Samu Kemppainen, Robert Karlsson and Dag Wagenius beat the Alastaro heat
Samu Kemppainen
The contrast couldn’t have been any bigger. After the cold and rain at the opening round at Tierp Arena, there were almost tropical conditions at the second round of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship at Alastaro. In bright sunshine the Finnish fans enjoyed a full programme of four qualifying runs, full eliminations and the traditional Finnish prize giving ceremony with the winners going head first into a water barrel. Samu Kemppainen, Robert Karlsson and Dag Wagenius took this tradition for granted, as the race winners now also lead the championship in their respective categories.
The FHRA Nitro Nationals at Alastaro was the second race of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship. After the track was resurfaced last year, Alastaro is one of the smoothest tracks in Europe. Traction was already far better than last year, but it sometimes couldn’t handle all the power the strongest motorcycles produced. The extreme temperatures didn’t make it any easier for the teams to find the right set-up for the Alastaro track.
Elvira Karlsson
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Qualifying
After a poor qualifying at Tierp, Elvira Karlsson was back to form at Alastaro. In a close side-by-side run against her father Robert, Elvira jumped into the number one position with 7.12 seconds. In the other lane Robert Karlsson’s 7.15 seconds was good for the number two spot. Kalle Lyrén was third, but the reigning EDRS Pro Nordic MC Pro Stock Motorcycle champion had to withdraw from eliminations as he hurt both engines in qualifying. Kenneth Holmberg was a solid fourth, while a 7.25 seconds personal best brought home favourite Timo Savolainen fifth position.
Kenneth Holmberg
Eliminations
Quarter finals
There were no major upsets in the first round, but it was Holmberg who needed a hole shot win against Savolainen to advance to the next round. Elvira Karlsson defeated number eight qualifier Miia Maria Vepsäläinen and a great 7.77 seconds for a red-lighting Thomas Olsen was not enough against Robert Karlsson. As Ellsa had a bye-run, three Karlssons advanced to the semi-finals.
Robert Karlsson
Semi-finals, final
In the semi-final Robert Karlsson had to face daughter Ellsa and won the race. In the other semi-final Holmberg made his best run of the weekend, but even his 7.16 seconds was not enough to defeat Elvira Karlsson, as the Elvira Racing rider set low ET of the meeting with 7.097 seconds. Thus Alastaro had an all Karlsson final. In a great side-by-side race Elvira suffered some mechanical problems and Robert also defeated his other daughter to take the win in only his second race after his comeback.
Elvira and Robert Karlsson
Robert Karlsson
Samu Kemppainen
Super Twin Motorcycle
Qualifying
It’s loud and clear that it will be hard to beat Samu Kemppainen in Super Twin Motorcycle this season. Like at Tierp, the reigning FIM Super Twin champion was number one qualifier, this time with 6.74 seconds. After some 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 was third with reigning EDRS champion Hans Olav Olstad in fourth. Many of the Super Twin riders not only had problems with the high temperatures, but mechanical problems didn’t help them run good numbers either.
Hans Olav Olstad
Eliminations
Quarter finals
The first round of eliminations saw the top four qualifiers advance to the semi-finals. In a straight 6.71 seconds Kemppainen defeated Greger Johansson, while Olstad was too fast for number five qualifier Anders Hörnström. The other two first round runs saw two big engine explosions.
Vesa Lipponen and Ismo Mäenpää
The first one was Lipponen, but as Ismo Mäenpää pulled a red light, the number three qualifier still advanced to the semi-finals. However, you didn’t need to be an expert to see it would be impossible to fix the bike in time for the next round. The second explosion was for Asko Määttä, handing the win to Bengtsson.
Per Bengtsson
Semi-finals
As expected Bengtsson had a bye-run to the final, but the other semi-final was a great fight between Kemppainen and Olstad. Again the Finn proved to be the best this season. Another 6.71 seconds was too much for Olstad (7.0) and so the numbers one and two qualifiers were in the final.
