FIA’s Sweden Round – Washed Out

By:  Roger Gorringe

FIA Veidec Festival Mantorp Park, Sweden — July 28-August 1st, 2010.

The long dry heat-wave that had blanketed much of northern Europe came to a sudden end at a most inopportune time — just as the third round of the 2010 FIA European Drag Racing Championships got under way. 

The Thursday Sportsman qualifying day was totally washed out and Friday was cut down to a single  qualifier for both Pro and Sportsman.  Saturday did dawn dry and bright which allowed for two sessions to be completed.nday started wet and gloomy but tireless efforts by the track crew paid off late afternoon and the first round of Pro Mod was completed. Top Fuel ran one pair before the wet stuff returned.  Ultimately the event was called off due to the volume of rain and lateness in the day. 

FIA organizers tried valiantly...!

Top Fuel saw the re-emergence of Finland’s Anita Mäkelä as the team overcame earlier problems and put to work their large arsenal of parts bought from the Prudhomme stable over the winter. A top qualifier over the one thousand feet of 4.059/262, over a tenth in front of nearest rival, England’s Andy Carter with a 4.182/281.

Finland's Anita Makela qualified #1 in Top Fuel

The Top Methanol Dragster class was led by Germany’s Timo Habermann, the winner of the Finland round who notched up pole position with a 5.445/249 just ahead of fellow countryman Peter Schöfer on a 5.449/258 in the nine car stanza.

Timo Habermann

A bigger entry in Sweden in the Top Methanol Funny Car class from the two entries in Finland and it was led by Denmark’s Dan Larsen in his Dodge Stratus having shaken off some of his earlier mechanical woes, a 5.910/242 put him ahead of the other five runners.

Dan Larsen lead the way in TMFC

The huge thirty vehicle class of the popular Pro Modified racers was led by Sweden’s Urban Johansson in his Corvette having finally found his form again after a year or so in the wilderness. The 6.080/233 was the only car in the 6.0s and was the only class to run a first round before the storm set in, Johansson ran a 6.064/235 beating Lars Olsson’s Firebird in that eliminator.

Sweden's Urban Johansson paced a 30 car field in Pro Mod

Pro Stock saw the return of Jimmy Ålund and his number one car fresh from racing in the US, a 6.779/204 put him where he is normally accustomed. Fellow Swede Jan Palmqvist stepped in to gain second place with a 6.885/201 out of the eleven runners.

Jimmy Alund was quickest in Pro Stock qualifying

Text and Photos Copyright August 2010      Roger Gorringe – www.eurodragster.com