Words and photos by Rose Hughes and Ivan Sansom
Thanks to TSI Timers (Europe) for the timing data
06/08/07
After the glorious weather of the Auto Trader Easter Thunderball, hopes were high for a repeat at the eagerly anticipated opening round of the European FIA/UEM tour held over the Whit Bank Holiday weekend. The good weather that the UK had basked in for well over a month wasn’t destined to last, with a blanket of heavy and cold rain zeroing in on the facility from Saturday night onwards, resulting in the termination of the event with just two rounds of professional qualifying completed. A depressing curtailment to a meeting that could have been truly spectacular with bumper multinational fields in every class from FIA Top Fuel down to Junior Dragster.
FIA Top Fuel Dragster
The fuel cars promised much after storming incrementals were recorded at the Easter warm-up, but the two qualifying sessions weren’t enough for all of the nine entries to dial into the new startline asphalt. Lex Joon topped the list with an early shut-off 4.842, and was closely followed by Thomas Nataas in Rune Fjeld’s new rail, patriotically decked out in the Norwegian national colours. An easy 4.888/310 suggests that Nataas might improve on his second place finish last season.
Multi-medalled ski jumper Janne Ahonen (right) had less luck in his first appearance at Santa Pod in the second Rune Fjeld entry. The Finnish Flyer didn’t manage to record a valid time after being bulbed after taking a long time to roll into the beams on a second session effort (the first being aborted shortly after firing up), but the equipment is all there for the Eagle Racing entry.
Stig Neergaard (below) replaced his venerable old ride for an all new set-up for 2007 from Donnie Holbrook over the winter. Neergaard has also benefited from being in the right place at the right time and has a pile of motors and clutch discs that is the envy of many teams in the pits. Before using up some of the stockpile on his second qualifier, the Dane’s increments were with the front runners (a none too shabby 0.857 60 foot clocking standing out) and could well be a dark horse in the championship chase this season.
