TOP FUEL DRAGSTER:

Main Event number one qualifier Tommy Johnson Jr. started the Tierp Arena FIA Top Fuel race as the favourite. Driving Andersen Racing’s Sunoco dragster, the cool-headed, always-friendly American gave his fast-growing European fan base plenty to cheer about by taking the number one qualifying position again and winning the race in excellent style. Johnson’s 4.03sec and 4.00sec ETs in the quarter- and semi-finals were impressive and consistent enough in themselves, but his race-winning 3.956sec at 495.41kph/307.83mph, Europe’s first 1000-foot 3sec run, was inimitable. But Johnson gave all the credit to his crew.

“This feels so good! Per, Karsten and the whole team are outstanding and made this job so easy for me. They know exactly what they are doing and they work at NHRA level. We talked about the strategy and the numbers we needed to win rounds and keep lane choice. They make their tuning calls and we run those numbers. Incredible!” Johnson explained.

“The track was getting better every run and, after qualifying, I’d already said we needed to run a 3.9sec in the final to win this race. In the semi-finals we hurt an engine, they changed it and we ran that winning 3.9sec. I want to thank the Andersen team and all our sponsors who’ve made this dream come true. Outstanding!” exclaimed a still extremely happy Tommy Johnson Jr. on his way to the podium.

Runner-up Top Fuel Dragster: Risto Poutiainen (Finland)


Fred Hanssen

TOP METHANOL DRAGSTER:
Fred Hanssen had a fabulous weekend. No problems at all. “I had a wheelie on Saturday that was quite high and long, but didn't suffer any problems from it afterwards. We drove 5.30 times all weekend and had reactions of 0.006 sec so we´re very happy. It´s going to be hard to improve on this at other tracks, maybe at Hockenheim. Alastaro’s going to be hard. We´re very impressed by the arena, everything is so well thought out. Now we´re leaving the truck here and coming back to pick it up for Finland. I’m going to drive the bus back to Fröja in the north of Norway, just about 1200 km from the track.

“This is actually our home track now,” says the happy Hanssen, who also wants to thank Will Hanna for all he has done and Howard Main, from whom he bought the car, and of course the whole team who do a great job on the car at every race. He also hopes that Paul Ingar’s team will have better luck next time.

Runner-up Top Methanol Dragster: Dave Wilson (UK)


Jonas Staflund - winner Top Methanol Funny Car

TOP METHANOL FUNNY CAR:
“Well, what can I say? said winner Jonas Staflund to start off the conversation. "A week ago I didn't have a engine for the car, and now I stand here as a winner at this lovely arena at the first European Championship event ever held here. Just crazy! We’ve been working like hell all week and when we arrived here we hadn´t even time to start the engine. I haven´t been driving for a couple of years so was a bit rusty. In the first qualifying rounds I had problems keeping the car straight on the track, so I didn't get to the finish. But I eventually got the hang of the car and it worked just fine. It was a bit sad that Arvid didn't show up, it would have been nice to run a proper final. This is, however, something I never could have dreamed of. Our plan was that I should take my wife Monica to the airport after the first round, ‘cause I would be out by then. Now the plan’s had to be changed, so she’s taken the car back home instead. Anyway, this is just wonderful! I Love Tierp!!!!”

Runner-up Top Methanol Funny Car: Arvid Grödem (Norway)   

The editors wish to add that Jonas Staflund is one of the members of the Speedgroup work group that care for the NDRS and SDL sportsman series and make a great effort for the sake of drag racing in general too! Well done Jonas and crew!


Bruno Bader

PRO MODIFIED:
A very happy Bruno Bader was packing things up on Sunday evening at Tierp Arena. After taking the win in Europe’s quickest-ever Pro Mod field at the best track on this side of Atlantic, he had every right to be.

“We’ve had a great weekend and this place is just like in the States. I had some problems after Friday’s run, so we had to change a cylinder head and fix the blower and clutch and that gave us work all night long. Saturday was normal service. On Sunday we had a problem with the gearbox. We had too much power at the start line but we did ok anyway. We´re not the quickest in the class, we don´t run too fast but we’re not too slow, but when we need to be, we’re on the mark,” says the humble Swiss.

He´s now taking advantage of the facility to leave his truck at Tierp Arena, to come back and pick it up in three weeks’ time to go to Alastaro, Finland. We congratulate the first winner of Pro Mod at Tierp Arena and wish him good luck.

Runner-up Pro Modified: Micke Gullqvist (Sweden)

Class sponsor: BILSPORT


Sampsa Palos

PRO STOCK:
It was only Sampsa Palos third event piloting team Österbergs Chevrolet Pro Stocker (he started at the European Finals 2010). But Palos states he has got accustomed to the car in a good way and that he also competed in a similar car previously. Palos tells the team had most concerns at this event about getting from the starline to second gear and that they worked on adjustments throughout the event to improve. He also comments that it is the spare engine that is and will continue to be run in the car (as it seems it works brilliantly). A new personal best was set by Palos in Tierp with the ET 6.779/205 mph. Team Österberg and Sampsa Palos run the full championship and can continue the battle for new victories and further championship points at the end of june in their home country Finland. Palos leads the championship point standings by one point after the Sweden Internationals. while Jimmy Ålund is in second place.

Runner-up Pro Stock: Jimmy Ålund (Sweden) 

Round #3 of the FIA European Championship is hosted by FHRA at Alastaro Finland June 30th-July 3rd