Scandinavian Internationals, the EDRS Pro Nordic MC finals
Tierp Arena
The Scandinavian Internationals is the fourth and final round of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship. Two and a half months after the championship kicked off at Tierp Arena, the EDRS Pro Nordic MC is back at the state-of-the-art drag race facility north of Stockholm. Samu Kemppainen (Super Twin Motorcycle), Elvira Karlsson (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Björn Friström (Super Street Bike) and Jan Sturla Hegre (Top Fuel Motorcycle) enter the final round as the leader in their respective categories. But for at least two of them it’s far from sure they will be the champion after Sunday eliminations.
The second season of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship kicked off in June at Tierp Arena. After the first race the teams visited Alastaro in Finland and Gardermoen in Norway and now they are back for their final race of the season at Tierp. Looking at the large numbers of entries in almost all classes, the Scandinavian Internationals will be exciting, not at least because there are some ultra-fast non championship contenders who can spoil the title aspirations of the favourites.
Robert and Elvira Karlsson
Pro Stock Motorcycle
It will be most exciting in Pro Stock Motorcycle where the competition is extremely close. It’s almost sure the name of the new champion will be Karlsson, but will it be Robert, Elvira, or can Ellsa surprise? After her runner-up finish at Gardermoen, 19-year old Elvira Karlsson is the new leader in the championship, but only one point behind is Robert.
Ellsa Karlsson
After her great win at Gardermoen, Ellsa is the number three in the title race, only 22 points short of her sister Elvira. What a surprise it would be to see 17-year old Ellsa win the title in her first full time season in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Kalle Lyrén
Number four in the championship is Kalle Lyrén, the still reigning champion. Lyrén missed many points after an engine failure in qualifying at Alastaro and with 69 points behind, it’s almost impossible for the young Swede to pass all three Karlssons and win the title. Kenneth Holmberg is fifth in the championship and only ten points behind Lyrén.
Timo Savolainen
All other regular EDRS Pro Nordic MC competitors are also at Tierp and can spoil some championship dreams. Timo Savolainen skipped the Gardermoen race but showed in the other races how fast he can be. Plus of course Thomas Olsen, the young Norwegian rider who improves every race and reset his personal best last week at Hockenheim. Or Anders Larsson, who impressed in the first Tierp race.
Fredrik Fredlund
But most feared will be Fredrik Fredlund, the reigning FIM European Pro Stock Bike champion. It’s the first EDRS Pro Nordic MC race this season for the Finnish rider and as Fredlund can do a string of 7.0-second runs, he can spoil one of the Karlsson’s championship dreams in eliminations. New names in the EDRS Pro Nordic MC are Thomas Andersson and Jörgen Bengtsson, both from Sweden. Bo Thorselius was already at Gardermoen, but due to mechanical problems the Swedish rider couldn’t even make one run. Let’s hope Thorselius has more luck this time. The Pro Stock Motorcycle field has twelve entries and that’s great at the end of an exciting season.
Samu Kemppainen
Super Twin Motorcyle
You don’t have to be a fortune-teller to see that Samu Kemppainen will be the 2015 EDRS Pro Nordic MC champion in Super Twin Motorcycle. The still reigning FIM European champion was in a class of his own all season. Kemppainen won at Alastaro and Gardermoen and as all other title candidates had ups and downs, the Finn leads the championship by 94 points! Kemppainen is extremely fast and consistent and will go for his third consecutive win of the season.
Hans Olav Olstad
Per Bengtsson
Reigning EDRS Pro Nordic champion Hans Olav Olstad is the number two in the championship, but only one point behind is Per Bengtsson. ‘The Beast’ was number one qualifier at Gardermoen and wants his revenge for the first round exit in Norway.
Trond Jostein Høiberget
Ismo Mäenpää is the number four in the title race, with Gardermoen runner-up Trond Jostein Høiberget in fifth position. Super Twin Motorcycle has 16 entries, the largest number this season. Other regular competitors that can surprise are Anders Hörnström, Vesa Lipponen and Vidar Ravnsborg. All three have been fast this season, but not consistent enough.
Erling Opheim
Of course Anna-Lena Asplund, Greger Johansson and Stig Olof Svensson will be at Tierp, just like Erling Opheim, the Norwegian rider we saw for the first time this season at Gardermoen. Svein Olav Rolfstad hopes to end a series of races filled with mechanical problems with a good result at Tierp. A familiar name, competing in an EDRS Pro Nordic MC race for the first time this year, is Jaska Salakari. The always spectacular Finn will do everything he can to shine, with loud and fast runs, or special burn outs. New to the championship, we wish a warm welcome to Roman Sixta and Petr Češka, two regular FIM European Championship contenders from the Czech Republic.
Björn Friström
Super Street Bike
There are fifteen entries in Super Street Bike and what a title race this will be. Like in Pro Stock Motorcycle, there are some ultra-fast riders who can ruin all dreams of the top three championship candidates.
Richard Stubbins
Richard Stubbins and Alex Hope are on the entry list again, and as both British riders already showed in June (number one and two qualifiers), they are extremely fast. On your way to the title you don’t want to face them in eliminations. Stubbins and Hope are the biggest threat for Björn Friström, Nils-Ola Andersson and Dag Wagenius.
Dag Wagenius
After his runner-up finish at Gardermoen reigning champion Friström leads the championship from Gardermoen winner Andersson by just ten points. So nothing is decided yet. Wagenius entered his home race as the leader in the championship, but after a first round exit the Alastaro winner is now third, 33 points behind leader Friström. Anders Blanck is fourth.
Kimmo Pulakka
Almost all other regular EDRS Pro Nordic Super Street Bike contenders are also at Tierp and will try to end the season on a high. From Sweden we see Leif Larsson, Roberth Häggblom, Niclas Johansson, Pelle Lakmaker and Emil Östlund. With Jani Kumpulainen, Kimmo Pulakka and Kim Hilander Finland is represented by no less than three riders, while Per Emborg is the only rider from Denmark in the class.
Jan Sturla Hegre
Top Fuel Motorcycle
In Top Fuel Motorcycle it’s quite simple. Jan Sturla Hegre is leading the championship after his Gardermoen victory. And as the Norwegian rider is the only entry at Tierp at the moment, he will also be the new champion. All other Top Fuel Motorcycle riders we saw in the other races this year have serious mechanical problems or have a too busy (race/work) schedule to be at the season’s final. And of course that’s a pity, as the fastest category in motorcycle drag racing deserves a better end of the season.
Scandinavian Internationals, Tierp Arena, August 20-23, entry list:
