EVENT REPORTING:

- Online report from the event published by at 

FACTS ABOUT Santa Pod Raceway can be found at http://www.santapod.com

Speedgroup publish the  European Finals Review in our next newsletter, edition #13.

SPEEDGROUP ON SITE:
The Speedgroup Representation on site include co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar,  managing director Michael Gullqvist (who also competes in FIA Pro Modified), contingency program assistant Aila Striem. And in addition associated editors and photographers.

CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES PREVIEW:

  


Risto Poutiainen

FIA Top Fuel Dragster:
8 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder. Competition distance: 1000 feet
In championship points lead: Risto Poutiainen

Notes:  Thomas Nathås does his first championship event for this season in the Andersen Racing Dragster that has a proven record of running among the fastest will have capability to play an active role in the points battle at the European Finals. Swede Micke Kågered is on the entry list but indications are he will not be on site to compete.

The top 5 drivers in points are from Finland where Jari Halinen, in 2nd place is 26 points behind Poutiainen and with a theoretical chance to pass and become the champion. The 3rd place is most likely a matter between Anita Mäkelä and Antti Horto.

Risto Poutiainen won at Santa Pod in May and has the power to stay ahead in to become the 2012 European Champion in Top Fuel Dragster. Skilled RF Motorsport which operate the  car for Risto will we are sure not hold back on anything to make it happen.

If interested, please check the complete points standings under a separate headline.



Monty Bugeja

FIA Top Methanol Dragster:
6 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder

Notes: Swede Krister Johansson does his last championship event before retiring after a long and career. Top three in the championship; Monty Bugeja (363) followed by Dennis Habermann (287) and Dave Wilson (282).

The 2012 European Champion in Top Methanol Dragster will most likely be from Malta. Monty Bugeja leads the championship at 364 points. The 2nd and 3rd rankings are still wide open with Dennis Haberman at 287 and Dave Wilson at 282 points. Timo Habermann in 4th place also has a good chance to end of the podium. He currently has earned 275 points.

Timo´s younger brother Dennis has impressed this season. After having been behind Timo in performance the last seasons, this season the scenario has changed. Dave Wilsons season have we guess not been what he expected , but a win at the European Finals can maybe compensate the fact he will not be highest on the championship podium this time. We would be delighted if the final at Santa Pod could be between veterans Krister Johansson and Dave Wilson, who both run nitro injected cars, but maybe more likely is that Bugeja or any of the Habermann Bros earn a place in the final.


Leif Andréasson

FIA Top Methanol Funny Car:
4 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder

Notes:  UK based driver Stephanie Milam mssing on the entry list. She unfortunately got hurt during a a bumpy ride incident at the Main Event at Santa Pod in May. Finlands veteran driver Jarmo Kuutniemi who passed away after a period of illness is missed by his class collegues and many friends in the drag racing community. Jonnie Lindberg, who has rapidly established himself in the class already his first season is on the entry list at Santa Pod.

Last years champion Ulf Leanders will not be able to renew the title as he is too far behind in points. Leading is Leif Andréasson (292) followed by Danny Bellio (249) and with Ulf Leanders 3rd at 187 points. The most likely scenario is that the rankings stays the same, but Bellio has  a theoretical chance to win if he win the event, take the low ET points and qualify at the top (which the Belgian team has the capability to do on paper). 

Andréasson has set a new performance standard this season after bringing home Steve Harkers ex funny car from the US and assigning Harker to work alongside Leif and long-time crew cheif Frank Göransson and the skilled Andréasson Motorsports team.

The European record of 5.59 sec. will we believe not be repeated at Santa Pod, but exciting and tight racing can be anticipated. Rob Turner who has Santa Pod as his home track have won before there and can no doubt repeat it and take away points from any of the three championship top contenders. 


Michael Gullqvist

FIA Pro Modified:
18 teams entered for a 16 car elimination ladder. Mats Eriksson is on the entry list but will not be on site to compete.

Notes:  In Pro Mod we kind of anticipate 5- second runs from teams like the Lindberg Bros, Micke Gullqvist and Mats Eriksson´s Green Goblin Crown Vicky.  

The Championship is lead by Michael Gullqvist at 340 points, followed by Bruno Bader (294) and Bert-Ove Olofsson (228). Like in 2011 Gullqvist has the destiny in his own hands, this time Bader needs to go either three runs further than Gullqvist in the eliminations or qualify well ahead of Gullqvist and go two runs further in competition to pass the Swede with the quick and consistent red Camaro. Gullqvist has  most often taken the extra 5 low ET points which is also at stake each event, but there are other drivers entered that also has the capability of running quickest in the field, for example Bert-Ove Olofsson who is currently in 3rd position. The battle for the 3rd position in the championship is going to be interesting, it is a tight call between Olofsson, Marc Meihuizen and Fast Freddy Fagerström.

And any of the three mentioned may well be one of the contenders in the final and candidate for the event win as well. 

Thomas Lindström

FIA Pro Stock:
7 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder

Notes: In Championship lead Thomas Lindström (346) followed by Jimmy Ålund at 301 points. Third in the rankings is Michael Callin at 214 points. Callin, who set a new European speed record at the rcent Scandinavian Nationals. 

