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July 9, 2009 | NEXT PAGE » |
FIA Top Methanol Dragster
 After the record busting Main Event, Top Methanol Dragster was a slightly more sedate affair at Alastaro thanks, in part, to a revision of the blower overdrive limits for the Whipplecharger equipped teams. The story of Derek Flynn’s weekend couldn’t have been more of a contrast to that at Santa Pod. After a DNQ there, Flynn went from zero to hero with his career best performance when his fifth place on the ladder (with a 5.613) was converted in eliminations to a first FIA trophy. The Gold RV driver earnt a spot in the semis with a holeshot victory over fellow Brit Rob Turner with a 5.626 keeping him ahead of Turner’s 5.599. This led to an all A/Fuel semi against Krister Johansson, which Flynn took with an improved 5.482 to Johansson’s slowing 5.877. The final would see Flynn matched against Timo Habermann, the winner of the Main Event, and the grunt of the injected nitro car prevailed over the Whipple blown alky entry as a 5.477/418.73 vaulted Flynn past Habermann’s holeshot and into the winner’s circle. |
Krister Johansson, a seasoned veteran of the European Pro Comp, Top Alcohol and Top Methanol wars over the last 30 years or so, is moving into a good position in the 2009 points with a low qualifying (5.463/417.40 km/h) effort and then a second semi-final finish in a row giving him third place in the early season standings. A good showing in Mantorp Park could see the Swede getting closer to the form that made him one of the dominant forces of the field back in the Eighties. |
FIA Top Methanol Funny Car |
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The size of the FIA Top Methanol Funny Car fields are worryingly thin this season, with only four making the trip to Alastaro. Despite this, the field was in the 5.8s or quicker after their two qualifying sessions, with eventual winner Leif Andreasson in third place with a 5.815. The ESAB driver improved to a 5.773 in his first round win over a cone hitting Danny Bellio and then faced up with local Jarmo Kuutniemi in the final round. A big holeshot put Andreasson well ahead, but then shake hit and the pedal job did a lot of engine damage but was enough to switch the win light on after a 5.941. |
A win at the season opener put Ulf Leanders in fine fettle and the arrival of the Leanders Bros new Dodge Charger body gave a new aggressive look to the reigning champion’s ride. The promise of the new setup and that all important Leanders clutch was delivered on in qualifying with a stout 5.681/405.60 km/h to head the charts and lower the track record Ulf had set last year. An attempt to step up the pace in the first round of eliminations and potential take the European record proved to be more than the track could handle and gave Kuutniemi his second final round appearance at his home race in a row. |
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