Being one of the local racers, Anita Makela (right) had a hectic build up to the meeting with a week long series of media appearances for the R20+ Energy Drink backed driver. The 2000 Top Fuel champion then had her strongest showing in her first year back on tour with a 4.167/428.77 km/h pass to take second on the ladder. This meant a head to head between two of the biggest names in Finnish drag racing as Makela met Janne Ahonen (the now retired multi championship winning ski jumper) in the first round. Ahonen left the gate too early wasting a 4.668 second pass that would have had Makela’s up in smoke 5.934 easily covered. Makela wasn’t so lucky in the semi-final as the burst panel blew whilst ahead against Neergaard.

Risto Poutiainen managed to keep in touch with Carter and Neergaard in the championship points chase with a second semi-final appearance in a row, this time falling to Carter when the slicks began to blackstripe and then went up in smoke when ahead of the Lucas Oil car in the other lane.