The outlook is good for Lindström, who basically needs to win round one of eliminations to keep Ålund behind, provide Ålund does not grab the 5 low ET points, qualify best and win the event.. Ålund has the capability no doubt, but so has Lindström and it is a well deserved points lead Thomas and team RT Ernryd Cars holds at the moment. 

Michael Callin has a record of running well at Santa Pod and he is a strong candidate for an event win at European Finals. Jimmy Ålund left the samt track in May already before the eliminations had started, disappointed and with a damaged engine said to be caused by the (much debated) track conditions. If Ålund and Lindström are at their best at tracks that are in first class condition, there are a few others that can impress and step up when the circumstances are not the greatest.

Ulf Wagnhester was low qualifier at Hockenheim. Mats Jacobsson runs stable and so does Michael Malmgren, although they have not come up to the performance level that Ålund and Lindström have shown, they may well be candidates for a place in the European Finals final. And we would not be surprised if Michael Callin get to conclude his championship season 2012 on the podium for the event and the FIA championship.

   



Ian King

UEM Top Fuel Bike:
7 teams entered for an 8 bike elimination ladder.

Notes:   It is UK based rider Ian King on the Gulf Oil Dragracing bike, who for the second year in a row leads the championship before European Finals, this time at 284 points. He is followed by a newcomer in the class, Swede Nils Lagerlöf at 214 points and Europe´s quickest Peter Svensson third in the rankings at 202 points. Rickard Gustafsson, the quickest funny bike rider in Europe is currently 4th at 194 points and can potentially climb as high as 2nd should things go well for him and and not in favour for Svensson and Lagerlöf.

Lagerlöf set a new personal best at Tierp two weeks back. Obviously the two funny bikes that were allowed in the Top Fuel Bike class for this season Gustafsson and Lagerlöf, can not outrun King and Svensson.. but their bikes are more consistent and somewhat less concerned about traction which can pay off.

UK rider Steve Woollatt at his home track, can never be counted out and nor can Rene Van den Berg, also he is a skilled and capable rider. They will be accompanied also by Otto Knebl from the Czech Republic on the ex-King bike and like always when competing at Santa Pod UK based rider Steve Carey is also on the entry list. There is a good chance King wil stay on top of things throughout the last event, but like always in drag racing we predict some unexpected turns to take place, if not for the championship ranking so in the battle for the event win.  


Nate Gagnon

UEM Super Twin Bike:
8 teams entered for an 8 bike elimination ladder

Notes: In championsip points lead AND winning the title 2012 is Nate Gagnon from Canada, and for the first time the world´s most competitive super twin series will have a non European winner. And a very well deserving one for sure. Gagnons team mate Samu Kemppainen, whose bike is very similar to Gagnons is 2nd in the points rankings (209) and 3rd place Christian Jäger from Germany with 165 points. 4th placed Job Heezen still has a good chance to advance to take a place on the championship podium, he is currently only 3 points behind Jäger. Svein Olav Rolstad 5th in the rankings set a new European ET record at Tierp Arena two weeks before the European Finals, but nor Rolfstad or team mate Jan Sturla Hegré are on the entry list at this time.

The field include a number of good teams that don´t run the full championship and has nothing to do with the top rankings in championship points, but may well be aiming for a place in the finals at European Finals. The weather forecast looks promising at this time and track will be well prepared we are sure, so in Super Twin we hope to see some good and consistent numbers!


Ulf Ögge -European Champion 2012? 

UEM Pro Stock Bike:
10 teams entered. Normally a 16 bike elimination ladder is set up at Santa Pod in Pro Stock Bike. We are uncertain if it will be reduced to an 8 bike field

Notes:  The championship points situation entering the European Finals is THE thriller of the UEM Drag Bike Championship. Sweden´s Ulf Ögge and Finlands Fredrik Fredlund are at both at the same points (325) and follwed by Kalle Lyrén also Sweden at 309 points, who is also potentially good for a championship title should things turn out to his favour fully at Santa Pod. Fredlund and Ögge impressed equally at the last event at Tierp Arena. It was Fredlund sho set a new European ET record, but Ögge also ran in the 7.0´s and has the capability to step up further, when it all comes together and that is just a matter of time. Lyréns personal best of 7.16 sec. can not out run Ögge or Fredlund on paper, but Kalle is among the most consistent riders in the class and normally go from start to finish is an impressive way.

Elvira Karlsson, the female rider in the class does her 2nd season and will by the looks of it end just outside the podium of the championship, but nevertheless has impressed greatly and established herself in this class of tough competition. 

It would of course be nice for the UK spectators to see one of the UK riders in a final and there are a few of them on the entry list. Martin Bishop, Len Paget, Martin Newbury, Ray Debben and Kev Charman. 50% of the entry field, so statistically the chances are good. But the most interesting outcome would of course be if the final was to be between Ögge and Fredlund and the drama of the championship would be alive all the way through the European Finals. On Sunday evening of Sept 9th, we will know who will enter the podium to collect the UEM European Drag Bike Championship Pro Stock Bike Champion award.. at this time I don´t dare to guess..      


Fredrik Fredlund -European Champion 2012?