After an entertaining start to the 2006 European Drag Racing Championship at Santa Pod Raceway, England, the FIA/UEM tour moved onto Alastaro, Finland for round two. 10 cars entered Top Fuel and Thomas Nataas took the win over Hakan Nilsson. When the tour moved on to Mantorp Park in Sweden a record 13 cars entered and there was a huge surprise when two time Top Fuel champion Andy Carter failed to qualify. This was the first time this had happened to the team in 11 years and after the event Carter Motorsport announced that they had spilt from the Rune Fjeld stable and would not contest the rest of the season but would be back in 2007 with their own car. Hakan Nilsson won the event with a 4.91over a broken Urs Erbacher. Gardernoen in Norway was the next stop on the tour and 9 cars entered, again there was a big surprise in qualifying when last years championship runner up Tommy Moller failed to get into the field. All this went to prove that European Top Fuel has become very competitive and you have to be running the numbers to qualify. Lex Joon took the win over Thomas Nataas 4.94 to an up in smoke 6.15. The big news was Urs Erbacher running a stunning 4.74 in the first round but unfortunately with a red light which gave him no chance to back up the run for a new record. However Hakan Nilsson did set a new European ET record of 4.830 at this event.

Urs Erbacher - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

That brings us to the European Finals at Santa Pod with over 300 of the top teams in Europe competing at the four day event. With Santa Pod always having a good racing surface everyone was hoping for some real fast times and the chances of European records being broken was very good. Top Fuel at the European Finals saw 10 cars battle over 2 days of qualifying to make the field. The championship was likely to be between Hakan Nilsson (271 points) and Thomas Nataas (261 points). Of note was the fact that this was Nilsson’s first year in Top Fuel having previously been racing in Pro Modified.

Friday

The first qualifying session was at 12 pm in sunny but cool conditions. 9 cars made passes with only Tommi Haapanen not putting in an appearance. Sitting on top after round one was Urs Erbacher with a 4.965 @ 288.39mph early shutoff run. Urs had US tuner Glen Mikres helping out this weekend and the team had high expectations of running some very quick times on the excellent racing surface. Number 2 spot was taken by Smax Smith who ran 4.978 @ 296 which was a great result for the low budget McDonald brothers team. Tommy Moller ran 5.083 @ 261, Micke Kagered suffered tire shake and shut off to a 9.409, Lex Joon ran 6.604 @ 119 going up in smoke at the eighth mile mark. Stig Neergaard had to shut of after the burnout when he could not get the car into forward gear. The rest of the teams all suffered tire shake, Hakan Fallstrom ran 17.402 Thomas Nataas a 10.027 and Hakan Nilsson a 15.078.

The second session on Saturday was slightly disappointing as the quickest pass was 6.36 by Micke Kagered, the other 7 cars that put in runs all suffered problems. Haapanen ran a 9.652 shutting down with tire shake, Thomas Nataas also had tire shake on a 10.78 pass. Hakan Nilsson ran a .83 sixty foot and looked to be on a great run but went up in smoke at mid track to a 9.92. Lex Joon was also on a good run until he started to weave about at the eighth mark and shut off to a 7.402. Tommy Moller went up in smoke straight of the line and idled up the track to a 22 second pass. Stig Neergard ran a 13.583 and Hakan Fallstrom had a huge blower explosion at mid track when a valve dropped, the blower was completely destroyed and he slowed to a 6.730. After 2 sessions Urs Erbacher was still number one and surprisingly second man in the points Thomas Nataas was not yet in the top eight.

Saturday

Saturday was sunny and warm and session three was run in the morning. Tommy Moller ran his first 4 of the weekend with a 4.998 @ 264. Hakan Nilsson ran a superb 4.800 @ 290mph, could he back it up later for a new European ET record? Smax Smith had the clutch explode at 1000 foot on his 5.501 @ 195 pass, damage was extensive and without spares, including a clutch shield, the team could have to withdraw. Thomas Nataas again had tire shake and shut off to an 8.221 @ 93. Tommi Haapanen had the engine erupt in a ball of fire on his 6.861 @ 12. Lex Joon ran a 5.468 @ 181. The only other car out this session was Micke Kagered who ran a troubled 9.613 @ 89.

The final session on Saturday was the last chance for Thomas Nataas to get into the field and he made it, much to the team’s relief, he ran a 5.047 @ 288mph with cylinders going away as he ran down the track, but he was in and kept his championship hopes alive. Lex Joon got back to his real form with a 4.817 at only 271mph. Urs Erbacher sent the huge crowd wild with an awesome 4.747 @ 318mph the fastest speed ever seen at Santa Pod in Top Fuel. Hakan Nilsson ran another consistent run of 4.836 @ 296 to back up his ET record. Micke Kagered put his problems behind him to run very close to the fours 5.041 @ 275mph. Tommi Haapanen tried very hard to get into the field with a 5.723 @ 210, he had tire shake, peddled the car twice and went through the finish with smoke pouring off the tires. Stig Neergard ran a personal best of 5.681 @ 199, putting him in the field. Hakan Fallstrom, Smax Smith and Tommy Moller did not put in passes.

