After a prolonged winter break, drag racing engines are able to roar once more, with 1000’s of horsepower set to be unleashed at this weekend’s FIA European Drag Racing Championship season-opener held at Santa Pod Raceway
CALLIN TOP FUEL FAVORITE
With reigning champion Ida Zetterström transferring throughout to the US-based NHRA Drag Racing Collection, final 12 months’s runner-up Susanne Callin is the primary contender for the title within the quickest and strongest of lessons.
2017 High Gas title winner Duncan Micallef is again for a full season this 12 months, whereas the extraordinarily fast Swiss racer Jndia Erbacher must also be a drive to be reckoned with, nevertheless solely planning a partial marketing campaign this 12 months.
TOP METHANOL’S FUNNY CARS AND DRAGSTERS
Will a humorous automotive come out on high as soon as once more or will the dragsters prevail? That may as soon as once more be the query within the class the place humorous automobiles and dragsters compete towards one another. Sandro Bellio, the 2019 and 2022 champion, is able to bounce again following a difficult marketing campaign final 12 months.
At Santa Pod, the Belgian’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo humorous automotive will meet sturdy competitors from three dragsters. A-Gas Crew Sweden entered the sequence with two automobiles for Jonny Lagg and Tony Bryntesson, whereas Silvio Strauch will go for his second full season within the championship.
FULL PRO MODIFIED FIELD
David Vegter, who completed the 2023 season on a excessive together with his first win on the European Finals and a runner-up place within the championship, can be one of many predominant favorites to the title. The Dutchman has been constantly fast for a number of years now and got here near the European ET document final season.
One other man to look at must be Andres Arnover. The Estonian and his turbo-powered ’67 Ford Mustang GT500 completed in third place final season, whereas Bruno Bader got here fourth. The Swiss Professional Mod veteran aboard his Gotham Metropolis Corvette is a confirmed top-three finisher and must also be within the combine for the highest spots.
PRO STOCK IS BACK
The Professional Stockers skipped the season-opening spherical final 12 months, however now the factory-based sizzling rods are again with an eight-car discipline. The highest six of final 12 months’s championship standings will tackle the title combat this weekend.
Reigning champion Michael Malmgren will meet arduous competitors from the 2 Dodge drivers, 2023 runner-up Stefan Ernryd and third-best driver of 2023, Simon Ekengren. Robin Norén, final 12 months fourth within the standings, had a busy winter because the staff needed to restore the Pontiac GXP after the crash on the Hockenheimring.
A significant menace will certainly come from Jimmy Ålund. The 12-time class champion solely took half within the two Tierp races final 12 months and completed the championship in fifth place. This season Ålund is again for a full marketing campaign with just one purpose – to retake that primary spot.
Qualifying for the FIA lessons will kick off on Saturday and can proceed on Sunday, whereas eliminations will comply with on Monday.
