FIA/UEM European Drag Racing Championships, Euro Finals, Santa Pod Raceway, England

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

The European drag racing championship chase landed back at Santa Pod after a tour that has taken in Hungary, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Germany for the traveling band of racers, officials, and media. Considered the best racing surface available to the tour, the Santa Pod track crew had spent a couple of weeks massaging the all asphalt track into the very best condition possible, and with championship destinations yet to be decided in five of the eight categories, the points and record chases were grabbing headlines throughout the weekend, all topped off with an absolute world best on two wheels.

FIA Top Fuel Dragster

Having nudged ahead of Risto Poutiainen in Germany the month before, Urs Erbacher was looking to go rounds at the Finals rather than setting records. Securing third spot on the ladder with a 4.843/298 was a fair start to proceedings but the damage to motors on each qualifying run would mean a very late night as the Swiss team tried to get their inventory back in race condition (including the loan of crank from the Andersens a couple of pit spots over and some welding work on the chassis). A first round win over Jari Halinen with a 4.859/274 (to Halinen’s early shutoff 4.987/244) ensured Erbacher wouldn’t be waiting on others and the championship was secured in the next pairing when Poutiainen went up in smoke at the hit. This left an event to win, and Erbacher moved into the final round with a 4.900/304 over Anita Mäkelä and then a third Finn in a row fell to the Erbacher steamroller with a 4.885/278 accounting for Janne Ahonen’s 4.986/270. A tired but relieved champion thanked his “super crew, and a special thank you to Robin Grice [crew chief for this season]” at the trophy ceremony, and then the usual epic Erbacher party started.