This event held in the "country of the thousand lakes", is included in the FIA & UEM European Drag Racing Championship. It is round #3 for both the FIA car teams and UEM Drag Bike teams. The event is also included in the EDRS European Drag Racing Series for the classes stated.

The FHRA Nitro Nationals mark the mid of Championship season. It is the most remote located race for the teams in the UK and Central Europe, while it is actually the closest championship track for a number of teams with base around Stockholm Sweden and of course for the Finnish teams.

NUMBER OF TEAMS ENTERED: 
212 teams are currently entered for this event, please check the entry list under a separate headline.

EVENT REPORTING:

www.eurodragster.com reports results continuously from the event in co-operation with FHRA and Speedgroup

Live webcam during the event:
provided via www.bambuser.com

Organizer FHRA also report in Finnish via www.fhra.fi



SPEEDGROUP ON SITE:
The Speedgroup Representation on site include co-ordinator Åsa Kinnemar, our managing director Michael Gullqvist (who also competes in FIA Pro Modified), editor Lena Perés and contingency program assistant Aila Striem. And in addition a number of associated editors and photographers. 

FACTS ABOUT ALASTARO RACEWAY can be found at www.alastarocircuit.fi


Championship Classes Preview:



UEM Drag Bike Championship

UEM Top Fuel Bike:
4 teams entered for an 8 bike elimination ladder
In Championship Points lead: Ian King
Winner at the last event: Peter Svensson

Notes: Last years scenario is not going to repeat itself as none of the finalists Samu Kemppainen and Petri Paljakka are on the entry list in the class this time (however Kemppainen is entered in Super Twin Bike). If nothing unexpected happens Rikard Gustafsson will leave this event having passed Peter Svensson in points. Svensson would we are sure love to win the championship but don´t run the max number of events that can be counted, but Gustafsson does. And so does the other Funny Biker in the field, Nils Lagerlöf. Ian King set a new personal best during the last event. That was Tierp Arena and this is Alastaro. Interesting to see how well the track can take the power from the Puma Engineering Gulf Oil Top Fuel Bike and how well team King can manage to adjust to it. Kai Selkämaa does a welcome return in the championship at his home track and Kai is always a serious contender for round wins, skilled and consistent when all holds together.. so why not at Alastaro during the FHRA Nitro Nationals?   

UEM Super Twin Bike:
13 teams entered for an 8 bike elimination ladder
In Championship Points lead: Nate Gagnon
Winner at the last event: Per Bengtsson
Notes: European Champion Per Bengtsson is missing this event (by choice) and the entry list have a strong presence of Finnish contenders. Traditionally Super Twin Bike is strong in the Nordic region so that comes as no suprise.

So far this season the only non-European championship rider, Nate Gagnon from Canada, has impressed and on paper have the best performing bike entered at this event. However  Gagnons´ team mate and host in Europe, Finnish Samu Kemppainen has been setting new personal bests and he will be interesting to follow at Alastaro.

Jaska Salakari is the entertainer and crowd pleaser in the class, but have no history of great consistency yet. Stable championship riders from central Europe competing at Alastaro include Martijn de Haas and Job Heezen, both with capacity to win rounds. The Norwegian teams have so far not been successful,  but that can change any day. The riders skills Jan Sturla Hegré and Svein Olav Rolfstad hold can not be disputed. Let´s hope the technical problems from the last event at Tierp Arena have been sorted and they are in for a great and successful race at Alastaro!

UEM Pro Stock Bike:
6 teams entered for an 8 bike elimination ladder
In Championship Points lead:
Ulf Ögge one point (!) ahead of Kalle Lyrén. Both riders are on site
Winner at the last event: Ulf Ögge
Notes: Weak field in numbers at this event, but the teams that are on site perform at a high level and the UEM Drag Bike championship winner is among them.. Fredrik Fredlund may well challenge Ögge and Lyrén for round wins..Both Ögge and Fredlund will be after a new European ET record!

