Samu Kemppainen, Elvira Karlsson, Björn Friström and Jan Sturla Hegre number one qualifiers at Alastaro
Samu Kemppainen (Super Twin Motorcycle), Elvira Karlsson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) and Björn Friström (Super Street Bike) will lead their categories into Sunday eliminations for the second round of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship at Alastaro.
The FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro, Finland, is the second round of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship. Instead of the cold and rain on Sunday at round one at Tierp, extremely high temperatures during qualifying in Finland. These conditions made it even more difficult for the tuners and riders to find the right set-up for the Alastaro track.
Like at Tierp Arena, in Super Twin Motorcycle Samu Kemppainen was again in a class of his own. The reigning FIM Super Twin champion is number one qualifier with 6.74 seconds. After major traction problems in earlier runs, Per Bengtsson moved up into the number two spot and with 6.90 seconds was the second rider to break the 7-second barrier.
Vesa Lipponen is number three qualifier with 7.02 seconds and reigning EDRS champion Hans Olav Olstad fourth (7.29 seconds). Many of the Super Twin riders did not only have problems with the weather conditions, mechanical problems didn’t help either to run good ET’s.
A great revenge for Elvira Karlsson in Pro Stock Motorcycle at Alastaro after her poor qualifying at Tierp. With 7.12 seconds Elvira is number one qualifier to beat her father Robert (7.15 seconds), who was number one in Sweden.
Kalle Lyrén will start eliminations from third (7.19 seconds) and Kenneth Holmberg (7.20 seconds) is fourth. Despite a personal best of 7.25 seconds, Timo Savolainen is fifth.
Reigning EDRS Pro Nordic champion Björn Friström will lead the Super Street Bike field into Sunday eliminations. Nils-Ola Andersson impressed with 7.64 seconds and is second, with Dag Wagenius in third position. Anders Blanck is fourth and in fifth Vesa Ruhanen is the best Finn in the field.
Top Fuel Motorcycle has only two entries at Alastaro, and as number one qualifier Jan Sturla Hegre suffered severe engine damage, there will be no elimination in this class. Sverre Dahl was number two qualifier.
Eliminations for the FHRA Nitro Nationals will start tomorrow morning.