SWEDEN'S VEIDEC FESTIVAL
The Swedish round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship managed to get in the only complete non washed out event of the tour so far this season and even this suffered rain and thunder storms making hard work for the track crews. But cool air helped the event secure a new European Top Fuel record and numerous track bests. On the woeful side there was one Pro Stock crash and two Pro bikes managed to scrape the guard rail all with, thankfully, no casualties.
In FIA Top Fuel, Britain’s Andy Carter in the Lucas Oil machine recorded a new European record with his 4.732 that also led the field of ten entries by almost a tenth. Of the eight qualifiers only two remained outside the four second zone with Sweden’s Jöran Persåker sitting on the bump with a 5.074, a fact that made it Europe’ quickest ever bump spot.
Round one pitted Norway against Sweden with Thomas Nataas experiencing a small fire in the lights on his winning 4.916/303 as Micke Kǻgered pitched the blower belt off at three quarter track slowing to a 6.244/139. Finland’s Tommi Haapanen ran his best ever with a winning 4.890/294 as Switzerland’s Urs Erbacher lost the blower belt at one hundred feet out. Finland’s ski jumping Champion Janne Ahonen ran a great 4.881 in qualifying but experienced problems starting and came to stage too late after ignoring short burnout instructions and was told to shut off allowing Holland’s Lex Joon to record an easy solo of 6.445/131 to take the win. Andy Carter also had problems starting but did manage in time then zipped off a 4.740/308 to oust any chance from Jöran Persǻker’s 5.057/263 to end the round.
In FIA Top Fuel, Britain’s Andy Carter in the Lucas Oil machine recorded a new European record with his 4.732 that also led the field of ten entries by almost a tenth. Of the eight qualifiers only two remained outside the four second zone with Sweden’s Jöran Persåker sitting on the bump with a 5.074, a fact that made it Europe’ quickest ever bump spot.
Round one pitted Norway against Sweden with Thomas Nataas experiencing a small fire in the lights on his winning 4.916/303 as Micke Kǻgered pitched the blower belt off at three quarter track slowing to a 6.244/139. Finland’s Tommi Haapanen ran his best ever with a winning 4.890/294 as Switzerland’s Urs Erbacher lost the blower belt at one hundred feet out. Finland’s ski jumping Champion Janne Ahonen ran a great 4.881 in qualifying but experienced problems starting and came to stage too late after ignoring short burnout instructions and was told to shut off allowing Holland’s Lex Joon to record an easy solo of 6.445/131 to take the win. Andy Carter also had problems starting but did manage in time then zipped off a 4.740/308 to oust any chance from Jöran Persǻker’s 5.057/263 to end the round.
It was Holland’s Lex Joon in the MPM Oil car that faced Norwegian, Thomas Nataas’ Batmobile machine in the final and a holeshot leave coupled to a 4.959/256 had Joon take the win despite losing the blower belt at the three quarter mark as Nataas limped to a 12.027/79 after blazing the slicks at around one hundred foot.
Into round one and Flynn left by a mile on his 6.551/207 pass only to have a somnolent Wilson amazingly catch and pass him with, not even his best numbers but winning 5.841/244. A shower interrupted the race but once back on track the action continued with a stunning win for another class rookie, Paul Ingar Udtian from Norway in Dave Wilson’s old car who ran a 5.781/242 win over the nitro car of Sweden’s Krister Johansson who’s almost back on form 5.852/255 failed to secure the win. Finland’s Arto Hoyla fish-tailed up track to lose with a 6.141/231 as Britain’s Rob Turner turned a 5.662/246 into a winner. An all German pairing was won by Peter Schöfer with a 5.541/256 as Timo Habermann lost ground and went out with a 5.783/239.
There were no strangers in the final at this event as Peter Schöfer in the ‘Bavarian Thunder’ machine faced Dave Wilson in the Silverline car. Despite a solid leave by Schöfer, Wilson chased him down and won with a stout 5.484/253 as the opponent trailed in with a no too tardy 5.615/253.
At the end of FIA Top Methanol Funny Car qualifying it was Sweden’s Ulf Leanders, the defending champion that led the ten car field with a 5.711/246 that left Norway’s Arvid Grødem in the eighth spot.
It was all over on the starting line as the first pairing of Arvid Grødem and Ulf Leanders faced off with Grødem bulbing a red light and allowing Leanders wild, all over his lane 6.725/191 the win. Sweden’s Freddy Fagerström bounced his way to a 6.03/245 win as the tardy leave from Finland’s Jarmo Kuutniemi failed to catch up with his 7.083/169. Leif Andréasson managed a good timing on his pass with a 5.830/239 as Belgium’s Danny Bellio’s 6.134/229 lead was reeled in and passed. Tyre shake caused Sweden’s Kjell Sjöblom problems on his 6.693/157 pass that ended up a loose when Denmark’s Dan Larsen recorded the 6.029/235 win that wound up round one.