Championship Classes Preview:



FIA Top Fuel Dragster:
10 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder
Competition distance: 1000 foot
In Championship Points lead: Risto Poutiainen
Winner at the last event: Risto Poutiainen

Notes: A majority of the the  Top Fuel  Dragster teams in Europe have base in Finland and they normally contribute to attract a good crowd to this event. Poutiainen, whose car is operated by Rune Fjeld Motorsport has the best flow at the moment but more teams can perform at the same level more or less consistent. Jari Halinen has the best hang on Risto Poutiainen in points. Anita Mäkelä is always hugely popular at Alastaro.

Don´t miss to read the article about Top Fuel Dragster pilot Janne Ahonen and the team ART operation in a separate article in this edition! World-famous ex-ski jumping world champion Janne Ahonen will have many supporters on site at Alastaro we are sure!

FIA Top Methanol Dragster:
7 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder
In Championship Points lead: Dave Wilson
Winner at the last event: Chris Polidano

Notes: This season it looks like it is mostly about Dave Wilson (who did not retire after all) and the two Maltese contestants Chris Polidano and Monty Bugeja. Esko Raisvuo is on his home track and the Habermann brothers have a succesful history at this track. They will all want to have a say before letting Dave Wilson gain more points lead in the championship rankings.

FIA Top Methanol Funny Car:
5 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder
In Championship Points lead: Danny Bellio
Winner at the last event: Leif Andréasson

Notes: After the last event´s sensation and  new European ET and speed records set by Leif Andréasson, we can´t expect the level of performance to improve further and can not be disappointed if it can not be repeated. A competition is about winning rounds and Ulf Leanders is equally good at  that. Jonnie Lindberg still on a learning curve and also involved in tuning brother Johan Lindbergs Pro Mod car. Jarmo Kuutniemi is missing in the field on his home track for ther first time since we can not remember when.. Jaapa unfortunately can´t compete this season at all. Points leader Danny Bellio damaged the car when landing in the "sand trap" at Tierp Arena and is not present at Alastaro. He however plans to return in competition at the NitrOlympx in Hockenheim mid-August.

FIA Pro Modified:
13 teams entered for a 16 car elimination ladder 
In Championship Points lead: Bruno Bader
Winner at the last event: Micke Gullqvist

Notes: Sweden Internationals winner Micke Gullqvist will want to make sure the history does not repeat itself from last year (when he lost the final to Mats Eriksson on the startline having a slower reaction time). But to reach a final is of course nothing Micke or any of the other contestants can take for granted. Bruno Bader is always consistent which is a strong point. Olofsson and Fagerström set new personal records just recently and Marc Meihuizen has been in line for an event win a long time. Mats Eriksson, Lindberg Bros and a few more has the capability no doubt. But on paper it is Gullqvist for the event win.     

FIA Pro Stock:
13 teams entered for an 8 car elimination ladder
In Championship Points lead: Thomas Lindström
Winner at the last event: Thomas Lindström

Notes: A majority of Swedish teams in the class, but Finnish Sampsa Palos can no doubt give Lindström and Ålund a good competition. This class is about pushing the cars to the limit and traction is always crucial. Last year Jimmy Ålund stood as winner of the FHRA Nitro Nationals.. Thomas Lindström at that time lost already on the startline pulling a red-light. Lindström was a rookie at the time and since then have gained a lot of confidence and finished a number of runs more.. but the two Swedes can´t be too certain that Finnish drivers Sampsa Palos and Richard "Nixxon" Sundblom don´t intefere .. they will most likely try their best to do just that!

Don´t miss to check the full FIA/UEM Championship point standings and the entry list for more information!




EDRS European Drag Racing Series Sportsman classes run at FHRA Nitro Nationals:

- Stock Super Stock
- Junior Dragster
- Super Gas Bike /9.50 bike
- Funny Bike