Tierp Arena, SWEDEN 9th June 2018: The final Qualifying rounds continue for all FIA classes meanwhile sportsman’s class are into eliminations during the Tierp Internationals in Sweden.
Anita Mäkelä is still in the lead of the Top Fuel class with Mikael Kågered in second and Timo Lehtimäki in 3rd position. The 3rd and 4th qualifying runs for Top Fuel competitors didn’t go without a struggle, as most of the drivers couldn’t get all of their 10.000 horsepower down to the track. Top Fuel driver Stefan Gunnarsson lost traction halfway in the 3rd qualifying run against Björn Mårtensson but manage to keep his dragster on the track. Mikael Kågered Improved his time from 4.425 to a good 4.074 second in a race between him and Antti Horto. Flames from Kågered’s engine was visible from start to finish and jumped to the 2nd position with this stunning pass. Mikael will face Jöran Persåker in the 1st elimination round.
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No changes to the top 3 on the Top Methanol list, with the Habermann brothers (Timo following by Dennis) at the top and Jonny lag chasing them. Dennis Haberman tried to improve his time but ended up with a good 5.356 sec. Jonny Lagg set a new personal best of 5.351 sec racing against Dennis Haberman. This race ended up with both driver crossing the finish line with a speed of 428.57 km/h, quite a race.
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The Pro Stock class, a class with a lot of movement. it is Jimmy Ålund (6.5322 sec) who has jumped from the 5th place to the second place right behind Bengt Ljungdahl (6.5317), with only +0,0005 of a second between Jimmy and Bengt. Stefan Ernryd also jumped from the 7th position up to the third position on the qualifying list, with stunning 6.547 sec run, which is a new personal best for Ernryd. Stefan will meet Robin Noren in the elimination which also had a new personal best of 6.637, this will be interested race. Another interested race during the elimination will be between Micheal Malmgren (6.590 sec and 5th on the list ) and Thomas Lindström (6.581 sec and 6th). There is only 0.05 sec between them!
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Andreas Arthursson is pushed back to 2nd place by Jimmy Ålund in his Chevrolet Business coupe ’51 with good pass of 5.845 second run in the Pro Modified Qualifications. 5.845 is the new personal best for Ålund and will face Lars Järpler (6.230 sec) in the eliminations. Michael Gullqvist, 2017 champion is now in 3rd place with 5.886 sec and will face Håkan Persson in the Eliminations.
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Pro Mod SM is also run simultaneously to the Pro Mod European championship. Difference is that SM is the Swedish championship, which this time was won by Ålund. Jimmy raced Andreas Arthursson in a side by side race but Jimmy won with a 5.84 vs Andreas who ran a 5.89 sec.
Number 1 qualifier In the Pro Street class Christian Kongshem won from Magnus Lidberg and continues to the quarter-final and will meet Michael Maderer from Germany in his BMW850 CSI. Micheal is the only German competitor in this class and is known the be a constant performer.
And of course we didn’t miss the nice wheel stand from Ida Zetterström, the girl from Finland competing in the super street bike class.
An exciting qualification and a great start of elimination, who will stay on the ladder until the end? Who will take the win and who will set new records? Stay tuned for DAY 4, elimination rounds,
Story & Photo: Benjamin Wefer
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