Anita Mäkelä, Sandro Bellio, David Vegter and Michael Malmgren number one qualifiers after final qualifying for The Main Event

Anita Mäkelä (Top Fuel), Sandro Bellio (Top Methanol), David Vegter (Pro Modified) and Michael Malmgren (Pro Stock) claimed the number one qualifying positions at The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway and will lead their respective categories into Monday’s eliminations at the opening round of the 2019 FIA European Drag Racing Championship.

Due to some rain during the day, it was a long second day of qualifying for The Main Event, round one of the 2019 FIA European Drag Racing Championship at Santa Pod Raceway. But it was worth waiting as especially in Pro Modified many personal bests were reset and a record number of ten cars qualified in the 5-second zone.

In Top Fuel Anita Mäkelä from Finland couldn’t improve on his Saturday performance, but her 3.870 seconds was enough to claim the number one qualifying position after four runs. Saturday’s numbers two and three, Liam Jones (3.887 seconds) and Stig Neergaard (3.917 seconds) couldn’t improve on their earlier performance either and so the top three remained as it was after Saturday qualifying.

Maja Udtian was the only Top Fuel driver to record a new personal best with 4.05 seconds, but the Norwegian racer remained in sixth position, behind Susanne Callin. Tethys and Mikael Kågered are the numbers seven and eight qualifiers.

In Pro Modified David Vegter, number 23 qualifier after two runs, stormed to a stunning 5.804 seconds new personal best to claim the number one qualifying position.

Jan Ericsson improved to a new personal best of 5.84 seconds but remained in second position. The same was true for Andreas Arthursson.

The Swede improved to 5.86 seconds but remained in third position. Saturday leader Jimmy Ålund dropped into the number four position. Roger Johansson claimed the fifth position in his final run. Michael Gullqvist, the number 17 after day one, improved to 5.917 seconds to claim the number six position, with Michel Tooren seventh (new personal best, 5.93 seconds) and  Marck Harteveld eighth (5.95 seconds new personal best). As also the numbers nine and ten qualifiers recorded 5.9-second runs, the record number of ten qualifiers broke the 6-second barrier.

In Top Methanol Sandro Bellio, from Belgium, improved on his Saturday performance to take over the number one qualifying position from Saturday leader Jonny Lagg.

The Swede reset his personal best to 5.31 seconds, but couldn’t claim the number one position. Monty Bugeja, from Malta, is the number three qualifier after four runs.

In Pro Stock Michael Malmgren couldn’t improve on his Saturday performance, but the 6.573 seconds from day one was enough to remain in the number one qualifying position. Jimmy Ålund improved to 6.575 seconds but that was 0.002 seconds short of the number one spot. Bengt Ljungdahl remained in third position, with Robin Norén fourth, Stefan Ernryd fifth and Simon Gustafsson sixth.

Eliminations for The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway will start tomorrow morning, bank holiday Monday May 27.

More photos from The Main Event can be found at:

https://www.dragracingeurope.eu/fiaedc/santa-pod-raceway-uk-may-24-27th-2019/

For all Main Event results:

http://www.santapod.co.uk/track/Results/2019/FIA%20&%20FIM(E)%20Main%20Event%202019/