On the money run the flamed Firebird of Freddy Fagerström and the ESAB/Swedish Armed Forces backed Dodge of Leif Andréasson made their moves with Andréasson out first and holding on to record a 5.831/240 win as Fagerström ran to a troubled 9.801/83 try.
FIA Pro Stock had the first all six second field in European history and was led by Michael Malmgren with a 6.819/202 leaving Kenneth Söderström on the bubble with a 6.978/197 and another six sitting out the race as DNQ’s. It was Finland’s Richard Sundblom that took a tumble in the last qualifier at the top end, the new Chevy Cobalt was badly damaged after the rolls but the driver emerged intact.
Into round one and a fairly tight battle was won when Finn, Eero Knihtilä took the win light with a 6.939/199 over the loose from Sweden’s Tommy Leindahl’s 6.993/196. Jimmy Ålund made his holeshot and the 6.888/200 work in the defeat of fellow Swede Adam Flamholc’s 6.930/198. Magnus Hansson used his better leave to good effect with a 6.971/196 defeat of Michael Callin’s better but losing 6.946/198 in another all Swedish battle. The final pair saw Michael Malmgren surprisingly get crossed up off the line and slowed to a losing 11.389/74 allowing Kenneth Söderström to secure the win with his 6.997/193.
Two tight races made up the semi finals with Eero Knihtilä carding his win with a 6.896/201 as he caught and passed the 6.988/196 from Kenneth Söderström’s Pontiac Grand Am. In the other pairing, Magnus Hansson in his Grand Am chased hard to try and catch the leave of Jimmy Ålund but the 6.999/195 was not quite enough as Ålund’s 6.908/200 had the race won.
The final was all over on the startline as Finland’s Eero Knihtilä in the plain white Chevy Cavalier red lit, realising his fault he was off the power by one hundred and fifty feet out leaving the Klintberg & Way Partners backed Pontiac GTO of current Champion Jimmy Ålund to take event the win with a 6.933/198.
Several surprises happened in round one as known names went out including the back in as alternate Urban Johansson who got crossed up off the line and allowed a returning Patrik Wikström through. Former Pro Stock racer Hans Knuters debuted a stunning ’41 Willys but red lit, Dutch driver Marc Meihuizen, Britain’s Gordon Appleton and Sweden’s Mikael Lindahl just some of the big names that fell in round one.
Round two opened with a holeshot win going to Andy Robinson, a 6.283/224 beat the weaving and distinctively dubious time of 6.087/214 from Michael Nord. After another three quarter track burnout, Patrik Wikström’s 6.456/221 was erased from the win results by the holeshot 6.335/224 from Mats Eriksson. Roger Johansson made it back in as another alternate in his nitrous Mustang but his 6.532/206 was nowhere good enough as Micke Gullqvist ran him down with a 6.255/226 winner. A troubled 8.380/127 put Germany’s Norbert Kuno back on the trailer as Switzerland’s Bruno Bader ran one of his bests, a 6.471 at 215 to obtain the win that ended round two.
The semis started with a battle of the race car shop owners and a fine leave by Sweden’s Mats Eriksson in the ’56 Crown Victoria ‘Green Goblin’ had Andy Robinson in chase mode, the 6.350/223 was good but Robinson’s 6.289/225 was better and took the win. Although Bader had stepped up all weekend his ’63 Corvette failed to deliver enough to beat Gullqvist’s fine 6.211/222 with the brave but losing 6.499/214.
Due to previous years safety concerns both the Top Fuel and Super Twin Bike classes were run over an eight mile. In the final from an eight bike field of the UEM Top Fuel Bike, top qualifier, Britain’s Ian King succumbed to problems, losing power at two hundred and fifty feet out as opponent, Sweden’s Peter Svensson charged off to record the event win with a 4.310/146 to the slowed up 5.707/82. The UEM Super Twin Bike top qualifier, Switzerland’s Lorenz Stauble made his way to the final in the eight bike class to face Holland’s Roel Koedam. Stauble was out of the gate first on the Rick’s Motorcycle sponsored machine but was chased down and despatched with a 4.486/167 from Koedam’s Zodiac V Twin, a 4.548/166 was the runner up.
The UEM Pro Stock Bike had thirteen entries and was allowed to run the whole quarter mile and had Denmark’s Tom Tinndahn in as top qualifier with a 7.256/183 however, he broke after the semi final and did not show for the final, allowing Sweden’s Anders Larsson a solo run for the event title on a 7.572/169 lap.
