Qualifications:

It took until the 3rd qualifying session (out of four) for Peter Svensson and team STARTA to adjust the bike to the Santa Pod track conditions and they worked their way down in ET. The initial 6.11 sec was followed by the first 5 sec run for the weekend (5.96) and during session #3 Peter set low ET of the event at 5.725 sec and at a speed of 227.01 mph. which is only fragments slower than the quickest Peter has run (5.709). 

Not surprisingly Ian King and the Gulf Oil Drag Racing team delivered and although not qualifying at a personal best level, King provided the crowd with a great 6.19 sec run in session #3

Svensson and King are and should be in a league of their own performancewise, but although he has no chance of outrunning the two, there is one more rider in the Top Fuel Bike class this year that perform at absolute world top class level. And he did so also this time.. Rikard Gustafsson on his funny bike qualified 4th at 6.51 sec /208 mph. Steve Woollatt 3rd quickest at 6.37, while UK based rider Steve Carey was 5th at 6.77 followed by Rene van den Berg 7.24 and Otto Knebl 9.33. 


No 1 qualifier Peter Svensson interviewed by announcer Darryl Bradford.


Rikard Gustafsson has been running great numbers this season. The other funny bike rider in the class, Nils Lagerlöf had to park his bike for the season after the Tierp event, where he hit the concrete wall and damaged the bike. The season for Nils included a new personal best of 6.74 sec which is something to be truly proud of.

Ian King (right) winner of the European Finals and 2012 UEM Top Fuel Bike Champion. Peter Svensson runner-up at Santa Pod and content with the European record and performance this season. Impressive achievements by both teams. Peter Svensson´s stunning new crew shirts was designed by Vicci

Eliminations:

The progressive 7 bike ladder allowed Peter Svensson a planned bye run in round 1, which resulted in a new stunning 5-second run 5.91 at 209 mph. 

Rikard Gustafsson took on Steve Carey. A game that worked in Gustafssons favour all the way from start to finish. winning ET for Rikard who continued to run quick and consistent 6.57 sec/210 mph. 

Ian King´s new bike faced his old one in the first round of eliminations. However Otto Knebl did not stand a chance and King was onto the semi-final where a bye run awaited him (after both Steve Woollatt and Rene van den Berg had failed to make it through round one of the eliminations due to breakage). After the win over Knebl it was also clear that Ian King was the new Top Fuel Bike champion!

While King was granted a place in the final after the bye run, Peter Svensson and Rikard Gustafsson fought for the other opportunity to end the season with a final or even event win. Gustafsson´s hope would be a red-light or mishap for Svensson as his funny bike can´t outrun the  top fuel bike. But Svensson stayed clear, had a slightly better reaction time and delivered a new 5 second run (5.98 this time) which left Gustafsson behind. Nice pass from Rikard to finish off the championship season (6.56 sec) and his consistency and high level of performance this first year in the Top Fuel Bike class has been impressive.

The outcome of the final Svensson versus King should come to surprise a few spectators, who may have counted out King based on Svensson outstanding ET:s.. but King delivered and Svensson uncharacteristically fouled himself out by red-lighting. King  ran 6.26 in the final  while Svensson ended his championship season with 6.32 sec at only 166 mph, indicating he had shut off well before the finish line. Well done both teams!        

Link to Results: click to open pdf-files
QUALIFICATIONS
ELIMINATIONS LADDER

courtesy of TSÍ time keepers and Santa Pod Raceway

Check the full points table under a separate headline in this edition.

Low Elapsed Time of the Meet: 
5.725 seconds – Peter Svensson
Top Speed of the Meet:  
227.01 mph/365.25 kph –  Peter Svensson