FIA Finland Cut Down by Elements

The weather was once again a culprit as the third round of the  2012 FIA European Drag Racing Series was subjected to drag racings worst enemy — rain…

The Finnish round  (Alastaro) was held with rain and storms forecast for late in the weekend.  But in the end it only affected the finals of the Pros and several eliminations of the Sportsman ranks as late Sunday afternoon the wet stuff hit and stayed.

Overall the event was held in warm, humid conditions for the most part and even though some of the Pro classes were not full fields due mainly to the recession the fans turned up to pack the banking on Saturday.

Top Fuel: 

In Top Fuel nine cars fought it out with Finnish driver Antti Horto claiming pole on a 4.123/293 in the Aubox backed fueller. He progressed to make the un-run final by seeing off an in smoke and sideways Patrik Pers with a 4.138/288 then a slick blazing 6.067/106 from Jari Halinen to a winning 4.312/230.

Finnish racer Antti Horto qualified #1 and advanced to the final round

For the Top Fuel final, Horto would meet fellow Finn Janne Ahonen in the TEHO dragster. Ahonen had been number two in qualifying and despatched England’s Chris Andrews in round one before managing to demolish the hopes of point leader Risto Poutiainen in the semi final, 4.314/274 to a breaking launch just off the line from Poutiainen.

Janne Ahonen in the TEHO dragster

Top Methanol Dragster:

The Maltese teams continued their great outings with Monty Bugeja in the Mr. Whippy machine sitting on top of the Top Methanol Dragster pile with a 5.422/261 qualifier. Bugeja had a reasonably easy route to reach the rained-out final, a 5.504/258 got him by the A/Fueller of Finland’s Esko Raisvou then a bye put him into the final.

Malta-based Monty Bugeja was impressive in TMD

For the money run, Bugeja would be up against Germany’s Timo Habermann who had taken out the nitro car of England’s and point leader, Dave Wilson in round one then was due to race sibling Dennis Habermann but an trip into the sand trap earlier put paid to Dennis’s bid giving Timo an uncontested route to the un-run final.

Germany's Timo Habermann was scheduled for the TMD final

Top Methanal Funny Car: 

The Top Methanol Funny Car class was a mere five racers with Sweden’s Leif Andréasson on top with a 5.674/251 ticket, a round one bye then got him facing fellow Swede Jonas Staflund but as Staflund ran a winning 6.073/235, Andréasson seemed to lose traction spinning the tyres at four hundred feet out.

Sweden's Jonas Staflund

Ulf Leanders was the TMFC driver that would have come up against the giant killer Staflund in the un-run final as he demolished the hopes of Mikael Larsson in round one then had a bye to the final.

Pro Modified:

Pro Modified produced thirteen teams, half of what is usually on hand, led by a 5.989/241 from Sweden’s Micke Gullqvist but he did not have it all his own way getting very loose in the semis and losing to fellow countryman Mats Eriksson in his ’56 Crown Victotia, 6.491/226 to a 7.866/125, Eriksson was then in the final after also despatching Holland’s Robert Joosten in one then point leader, Switzerland’s Bruno Bader who red lit in round two.

Mats Eriksson's "beyond cool" '56 Crown Victoria PM

The other Pro Mod racer, Sweden’s Freddy Fagerström came from number three qualifier to beat the likes of Germany’s Marco Maurischat in one then Holland’s Marc Meihizen in two before running a 6.275/228 in his Chevy Pick Up to beat fellow Swede Bert Ove Olofsson’s 6.356/229 to reach the final.

Freddy Fagerström (from Sweden) was scheduled to race in the Pro Mod final.Pro Stock:Pro Stock fielded eleven runners led by point leader Thomas Lindström on a 6.688/208 pass but a first round red light did the team no favours losing to fellow Swede Mats Jacobsson who was then taken by Micke Callin who got to the final.Pro Stock finalist - Micke Callin

Meeting Callin in the rained-out final would be Sweden’s Jimmy Ålund who sat in second qualifying spot. Ålund easily saw off first alternative Christian Sagelv despite a crossed up 6.937/203 to the losing 7.236/189 then took out Michael Malmgren’s try, a 6.724/205 beating the 6.880/201.

Jimmy Alund advanced his all new 2012 Camaro to the PS final before the rain hit

Posting and Photos by: Roger Gorringe. www.nitroexposure.co.uk   Copyright July 2012.