FINNISH NITRO NATS HIGHLIGHTS
Fri, 2009-07-10 09:35
The second round of the FIA and UEM European Drag Racing Championships were held amid the pine forests of southern Finland in early July. The weather was a mixture of hot sun and cold showers with all the Pro classes being finalised but the Sportsman categories were cut short at the semis as Finnish Outlaw driver Mikko Saarinen crashed, destroying the top end concrete block wall like a stack of domino’s, he emerged unhurt.
Andy Carter made it his second Top Fuel win in as many events as he wrapped up the premier class victory with wins over Finns Timo Lehtimaki in round one, Risto Poutiainen in two, then in a repeat of England’s Main Event final getting the better of Denmark’s Stig Neergaard, a holeshot one thousand foot 4.122/284 win to the chasing 4.109/285.
Derek Flynn made good after a DNQ in England in his A/Fueler in the Top Methanol Dragster category, he came from fifth qualifier to secure the event win, firstly taking out fellow Brit Rob Turner in one then Sweden’s Krister Johansson to face German Timo Habermann who led but was caught and passed, 5.477/260 to a 5.557/254.
Sweden’s Leif Andréasson was the third qualifier with fellow Swede Ulf Leanders leading the small Top Methanol Funny Car pack with a 5.681/252. Leanders lost in round one on a wild pass allowing Finland’s Jarmo Kuutniemi through to meet Andréasson. A somnolent leave by Kuutniemi had Andréasson’s 5.941/213 take the win.
A sometimes tricky track gave most team’s problems and that included Pro Stock as both semi finalists Michael Malmgren and Richard Sundblom were disqualified for Malmgren crossing the centre line and Sundblom crossing lanes and hitting the top end wall in their duel. The final was a solo as Jimmy Ålund netted another win with a 6.755/205.
Sweden’s Micke Gullqvist made it from seventh qualifier in Pro Modified to event winner in the sixteen car eliminator, he saw off a crossed up Graham Ellis then Jari Perén in two, Main Event winner Andy Robinson in the semi to face Switzerland’s Bruno Bader for the money. Bader suffered engine damage leaving Gullqvist to solo to a 6.212/226 win.
Per Bengtsson rode his extremely loud Super Twin Bike to a neat win as he got the better of Switzerland’s and top qualifier Lorenz Stäuble in the final. Bengtsson earlier beat Martyn de Haas then another Dutch competitor Job Heezen. Stäuble launched first in the final but was overtaken with a 6.872/202 to the losing 6.925/208.
It was the Funny Bike of Sweden’s Rikard Gustafsson that took the Top Fuel Bike win beating the fuel bikes of Czech, Otto Knebl then Norway’s Sverre Dahl and then down to breakages a lone final. The 6.849 at just 163mph took the trophy.
Pro Stock Bike was led by Sweden’s Ulf Ögge with a 7.287/182 but defending champion Finland’s Fredrik Fredlund made his way to face Ögge in the final by getting the better of Brit Martin Bishop in one, Sweden’s Gabriella Nikolovska in two. A red light from Ögge allowed Fredlund a 7.425/174 win.
There were two Pro Mod qualifying incidents as cars fought to get traction and both ending up contacting the guard wall. Firstly Sweden’s Ulf Rapp grazed his Mustang along many feet then Finn Kaj-Erik Nieminen crossed lanes at the top end in front of Tami Brander before destroying his Corvette against the wall, both drivers were unhurt in their encounters.
Several of the mighty Super Twin Bikes suffered big flash fires as they destroyed the heads on their mounts with Finland’s Samu Kemppainen causing damage to his engine and adding insult to injury failing to make the eight bike field.
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