FIA Top Fuel Dragster

Michael “Micke” Kagered (Rose Hughes photo)

Steve Ashdown (Ivan Sansom photo)

With eight entries in the premier FIA Top Fuel Dragster category, Dane Stig Neergaard ended up on top of the qualifying heap with a second session 4.0233 with Anita Mäkelä in at two with a 4.0757, followed by both British entries with rookie Steve Ashdown in third (4.1642/291.13) and sophomore Liam Jones at fourth (4.1917). Mäkelä was the sole and surprise omission of the top quartet from the semi-final stage as severe shake put her behind Micke Kågered’s ailing 4.137. Ashdown defeated Sweden’s Stefan Gunnarsson in the first round of eliminations with a 4.236/283.75 run and Jones lit the win light against multi-time champion Urs Erbacher in a match-up that was characterized by a frantic search for traction, Jones emerging victorious with a 4.996/213.10 timing.

Unfortunately for the home crowd, both Rune Fjeld Motorsports team mates will have to wait for their first final round appearances with Ashdown being shutdown before he could get to the startline against 2015 series champion Micke Kågered, whilst Jones’s 4.112 at 278.51 mph from his Arxell.com backed ride lost out to low qualifier Stig Neergaard’s 3.972/299.76 charge (which also stood as the quickest and fastest run of the event). The Denmark v Sweden final was decided fairly quickly as Kågered’s Bahco Tools Express ride broke traction and Neergaard pedalled and flamed his way to a 5.4298s winning ticket. With John “Bodie” Smith calling the shots this is as good a season opener for Neergaard as could be expected and gives him that critical momentum at the start of the 2016 points chase.