The last weekend saw the opening round of the FIM-Europe Drag Bike Championship at Santa Pod Raceway, England.
FIM-Europe Top Fuel Bike class attracted eight entries, with multi-time series champion Ian King qualifying in the number one spot and the quickest run of the event with a 5.830s/232.52 mph run, but the home rider lost out to Filippos Papafilippou at the semi final stage. The final proved to be a Sweden vs Greece affair, with Rikard Gustafsson taking the win when Papafilippou stopped for brief fire shortly after leaving the startline. Gustafsson (in the photo by Rose Hughes) ended up idling to a 21 second clocking from his Suzuki Funnybike.
The final of FIM-Europe Super Twin ended up as an all-Dutch affair, with low-qualifier Martijn de Haas (in the photo by Rose Hughes) defeating fellow countryman Job Heezen with a 6.6056s/212.81 mph to a 7.3536s/205.24 mph decision.
Defending FIM-Europe Pro Stock Bike champion Fredrik Fredlund (in the photo by Rose Hughes) was struggling to run really quick numbers but used race-craft to work his way through eliminations to defeat Britain’s Alex Hope in the final using a 7.2021s/186.66mph from his PAF Suzuki (against Hope’s 7.2559s/180.66 mph) to take the trophy home to Åland.
FIM-Europe Super Street Bike Cup saw record-breaking and personal best performances throughout qualifying and the early rounds of eliminations, with Dave Holland taking the elapsed time mark with a 7.0387s run.
Holland lost out at the quarter-final stage, with Rick Stubbins taking the event win with a eight second clocking, slowing after seeing opponent, and 2014 Cup champion, Steve Venables leaving before the green light and disqualifying himself.
Full results on FIM Europe website: www.fim-europe.eu/events/61
