Jan Sturla Hegre, Torsti Kettula, Ida Zetterström and Kenneth Holmberg clinch the 2019 EDRS Pro Nordic MC titles at Tierp Arena
The Summit Racing Equipment Internationals at Tierp Arena, the fourth and final round of the 2019 EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship, was once again a great end of the season where even history was made. In Super Street Bike Ida Zetterström cliched the title with a win over Vesa Ruhanen in the semifinal. Zetterström is the first female rider to win a championship in this category of the EDRS Pro Nordic MC. The race was won by outgoing champion Mathias Bohlin. In Top Fuel Motorcycle Jan Sturla Hegre won the title in style by claiming the event win. Torsti Kettula is the new champion in Super Twin Motorcycle, but Tommy Lee Grimes claimed the race win. In Pro Stock Motorcycle Kalle Lyrén was the winner at Tierp while the title went to Kenneth Holmberg. Peter Östlund claimed his second consecutive title in Super Comp Bike, while Heikki-Juhani Koskinen is the 2019 champion in Super Gas Bike.
It was a great day of racing at Tierp Arena during the eliminations of the Summit Racing Equipment Internationals. In several categories of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship the title went to a rider who didn’t enter the fourth and final round of the championship in the number one position.
In Super Street Bike the title fight was decided in a direct confrontation in the semifinal between leader Vesa Ruhanen and the number two in the championship, Ida Zetterström. But the championship was decided even before the light turned green. Ruhanen suffered mechanical problems after the burn out and couldn’t start and in 7.15 seconds Zetterström claimed the win and the title. It is the first time in the history of the EDRS Pro Nordic Motorcycle Championship that a female rider wins the title in the SSB category.
In the final Zetterström had to face Mathias Bohlin, the 2018 champion. Bohlin was on a mission on eliminations day as he recorded a 6.95-second elapsed time in the first round and 6.98 seconds in the semifinal. In a great final Bohlin claimed the win in 6.96 seconds, while Zetterström reset her personal best to 7.01 seconds.
In Top Fuel Motorcycle the championship was decided in the final. Reigning champion Thomas Pettersson entered the last race in the number one position, with Jan Sturla Hegre second. In the semifinal Pettersson and Hegre had to face each other. Hegre claimed the win in 6.46 seconds over 6.69 seconds for Petterson and with a win in the final, the rider from Norway would claim the title.
In the final Hegre had to face Peter Andersson, who advanced to the final after a bye run in the semifinal. In the final it was Hegre who was in a class of his own and in 6.48 seconds over 7.07 seconds for Andersson, the rider from Norway claimed the race win and the title. Pettersson finished the championship in second position, only six points short of Hegre.
In Super Twin Motorcycle the championship was also decided in the final. Torsti Kettula was the leader after qualifying, but the rider from Finland was defeated in the first round by Samu Kemppainen. This former champion had to face Harri Piensalmi in the semifinal. Kemppainen ran into problems, handing the win to Piensalmi. Piensalmi now had to win the final to claim the title as well. In the final Piensalmi had to face former champion and number one qualifier Tommy Lee Grimes.
On the other side of the elimination ladder Grimes recorded stunning numbers with 6.29 and 6.30 seconds to advance to the final.
In the final Piensalmi recorded a new personal best elapsed time of 6.39 seconds over 6.40 seconds for Grimes, but the rider from Finland lost the final and the title on a holeshot. Piensalmi finished the championship in second position, 14 points short of Kettula, with Greger Johansson in third position.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle Kalle Lyrén did all he could possibly do, but still missed the title with five points. The former champion recorded a great 6.98 seconds in the semifinal and then had to face Kenneth Holmberg in the final. Lyrén recorded another great 6.98 seconds to claim the race win, but finished the championship five points short of champion Holmberg.
Lyrén won both races he entered this season, but as Holmberg scored points in three races, the title went to the Swecomposite rider.
In Super Comp Bike Peter Östlund clinched the EDRS Pro Nordic MC title for the second consecutive year. Östlund even advanced to the final at Tierp, but was defeated on a holeshot by Peter Rundström.
Peter Svensson, quarter finalist at Tierp, and Tomas Jonsson, semifinalist at Tierp, finished the championship in second and third position.
In Super Gas Bike Heikki-Juhani Koskinen entered the last race of the season in the number one position. The rider from Finland was defeated in the semifinal, but at that moment the title was already secured.
Trygve Kaerstad Helgerud, the number two in the championship, advanced the final, but was defeated by Robert Nygren. Jenni Pekkarinen finished the championship in third position.
All results and final championship standings are on separate pages of: www.edrspro.com