The continued coronavirus related restrictions create challenges for the first events on the FIA European Championship Drag Racing tour. This has led to that the organizers have been forced to confirm the cancellation of the first three events, Santa Pod Raceway, England in May and the Swedish event at Tierp Arena in June, and Kauhava in Finland in July. The vaccinations have had a good progress in England, but restrictions will likely apply into, at least, June.

It´s that time of the year where the SFI Inspection, with SFI CEO Jen Faye in the lead, use to start up the season. But as the Covid-19 pandemic still puts everything on hold, there is some changes from the usual inspection also this year. It´s sad, but still SFI and the european companies involved in the inspection, ME Racing Service in Sweden and Robinson Racecars in England, providing opportunitys for those who´s in need to get their parts inspected.

Only a few months to go and the FIA European Drag Racing Championship kicks off with The Main Event at Santa Pod Raceway. The 2020 edition had to be cancelled due to the corona pandemic, and although we still live in uncertain times, it’s looking much better for the 2021 season. The drivers and teams can’t wait to see the fans again and the fans are eager to meet their favourites in the pits and see them race down the quarter mile. Time to catch up with some of the European drivers, starting with Michael Gullqvist.  

Despite Dick Koster starting a new job on January 1^st 2021, he will still remain connected to Post & Dros Performance Parts and he will still be able to support European racers and teams in their need for MSD and Racepak systems and parts.

Multi-championship winning racer Mikael Kågered has announced his retirement from drag racing. The Swedish racer who has a career going back over 30 years, has been in two of the toughest categories, Top Methanol Funny Car and Top Fuel Dragster, winning five FIA championships and innumerable events on the way.

A new Top Methanol Drag racing team is established in Sweden. Even if the team is new, the three drivers and crew have many years in Drag racing together.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has approved the 6-race calendar for the 2021 FIA European Drag Racing Championship as published a few weeks ago.

Former FIA European Top Fuel Champion Duncan Micallef is the new President of the Malta Motorsport Federation. The Maltese Lion who planned a comeback in 2020 after a one-year break, was elected for this prominent position a few weeks ago.    

DRE in conjunction with the FIA is pleased to announce  a 6-round championship calendar for the 2021 FIA European Drag Racing Championship (EDRC). This is subject to the final approval of the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) when it next meets in mid-December. The calendar is released with the assumption that COVID-19 restrictions are making it possible,  e.g.  allowing travel, spectators on events.

The FIA European Drag Racing Championship, will return to competition in 2021, having been forced into a one-year hiatus, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. DRE has worked closely with the track organisers and the FIA to put together the 2021 calendar. We all look forwards to being able to return to a full FIA European Drag Racing Championship in 2021.

The Championship rounds will be as follows:

Rnd 1.  SANTA POD RACEWAY (UK) 28^th-31^st May
Rnd2.   TIERP ARENA (SWEDEN) 10^th -13^th June
Rnd 3. *  KAUHAVA (FINLAND) 8^th -10^th July
Rnd 4.   TIERP ARENA (SWEDEN) 12^th-15^th August
Rnd 5.   HOCKENHEIMRING (GERMANY) 27^th-29^th August
Rnd 6.   SANTA POD RACEWAY (UK) 9^th -12^th September

* Limited to TF and PM only

While the announcement of the calendar is the first step in the process, it is important to stress that conditions that permit the attendance of spectators to return to events will need to be in place for any of the competitions to go ahead.
All rounds originally scheduled on the 2020 calendar will return next year, with Finland’s Kauhava also coming back to the FIA EDRC schedule following its 2019 debut to bring the number of events to six. The Finnish event will however be open to only the Top Fuel and Pro Modified categories, while all four FIA EDRC categories will run at each of the other five rounds. 

See you all at the track
Keith Bartlett
Chairman DRE