form of a new personal best (and a Europe quickest ET) and the establishing of a new European speed record of 305.43 km. Stoffer was with Fredlund for this one event, but the engine was acquired afterwards abd will stay with Fredlund. It will be interesting to follow the continued season in the Pro Stock Bike class, where things have really taken unexpected turns so far. The next event in Finland provide a track that is very different from Tierp Arena and it may well present a completely different scenario competitionwise.
Check the championship points standings after the Sweden Internationals under a separate headline in this edition.
Fredrik Fredlund runner-up in Tierp who ran Europe´s quickest ET of 7.048 during the quarter finals (it was not backed up to be valid as an official record). However the speed was and the new record read 305.43 km (it was backed up by 306.72 km as shown on the score board below)
The score board showing Fredlund´s new personal best and Europe´s quickest run by a Pro Stock Bike
The tight and consistent racing the Pro Stock Bike class provided seemed to please the crowd at the Tierp Arena.
