Remco Scheelings
Anita Mäkelä, Dennis Habermann, Kev Slyfield and Bengt Ljungdahl leaders after the first day of qualifying for The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway
Anita Mäkelä
Anita Mäkelä raced to the number one qualifying position in Top Fuel at the first day of qualifying for The Main Event, the first race of the 2017 FIA European Drag Racing Championship. In Pro Modified Kev Slyfield surprised with a 6.15 seconds personal best to take the lead after two qualifying runs. In Pro Stock Bengt Ljungdahl is the provisional leader and in Top Methanol Dennis Habermann is the leader after day one. Continue reading
The Main Event kicks off a new season in the FIA European Drag Racing Championship
With less than a week to go, the 2017 FIA European Drag Racing Championship kicks off with The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway. All drivers will start from zero again and they all have a fair chance of leading the championship in their respective categories after one race. But more important is the question of who will have that number one at the end of the season after six races. In Top Fuel, reigning champion Anita Mäkelä will face some strong competition, but the same can be said about champion Michael Gullqvist in Pro Modified. Pro Stock will have a new number one at the end of the season as 10-time FIA European champion Jimmy Ålund will not defend his title. Top Methanol will see the first European champion in the new combined Funny Car and Dragster competition. Continue reading
Pro Dutch Racing on European tour
The Main Event kicks off Michel Tooren’s second season as a driver in drag racing and Pro Modified. After an extremely successful 2016 with two runner-up finishes, the number four position in the MSA British Pro Modified Championship, a stunning personal best of 6.005 seconds and the title ‘Most Promising Newcomer’, Pro Dutch Racing is looking forward to their second season with Tooren behind the wheel of the Pro Dutch Racing ’71 Plymouth Barracuda. Continue reading
TMFC debut for Sandro Bellio at The Main Event
There is bad news and good news from Danny’s Racing Team, the Belgian Top Methanol Funny Car team that take part in the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. The bad news is that Danny Bellio is unable to drive the family’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo at next week’s Main Event. But the good news is that the team will be at Santa Pod Raceway and a replacement driver was found not far away from home. Danny’s son Sandro Bellio will make his TMFC debut next week and if everything goes according to plan, he will compete in almost all rounds of the 2017 FIA European Top Methanol Championship. Continue reading
Dico by Belgetti main partner for Stefan Ernryd in 2017
Stefan Ernryd, the number five in last year’s FIA European Pro Stock Championship has a new main partner for the 2017 season. Dico by Belgetti who provide finance solutions for contractors and their customers will support the team in their 2017 campaign and color the Dodge Dart in bright green. Continue reading
Deadline approaches for David Vegter and PTTM Drag Racing!
There are only two weeks left before the season kicks off and there is still an awful lot of work to be done. “But we will make it. Finally we have all the parts we were waiting for and we can start building again,” said David Vegter, driver and driving force behind PTTM Drag Racing, the Dutch Pro Modified team that have been frontrunners in the FIA European Drag Racing Championship for many years now. “With The Main Event, the 2017 season finally kicks off on Saturday May 27, and I’m really looking forward to the coming season,” said Vegter. Continue reading
Talented engineers and their ‘quite loud and fast’ cars
I once had the pleasure of accompanying a Formula One engineer on his first ever visit to Santa Pod. I arranged for him to be on the start line for a round of Pro Stock qualifying and watched with delight as he stood between Jimmy Ålund and Michael Malmgren through burn out and into stage before the tree dropped and the pair of cars sat up onto the bars and screamed off down the track, the unmistakeable sound of the rapid gear changes only enhanced by the Doppler effect before the revs peak and then cut as the cars bolted through the line and deployed chutes. My guest turned to me with a look of mixed delight, shock and awe before uttering the following wonderfully understated sentence; “Wow, they really are quite loud and fast aren’t they.” Continue reading
Racepak and Post & Dros also in 2017 Speedgroup Contingency Program
Racepak and Post & Dros extend their partnership in the Speedgroup contingency program for the 2017 season. For the third consecutive year, Dick Koster, since early 2017 a full time employee for Post & Dros Racing Engines & Parts, the European importer of all Racepak products, will run the trackside support service at all FIA European Drag Racing Championship races. Continue reading
Diamond Pistons extend contingency partnership for FIA and EDRS car classes
Diamond Pistons joined the Speedgroup Contingency Program for EDRS car classes and FIA classes in 2016 and extended the partnership for the coming 2017 season. “Racers love contingency programs, and it allows Diamond to give back to the racers that support our company,” said Grant Campbell, Sales & Technical Support representative of Michigan based Diamond Racing Products. Continue reading
Ten is more than just a number for Jimmy Ålund
Last year, Jimmy Ålund reached a milestone by winning his tenth FIA European Pro Stock Championship, making the Swede by far the most successful European drag racer in history. But now it’s time to recharge the battery and explore unknown territory behind the wheel of Magnus Petterson’s Old 51 Pro Mod. “I’m really looking forward to a season in Pro Modified, but it’s not the start of a goodbye to Pro Stock as we will also do a limited schedule with our Pro Stock Camaro and take the opportunity to test some ideas we have,” said Ålund about the coming season. Continue reading
