With the absence of Finlands Jamro Kuutinemi who has withdrawn this season due to health issues, the teams on site all have base in Sweden. Also missing Danny Bellio, who damaged that funny car chassi and body when ending in the Tierp track end "sand trap" mid-june Bellio will be back at the NitrOlympx in Hockenheim.    

The qualification presented Leif Andréasson as low qualifier 5.67 sec/405 km, followed by Ulf Leanders 5.69 sec, rookie Jonnie Lindberg 3rd with a personal best 5.876 sec (well done!) but also breaking parts during the qualifications. Jonas Staflund qualified 5th at 6.04 sec and Mikael Larsson 6th with 6.15 sec. 

In the first elimination run Leif Andréasson enjoyed a scheduled bye run. The 5.83 sec run at 404 km pleased the crowd and although we expect Leif was not satisfied with the run, he had the place in the semi final secured. There he got to meet Jonas Staflund.

Staflund who had got an involunatry bye in the first round after opponent Jonnie Lindberg had to leave walk over due to technical problems. The meeting between Staflund and Andréasson took an unexpected turn when Staflund (who has no current track record near Andréasson´s  perforamance level) did what he could, while Andréassons car did not manage the Alastaro track equally well this time. Both drivers left  the startline with great reaction times. Staflunds winning time was 6.07 sec at 379 km while Andréasson passed the finish line after 7.69 sec. Staflund on to the final!


Methanol Funny Car European Record holder Leif Andréasson and wife Åsa. Both are also active as organizers at Sweden´d championship venue Tierp Arena. Great however to see the Andréassons back in racing this season  in the methanol funny car class where they belong so well!

Ulf Leanders with wife Karin. The couple also had son Fredrik on site to compete in Junior Dragster.

Mikael Larsson Racing, who does their first full season in the class, is getting comfortable and more used to the car by every run which starts to show on the improved performance level. Micke says he feels confident in the drivers seat and enjoy the racing a lot. Worth mentioning is that Mikael Larsson had never compeeted in drag racing when he approached Micke Kågered and expressed an interest to buy the Kågered Racing funny car. Now Mikael Larsson is living his dream and although he was taken out in the quarter finals by Ulf Leanders, Larsson still set a new personal best 6.06 sec at 378 km. Well done Micke and crew!  Leanders ET was 5.811 sec at 401 km, Ulf onto the semi-final which was a bye run. Leanders Bros is known to  always put in their best efforts and so also this time. 5.76 sec at 401 km took them to the final.

The final, that should have been between Jonas Staflund and Ulf Leanders rained out just minutes before it was due Sunday evening (as did the finals in the other championship classes)..

Leaving Alastaro we have a new championship leader after Leif Andréasson passed Danny Bellio in the points stadnings. Andréasson 166 points, Bellio stay in 2nd place at 159 points and 2011 champion Ulf Leanders 3rd with 114 points.

Link to Qualification list
Link to Elimination ladder

The next round in the FIA European Drag Racing Championship is the NitrOlympx at HockenheimRing in Germany August 10-12th. With a few days to go before the entry closes, the entry list show two  drivers that was not present at Alastaro; Jürgen Nagel Germany and Rob Turner from the UK. Joined by Bellio and the others we are in for what we exepect to be an exciting event in the methanol funny car class!

Stay tuned for the NitrOlympx Preview in the next edition and visit www.dragracing.eu to check the entry list already today