FIA/Bilsport Pro Modified
After two dominating performances from Urban Johansson, Micke Gullquist was the first to prevent what was almost looking like a perfect season for Johansson. Gullquist snatched pole from Johansson in the final pass of the last qualifying session with a 6.318/227, and then in the final three rounds of eliminations mowed down the field with a 6.30 in the quarters, and a pair of 6.31/228’s todefeat Gordon Appleton and Johansson in the semis and final roundrespectively. The 228.18 mph represents a new TS mark for the European Pro Mods (although Andy Robinson produced a 229.41 mph charge in eliminations).
Although outrun for the first time in 2006, Urban Johansson still produced the low ET of the event, a 6.290/225 in defeating Jan Arve Nygard’s nitrous Corvette in the quarter finals. With five cars running quicker than 6.4 on a very tricky track over the weekend, Johansson’s European record might take some defending over the final two rounds at the quicker tracks in Norway and Great Britain.
Gordon Appleton produced a stout qualifying effort to secure fourth spot in the field with a 6.386, and managed to work his way through to the semi-finals in curious circumstances after fellow Brit Andy Robinson took the win light on a 6.32/229 to 6.42 race in the quarterfinals. Robinson’s team had bump started the car and ‘Gus’ nobly withdrew to allow Appleton to one of his best finishes in European competition. The Wheelgame Camaro almost held onto Appleton’s starting line advantage with a 6.36, but Gullquist’s top end charge just put him 3 feet ahead at the stripe.
Completing an all blown semi-final quartet (also the top four qualifiers), Mikael Lindahl’s Bel Air was working well after some testing Stateside at the end of last season. A 6.381 tied down third in the field, a number that was improved on with a 6.330/220 to defeat Lars Olsson in the first round and a 6.379 accounted for Roger Johansson and finish off the nitrous challenge in the semis. Lindahl looked to have Urban Johansson covered in the semis until the motor let go with a puff of smoke in the lights slowing the Chevy to a 6.43/193 and letting ‘Ubbe’s’ 63 ‘Vette past with a 6.35/221.