FHRA Nitro Nationals – Preview Pro Modified
Preview FHRA Nitro Nationals July 2-5th – FIA European Drag Racing Championship round #3
FIA Pro Modified
Last year we saw 9 entries in Pro Mod at Alastaro and Mattias Wulcan as winner. This time things will be different for sure. To start with Wulcan had an incident and smashed the car into the barrier at Tierp in June. He also hurt his ribs and will not be competing at Alastaro. Runner-up from last year Roger Johansson is entered and he is currently 5th in the championship points rankings. In championship lead a driver who has been successful at Alastaro before, Mats Eriksson with the Green Goblin Crown Victoria and Eriksson will be racing at Alastaro.
The entry list shows 15 names, which is the most I can recall having seen at Alastaro. One reason the number of Swedes have increased is that the Nitro Nationals also counts as a round in the EDRS European Drag Racing Series, where a total of four events are included for the Pro Mod teams, three in Sweden and the one at Alastaro. The result is we will see a number of Swedish teams who race in Finland for the first time.
Drivers like Anders Nilsson who makes his third season in the class set a new personal best with 6.09 sec recently at Tierp. Johan Westberg has been in the Pro Mod class long but also drivers Per Granqvist , Håkan Persson and Åke Persson who have entered the class the latest years.
Swede Andreas Arthursson has taken the step from EDRS Top Doorslammer into Pro Mod this season, while others are skilled FIA championship Pro Mod racers; Robert Joosten which runs his new car for the second event, David Vegter and Bruno Bader, the latter has the longest distance to get to Finland from Switzerland. Three Finnish drivers; Tero Laukkanen who is currently second in the points rankings is accompanied by Markko Lantto and Jari Parén. Drivers who we would expect to find on the entry list for Nitro Nationals.
Laukkanen is also one of the “5 second club” drivers with a PB of 5.95 sec and the recent 6.05 from Tierp indicates the team has things in order.
Europe´s quickest Michael Gullqvist has so far not had Alastaro as a lucky track. Gullqvist and his Camaro can be an outstanding couple under the right circumstances. The 5.83 sec. European record and recent 5 second runs at Tierp are evidence enough. The now one year old surface at the Alastaro drag strip and good preparation may be just what is needed to change the pattern. In the FIA Championship Gullqvist is currently third.
FIA Pro Modified Car (15) | ||
Andreas Arthursson | SWE | Chevrolet Chevelle -69 |
Bruno Bader | SWI | Corvette |
Mats Eriksson | SWE | Ford Crown Victoria -56 |
Per Granqvist | SWE | Plymouth coupe -38 |
Michael Gullqvist | SWE | Chevrolet Camaro |
Roger Johansson | SWE | Mustang |
Robert Joosten | NED | Plymouth Barracuda |
Tero Laukkanen | FIN | Ford Mustang Twin Turbo |
Anders Nilsson | SWE | Plymouth Cuda |
Jari Paren | FIN | Chevrolet Corvette-63 |
Håkan Persson | SWE | Dodge Viper |
Åke Persson | SWE | Chevrolet Camaro -70 |
David Vegter | NED | Chevrolet |
Johan Westberg | SWE | Chevrolet Camaro -67 |
Marko Lantto | FIN | Cuda -70 |