FIM-E European Drag Bike Championship – Round One – The Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway, England 23rd-26th May
The European dragbike season kicks off on familiar ground at Santa Pod Raceway with a huge entry across the five FIM-E championship/cup categories.
The premier FIM-E Top Fuel Bike class will feature an even mix of six supercharged nitromethane burners and six turbo equipped Funny Bikes, and will lead to a tough series of qualifying sessions, with the prospect of a new European record bump spot (currently at 6.844 seconds) before the eight bike eliminations field is set. Returning champion Rikard Gustafsson will be in new colours for 2025 thanks to sponsorship from Indian Motorcycles, but is planning a limited FIM-E campaign thanks to a clash of dates later in the season.
The Main Event will see the FIM-E debut of Samu Kemppainen’s Honda fueler with the Finnish frequent flyer starting shakedown runs last season in Finland, Kemppainen is another on a short schedule this season thanks to North American commitments.
The slew of Funny Bikes is led in the performance stakes by Stuart Crane who will be looking for 6.1s or better from his Warpspeed Suzuki.
FIM-E Super Twin Bike
Some familiar contenders, some returning racers and some new faces make up the six bike FIM-E Super Twin Bike entry at the Main Event. While an all run field looks likely on eliminations day, personal bests and consistent numbers will be the target across the piece during qualifying with the class track record in the sights for the front runners. Six championships on the trot, Marcus Christiansen and his father Claus ‘Speedy’ will be the target for the rest of the field while the Danish team also have their own goals of another championship and lowering their PBs.
Chasing them hard through ‘25 will be former champion Swede Per Bengtsson and the ferocious Beast parallel twin, and the first five second runner in the class Vesa Lipponen who will be running the full season on his refreshed blown Harsh Vee.
FIM-E Super Street Bike
A huge field for the season opener will provide some pointers for the rest of the FIM-E Super Street Bike year and has the makings of something very, very quick. All of the class records are under serious threat at the Main Event. With 21 entries, including visitors from Greece, new and returning racers alongside the usual suspects, the 16 bike bump at 7.400 (set last year in Hockenheim) looking extremely vulnerable, as does the class ET and speed record. Two-time champion on the bounce Alan Morrison Jnr will be looking for three in a row, but it is unlikely he’ll have it all his own way, especially as elder brother Ross has taken over family bragging rights with a new 6.69 PB ET in early season domestic competition in the UK.
Quickest in the field, Hungarian Daniel Donat Lencsés has a 6.596 ticket to improve on, while Jake Mechaell produced a 6.603/223 in recent testing demonstrating it will be very tight at the top, and it will be very tight throughout the ranks in what should be one of the highlights of the Main Event.
FIM-E Pro Stock Bike
In common with many of the other classes, the Main Event has attracted the biggest FIM-E Pro Stock Bike entry Santa Pod has seen for a few years. No bump spot racing unfortunately, but early moves in the championship chase will be critical for the seven bike field. Coming off an almost perfect 2024, Jorg Lymant will be looking to get his championship defence off on a firm footing with the sole Buell in the field.
Among his challengers, Bertrand Maurice seeks to regain the title with the Light Speed Suzuki and a rejuvenated Alex Hope is back on the championship chase with a new look and new sponsorship from his co-owned ‘Fuelled By Bro Joe’ coffee brand.
FIM-E Junior drag bike
A bumper entry for the Main Event suggest the future of the sport is bright, it also brings the prospect of some intense bump spot racing, assuming Sunday’s FIM-E Junior drag bike eliminations will be restricted to an eight bike ladder. Will one of the rookies to European Cup competition take the event trophy or will it end up in the hands of the more familiar racers?
Hollie King is the reigning Cup holder and will be looking to continue the family hold on the class, but will be under threat from Leah Morrison (2023 winner and already picked up an event trophy at domestic level this year) and Hollie’s younger brother Jaxon (recent event runner up at UK level a few weeks ago), although pre-race predictions typically count for naught in the ultra-competitive Juniors.
Entry list available here: https://www.santapodracersclub.com/entry_lists/2025/3_main_event/mainevent_entry_list
Live Timing available here: ETSlips.co.uk
Live Stream available via the Santa Pod Raceway Facebook page and YouTube channel here:
https://www.facebook.com/santapodraceway
https://www.youtube.com/@SantaPodTV
Text: Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes
Photos: Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes, Remco Scheelings, PR Alex Hope, PR Rikard Gustafsson, PR Samu Kemppainen
