Pro Modified 
Review Main Event
But for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, this joint FIA European/MSA British Championship race would have taken place a week earlier in wall-to-wall sunshine. In English it’s known (none too politely) as Sod’s Law. The public holiday and The Main Event were switched from their usual date at the end of May to accommodate the national festivities a week later. The result? The late-May weekend (three Main Event rain-offs in the past five years) was gorgeous; the early-June Jubilee weekend (as many around Britain may recall for the rest of their lives) was not.
All credit, then, to Switzerland’s Bruno Bader for outlasting his opponents, and the elements, to win the race. Bader hit 6.175sec in the semi-final for Low ET of the Meet and only his fourth qualifying position prevented him scooping maximum points.

All told, this event was a strange affair. Only 14 entrants turned up (average attendance since 2007: 23) with just one Scandinavian among them – Bert-Ove Olofsson making his Santa Pod Pro Mod debut – and no Germans either. The rising cost of travel was at least one of the given reasons. Only two qualifying sessions took place; Sunday was a complete washout. Eliminations produced just three pedal-to-the-floor, first-across-the-finish-line decisions. Yet despite the turmoil, no fewer than six drivers managed personal bests.

Two of Monday’s first three elimination matches had to be re-run after a guard-beam glitch gave false redlights. Graham Ellis and Robert Joosten were the re-instated beneficiaries. Joosten was particularly lucky, stuttering to a 13sec win after Steve Hall had over-staged on the start line. Ellis’s re-match with Andy Frost proved the weekend’s outstanding pairing. Ellis won, clocking 242mph/390.72km/h at the finish, the fastest yet run by a UK Pro Mod. Frost was unusually elated in defeat. His 6.59/220/354 satisfied his personal quest to drive the world’s quickest, fastest street-legal car by some margin.
Just 13 cars qualified, after a first-session ‘nitrous burp’ put France’s Jean Dulamon out of action on Saturday and Sunday’s washout denied him a further attempt. The Netherlands’ David Vegter qualified low (6.185) for the first time at a major event, earning himself a first-round bye on the unfilled 16-car ladder. Vegter was disqualified for crossing the centre line against Graham Ellis in round two.

Compatriot Marc Meihuizen, pre-race co-favourite with Bader, qualified second (6.210) but blew off his engine’s oil cap (a career first) lining up against bottom qualifier Marcus Hilt in round one. The unfancied Swiss driver cruised through to a second-round bye, only to have a fluid leak on the second-round burnout thwart him from taking the simple green light that would have propelled him into an unforeseen semi-final.

Hilt might well have kicked himself twice-over, and his car too, for he would have been gifted yet another solo run into the final. Semi-final opponent Bert-Ove Olofsson broke a lifter warming his Chevy Impala in the pits and never made it to the start.

So it seemed fitting that Bruno Bader, having overcome three actual opponents on the way, should be presented with an unopposed cruise in the final. Rather than take the green light and shut off, Bader at least motored the full length of the course, perhaps waving, for all we know, to the remaining fans who had hung around to see the end of this interminably delayed day’s action as it crept towards the 9pm curfew.

In the absence of Scandinavia’s heaviest hitters, some observers have suggested this win has already given Bader one hand on the FIA championship trophy. With five more races to go in this year’s extended series, there is plenty of scope for slipping up (and who, anyway, can foretell the future?). On the other hand, Bader’s 2011 record – two finals (one win, one rainout) and two second-round exits in four completed events – suggests the Swiss ace is up for the fight.

                            


On track - Bruno Bader (near lane) and Graham Ellis

RESULTS QUALIFYING:

After 2 sessions. Q3 + Q4 (Sun.03.06.12) rained off
                                                                                                           Best
                                                                 ET        MPH     Km/H        mph

1.      David Vegter                NED         6.185    232.46    374.11              

2.      Marc Meihuizen            NED         6.210    230.21    370.49    231.67

3.      Bert-Ove Olofsson        SWE        6.336    223.36    359.46              

4.      Bruno Bader                 SUI          6.421    200.77    323.11    221.20

5.      Robert Joosten            NED         6.446    214.90    345.85              

6.      Andy Wright                 GBR         6.601    218.01    350.85              

7.      Andy Frost                   GBR         6.714    210.81    339.27    214.09

8.      Graham Ellis                 GBR         6.800    224.45    361.22    231.56

9.      Roger Moore                GBR         6.805    210.01    337.98              

10.    Steve Hall                     GBR         6.894    208.99    336.34              

11.    Kevin Slyfield                GBR         7.115    211.84    340.92              

12.    Wayne Nicholson         GBR         7.163    164.85    265.30    207.05

13.    Marcus Hilt                   SUI          9.133    194.68    313.31

         No time registered:

         Jean Dulamon              FRA

         Withdrawn entry:

         Rick Garrett                  GBR

        

Eliminations:

Round 1:

Roger Moore no time, broke on line def. Andy Wright DQ left before tree

Bruno Bader 7.514sec, 206.12mph-331.72km/h def. Kevin Slyfield DQ crossed C/L

Bert-Ove Olofsson 9.579, 94.04-151.34 def. Wayne Nicholson did not start

Marcus Hilt 10.754, 104.81-168.68 def. Marc Meihuizen broke on burnout

David Vegter 6.235, 209.93-337.85 bye

Robert Joosten 13.587, 74.81-120.40 def. Steve Hall no time, over-staged

Graham Ellis 6.262, 242.78-390.72 def. Andy Frost 6.592, 220.09-354.20

Round 2:

Graham Ellis 7.049, 223.54-359.75 def. David Vegter DQ crossed centre line

Marcus Hilt broke on burnout, bye

Bert-Ove Olofsson 6.618, 201.47-324.23 def. Roger Moore 7.328, 197.26-317.46

Bruno Bader 6.597, 215.85-347.38 def. Robert Joosten 7.348, 118.57-190.82 DQ red light

 
Semi-final:

Bruno Bader 6.175, 227.88-366.74 def. Graham Ellis 7.641, 131.33211.36

Bert-Ove Olofsson did not start

 Final:

Bruno Bader 12.181, 108.72-174.97 was unopposed

 

Low Elapsed Time of the Event:  6.175sec. – Bruno Bader

Top Speed of the Event:  242.78mph / 390.72km/h – Graham Ellis

 
Personal-best performances set during event: 

                                            ET           MPH     Km/H

Graham Ellis                            -       242.78    390.72

Andy Frost                      6.592       220.09    354.20

Steve Hall                        6.894       208.99    336.34

Roger Moore                           -       210.01    337.98

David Vegter                   6.185       232.46    374.11

Andy Wright                    6.601       218.01    350.85



Winner Bruno Bader on the podium. Well done !

Text: Robin Jackson 
Photos: Remco Scheelings 

This article is part of the Speedgroup Club Europe Newsletter #5/2012

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