After 2 days of qualifying this is how the field looked

1         Urs Erbacher  Switzerland …… 4.747 @ 318

2         Hakan Nilsson Sweden  ………4.800 @ 290

3         Lex Joon         Holland ………  4.817 @ 271

4         Smax Smith    Canada………… 4.978 @ 296

5         Tommy Moller  Sweden ……….4.998 @ 264

6         Micke Kagered  Sweden ……….5.041 @ 275

7         Thomas Nataas  Norway ……….5.047 @ 288

8         Stig Neergard    Denmark   ……..5.681 @ 199

        DNQ

9         Tommi Haapanen  Finland ……..5.723 @ 210

10      Hakan Fallstrom  Sweden ……….6.730 @ 131

Unfortunately Smax Smith was unable to repair the damage to his clutch and had to withdraw allowing Tommi Haapanen into the field. The main talking point of the first round was the pairing of numbers one and two in the Championship in the first round, the winner taking the championship.

The first round of Top Fuel started at 10.30am on Sunday morning, the weather was warm and sunny and a huge crowd packed the facility, traffic was queuing for several miles on the roads leading to the track with fans eager to see the action.

Tommi Haapanen, in as first alternate, took the win over Tommy Moller’s Pennzoil car with a 7.179 @ 108mph, the car erupted in a ball of flame at mid track as the team sacrificed yet more engine parts. Moller slowed to a 7.661 @ 102 with problems. The second pair would decide the 2006 FIA European Championship, the Viedec / Landmeco car of Hakan Nilsson changed lanes after Haapanen’s oil down and took the win and the title with another consistent 4.864 @ 296mph as Thomas Natass had tire shake and peddled the car twice but had to accept defeat and slowed to a 7.271 @ 109mph. Third pair saw Stig Neergard have problems getting the car into reverse and then forward before he ran a 6.199 @ 145 which was never going to be good enough to beat Urs Erbacher who looked to be on another fast run but lost the blower belt around 1000 feet and slowed to a 4.912 at only 244mph in the Midland Oil car. The final pair of the first round saw Micke Kagered in the Bahco Tools car shut off to a 5.946 @ 142, allowing the MPM Oils car of Lex Joon to advance with a 5.115 @ 244, the car losing cylinders and weaving around from mid track.

Tommi Haapanen - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

The first semi final had Urs Erbacher on a bye as Haapanen could not repair in time, would he idle through or go for lane choice?  4.795 seconds and a 304 mph pass later we had the answer; he most defiantly wanted lane choice! In the other semi Hakan Nilsson pulled a .863 sixty foot and took the win with a 5.015 @ 267mph. His opponent Lex Joon again lost cylinders on a losing 5.285 @ 230mph.

The final was another great race, Urs Erbacher left first and stormed to the win with a 4.790 @ 312mph backing up Saturdays 4.747 for a new European ET record. Saturday’s 318mph backed up the 312mph for a new speed record as well. The new European Champion Hakan Nilsson was with him until 1000 feet when the blower belt let go slowing him to a 5.196 @ 214mph.

Pro Stock

The last time Michael Malmgren ran at Santa Pod at the Main Event in May he had a coming together with the wall on his first qualifier, putting him out of the event, this time he ended up as number one qualifier with a 6.850 @ 202mph to head the 8 car field.

Michael Malmgren - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

Round one opened with the Camaro of Tommy Leindahl beating Magnus Hansson in a Grand Am with a holeshot 6.979 @ 198 to a losing 6.967 @ 197. Eero Knihtila took the Cavalier to a win with a 6.911 @ 200 over Kenneth Soderstrom who red lit 7.112 @ 196 in his Grand Am. Jimmy Alund soled into the semi final with a 6.907 @ 199 from his Firebird when opponent Richard Sundblom was shut off after his burnout with a leak. The final pair saw Michael Malmgren in a Pontiac Grand Am go through with a 6.882 @ 200 to Peter Dahlin’s 7.204 @ 190 in his Dodge Avenger.

The first semi final had Malmgren take the win running a 1.048 sixty foot followed by a 6.928 @ 200, Tommy Liendahl ran a losing 7.049 @ 197. Jimmy Alund took the other final spot with a 6.957 @ 199 win over Eero Knihtila who red lit his chances away running a 6.988 @ 199.

The final was close but Jimmy Alund took the event win with a quicker reaction time running a 6.921 @ 198 to Michael Malmgren losing 6.903 @ 198. Sweden’s Jimmy Alund is the 2006 European Champion and Michael Malmgren holds the European records of 6.850 @ 202.58mph.

Pro Mod

This is the first year the Pro Mods have been an FIA class and 23 of the crowd pleasing cars battled for a place in the 16-car field. Urban Johansson lead the field with a superb 6.174 @ 229 down to number 16 man Henri Joosten with a 6.775 @ 201. The biggest surprise was the non-qualifying of second in the championship Micke Gullqvist who had problems all weekend and could not get into the field thus handed the Championship to Urban Johansson.

