Entry List (all drivers from Sweden)

Jimmy Ålund           
Micke Callin           
Thomas Lindström   
Jan Palmqvist           
Michael Malmgren       
Magnus Petersson       
Christian Sagelv       
Ulf Wagnhester      

Once again I was unable to attend the Hockenheim in person, however I remained updated through a combination of the excellent web TV service and live updates from the ever informative Eurodragster.com team


Micke Callin

Unlike 2012, Jimmy has taken on Thomas on a level playing field this year.  2012 was a year to forget, not only for Jimmy as he suffered engine damage at the “Main Event” but for the rest of the Pro-Stock tour as we had rain off and track related issues at almost every event.  Hockenheim had its share of controversy and problem in 2012 which I will not go into again here, it is far too well documented elsewhere.  Needless to say, there has been some intense activity at the German Formula One track ready to provide a racing surface suitable for an FIA Drag Race Championship round in 2013.  It does appear from the times people have laid down in other classes that the work has paid off and the track is in suitable condition.  Pro Stock is as ever a true litmus test of a track, so we look forward to seeing what the cars and teams can do here.


Magnus Petersson

Qualifications - Friday Q1
With only the requisite 8 contestants present, there will be no bump spot, so everyone is guaranteed a qualification spot.  Perhaps, if the track will hold the power, a couple of the guys might try some chassis set up testing here.  It is the ideal opportunity, test a new idea, if it works, hone it in this weekend, if it doesn’t, drop back to a previous setting.  Perhaps this is what Jan Palmqvist was doing to lift his front wheels as high as he did in Q1.  If it was a test, then it was a failure, as the car suffered some rear end damage.  Micke Callin may well be testing, but again if he is, this does not seem to be the direction to be going, as Micke hits shake and gets off the power early.
 Lindström does not seem to have his usual speed and traction running in the high eights and off the power early.  Christian Sagelv seems slow away from the line but the motor gets on song by the shift to third, so perhaps a clutch setting is a little out there, Ulf has no visible drama, but runs just into the 7’s.  6 second runs for everyone else gives us a qualifying session that ends like this.

Friday Q2
Everyone moves into the 6’s in the second session Jan Palmqvist does not make this session, repairing damage from session 1.  Only Magnus Petersson runs slower than his time set in the morning.

Saturday Qualification 
A few improvements are made by a few drivers on Saturday.  Magnus fits his No1 engine between the rounds and it pays off with a weekend best that moves him into 4th position.  Micke Callin is plagued by shake this weekend to the extent that he crosses the centre line in Q3 and only clocks a 26 second pass in Q4.  Ulf is also having a bit of a painful weekend as he hits massive shake in Q3 and rolls the beams in Q4.

Final qualifying positions look like this:

Driver	ET	KMH
Jimmy Ålund	6.653	335.64
Thomas Lindström	6.691	328.09
Michael Malmgren	6.728	331.59
Magnus Petersson	6.796	325.04
Christian Sagelv	6.833	325.82
Jan Palmqvist	6.858	323.69
Micke Callin	6.886	330.03
Ulf Wagnhester	6.971	322.82

Christian Sagelv

Jimmy Ålund - winner

Sunday – Eliminations
First pair in eliminations are Magnus (L) and Christian(R)
Christian gives the race away when he breaks the beams for a huge red light.  Magnus continues to go faster and quicker as he clocks 6.754 at 329 kph

Next pair is Michael Malmgren and Jan Palmqvist.  Michael straps together a package including a holshot and a personal best to see if Jan has anything that can beat him.  Jan does not, and Michael takes the win.

Thomas Lindström

Next up we have Thomas and Micke Callin.  Thomas gets left at the lights (again) and Micke hits massive tyre shake (again) allowing Thomas to catch, pass and disappear into the distance for the win.

Final pair are Jimmy and Ulf.  Jimmy has lost nothing this year on the lights, and today is no exception as Jimmy takes the holeshot and uses that Jason Line power to haul away.  Ulf continues with his weekend to forget as he hits shake and gets out of the power early.


Ulf Wagnhester

Sunday Eliminations Round 2
Winners and pairings from round one are
Jimmy Ålund against Magnus Petersson
Thomas Lindström against Michael Malmgren.

Jimmy uses that power to put a 6.757 run in against Magnus’ 6.783 to take the win, while Michael has fitted a new engine between rounds but it does him no good, as Thomas drives away to take the win with a 6.729 against Michaels 7.048

Sunday – Final
Jimmy and Thomas face off again in another of this seasons epic finale’s. Another close drag race as Both cars run from 0 – 330+kmh in 6.7 seconds.Thomas registers the quicker time, but that man Ålund is a bit too hot on the tree and Thomas ends up with second place again.

Jimmy Ålund 6.726/333.99 def Thomas Lindström 6.707/332.96

So now we move on to Tierp and we see whether Thomas has anything in the bag to win the next two rounds with number one qualifier points, for this is what he surely needs to do if he is to stop Jimmy taking another championship.

Don´t miss Lena Perés article about Magnus Petersson and team in this edition!


Michael Malmgren

LINK TO RESULTS DATA (pdf-format):

QUALIFICATIONS 
ELIMINATIONS

For results from the timing system for all classes please check;
http://nitrolympx.bw-timing.de

courtesy of BW Timing/HockenheimRing

Next event is the Scandinavian Internationals at Tierp Arena August 22-25th.


Part of Ålund´s winning crew