FIA Pro Modified

We’d flagged up Freddy Fagerström’s performance levels in our previous report from the Tierp round, and a final round place (his first since in mid-2000s) after qualifying third with a 6.164 from the pick-up, defeating Marco Maurischat, Marc Meihuizen and Bert Ove Olofsson on the way, gives us another excuse to highlight one of the crowd favourites on the Euro tour. Huge burnouts, rapid (and occasionally wild) passes and a pretty neat line in tow vehicles mean that Cirkus Fagerström is one of the most popular acts on the FIA circuit.

Having left the Green Goblin outside over the winter, Mats Eriksson was due to face off against Fagerström in an all rust-bucket final round before the rain returned. Luck was certainly favouring Eriksson as he was trying to match last year’s event win at the same event, qualifying someway off the pace with a 6.354 being only good enough for tenth spot on the surprisingly short 13 car field. First round opponent Robert Joosten clicked off way early when another 6.3 from Eriksson was more than a little vulnerable. Championship points leader Bruno Bader then red lit away a 6.234 that would have handily covered Eriksson’s shaking 6.616. The semi-final race against low qualifier (with a 5.989) Michael Gullqvist was all Gullan’s on paper as he’d been firmly in the 6.0s throughout eliminations, but severe tyreshake shortly off the line bust a rear wishbone and Eriksson’s 6.491 lucked out again.