After a great first round the quarter finals opened with Seppo Saapola taking a bye win 6.721 @ 179 in his blown Chrysler 300 when Andy Robinson could not start the Studebaker Commander. Next pair saw Urban Johansson go through with a 6.236 @ 222 in his Blown 63 corvette over Roger Johansson who had tire shake and shut off in his nitrous 05 Mustang to a 13.102 @ 75. Danny Cockerill went into the semis with a 6.880 @ 205 run in his blown 57 Chevy over Marko Lantos losing 7.314 @ 205 in a blown Corvette. The final race was taken by Mats Erickson’s Blown Crown Victoria 6.297 @ 224 over Bruno Baders losing 6.522 @ 217 in a blown corvette.

The semis opened with a win for Danny Cockerill 7.569 @ 131, Danny shutting of early as Urban Johansson was shut of on the line with an oil leak.  Seppo Saapola would be his opponent in the final as he beat a red light from Mats Ericksson 6.596 @ 199 to a quicker but losing 6.340 @ 219.

The Final saw Danny Cockerill take the win, he left first and both cars were side by side the whole way Danny just getting the win light with a 6.507 @ 215 to Seppo Saapolas losing 6.619 @ 206.

Danny Cockerill - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

Urban Johansson is the first ever FIA Pro Modified champion and also holds the ET record of 6.174.

Top Alcohol Dragster

Seven cars entered but only 5 qualified with Dave Wilson taking the number one spot with a 5.453 @ 252.

Wilson ran a 5.453 @ 258 bye in the first round and then beat Krister Johansson to take his place in the final with a 5.515 @ 253 to Krister’s losing 6.680 @ 189 in his injected nitro car. Peter Scofer was his opponent in the final, he beat Rickard Persson in the first round with a 5.637 @ 255 to a losing 6.924 @ 191 and then ran a half pass bye in the semi final.

The final would decide the championship Germany’s Peter Schofer had to win the final and set low ET to win and he tried his best in the final running a .895 sixty foot and took the win with a 5.559 @ 256 as Dave Wilson had tire shake and ran a 5.702 @ 244 unfortunately for him he did not set low ET so Dave Wilson is the FIA champion for 2006, his fourth championship in a row.

Top Alcohol Funny Car

Five cars entered this round and Sweden’s Leif Andreasson was number one qualifier with a 5.723 @ 247.

In the first round Ulf Leanders beat Arvid Grodem 5.836 @ 240 to a 5.900 @ 240. Dan Larson took out Kjell Sjoblom 5.840 @ 244 to a losing 6.148 @ and Leif Andreasson went through on bye with a 5.765 @ 245.

The first semi and Ulf Leanders became the 2006 champion when he beat Andreasson 8.310 @ 107 to Leif’s red light 6.430. Dan Larsson had the bye into the final and ran a 5.870 @ 245.

Dan Larsen - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

The final was taken by Denmark’s Dan Larsson with a 5.874 @ 244 his opponent Ulf Leanders suffered problems at mid track and shut off to a 6.900 @ 134mph.

Apart from the above FIA classes there was much more entertainment for the huge crowds.

John Spuffard - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

Nitro Funny Car had 3 entries and John Spuffard ran the quickest time by a funny car in Europe 5.281 @ 267mph and that was with a peddle so it could have been even quicker. With another 2 or 3 cars expected to run in 2007 there are high hopes for Nitro Funny Car next year after a few years of taking a back seat to the Top Fuel cars.

Rikard Gustafsson - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

The 3 FIM bike classes had full 8 bike fields and some excellent racing.

Top Fuel Bike was won by a retiring Roel Koedam, a fitting end to his long career in Top Fuel Bike before he moves to Super Twin next year. Roel beat a red lighting Dave Bailey 6.324 @ 195 to a losing 7.391 @ 185. Rikard Gustafsson is the 2006 UEM Champion on his ex Korry Hogan Funny Bike.

Ian King & Roel Koedam - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

Anders Abrahamsson won Pro Stock Bike and the 2006 UEM Championship with a 7.470 @ 174 over a losing 7.696 @ from Orjan Gustavsson .

Super Twin was taken by Ronny Aasen whose bike broke around 100 foot but opponent Anders Karling had already red lit handing the win to Ronny who ran a 7.571 @ 115, Ronny also won the 2006 UEM Super Twin championship.

Anders Karling - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

The huge crowds were a also treated to air displays by the Battle of Britain memorial flight and a P51 mustang over the weekend. Despite, understandably, taking a back seat to the pro classes at the FIA events some excellent sportsman racing took place, the dedicated racers proving what an integral part of the event and European drag racing they are. There were also demo’s from jet cars, wheelie cars and stunt bikes.

Mark Pointer's Hooligan - Photo by Gary Cottingham, DragsterWorld.com

This event was one of the best ever drag racing events a Santa Pod with good weather, a huge crowd, excellent organisation and above all some fantastic racing. A great advert for European drag racing which is growing in popularity all over Europe.

The event was unfortunate marred by a freak accident late on Sunday when a spectator was struck by an object near the finish line. 64 year old Roger George tragically died from his injuries. A full investigation is underway into what is the first incident like this in Santa Pod’s 40 year history. I’m sure all race fans thoughts and condolsances will be with the family and friends of Mr George.

Words by Phil Cottingham