Speedgroup Club Europe

In this edition we wished to take the pulse on the teams, check what they are up to at the moment in their preparations for the race season and also what their plans and goals for 2012 - check out what a few of the UEM Drag Bike teams have to share! In addition you will find Swedish Pro Stock Bike rider Ulf Ögge featured in the "Europeans in the US" article and UK based Top Fuel Bike rider Ian Kingfeatured in a separate article in this edition.

Hans Olav Olstad, Super Twin Bike Norway

Olstad Racing Team are in the last part of the new bike project. At the moment it look good, and we have faith for engine start early May. That gives hope for at least 2 test weekends before the UEM start at Santa Pod. The new bike called “Thunderstruck” has a charged parallell-twin engine, 1700ccm to run 100% nitro. A brand new design made by Gerard Willemse from Netherland. The team colors will also get a facelift with new team shirts and a new painted bike.

Our plan is to do many runs as possible to get familiar with the bike. A complete new engine always give some surprise, and we hope it’s gone be nice surprises to. But we also know new engine can give lots of challenges. First step is to find the limit where the parts start to break, and stay below that line. The goal is to stabilize the bike on a level where we can tune and race. We know it’s a long way to go with a new bike.

The plans in regards to races, is to do the Nordic Super Twin Challenge and the whole UEM circus. Beside that we also hope to race the Norwegian Championship and Mosten in Denmark. So if we don’t break too much parts you will see us around much of the upcoming season 2012! Best regards Olstad Racing Team

Asko Määttä, Super Twin Bike Finland

What is your team working with at the moment?
- First we must rebuild my shop / garage and get all the things sorted out after the water damage caused by the faulty heating boiler few weeks ago. Now we're working on that and after that continue updating the bike with some new (service) parts for the this race season.

We plan to test and then race in mid May at Motopark, Finland. And then next weekend (Mayb 25-26th) we'll race at Tierp EDRS / Nordic Super Twin Top Fuel race. After that I think that we'll race the two more EDRS / Nordic Cup races (Gardermoen Norway and Alastaro Finland) and maybe some UEM races at Alastaro and Tierp. We'll see... And my main goal for this season remains the same as it was last season: a 100% open throttle pass over the whole quarte rmile with both cylinders lit all the time!

Best Regards,
Asko and the Crew
Baldie's VooDoo Racing

Talking with Racers - UEM Drag Bike teams In this edition we wished to take the pulse on the teams, check what they are up to at the moment in their preparations for the race season and also what their plans and goals for 2012 - check out what a few of the UEM Drag Bike teams have to share! In addition you will find Swedish Pro Stock Bike rider Ulf Ögge featured in the "Europeans in the US" article and UK based Top Fuel Bike rider Ian Kingfeatured in a separate article in this edition. Hans Olav Olstad, Super Twin Bike Norway Olstad Racing Team are in the last part of the new bike project. At the moment it look good, and we have faith for engine start early May. That gives hope for at least 2 test weekends before the UEM start at Santa Pod. The new bike called “Thunderstruck” has a charged parallell-twin engine, 1700ccm to run 100% nitro. A brand new design made by Gerard Willemse from Netherland. The team colors will also get a facelift with new team shirts and a new painted bike. Our plan is to do many runs as possible to get familiar with the bike. A complete new engine always give some surprise, and we hope it’s gone be nice surprises to. But we also know new engine can give lots of challenges. First step is to find the limit where the parts start to break, and stay below that line. The goal is to stabilize the bike on a level where we can tune and race. We know it’s a long way to go with a new bike. The plans in regards to races, is to do the Nordic Super Twin Challenge and the whole UEM circus. Beside that we also hope to race the Norwegian Championship and Mosten in Denmark. So if we don’t break too much parts you will see us around much of the upcoming season 2012! Best regards Olstad Racing Team Asko Määttä, Super Twin Bike Finland What is your team working with at the moment? - First we must rebuild my shop / garage and get all the things sorted out after the water damage caused by the faulty heating boiler few weeks ago. Now we're working on that and after that continue updating the bike with some new (service) parts for the this race season. We plan to test and then race in mid May at Motopark, Finland. And then next weekend (Mayb 25-26th) we'll race at Tierp EDRS / Nordic Super Twin Top Fuel race. After that I think that we'll race the two more EDRS / Nordic Cup races (Gardermoen Norway and Alastaro Finland) and maybe some UEM races at Alastaro and Tierp. We'll see... And my main goal for this season remains the same as it was last season: a 100% open throttle pass over the whole quarte rmile with both cylinders lit all the time! Best Regards, Asko and the Crew Baldie's VooDoo Racing	Samu Kemppainen, Super Twin Bike Finland Our team is working now with ignition, we will change from dyna to msd programmable ignition system. sounds easy but it takes some major changes to bike, fueltank moves from back of the bike to the front. And the oiltank needs to be remove also. Skullracing team plan is to have a fun summer with the whole "racing family", ride both, the EDRS Super Twin Bike Nordic Challenge and full UEM tour. And hopefylly Nate Gagnon comes with us also , at least few of those races (Nate from Canada participated in the UEM Drag Bike Championship also in 2011). Our goal is to hopefylly keep the motors in one piece, and do a new personal best! Because the V60 motor has lot more power than what we have done by this far :) Cheers, Samu Kemppainen Skullracing Team ST6 An update from the "juniors" in team Rolfstad., Super Twin Bike Norway Jan Sturla Hegré is the youngest rider in the class. Svein Olav Rolfstad one of the most experienced and a great mentor to Jan Sturla. Jan Sturla shares this report; The old Fast Cat have gone through review and has gotten a new hearth in the form of an Overkill engine. It fitted right in and it looks comfortable. To counter this new power, both bikes are getting some nice safety chutes. Currently we are working on some new head design and some really nice and strong cranks for both bikes. What are you plans and goal for the race season 2012? - After breaking a lot of parts in the 2011 season the team have decided to focus more on quality than quantity and the championship. We will try to go after the European record for real. It is on hight time someone break Charlie´s everlasting record. To counter alt the other teams trying for the same, like Jaska and the other supercharged beasts out there, we have made some changes in the team structure, and looking if we can go more Pro for this season. A big thanks to all our sponsors and supporters, especially Sunoco and Midthaug who help us greatly. Greetings from Jan Sturla Hegre website: www.rolfstad.com
Hans Olav Olstad testing out his new ride - we expect team has an exciting season to look forward too!
Text by the teams with additions made by Speedgroup. Photos provided by the teams used with permission Action photo of Samu Kemppainen by Ivan Sansom (Hungary 2011) Photo of Jan Sturla Hegré by Speedgroup This article is part of the Speedgroup Club Europe Newsletter #2/2012 www.speedgroup.eu Published by Speedgroup www.speedgroup.eu All material, text, images and logtypes are the property of Speedgroup AB. Used by permission from the photographers Any use of the above requires permission from Speedgroup. © Speedgroup 2012