FIA European Drag Racing Championship
  

Anita Mäkelä leader in Top Fuel; European Pro Stock record Jimmy Alund after day one at Santa Pod

Anita Mäkelä is the leader in Top Fuel after the first day of qualifying for the Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway, the first round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. Mäkelä recorded a great 3.96 seconds in the second round of qualifying today. In Pro Stock reigning champion Jimmy Alund reset the European record with a stunning 6.527 seconds. Leif Andreasson and Timo Habermann are the leaders in Top Methanol Funny Car and Top Methanol Dragster after day one. In Pro Modified Mats Eriksson was in a class of his own with a great 5.956 seconds and is the provisional leader with two runs to go tomorrow. 

Great weather conditions today at Santa Pod Raceway at the first day of qualifying for the Main Event, the first round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. Cool air and great track conditions made it possible for the teams, tuners and drivers to show what they are capable of, even though for most of the teams these were the first runs of the season.

Jari Halinen

Anita Mäkelä

Jari Halinen was the leader in Top Fuel after the first run. But in the second run Anita Mäkelä powered her Dom Lagana tuned dragster to a stunning 3.96 seconds and took over the number one position.

Liam Jones

A great performance too for Liam Jones, who makes his Top Fuel debut this weekend. In one of the Rune Fjeld Motorsport cars Jones time was 4.11 seconds and good enough to take over the number two spot. Halinen is fourth after day one as Birgitte Bremnes in her license pass crossed the finish line in 4.26 seconds and went into the number three position, a great performance for the young Norwegian Top Fuel rookie.

Birgitte Bremnes

Jimmy Alund

European record

In Pro Stock Jimmy Alund had no problems to adjust his Camaro to the perfect track conditions. The first run of the reigning champion was 6.527 seconds and the second 6.530, good enough to back-up the European record from run one.

Thomas Lindström

Number two qualifier is Thomas Lindström with 6.608 seconds and Magnus Pettersson third with 6.67 seconds from his first qualifying pass.

Mats Eriksson

Pro Modified

In Pro Modified Mats Eriksson was in a class of his own. The Swede was already the leader after the first run (6.10 seconds), but improved in the second run with a stunning 5.95 seconds. Eriksson was the only Pro Mod so far to break the 6-second barrier. Norbert Kuno is the surprising number two qualifier. The German skipped the first run but powered his Dodge to a great 6.09 seconds. After a 6.43 in the first run David Vegter improved to 6.23 seconds and is the number three after day one.

Norbert Kuno

David Vegter

Marcus Hilt

Behind the Dutchman it’s very close. Roger Johansson is fourth (6.24), Marcus Hilt with a new personal best fifth (6.25) and Tero Laukkanen is the first turbo car in sixth (6.27). Multiple Pro Mod champion Mick Gullqvist had problems in both runs, is in 17th qualifying position and outside the ladder at the moment.

Leif Andreasson

Top Methanol Funny Car

One run was enough for Leif Andreasson to take over the number one qualifying position from local hero Stephanie Milam. The Swede powered his Chevy Monte Carlo to 5,74 seconds. Milam is second and Jürgen Nagel third.

Jürgen Nagel

Bad luck for Danny Bellio as the Belgian drag racer was already out of competition before the first run had even started. In a test run Thursday afternoon a part in Bellio’s engine broke and destroyed almost a complete engine.

Timo Habermann

Top Methanol Dragster

In Top Methanol Funny Car Jonny Lagg was the leader after the first run. In the second run Dave Wilson took over the number one spot (5.39 seconds), but not for long as in the next run Timo Habermann was the new leader with 5.33 seconds. Wilson is second, Lagg third.

Dave Wilson

Qualifying for the Main Event continues Sunday with another two sessions for all Pro classes.

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