Ljungdahl stamps his foot and the rains come down

Bengt Ljungdahl

The 2016 season is not going exactly as the main players might have hoped. After a predictable result to the Santa Pod round came the shock of Tierp one where Michael Malmgren failed to qualify for the first time in memory and Jimmy Ålund and Thomas Lindström both lost in the semis. The Pro Stock circus made its way to Finland in early July, and probably those three names thought they might get things back to the way they have become used to them being.  Jimmy might have hoped to come away from Alastaro with a 50-100 point lead, while the Malmgren, Petersson and Lindström teams would have hoped to consolidate their positions in the next three places.  Between a hard charging Bengt Ljungdahl, the rapid Finn Richard Sundblom and the weather gods, it was not to work out quite like they hoped!

Qualifying
Round one qualification was back to the old predictable numbers with Jimmy number one Thomas number two and Michael number three.  I suspect that the respective teams must have breathed a collective sigh of relief as the first qualifier proved that the old order still had what it takes. Things changed a little in session 2 as Bengt Ljungdahl laid down what would remain the quickest lap of the weekend and bumped the old guard down one place each. Nothing really changed in Q3, but in Q4 Richard Sundblom added to the woes of Thomas and Michael by squeezing into the number 3 spot and pushing them back further, also critically taking the qualifier points away for the last round

Richard Sundblom

Eliminations
Pro Stock were in the lanes ready for E1 when the heavens opened cancelling the racing for the weekend.

Jimmy Ålund

Brief conclusion/ looking ahead towards next event
Number one qualifier for 3 sessions has added nicely to Bengt Ljungdahl’s tally, taking him to within 31 points of Jimmy.  With no track data for Hockenheim for any of the competing teams, anything is possible.  Jimmy needs to keep his head to win that title for the tenth time. Bengt definitely has power and definitely has determination. Whether the title is for Bengt to win or for Jimmy to loose will have to wait until the cards have been dealt after Hockenheim. Whoever makes the best of that track will likely hold the championship lead and that driver could be any of the top four, namely Jimmy, Bengt, Thomas or Magnus.

Thomas Lindström

FHRA Nitro Nationals statistics

Low ET of the event: Bengt Ljungdahl 6.612
Highest speed:  Jimmy Ålund 210.21 mph (338.3 kmh)

Results:
Link to the final qualifications list
https://www.dragracingeurope.eu/fiaedc/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/05/Pro_Q4.pdf

Link to championship points standings after the FHRA Nitro Nationals: https://www.dragracingeurope.eu/fiaedc/points-standings/

Author:   Ian Hart ian.hart@speedgroup.eu
Photos:   Remco Scheelings