David Vegter moves up to the second position in the FIA European Championship
As a result of his excellent performance at the Summit Racing Equipment Internationals, David Vegter moved up to the second position in the FIA European Pro Modified Championship. At Tierp Arena, Sweden, the Dutch driver won his elimination rounds in the most competitive class of the FIA European Championship and advanced to the semifinals. With two races left, the gap to the leader in the standings is still a bridgeable 79 points.
David Vegter and his team Vegter Pro Mod Racing finished the 2022 season with a great runner-up position in the FIA European Pro Modified Championship, the most international and most competitive class of the prestigious FIA European Drag Racing Championship.
It soon became apparent that the next step had been taken this season. During the Doorslammers, a race preceding the first round of the FIA European Championship, Vegter broke a new barrier. With the Vegter Pro Mod Racing ’67 Chevrolet Camaro, the Dutchman recorded 5.754 seconds, and then reset this new personal best to 5.740 seconds! With this, the Dutchman, supported by Velocity Classics, HKR Techniek, tomkart and Post & Dros, not only broke the magical barrier of 5.8 seconds for the first time, but Vegter also came close to the European record of 5.724 seconds, held by reigning European champion Jan Ericsson.
At The Main Event, the first round of the FIA European Championship, Vegter again recorded ETs of 5.7 seconds twice and finished the race with a fifth position in the standings of the FIA European Championship. In the second round of the championship at Tierp Arena, Sweden, the Dutchman scored enough points to move up to the third position in the standings.
On the second weekend of August, Vegter Pro Mod Racing travelled to Tierp again for round three of the championship. And again the Dutchman performed extremely well. In the first round of eliminations Vegter defeated his direct opponent in the title fight, the Swiss veteran Bruno Bader, before beating multiple European champion Michael Gullqvist in the quarterfinals. Because, due to persistent rain, the race had started late in the morning, the eliminations had to be stopped short before the start of the semifinals. With his place in the semifinals, the Dutchman scored enough points to move up to the second position in the championship standings. Because the leader in the standings, reigning champion Ericsson, scored as many points as Vegter, the gap between the numbers one and two remained as it was.
With two races of the FIA European Championship left, Vegter is 79 points behind leader Ericsson. Although the Dutchman does not have it completely into his own hands and also needs an early exit in eliminations of the Swede, anything is still possible. This was also apparent again at the last round in Sweden when Ericsson ran into mechanical problems in the quarterfinals and would not have been able to start in the semifinals. If there had been enough time to run the semifinals and final, Vegter could have made up many points.
The first opportunities for Vegter are coming weekend, August 25-27, when the fourth round of the FIA European Championship is on the calendar with the NitrOlympX at the Rico Anthes Quartermile of the HockenheimRing. Last year, the Dutchman claimed the number one qualifying position at the German track. Two weeks after the NitrOlympX, the FIA European Drag Racing Championship has its grand finale with the European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway, England. Then it will become clear whether Vegter has been able to close the gap to leader Ericsson. One thing is for sure, with elapsed times of 5.7 seconds Vegter is the only driver in Europe who can match Ericsson’s numbers.
Vegter Pro Mod Racing are supported by Velocity Classics, the Rijsenhout-based company specialized in selling exclusive (American) muscle cars and classic cars, HKR Techniek, tomkart (electric karts) and Post & Dros.
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