Scandinavian Internationals
Friday


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Latest update: 18:12

SSAB is a Swedish metal producing company that has a production operation which has just moved to Borlänge, where ME Racing is located. Peter Nilsson of SSAB explained that SFI approval has just been granted for use of SSAB's Docol Tube for SFI's new 25.1X specs for full bodied car roll cages. "It is a roll formed sheet metal which is tig welded. It is of a very even thickness and can be made 2mm thick compared to chrome moly which is 3mm thick for the same strength."

An example of the weight benefit from using SSAB's Docol tube is this bike frame which weighed 21kg from regular tube but 15kg when made out of Docol. ME Racing (Mats Eriksson) has distribution rights in Sweden and distribution for the European market will be announced later. Mats said "The tube is already in the spec for Top Doorslammer and will be in the SFI spec very soon." More details are at SSAB's site.

Pro Stock racer Bo Pettersson did not make it out in the first session of Pro Stock as he was experiencing a leakage and clutch problems. He said "When we ran earlier in the year the clutch was too sudden and then when we adjusted it, it was too soft and I drove through it. We also had a leak out of the bottom end of the engine and had to change a crankshaft seal. We are looking to run in the sixes later."

Pro Mod racer Terje Håkonsen was delighted to run a 6.16/365kph in the first pair of the class out this morning. He said "We made big changes over the winter with a new BAE 7X engine and Mark Williams rear end and new Racepak computer program. The car went down the track very smoothly, it's a great track so we can use the car. It was a personal best but I think it can run a lot quicker." His next run, a 6.03, proved the point and he is in no.3 position.

Pro Mod racer Mats Wicktor has Eurodragster.com sponsor Trevor Langfield of Wizards of NOS advising him on nitrous set-up. Trevor commented "My wife says I always have a computer in front of me, now I have four!" Mats ran a 6.71 in the first session with more to come as the nitrous gets fed in progressively going down the track and the new slicks on the car bed in. Mats said "We are going to pick it up to 55% of potential and want to make as many runs as possible to get good data." The car is ex-Filippos Papafilippou (also known as Fast Fil).

Pro Mod racer Tero Laukkanen in the Mustang twin turbo ran a new PB of 6.95/341kph to go 14th after the first session. He said "We ran Super Pro Street in Finland with a 6.8s index. But our best before here was a 7.1. We were not happy with the launch although we have a Hestec engine management system that works nicely and has launch control. There was not enough boost so the 60ft time was only 1.22 rather than 1.08 that we had in Finland. This year we are testing with a BBC engine and we will have a new billet block.

Pro Mod racer Marko Lantto said "I was in the right lane and the car started sliding with the tyre shake and it was almost like a second burnout with the revs going up high in second gear. When we get the setup right we should run a low six."

Marko Lantto and other Finnish racers were displaying tribute stickers for their countryman Jarmo Kuutniemi who died on Thursday 26th July 2012 after a short illness.

Pro Stock racer Michael Malmgren started with a 6.81/312kph which he described as a 'decent start point'. "I drove through big tyre shake and ran it through to 1000ft. There is definitely more to come. I am pleased with my crew who are very skilled and are making good momentum." Michael is sponsored by Oakley sunglasses and apparel.

Pro Stock racer Harry Sturhan is pleased to be returning to Tierp. He said "We had a water leak under the car, perhaps it was from yesterday's rain! There was no problem so we will be trying again this afternoon. The car is being run the same as June, we have a new engine in it this year."

Pro Stock racer Magnus Petersson said "I am running Jimmy Ålund's old car and this is my first quarter mile pass in it after testing on the eighth mile track at Malmö. The clutch has been slipping and I need to work on my shifting as I was running an automatic in Comp Eliminator and have a Liberty gearbox in Pro Stock. My engine is from Steve Schmidt and it is his first Pro Stock engine in Europe." Magnus said he will try to race in as many FIA races as he can in 2013.

Pro Stock racer Micke Callin was pleased with a 6.70/334kph, the speed the first half of a new European record. "The track is the best and traction is good and it is smooth. I am pleased to have chance of a new speed record. I have a chance to go better in the championship than before but it does need some luck and help from others." Tomorrow will be busy for Micke as he will be entertaining sponsors from Skyltfrabriken AB, Sjölunds transport AB and guests from KPMG.

Top Methanol Funny Car racer Leif Andréasson ran a no.1 qualifier of 5.59/414kph and then went up in smoke in the second session. He is joined this weekend by the ex-pat Australian Alcohol Funny Car racer now based in the US, Steve Harker. Steve said "The 5.59 gives the others something to shoot for. I know the car well as it has over 1000 runs on it. I have had two seasons off but look forward to being with Leif at the European Finals and back in the US will be bringing out a blown Top Alcohol Dragster for my daughter Diana."

Pro Modified racer Jan Bränvall from Luleå is hoping to make his initial pass this afternoon following some last-minute welding being carried out in the pits to bring the roll cage up to SFI standards. He said "I have been racing in Top Doorslammer although I did race in Pro Mod as long ago as 1997 using parts from Mats Westman's Funny Car in a Mustang. I have upgraded my Camaro's sfront to a new one as I have a BAE X1 engine which is the most current model, but I will be using the previous X5 model here. My best so far is 6.88/330kph but that was eleven years ago at Alastaro and hope to go quicker here."

