FIA/UEM European Championships Round Three, Veidec Festival, Mantorp Park, Sweden

Words and photos by Ivan Sansom and Rose Hughes
Thanks to TSI Timers (Europe) for access to the timing data

The third round of the FIA/UEM European Drag Racing series, held at Mantorp Park in Sweden, came to a frustrating end as successive rain showers halted action just before the final rounds of eliminations in all the Pro categories, and, despite the best efforts of the track crew, the shutdown area refused to dry before the last remnants of daylight were lost (Mantorp, like so many of the tracks in Europe, lacks the lighting necessary for racing after dark). Despite the absence of a finish to the meeting, the Mantorp quarter mile (and 1000 foot, and eighth mile, depending upon the class and braking requirements) produced record setting fields, major upsets and potentially significant moves in the points championships.

FIA Top Fuel Dragster

Risto Poutiainen arrived at the Veidec Festival third in the points and needing to make a move on the two drivers ahead of him. Qualifying on top of the heap in Rune Fjeld’s primary car, Poutiainen progressed to his first final of the 2009 season with a 4.081/282.66 mph to 4.276/258 victory over Micke Kagered in the opening round of eliminations, and then outran Urs Erbacher with a 4.216/265 to the Swiss driver’s 4.280. With Stig Neergaard falling in the first round, Poutiainen moves into second spot behind current championship favourite Andy Carter who he was due to race against in the final. Both drivers wanted it go at it and spent some time in discussion with the race director asking to run over the eighth after the meeting was called.