MSA British Drag Racing Championship
Round 2: FIA Main Event, 28-31 MayTwo unheralded young brothers from Sweden stole the show in an extraordinary Pro Modified race when round two of the MSA British Drag Racing Championship combined with the FIA European Championship’s opening round at Santa Pod Raceway. A recent US victory for one competitor and the last-minute entry of an American superstar dominated the pre-race build-up, but it was the Swedish Lindberg brothers’ team that dominated the race itself.Saturday’s qualifying sessions were lost to rain and Johan Lindberg’s two six-second Sunday shots secured pole position for Bank Holiday Monday’s 16-car eliminations field; an unprecedented four more six-zeroes carried him to a sensational victory.Essex’s Graham Ellis qualified second with a career-best 6.07-second run but lost his first-round match on a red light when his car’s brakes failed to hold on the line. Reigning British champion Andy Robinson reached the final superbly with his own metronomic series of 6.1-second wins, only for engine damage to prevent him from contesting the final against Lindberg.American superstar Melanie Troxel lost a wild, snaking first-round match in which she was at one point fully sideways, but delivered a late-afternoon demonstration run of 5.937 seconds at 242.42mph; the fastest Pro Mod pass ever run in Europe.Results – Quarter-finalMats Eriksson 6.039s / 240.17mph def. Mikael Lindahl 6.187s / 230.09mphAdam Flamholc 9.165s / 81.97mph def. Marko Lantto DNSAndy Robinson 6.122s / 226.74mph def. Michael Gullqvist 6.126s / 230.38mphJohan Lindberg 6.012s / 236.07mph def. Roger Johansson 6.334s / 225.89mphResults – Semi-finalJohan Lindberg 6.014s / 236.19mph def. Mats Eriksson 9.761s / 90.88mph DQ (red light)Andy Robinson 6.112s / 221.09mph def. Adam Flamholc 6.467s / 214.10mphResults – FinalJohan Lindberg 6.042s / 236.09mph def. Andy Robinson DNS Low Elapsed Time of the Event: 6.012s – Johan LindbergTop Speed of the Event: 240.17mph – Mats ErikssonRound 3: Summer Nationals, 19-20 June