What a season for Jari Halinen so far! After a number seven position in last year’s FIA European Top Fuel Championship, the friendly Finn is still in the running for the 2012 title and with one race to go, Halinen is only 26 points behind leader Risto Poutiainen.

Jari Halinen started drag racing in 1984 and after seasons in many classes, including Top Methanol Dragster, gained his Top Fuel licence in 2007 at Alastaro and ran his first official nitro race the same year at Hockenheim. Since 2008 Halinen is a regular contender for Rune Fjeld Motorsport in the FIA European Top Fuel Championship. Always there, but never a favourite. Until this year, when the quiet and always modest Finn stepped up to the next level in his career as he became a real title contender. The big ‘secret’ is, consistency.

Last year Halinen did not qualify two times, and only was in the semi-finals once. Now in four races (no eliminations at Hockenheim) he was in the semi-finals twice, runner-up at the Sweden Internationals en finalist at the Scandinavian Internationals. But Halinen will never give all the credits to himself, no he will always emphasize the input of Gary Page, Laurie Bamford and the rest of his hard working crew; they make it possible for him to go all those rounds.

How important his consistency is, could be seen at last weekend’s Scandinavian Internationals. 61 points behind leader Risto Poutiainen, Halinen had to race his teammate in the first round of eliminations. Losing would give the title to his teammate, but as Poutiainen ran into problems, Halinen got a new chance. He took it with both hands, advanced to the final and is now with one race to go only 26 points behind Poutiainen in het runner-up position. But still, Halinen is the modest man he always was and will not put himself into the spotlight as the favourite. But Poutiainen can’t afford any more bad luck or mistakes or Halinen will be there to take the lead…. and the title, in his best season so far.