Dave Wilson

I will start with a few words about the true veteran of the class, who luckily for us all decided to reconsider his retirement and return in FIA competition. Last year Dave Wilson and son David tuned their dragster, while they let Tethys handle the driving job. While Tethys is going to be at Main Event piloting one of the Rune Fjeld Motorsport Top Fuel Dragsters, Dave Wilson will back behind the wheel of the Silverline Tools Dragster (and many thanks to his sponsor I should mention).

Wilson is the current European record holder with 5.260 sec/435,13 km/h set in 2012. Stunning performance, but he is not alone to have run quicker than the so magic limit of 5.30 sec.


Monty Bugeja from Malta has done it too (5.29 sec/429 km/h) and he is making a welcome return in FIA Championship competition! The European Champions from 2012 have a record of being high performing and my gut instinct tells me crew chief Joseph Carabott will be on top of things this time too. Bugeja an the Mr Whippy Dragster is a serious contender for one or more victories. So why not start at Main Event?


Christopher Polidano and team Kalanc from Malta is back!

Well, it is possible that fellow countryman Chris Polidano would want to object and claim the Main Event win himself. Also Chris was absent from competition in 2013. In 2012 he ended 2nd in the points league and with a then PB of  5.33 sec, he has been at a level where he and team Kalanc can seriously compete with Bugeja and Wilson before. And I have no doubt that hasn´t changed.


Polidano, Tierp Arena Sweden 2012  


See the entry list for Main Event under a separate headline in this Newsletter and follow the action during Main Event via Eurodragster.com!

It warmed my heart to see the two German brothers Timo and Dennis Habermann on the entry list for Main Event after a year off Championship Drag Racing.


Archive photo of Dennis Habermann and a crew meber.

The Werner Habermann Racing includes also dad Werner as crew chief of the two car team and mum Heidi as co-ordinator. Beside that a dedicated crew of mechanics to care for the cars. Werner also has a successful history as driver in Pro Comp (methanol) Funny Car and later Dragster. And now the legacy is carried on by Timo (31 this year) and Dennis (soon to be 25).


Timo Habermann has had his fair portion of wins including the European Champion´s title 2010. I´m sure he wouldn´t mind another few winners trophies for the collection, but knowing Timo I can also tell he is genuinly and equally pleased to see brother Dennis in the winner circle. I have no idea what we can expect from team Habermann to start off the season 2014. But what I do know from having followed the team for quite some years is that they always aim for the #1 position. And records show they have been pretty good at it too. Timo´s personal best ET is 5.31 sec and it was set already on 2009. In 2012, he performed in the higher 5.30´s Dennis PB is 5.35 sec. I have no knowledge as to what changes have been made to Timo and Dennis cars since, and if they will be able to catch up and continue where they left or not, but we will soon find out.



Sweden´s Jonny Lagg (left) here with fellow competitor Paul Ingar Udtian, Norway. Lagg is entered for Main Event, while Udtian isn´t.

Jonny Lagg holds a current PB of  5.464 sec/428 km, which i a tenth of a second slower than his mentor Krister Johansson. But I foresee Jonny will improve on that and already this season.

Finland has two potential candidates to join the FIA Championship at a later stage, Marko Leivo and Esko Raisvuo. Leivo was driving licence runs last year at Alastaro and Raisvuo was absent from FIA competition 2013. I hope that any or both will join the circus at Alastaro, Finland for round #2 of the championship July 3-6th.

New comer Stefan Gunnarsson, from Sweden is entering the class much thanks to "Nitro tuner Gurus" Peter Lantz and Krister Johansson, who are contributing with their share of a "collective resposibility" for the class. They have stated they are willing to assist anyone who wish to start competing in nitro injected Top Methanol Dragster. Plans are Jonny Lagg´s son will also compete in the class. But not instead of his dad. No (I think), Jonny thinks this is far to interesting and fun to let go of,  so two cars are what the Lagg family have in mind.

Germany´s Peter Schöfer will join FIA Championship competition first in round #4 at home track Hockenheim. Reportedly, a busy life apart from Drag Racing means the team has to put other priorities first for the first part of the season.

The class that was doomed to be taken off the FIA Championship (due to too few participants) a few years back, is recovering well by the look of it. With skilled drivers from many nations and fast, consistent running cars the Methanol Dragster Class will be one of the most interesting to follow this season!