Neergaard on top as Brits get close
Organiser: Santa Pod Raceway When: May 28-30
The six-event FIA European drag racing championship opened up with The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway.
In the premier FIA Top Fuel Dragster category, both British entries made it to the semi-final stage. Class rookie Steve Ashdown beat Sweden’s Stefan Gunnarsson in the first round of eliminations with a 4.236s/283.75mph run. Liam Jones, now in his second season, defeated multi-time champion Urs Erbacher in a match-up that was characterised by a frantic search for traction. Jones emerged victorious with a 4.996s/213.10mph timing. Unfortunately for the home crowd, both Rune Fjeld Motorsports teammates would have to wait for their first final round appearances with Ashdown being shutdown before he could get to the startline against 2015 series champion Micke Kagered, whilst Jones’s 4.112s/ 278.51mph lost out to low qualifier Stig Neergaard’s 3.972s/299.76mph charge (which also stood as the quickest and fastest run of the event). The Denmark vs Sweden final was decided fairly quickly as Kagered’s Bahco Tools Express ride broke traction and Neergaard powered and flamed his way to a 5.4298s winning ticket.
The eliminations ladder for FIA/MSA Pro Modified didn’t make for pretty reading for the domestic contingent as only Kevin Slyfield and Philip Englefield made it past the opening round before falling at the quarter-final stage. The trophy match-up featured Sweden’s Micke Gullqvist and Switzerland’s Bruno Bader (who had qualified low with a 5.946s/234.08mph). Bader emerged victorious in 5.939s/235.28mph to a 5.964s/245.07mph in one of the quickest Pro Mod finals in European history.
FIA Pro Stock boiled down to Jimmy Alund and Thomas Lindstrom, runner-up and champion respectively in last season’s series. Lindstrom left too early and gifted Alund the trophy although a 6.458s/213.07mph would have been very tough to beat.
FIA Top Methanol Dragster Jonny Lagg took a solo to pick up his first win of the season when opponent Chris Polidano failed to fire.
Results FIA Top Fuel Dragster Final: Stig Neergaard (DEN) 5.429s/ 127.00mph def Micke Kagered (SWE) 7.866s/95.09mph FIA/ MSA Pro Modified Final: Bruno Bader (CHE) 5.939s/235.28mph def Micke Gullqvist (SWE) 5.964s/245.07mph FIA Pro Stock Car Final: Jimmy Ålund (SWE) 6.458s/213.07mph def Thomas Lindström (SWE) red light start FIA Top Methanol Dragster Final: Jonny Lagg (SWE) 5.425s/275.33mph def Chris Polidano (MLT) did not start