Anita Mäkelä, Sandro Bellio, Michael Gullqvist and Bengt Ljungdahl number one qualifiers at the Tierp Internationals
Anita Mäkelä (Top Fuel), Sandro Bellio (Top Methanol), Michael Gullqvist (Pro Modified) and Bengt Ljungdahl (Pro Stock) claimed the number one qualifying positions at the Tierp Internationals at Tierp Arena and will lead their respective categories into Sunday’s eliminations at round two of the 2017 FIA European Drag Racing Championship.
It was another great day of racing at Tierp Arena for the Tierp Internationals, the second round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. There were many improvements in the elapsed times and in at least two categories even the name of the number one qualifier changed several times.
Anita Mäkelä
In Top Fuel there were no fewer then four drivers in the 3-second zone. Friday leader Antti Horto recorded 3.99 seconds, but still dropped into the number four qualifying position. Duncan Micallef, yesterday’s number two qualifier, improved to 3.95 seconds but was in third position after four runs.
Liam Jones
It was Liam Jones who stormed to a stunning 3.91 seconds new personal best to claim the number one position for only a few minutes. In the next run Anita Mäkelä was back to form after her engine destroying run from yesterday and recorded 3.900 seconds to claim the number one position. In the first round of eliminations the reigning FIA European Top Fuel champion will have to face last year’s runner-up Stig Neergaard, as the Dane ran into problems and was the number eight qualifier.
Bengt Ljungdahl
Jimmy Ålund was the number one qualifier in Pro Stock and Pro Modified after Friday qualifying. But the 10-time FIA European Pro Stock champion found his name in second position in both categories after two more qualifying runs on Saturday.
Jimmy Ålund
In Pro Stock Bengt Ljungdahl stormed to 6.52 seconds and will enter eliminations in the number one position, with Ålund in second position.
Stefan Ernryd
Stefan Ernryd surprised once again with 6.58 seconds to jump into the number three position, with Thomas Lindström fourth and Michael Malmgren fifth. But the rest of the top eight was not far behind and their mutual differences were marginal with number eight qualifier Richard Sundblom still recording an elapsed time of 6.70 seconds.
Michael Gullqvist
In Pro Modified Michael Gullqvist stormed to 5.90 second to take over the number one position, with Ålund second (5.93 seconds).
Jimmy Ålund
Åke Persson
Åke Persson was the number three qualifier while David Vegter improved to 5.98 seconds to claim the number four qualifying position.
David Vegter
Andreas Arthursson couldn’t improve on his Friday performance and dropped to the number five position and is the first driver in the 6 seconds (6.04 seconds). Kim Kristiansen surprised with 6.05 seconds and will enter the eliminations in sixth position.
Sandro Bellio
In Top Methanol Sandro Bellio once again surprised with a stunning 5.54 seconds (after subtracting the 0.26 seconds index, 5.28 seconds) to remain in the number one qualifying position in his first ever FIA race.
Timo Habermann
Timo Habermann is second and his brother Dennis Habermann is third qualifier. Reigning FIA champion Jonny Lagg improved to 5.48 seconds and claimed the fourth qualifying position.
Dennis Habermann
Eliminations for the Tierp Internationals will start tomorrow morning.
Qualifying results: http://www.dragracing.eu/results.asp
More photos from the Tierp Internationals can be found at: https://www.dragracingeurope.eu/fiaedc/photo-gallery-tierp-internationals-2017-fia/
For pit notes and live report see eurodragster.com: http://www.eurodragstereventcoverage.com/live/2017tierpinternationals/default.asp
