Round 1 FIA/FIM European Drag Racing Championships, Santa Pod Raceway

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

After yet another off season of intrigue and politics, the European Drag Racing series finally made it to the starting line at Santa Pod over the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend. The event, formerly known as the Main Event, attracted reasonable fields in most of the pro categories, although some withdrawals (some mechanical, some enforced) reduced things a bit before the start of the meet and the absence of many of the major Scandinavian bike teams diminished the FIM classes a tad. Despite the enthusiasm of many on site to get things underway, the weather had other ideas with a pre-event test session pinged by a once in 50 year hailstorm and qualifying largely condensed into a three session Sunday. Eliminations didn’t manage to dodge the wet stuff with the Bank Holiday Monday wiped out without a wheel (other than on the track drying equipment) being turned in anger.

FIA Top Fuel Dragster

With a new chassis (ex-MLR spare) cloaked in an up to date AJR aero package, reigning Top Fuel champion Thomas Nataas shocked the troops with a second session 3.910/309.23 that sat comfortably below the ET record and also topped the FIA speed record. Confident that this wouldn’t be bettered in the final qualifying session, the Andersen Racing/Landmeco/Teslak/Else Marie team sat that one out, but hopefully won’t regret not taking further advantage of the atmospheric conditions by the end of the season.