Pro Mod racer Bert Ove Olofsson is joined by US tuner Jim Salemi of G-Force Racecars. Bert said "I am pleased with the performance so far but want to go quicker here than my 6.44 earlier. That should be possible as my 60ft was my best ever at 0.99 and I had no third gear." Jim said "I am happy with the season. The conditions here are excellent with the air being 713ft above sea level which compares to 4800ft I was racing in recently in the US." Jim's brother Jon Salemi of Resolution Racing Services is also here helping Mattias Wulcan.

Pro Mod racer Micke Johansson races a beautiful '70 Challenger but was having problems. "We traced the problem to a broken fuel valve which let air in causing a misfire. I am really happy with the car which was built by Bertans Race Cars and although it is my first season I want to run quick. We hope to race in England and Finland next year depending on my team."

Supertwin racer Jaska Salakari suffered a front cam belt coming off on the first run with the cover departing the bike as well. "It was running pretty nice to that point and was doing 291kph by 330ft," he said. In testing last weekend he ran a sub-record 6.33 showing the power of his KTM-based engine. In the second run a 6.72/340kph put Jaska in third place in qualifying, but at the cost of engine damage.

Supertwin racer Torbjörn Svensson is pleased to be back this season following a crash in 2008 at Gardermoen. He said "I have more confidence here and want to go racing." Crewman Dennis Glanby said "We have to get him to hold the throttle after the eighth mile as by then he is giggling like a little schoolgirl." Torbjörn's bike is self-built including the frame and engine block and has a Karling crankshaft and Bentec transmission. Paint is by Johan Ek.

Supertwin racer Job Heezen's team are Ton and Vincent Pels, pictured under the tower just before the start. Vincent said "Job had big tyre shake on the first run. We will soften the clutch up to get to the other end and then decide what to do to get the bike to run quick." On the second run Job crossed the centre line after a storming launch so he hasn't recorded a time yet.

Top Fuel Bike racer Nils Lagerlöf suffered a failure in the pressure control for his turbocharger leading to the bike running only a 7.64. He said "We only had base pressure for the whole run and no additional power. We have fixed it and look to run a six." However on the second pass, Nils' bike went to the left and took out the 1000ft reflector so didn't get a time.

Top Fuel Bike racer Rickard Gustavsson has a new tyre and he said this may have slowed his first run, a 6.73. "We run at Tierp regularly and my best in testing is 6.42 and will try to do the same here." The funny bike went 6.56 on his second pass to remain in no.3 place.

Top Fuel Bike racer Peter Svensson produced the pass of the day running a 5.7092/355.50kph which is the world's quickest wheel-driven bike pass. His launch and the subsequent celebration can be seen on Youtube.

Stock/Super Stock racer Joakim Måtenson runs in SS/FA and was in 26th with a run 0.28 under his 10.45 index at the end of Thursday. Joakim's car runs a 440cu in six pack and is the same car that Sylvia Hauser imported from Paul Rossi, drove in the 1970s and then sold to Joran Persåker. Joakim has run the car for over ten years.

Stock/Super Stock racer Glen Appelgren runs his '64 Dodge Polara in GT/HA and was qualified 24th with a run 0.33 under his 11.05 index. Glen's 383cu in engine was prepared by PPM Racing and is linked to a Mancini Racing 727 Torqueflite trans and Dana rear end.

Junior Dragster racer Tobias Björnsson aged 15 is from Boden and after Friday's first session was qualified no.2 with a 0.005 RT. The car was built by Chris McGee, who developed a quad cam Top Fuel engine in the 1980s and is now an owner of Visions Racecars in the US.

Junior Dragster racer Callum Bradshaw is lined up for the first qualifying session on Friday. This is 13 year old Callum's second year as a driver and he is qualified 16th with a 0.126 RT. Father John (pictured right) ran a 6.73 to go no.1 in Comp Eliminator and 1.2195 under the B/TA index of 7.95.

Junior Dragster racer Theodor Brandt from Stockholm is 13 years old and is qualified 14th with 0.105 RT. The car has a NC chassis, Craw´s ZR4 engine on methanol and Shockwave OD clutch.

Junior Dragster racer Angelica Larsson is qualified 11th with a 0.080. She is from Färnäs and aged 16. This is her fifth year in competition. Her mother Annica races Super Gas (see yesterday's pit notes).

Junior Dragster racer Tina Olsen Frog is from Heimdal in Norway and runs a Mike Bos Racecars-built car. She is qualified 21st with a 0.238 RT and her car is marked 'For Sale'.

Junior Dragster racer Amanda Sjöström-Andersson was winner of the SDL Junior Dragster championship in 2011 which had eleven rounds of racing at seven different tracks. Aged 14, she is from Sollefteå and has a Mike Bos Outlaw car with a Blossom Racing Engines Super Rhino II motor. She is qualified no.5 with a 0.027 RT.

Junior Dragster racer Kristoffer August Nordin is qualified third with a 0.006 RT. He has been racing since 2009 and is aged 12. From Frogner in Norway, Kristoffer drives a Pro Link car with McGee engine.

Junior Dragster racer Trine Fossum from Fannrem in Norway is aged 17 and drives a Motivational Tubing car. She has been racing since 2009 and is qualified 8th with a 0.071.



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