FIA European Finals — Santa Pod Raceway England, Sep. 9-12^th, 2010

Euro Records Smashed — Champs Crowned at FIA Finals

By:  Roger Gorringe 

The weather forecasts were dire but despite a couple of showers the FIA & UEM European Finals event was one of the best in years; there were stunning records, big highs and deep lows and some unusual bouts in eliminations that all culminated in the crowning of Champions and event winners on the Sunday…..

Top Fuel:

Was a dramatic affair with England’s Andy Carter running a quickest ever 4.613 on Friday then surpassing that on Saturday to gain the European ET record of 4.572 with a 320.19mph clocking, the best ever on an all asphalt quarter mile track. The point leaders were Switzerland’s Urs Erbacher and Finland’s Risto Poutiainen with fellow Finn Anita Mäkelä on a mathematical chance. Carter went out in round one after contacted the timing blocks at one thousand feet negating his 4.962/236 and giving the win to Sweden’s Micke Kågered. Finland’s Janne Ahonen ran the winning 5.032/281 as Denmark’s Stig Neergaard got sideways and lifted. Erbacher stretched his lead when his 4.859/274 beat the 4.987/244 from Finn Jari Halinen. Poutiainen went into instant smoke allowing  Mäkelä to take a front end lifting at three-quarter track win, this gave the FIA Top Fuel Championship to Urs Erbacher. Round two had Ahonen take a 5.11/265 win as Kågered slowed to a 5.747/169 and Erbacher’s 4.900/304 beat Mäkelä’s 5.503/180. It all made a Swiss Finland confrontation for the money run with Urs Erbacher getting away first with Janne Ahonen chasing but in the lights it was a 4.885/278 win for the new champ as Ahonen came in with a losing 4.986/270.

Urs Erbacher clinched the 2010 FIA Top Fuel Championship

Top Methanol Dragster:

Germany’s Timo Habermann had the FIA Top Methanol Dragster Championship all but wrapped up on arrival at the Finals; he ended up second qualifier behind Norway’s Fred Hanssen with a 5.355/266 securing the title. Round one winners were Hanssen over Sweden’s Krister Johansson, England’s Dave Wilson beat Germany’s Peter Schöfer, Timo went out to his brother Dennis Habermann and England’s Derek Flynn beat Norway’s Paul Ingar Udtian. One of the bizarre semis followed; Hanssen and Wilson had damage from the last round and failed to make the round whilst Dennis Habermann banged the blower panel on the burnout allowing Flynn an easy 8.614/96 to the final. Flynn went on to take a 5.351/268 solo for the win and backing up a European speed record of 270.53mph.

England's Derek Flynn prevailed in TMD

Top Methanol Funny Car:

The championship was between Denmark’s Dan Larsen and Germany’s Jürgen Nagel with the latter qualifying ahead of Larsen. It was Belgium’s Danny Bellio that sat on pole with a neat 5.793/247. Bellio took the first round bye as Larsen took out England’s Rob Turner who went up in smoke, Nagel saw off the charge from Brit Stephanie Milam and Dezsoe Krivan solo shaking win as Norway’s Arvid Grødem had broken. The semis gave Dan Larsen the FIA Top Methanol Funny Car Championship when he took out Bellio who red lit as did Nagel in his run-off with Krivan. Dan Larsen beat Krivan in the final an eased off 6.443/186 as Krivan red lit.

TMFC winner and FIA Champ - Dan Larsen

Pro Stock:

 Class wars saw Conrad Stanley the first ever British entry into the FIA class, but he unfortunately broke on the burnout in round one. Sweden’s Jimmy Ålund was not a realistic contender in the point race even though he qualified top with a 6.726/205 ahead of leader Michael Malmgren’s 6.760/202. Losers in round one were Stanley, Tommy Leindahl to new driver Sampsa Palos, Jonas Dantanus to Malmgren and Michael Callin to fellow Swede Jan Palmqvist.

Ålund ran the quickest of the event with a 6.697/206 to defeat a hard charging Palos whose 6.822/202 was not enough. A holeshot 6.819/202 was enough from Malmgren to oust Palmqvist’s close 6.805/204 to field a classic final with arch rivals Malmgren and Ålund. Michael Malmgren had sewn up the FIA Pro Stock Championship and was first away but was chased down by the power of Jimmy Ålund’s car, a 6.731/205 won the event as Malmgren runner upped with a 6.812/204.

Jimmy Alund scored again in Pro Stock

Pro Mod:

Not surprisingly it was hugely popular visiting American, Melanie Troxel that led the large Pro Mod field despite an earlier motor detonation in the pits, a 6.027/241 got her pole position but luck ran out in the semis as she was shut off with a fluid leak. The points race was equal between Swedes Micke Gullqvist and Johan Lindberg. Gullqvist went out in the quarter finals having gone up in smoke then pedalling it chasing an also pedalling Bruno Bader with Bader getting the nod. Lindberg, now the FIA Pro Mod Champion suffered no reverse after the burnout in the semi final leaving Sweden’s Adam Flamholc the win. Flamholc had earlier run two 5-secs passes in his blown ’68 Camaro, but the final was his with a 6.070/233 as Switzerland’s Bruno Bader’s shake and pedal try was not enough.

Johan Lindberg sealed the 2010 FIA Pro Mod Championship

Text and Photos Copyright Roger Gorringe — September 2010.