Super Twin Motorcycle final
Final
Like all weekend, in the final Kemppainen was also in a class of his own. In his third straight 6.7-second run Kemppainen took the win against Bengtsson, who didn’t have his best run of the weekend with 9.9 seconds.
Per Bengtsson and Samu Kemppainen
Dag Wagenius
Super Street Bike
Qualifying
Reigning EDRS Pro Nordic champion Björn Friström was back on top again and the number one qualifier in Super Street Bike. Nils-Ola Andersson impressed with a second position, just ahead of Dag Wagenius, Anders Blanck and first Finnish rider in the field, Vesa Ruhanen. With the first nine riders within 0.25 seconds of each other, and even number twelve qualifier less than half a second behind the polesitter, eliminations promised to be close.
Anders Blanck
Eliminations
First round
As if a carbon copy of his Tierp race, Leif Larsson eliminated himself in the first round with a wheelie, to see Jani Kumpulainen take the win. As Friström defeated Niclas Johansson, Andersson Emil Ȍstlund, Ruhanen Robert Häggblom, Wagenius Henri Kohlemainen and Blanck Kimmo Pulakka, all top five qualifiers advanced to the quarter finals and proved they deserved their positions.
Vesa Ruhanen
Quarter finals
In the quarter finals Friström needed a low ET of the meeting (7.48 seconds) to defeat an improving Kumpulainen (7.53!). Andersson took the win against Ruhanen, while Wagenius surprised Blanck to advance to the semi-finals.
Nils-Ola Andersson
Semi-finals
As Friström had a bye run, the reigning champion could cruise to the final. In the other semi-final Wagenius proved his form to win over a slowing Andersson.
Super Street Bike final
Final
At the start of the final, it looked like Wagenius already lost his chance of winning the race when his front wheel came up. But despite the wheelie, the Norwegian rider didn’t lift and in spectacular style stayed with Friström. In a great side-by-side run Wagenius took the win with 7.685 seconds against 7.788 for Friström.
Dag Wagenius
Sverre Dahl
Top Fuel Motorcycle
Qualifying
Top Fuel Motorcycle had only two entries at Alastaro. Yet still there was some confusion about the number one qualifying position as Sverre Dahl’s last run was not included in the lists. But as that was 6.71 seconds, he really was the number one qualifier, ahead of Jan Sturla Hegre (6.98 seconds).
Jan Sturla Hegre
Eliminations
The fourth qualifying was also the last run for Hegre at the Nitro Nationals as his engine suffered severe damage. The Norwegian was not able to return for eliminations and so Dahl had a bye-run in the final to take the Alastaro win.
Championship
In the championship after round two, Sverre Dahl is the leader in Top Fuel Motorcycle, Samu Kemppainen in Super Twin Motorcycle, Robert Karlsson took over the lead in Pro Stock Motorcycle and Dag Wagenius is the new leader in Super Street Bike
Top Fuel Motorcycle
Low ET: Sverre Dahl, 6.711 seconds
Top speed:
Super Twin Motorcycle
Low ET: Samu Kemppainen, 6,714 seconds
Top speed: Per Bengtsson, 340.24 km/h
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Low ET: Elvira Karlsson, 7.097 seconds
Top speed: Kenneth Holmberg, 302.95 km/h
Super Street Bike
Low ET: Björn Friström, 7.481 seconds
Top speed: Nils-Ola Andersson, 310.55 km/h
Results
Link to Finals qualifying list:
http://edrspro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/NITRO-2015_PRO-Bikes-Q-E-1.pdf
Link to Elimination ladders
http://edrspro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/NITRO-2015_PRO-Bikes-Q-E-1.pdf
Link to championship point standings after the FHRA Nitro Nationals
http://edrspro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/NM-POINTS-2015-RD221.pdf
For more pictures see: EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship facebook
Text: Remco Scheelings
Photos: Remco Scheelings
