After Sweden Holland is the strongest country in the internationals Pro Modified competition. Although there are only three, they’re all frontrunners, can win races and maybe already next year, win a championship. When Marc Meihuizen, David Vegter and Robert Joosten would be speed skaters, swimmers or athletes, they would be on the cover of all Dutch newspapers with their race and championship results.



Marc Meihuizen
In recent years Marc Meihuizen already showed his speed, but this season is a real breakthrough for the J.W.R. Racing driver. At the Main Event the MPM-driver saw a dream come true by breaking the 6-seconds barrier, one of the most important goals of his carrier. And Meihuizen didn’t do it with a 5.99, no the ’68 Firebird took the number one qualifying position with a stunning 5.913 seconds. Alastaro was the next highlight as the Joeri Woudenberg tuned Pontiac was the only car that could run 6.0-seconds in eliminations at the difficult track and Meihuizen won his first ever FIA European Championship race.

At the Scandinavian Internationals Meihuizen was on a high again as he lowered his personal best to 5.905 seconds and was the number two qualifier. Meihuizen always wants to go as fast as the track can handle and as his combination is not on the limit, he is sure he can go faster. His next goal is a low 5.8 seconds and nobody will say that’s impossible for this combination. Meihuizen is the number three in the FIA European Championship at the moment and as Michael Gullqvist and Mattias Wulcan are too far ahead, that will be the maximum for this year.
  
Meihuizen


Joosten

David Vegter
David Vegter is one of those real racers. After a few years in Sportsman classes, Pro Mod was the next step. Vegter made it by working extremely hard and 100% dedication. Last year he already showed his skills by going into the final at the European Finals. He did that again at this year’s Main Event, reset his personal best there twice to bring it to a great 6.093 seconds. At the Sweden Internationals Vegter set a new personal best again (6.05 seconds) and advanced to the quarter finals. But at Alastaro the ’67 Camaro suffered severe engine damage and although Hockenheim was a semi-final again, Vegter had to withdraw from the Scandinavian International after another engine damage in qualifying. Started as the number two in the championship after the Main Event, Vegter is now number five, but determined to get back into the number three position at the European Finals.


Vegter


photo: Robert Joosten captured with Åsa Kinnemar Speedgroup

Robert Joosten
A few years ago Robert Joosten was the first Dutch Pro Mod driver to win a FIA European Championship race (Mantorp Park). But with the new ’70 Camaro all kind of bad luck hit the Pro Dutch Racing team. After struggling with the car and a crash at last year’s Hockenheim race, Joosten decided to ship the car to the States and only come back when the car was 100% race ready. After many hours of hard work and many adjustments, the car went arrow straight and fast. But back in Europe problems were back. At the June Tierp Arena event the team found the problem and since that moment, Pro Dutch Racing is in the winning mood. The ’70 Camaro goes arrow straight run after run and setting new personal bests almost every race. Joosten doesn’t only want to go fast, but he also wants to win races and with that strategy he was in the semi-finals in the last three races, Alastaro, Hockenheim and the Scandinavian Internationals. In qualifying at Tierp Arena Joosten was already close to the 6-seconds barrier and in eliminations he broke it for the first time with a 5.99 seconds. As the team is doing everything step-by-step and the car is running this numbers so easy, there is far more to come from this strong combination. After two races Joosten was tenth in the championship but is now already in fourth position! A final and a low 5.9 seconds are the next things to come.


Joosten