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2011 FIA/UEM European Drag Racing Finals
Words & Photos by Dick Parnham
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| Andy Carter |
The Finals 2011 FIA/UEM European Drag Racing Championship Round 7
8th-11th September 2011
Santa Pod Raceway - England
This year the competitors had experienced the new Kundamarae Raceway in Hungary and the new facilities at the Tierp Arena in Sweden but as they gathered for the 2011 European Championship Final they had again seen their usual hot and dry weather replaced by wet weather on the European legs.
The weather at Santa Pod was more favourable with all competitors being able to put in up to 6 qualifier laps .
TOP FUEL DRAGSTER
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| Urs Urbacher |
This season has seen Top Fuel on a high with Tommy Johnson Jr from the USA with the Anderson Brothers team blitz the opposition to a dominant championship position until his disqualification in Finland for an FIA Rule infringement .This will mean we will not see him until June 2012.
Recently Andy Carter has announced that he is laying down his previous Championship Top Fuel keys to focus on his son's Karting success and future.
Top Qualifying Summary
1. Urs Urbacher 4.807 seconds, 309 mph
2. Risto Poutianen 4.912 seconds, 293 mph
3. Anita Makela 4.916 seconds, 253 mph
4. Stig Neergaard 4.917 seconds, 249 mph
5. Jari Halinen 5.035 seconds, 296 mph
6. Mike Kagared 5.054 seconds, 250 mph
7. Timo Lehtimaki 5.089 seconds, 263 mph
8. Patrik Pers 5.157 seconds, 300 mph
DNQ -
Kenni Neergaard 5.214 seconds, 214 mph
Andy Carter 5.218 seconds, 291 mph
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| Risto Poutiainen (right) |
The first round of competition saw Jari Halinen take the win on a bye run 9.709, 79 mph after Stig Neergaard shut off with a fluid leak.
Next pairing saw Micke Kagared watch Anita Makela change lanes before staging but on the run went up in smoke where Kagared had his own problems with fire around the engine but continued to finish first in 6.073 seconds, 148 mph to Anita's 13.185 seconds, 74 mph.
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| Anita Makela |
The next paring saw a very close match with Risto Poutianen hole shot giving just enough margin over Timo Lehtimaki for the win in 4.867 seconds, 313 mph to 5.126 seconds, 279 mph.
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| Timo Lehtimaki |
Final pairing saw favourite Urs Urbacher take the win despite Pers' holeshot but soon got ahead to win in a remarkable 4.795 seconds, 313 mph over Pers' shutting off on 5.938 seconds, 157 mph.
The Semi Final saw Risto Poutiainen win in a bye run when Kagared failed to start and Urs Urbacher took the win on 5.830 seconds, 157 mph when Jari Halinen shut off.
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| Micke Kagared |
The Final saw Urs Urbacher take the 2011 Top Fuel Championship Title in 7.845 seconds, 166 mph after Risto Pountianen shut down as his car swerved to the centre line.
TOP METHANOL DRAGSTER
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| Timo Habermann |
Qualifying was very close with the final 8 qualifiers and only 0.128 seconds apart for the top seven meant this was again going to be too close for comfort.
Top Qualifying Summary
1. Fred Hanssen 5.402 seconds, 260 mph
2. Dennis Habermann 5.413 seconds,259 mph
3. Timo Habermann 5.500 seconds, 253 mph
4. Paul Ingar Udtian 5.518 seconds, 253 mph
5. Dave Wilson 5.522 seconds, 261 mph
6. Derek Flynn 5.523 seconds, 263 mph
7. Monty Bugeja5.528 seconds, 258 mph
8. Oliver Azzopardi 6.219 seconds, 242 mph
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| Fred Hanssen |
As in 2010 the close racing finally came down to that dual between Fred Hanssen Top qualifier and Timo Habermann the No 2 Qualifier but in the end the win went to Timo as Fred had his chute accidently deploy at half track but the 2011 Top Methonal Champiohship went to Fred Hanssenin the end.
TOP METHANOL FUNNY CAR
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| Rob Turner |
Qualifying
1. Ulf Leanders 5.653 seconds, 251 mph
2. Danny Bellio 5.797 seconds, 243 mph
3. Rob Turner 5.872 seconds, 234 mph
4. Steph Milam 6.079 seconds, 223 mph
5. Jurgen Nagel 6.193 seconds, 237 mph
6. Dezsoe Krivan 6.238 seconds, 227 mph
7. Jarmo Kuutniemi 7.160 seconds, mph
8. Arvid Grodem 8.684 seconds, 68 mph
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| Ulf Leanders |
Now in his second full season since moving to Funny Car from Methanol Dragster, Rob Turner qualified well and with the car have improved performance as seen in their No 3 Qualifier continued and continued to take the event win in 5.809, 236 mph over Ulf Leanders 7.090, 130 mph. But Leanders' runner up finish gave him the 2011 Methanol Funny Car Championship.
MSA & FIA European PRO MODIFIED Championships
The whole Pro Modified FIA Championship just gets bigger in performance and professionalism since Melanie Troxel began promoting a Pro Mod World Series in 2010.
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| Michael Gullqvist |
2011 Pro Mod Champion was Micke Gullqvist and event Winner Urban Johansson on 6.204 sec, 223 mph.
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| Urban Johansson |
PRO STOCK
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| Jimmy Alund |
2011 Pro Stock Champion was Jimmy Alund and event Winner Richard Sundblom on 7.074 sec, 195 mph.
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| Richard Sundblom |
Dick Parnham (copyright)
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