Two
very skilled track crew officials who will be on duty at Sweden
Internationals - sisters Suzzi and Nettan Heleander (Nettan right is
the chief starter and Suzzi in charge of staff accomodation and often
on duty at the start area too)
- Time Tree handle the time keeping system and report results more or less live via
www.dragracing.eu
Championship Classes briefing:
FIA Top Fuel Dragster:
12 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder
Competition distance: 1000
foot
Notes: Many
capable teams in the class where 50% of the teams have base in
Finland. Risto Poutiainen in points lead. Antti Horto to pilot the same
car Duncan Micallef ran well with at the recemt Main Event. Popular ski
jumping legend Janne Ahonen back in the FIA Championship competition
this year operating a car new to the team acquired from the US.
Paul Ingar Udtian does his first proper race in the class after
completing the license at Main Event first weekend in June. The winner
of the event is of course impossible to foresee. If many years of FIA
championship service and hard work would be the critera to win events,
our finalists would be Anita Mäkelä and Micke Kågered. We just have to
wait and see how much that criteria is worth!
FIA Top Methanol Dragster:
8 teams entered for an 8 car
elimination ladder
Notes: The
class include both nitro injected and blown methanol dragsters.
Skilled and well reputed teams all the way down the entry
list in this class, but the one that actually impressed the most at
the previous event in the UK was one of the newest in the class,
team Bugeja from Malta. The top teams will chase the event win as
well as ET:s in the 5.20 sec range!
FIA Top Methanol Funny Car:
6 teams entered for an 8 car
elimination ladder
Notes: Former
European champions Leif Andréasson just recently got his new car
from the US and is expected to have assistance and support from the US
on site. Danny Bellio already proved himself winning the Main Event and
Ulf Leanders, reigning European Champion will be hungry for the
event win! Performance under 5.70 sec would be fantastic! And we almost
forgot.. keep an eye on rookie Jonnie Lindberg in the ex-Erbacher
champion funny car. Still on a learning curve and also in charge of
tuning the Linberg Bros Pro Mod car.. will be interesting to follow
this field!
FIA Pro Modified:
28 teams entered for a 16 car
elimination ladder
Notes:
All drivers that are to be involved in the battle for the European Pro
Mod champion title will be on track at this event. A number of
teams can perform 5-second runs among them reigning champion Micke
Gullqvist, Johan Lindberg, Mats Eriksson (see the separate article
about the Green Goblin Crown Vicky). New comers in FIA competition
Bert-Ove Olofsson and
Mattias Wulcan ran under 6 seconds at Tierp Arena just in May and may
well repeat it.. and watch out for super consistent Bruno Bader who is
in championship points lead! Our guess is the combination of being
quick and consistent run after run will be the winning recipe!
FIA Pro Stock:
12 teams entered for an 8 car
elimination ladder
Notes: Two
non-Swedes on the entry list - Harry Sturhan Germany and Sampsa Palos
Finland. Thomas Lindström in points lead before Michael Callin entering
this event. We trust Jimmy Ålund and Michael Malmgren wish (and will) have a
say at Tierp too. But last year it was Sampsa Palos Finland who walked away
with the event win.. the Pro Stock competition will be a thriller for
sure!
UEM Drag Bike Championship
UEM Top Fuel Bike:
5 teams entered for an 8 bike
elimination ladder (may be a progressive ladder run)
Notes: On
paper it is hard to believe anyone could do anything to prevent
Peter Svensson from walking away with the event win at Tierp. However
Top Fuel Bike Racing is tricky and getting the power right run after
run will be crucial. Ian King will give Svensson a good match. Most
consistent of them all however funny bike rider Rikard Gustafsson who
can well earn a place in the final! Performance level will be
spread in this class, but allow only bikes with proven performance
under 6.99 sec. Svensson however good for runs under 6 seconds!
All in all we are sure all contenders will provide a great show..
and may the best man win!
UEM Super Twin Bike:
22 teams entered for an 8 bike
elimination ladder
Notes: Canadian
rider Nate Gagnon in points lead will face European champion Per
Bengtsson (who won the event in 2011). Long list of contenders capable
at running consistent and quick enough run after run. Job Heezen, Samu
Kemppainen, Christian Jäger, Jan Sturla Hegré and Trond Jostein
Höiberget (who won the Nordic Challenge event at Tierp in May) are some
riders to watch out for. Performance by Gagnon or Bengtsson under
under 6.50 sec. would be fantastic!
UEM
Pro Stock Bike:
9 teams entered for
an 8 bike elimination ladder
Notes:
European
champion Ulf Ögge from Sweden did not do himself justice at the Main
Event and will be out to improve. And in the US some months back he ran
quicker than the valid European record.. Kalle Lyrén one of the most
consistent and in points lead. Fredrik Fredlund
reportedly assisted by the successful Pro Stock Bike Stoffer
family from the US. "Fredde" was close to snatching the European ET
record from Dave Beck and already hold the speed record.. Bishop can
win rounds as can Kenneth Vik. Laseur withdrew his entry due to
to engine damage and will be taken off the entry list..
Will we see a 6 second run in pro Stock Bike at Tierp? Chances are we
might..
Don´t miss to check the point standings
and entry list for more information and follow the event as we proceed
through any of the different option of event coverage (see under
separate headline in this article)!
