FIA/FIM-Europe FHRA Nitro Nationals, Alastaro, Finland

Words and photos Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes

The second stop on the 2014 European tour had the FIA/FIM-Europe circus heading to the Alastaro circuit complex some 2 hours to the west of Helsinki. Weather wouldn’t be a problem, but the track was in a very green state after being repaved twice before the meeting (funded by the very good people at Drag Race Finland), the second instance being shortly before the Nitro Nationals weekend with rain curtailing opportunities to get the new asphalt rubbered in at the domestic event the weekend prior to the Euro round. Although there were signs that the track was coming around by the end of the event, much of the weekend represented a smoker’s paradise but the collective entry deserves praise for sticking at it and delivering a surprising number of close elimination rounds. With all of the lumps and bumps out of the track together with the usual good air, next year’s trip to Finland should be spectacular on a fully prepped surface.

FIA Top Fuel Dragster

Stig Neergaard has been knocking on the door for so long in Top Fuel competition the door was bound to open some time soon, although a fifth spot in qualifying didn’t particularly bode too well. Once competition got underway Neergaard out pedaled Duncan Micallef in a 4.447 to 4.563 quarter final, and managed to gain a spot in the final when semi-final opponent Thomas Nataas briefly lit up the motor just after half track whilst Neergaard was pedaling to a 4.600 over the Norwegian’s slowing 4.676. Into the trophy match-up and the odds seemed to be stacked against the Eye of the Storm driver and with home favourite Anita Mäkelä, but John “Bodie” Smith managed to dial in a 4.479 to get Neergaard to the finish line first and start a party that will probably continue from Finland back to Stig’s home in Denmark and then on to the next round in Germany.

The weekend was a hectic one for Mäkelä as husband Tommi Haapanen took the tiller of the team’s spare car, although a first alternate finish would be the best that Haapanen could manage on his return to competition after a six-year hiatus. With a doubling up of crew to feed and organize over the event Anita was slightly relieved to be able to concentrate on her side of the pit space and be able to concentrate on her activities come race day. With Dom Lagana on hand to provide oversight to the tune up Mäkelä ended up with a final round finish, after a very tight finish against Urs Erbacher in round one and Antti Horto at the final four stage, before losing out with a 4.649 to Neergaard.