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Eric Teboul ran a 6.20/229mph without any damage. "I know we can go quicker as the 60ft can be improved and we have not tuned the clutch so far this meeting. At Hockenheim we had blower problems which meant we couldn't run well." |
Otto and Yvona Knebl promote drag racing in the Czech Republic as well as building racing bikes and running their own Funny Bike. "It's 10 degrees and raining back home so we're glad to be here. We have had a problem with the clutch which has slowed us from our usual times which are a best of 8.2. This season, we have had teams from Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Hungary competing in our series." The Czech Drag Serie site can be seen here. |
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Thomas Nataas ran a new personal best of 4.78. "My previous best was 4.86", he said. "Even so my car was all over the track and the data shows we spun the tyres three times and it got loose at 1000ft and felt like it was skating around. The Championship doesn't mean as much to me as going quick." |
Lorenz Stauble (Super Twin) said "On the first run we had too much power and went up in smoke. We took some power out and still spun the tyre but the bike ran straight. At Hockenheim we ran a 6.54 which is the fastest unblown Super Twin run in Europe." |
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Urs Erbacher said "We started to spin the tyres so I pedalled once. It then shook and the bottom blower belt pulley broke and caused the engine to over-rev. There is no real damage but we weren't quite ready for the second session. We want to run a new record and win the race. Winning the championship needs Lex and Andy to go out in the first round which is out of our control." Urs plans to compete at the last two rounds of the NHRA Powerade series. |
Travelling around Europe is the Gamma Project TV Company. Managing Director Hugh Whitworth said the eight part Valley of the Drag Kings will be broadcast from around November. Each episode will include scenes in Urs's Custom Bike shop in Switzerland and a race weekend. "The races are like operas with ups and we've tried to ride with the emotions of the the team after the incredible amount of work that is put in to prepare for the race." |
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Gary Page was satisfied with a checkout launch in Kenneth Lorentzon's Fuel Funny Car. "We have a few issues with the clutch and there was so much dust I couldn't see where I was going. It's been different shoes this year. It's been 20 years since I drove a fuel altered so driving Chaos was totally different. The fuel dragster and funny car have the same controls except the chute lever and fuel shutoff is in the roof of the funny car. But driving them are totally different experiences. The funny car is more dangerous but more fun. Driving the dragster is not easy but if you drive a funny car you will be able to drive a dragster but not necessarily the other way round." |
Micke Kågered said "On the first run the car spun the tyres at half track and lifted. On the second run it spun them from the start. We have a lot of new equipment on the car, blower, heads, clutch and tyres and we are testing it so that we can be more competitive in 2008." |
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Jarmo Kuutniemi (above) ran a new PB of 5.97/244mph in his Top Methanol FC. "I had a little shake in second gear but drove through it. The track is different from the Main Event where I had shake on every round. Next time we will take a little fuel out to increase the power." |
Kjell Sjoblom ran alongside Jarmo and clocked an almost-identical 5.98. "It's a tenth off our PB so we will be trying for a 5.8 next time. I have trouble driving with the body flexing and not being completely fixed in the seat of the car and working the pedals is difficult. I bought Martin Lindquist's car to run at Sundsvall, crashed it but it is repairable. So I will own two Methanol FCs, but still have to decide what my plan for them is." |
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Leif Andreasson suffered a problem when a nut came loose on the throttle linkage and the butterfly didn't open properly. "I couldn't explain to the team for them to fix it and decided to drive down the track as it is dangerous at the start with high revs." Leif is pictured warming up the car for his second qualifier which was a 5.82. |
Fredde Fagerstrom had some work on to replace two pushrods a lifter and a valave sprin. |
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Tommi Haapanen had a sizeable fire but fortunately the damage was not severe. "The car was leaking fuel but there was no serious parts damage. The wiring was melted by the fire and that needs replacing so we won't run again today." When asked about the driving job that looked like a 'Z', Tommi's team said "He's like Zorro!" |
Per Andersen of Andy Carter's team said that Andy lifted after 4.27 seconds on his 4.703 PB pass. "He felt the car nosing over and didn't want to break anything so he got off it. There's no damage, just a couple of spark plugs." |
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Derek Flynn of Euurodragster.com sponsors Gold RV said "I can see the scissors being sharpened", after running a tenth closer to the objective of his first five, after which his ponytail will be no more. His 6.13 was a PB time and also best 60ft and eighth. |
Gordon Appleton had a fuel problem "as in not getting any. It's disappointing after running well at the test and the press day." Adrian Spencer's immaculate '67 Camaro RS is the crew's tow car. |
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Mats Eriksson was pleased with a 6.26 to go no.1 in Pro Mod. "This is the third 6.26 this year and I think we can still improve on this. Mats' employees at ME Racing Service are all present with the team this weekend. Watch out for a feature on Mats' workshop in the near future. |
Seppo Saapola's Chrysler 300 has been repaired and felt good but Seppo had huge tyre shake on the launch and had to lift. |
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Ray Debben who ran 7.85 in the first session of Pro Stock Bike has run his bike for some time and put a new Vortex head on it for 2007. He also replaced the crank with an older and heavier item that seems to suit the bike better. Steve Venables helped Ray build the new ZX12 body kit for 2007. More details can be seen at www.debben.co.uk. |
Fredrik Fredlund runs his Hayabusa out of owner Orjan Gustavsson's stable. The engines are built by Anders Larsson. Fredrik ran a 7.57 in the first session of PSB. |
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Orjan Gustavsson ran a 7.67 and was disappointed with the gearchange. "The chassis of the two bikes I own are different (mine is Koenig and Fredrik's is a Trac) but the engines are similar, both having been owned by Roger Petterson. Each bike has a separate crew." The performance target this weekend is 7.2s. |
Per Bengstsson's engine has an adapted TFD head (above). "There was a lot of oil coming out of the engine from the start" he sais, "but it didn't affect the handling. The track feels really good." L-O Jonsson, Veidec Festival press officer, has joined the team to raise sponsorship for Per to compete in the entire UEM Super Twin championship in 2008. |
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Ken Cooper is riding Paul Watson's Pro Stock Suzuki for the first time this weekend and ran a 7.87 on his initial pass. Paul is overseeing the racing operation assisted by Julian "Fast Harry" Harris. Paul, owner of Eurodragster.com sponsor Dynospeed Developments said "Ken rode the bike very well and we just need to adjust the clutch to compensate as he is taller and heavier than me and drove through it." The bike has a Roger Upton motor of 1640cc and the objective is to step up to 7.5 to get into the field. |
Steve Carey ran a 7.16 for no.5 in Top Fuel Bike which shows great consistency. "I went straight as well, which is a good start, and just drifted a little bit at the top end", he said. |
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Steve Woollatt (pictured in front of his sponsor logos) is no.1 in Top Fuel Bike with a 6.37, six hundredths off his personal best. Team member Phil Baimbridge said "We picked up only 37mph in the second eighth whereas we picked up 46mph at SCR last time out. We will adjust the clutch to improve our time and speed." |
Mick Payne (Super Pro ET) has run a best time and speed of 7.62/179.82 this weekend in the Dodge Coronet, which has a Pro Mod spec KB engine but in a much heavier chassis. "It's running much straighter since Andy Robinson installed some wheelie bars. We ran it at the Mopar Euro Nationals and it ran consistent 7.8s-8.0s. We've also softened the settings in the engine with 19% blower overdrive and 26 degrees of ignition which seem to suit it better." |
