FIA / FIM European Finals
Santa Pod Raceway, 6th-9th September 2018

Friday



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Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Adam Charnley ran his Chrysler Crossfire SRT6 to a 12.556/108, quick enough to qualify. The class's cruise is scheduled for tomorrow, 25 miles around the roads of Northamptonshire.

Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Joe Stevens is running second in the National Championship, 60 points behind leader Martin Smith who is not competing this weekend. Joe's car can run mid-eights and if he can do well here and at the National Finals, he will be in for a shout at the championship. He is in no.2 position with a 8.519/169.


Topspeed Automotive Street Eliminator racer Graham Smith in Snow White has been the most consistent, running in the nines and scoring points at every round so far. He has qualified no.3 with a 10.557/132. Graham is boss of Serck Motorsport.

Super Comp and Super Gas racer David Fulton is qualified no.5 in Super Gas with a 9.922/146 and no.8 in Super Comp with 9.086/147, the consistent top end speeds indicating the car's engine is peaking at the same point despite the differing throttle stop settings.


Super Gas and Pro ET racer Jon Turner ran a new PB of 9.199 in the Greenfish Plymouth Barracuda and is currently in 18th position in Pro ET (9.331 on a 9.30) and in Super Gas 13th with a 10.338/94, the speed being a tell tale sign of no throttle stop.

Super Comp and Super Gas racer Stuart Doignie went up from no.9 to no.1 Super Gas qualifier with a 9.902/156, and is no.2 in Super Comp with a 8.934/157 (consistent speed again). In terms of the championship, Stuart is leading Super Comp by over 300 points and in no.2 position in Super Gas, 110 points behind Simon Gough.


Super Twin racer Martijn de Haas is in equal third place in the championship and either he or Ronny Aasen will be in runner up spot by the end of the event, the championship having gone to Marcus Christiansen. Martijn said 'At the Main Event the engine blew and we had a rear wheel problem which we thought we had fixed for Hockenheim. But there were still small problems with hoses, switches and some minor details. We have worked the problems out and are focusing on running good numbers with the lower track temperatures here'.

Super Twin racer Marc van den Boer from Belgium is in his first season in the class after a more than 20 year career. He said 'I started with Street Bike, then Modified Harley, Funny Bike and Top Gas. My bike has a Magnum V-Twin engine, high gear only with a two stage clutch. This season we are learning and taking it quite easy. We have run the bike 15 times at the Main Event and in France, Hockenheim and at Mosten'. The frame is from Boston, US, the engine from Florida and the rest of the bike was made by Marc, who builds bikes as his business. (picture by Mike Kraaij).


Junior Drag Bike racer Marie Madleen Rosen is here for the first time having been in the class for four years in Germany since she was eight. Dad Bernd Thomer said 'The bike is originally from Sweden and I have modified the fairing and recently increased the engine from 125cc to 250cc. Marie's best ET to date (eighth mile) is 10.516/61mph.

Top Fuel bike racer Filippos Papafilippou is champion-elect, needing only to qualify to win the title. Former bike owner Ian King said 'We had only routine work to do after Hockenheim and after this race will take the bike over to the US where I will race it at the Valdosta Man Cup World Finals, 16-18 November.


Comp Eliminator racer Chris Orthodoxou had his first full event with the car at the Main Event and ran a best of 6.790/210. This morning he ran even better with a 6.493/210 but the run was DQ'd as the car hit the quarter mile blocks after suffering shake.

Comp Eliminator racer Conrad Stanley, who has been running his ex-Pro Stock car, has been getting down to the numbers close to what the car ran in that class, a 7.09/194 placing him fourth with a -0.337 to his B/A index of 7.43.


Comp Eliminator racer Nick Davies with crew chief Rob Loaring completed the car in time for this race and pictures of the build-up can be seen at www.facebook.com/projectfia. The car with its turbo engine has great potential, however is in testing mode for this race.

Comp Eliminator racer Bernd Rudolf from Germany has a new twin turbo Mustang which he is racing in AB/A class. He is in testing mode, having run the car previously at the 2018 NitrOlympx and is still working the bugs out. His previous Mustang twin turbo ran in the eight second range and the new one looks every inch a six second car.


Comp Eliminator racer Robin Orthodoxou ran one of his best ever passes today, a soft-looking 7.076/184 just a tenth away from his PB of 6.951 recorded four years ago.

Comp Eliminator racer Robin Sattler is in no.1 position after four sessions with a 8.888/143.82, close to his PB of 8.862 and 0.751 below his F/D index of 9.64

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