It was a very emotional and testing four-day meeting of the European Finals. The country was in mourning of the death of the Queen on Thursday (first day of qualifying) also on the same day, drag racing lost Jon Morton who had recently been inducted into the BDRHOF who passed away in the pits. Jon had raced both bikes and cars for many years and will be sorely missed. There was a two-minute silence for both over days of the meeting.
As for the meeting rain affected all three days of qualifying. Both the FIM and FIA classes only completed two of the four planned sessions. Special mention to the Santa Pod track crew, who worked tirelessly preparing the track and were rewarded with two world records and championships records and riders recording personal bests.
Top Fuel Bike.
Coming through the gates of Santa Pod Rene Van Den Berg had a six points lead over Rikard Gustafsson. Gustafsson sent a message to the rest of the field, he wanted this championship and ran back to back 5.8s with a best of 5.828-244.21. Neil Midgley was next 5.976-204.30 and running well. Al Smith ran a soft set up in session one 6.22 and then ran 6.149-213.07. Eric Richard debut his new bike a couple of months ago and ran a best to date 6.681-199.75. Stuart Crane was testing new ally conrods he produced at the event, but the teeth broke on the crankshaft and he was out of the show 6.804-194.70. Cranes teammate Mark Smith had a gear shift issue in the opening session, but got a time in the next session 6.928-161.89. Berg the points leader had a troublesome qualifying sessions and ran 8.126-107.55 when a belt broke.
Gustafsson had a bye to the semis, as did Richard, when Crane was a no show and recorded personal best of 6.598. Next was an all Smith affair (not related). Al on the three cylinder fuel bike ran 6.298-224.64 to beat Mark who ran a p/b 6.754 on his Funny Bike. So all eyes on were Berg as he faced Midgley. Berg weekend went from bad to worst, when he started to burnout and the blower belt broke. Midgley soloed to 5.974. That meant Gustafsson was the 2022 European FIM Top Fuel Bike Champion.
Having the title secure Gustafsson set a FIM Championship speed record of 252.25 in his semi-final win over Richard. In the other semi, Midgley beat Smith 6.126 to 6.350.
The huge crowd were hoping for a side by side five second passes. Midgley put a holeshot rt098 to 132 over Gustafsson, but Gustafsson powered around to take the win 5.935-250.99 to Midgley 6.221-172.43.
Super Twins Fuel Bike.
Marcus Christiansen only had to qualify to retain his championship of SuperTwins Fuel, which he did 6.258-222.55. Martijn De Haas had an cam timing issue on the rear cylinder head, but that didn’t stop him from running a career best of 6.505 at 209.94. Chris Van Nimmen was looking for a baseline for his clutch and had a great launch only for his motor to cut out and did not make the finish line. On his next pass there was a technical issue with the timing system and then rain came. Sadly Van Nimmen did not qualify.
In the final Christiansen turned the wick up and ran 6.211 at a new FIM Championship speed record of 230.37 to become Europe’s first V Twin normally aspirated motor to run 230plus mph. De Haas ran 12.376.
Pro Stock Bike.
Was the only bike class to get three qualifying sessions before the rain fell. Points leader Martin Newbury had to travel to Sweden to purchase a motor from Robert Karlsson in between round three in Germany and this event and fit the motor in his bike. With a 7.212 number one qualifier. It was enough to win his first European FIM Pro Stock Bike Championship. Dave Beck was the last UK rider to win the title back in 1994. Martin Bishop had a busy time with his clutch and an electrical fault, but managed a 7.668-172.44. Aswin Le Noble was on his fourth motor (1570cc) and ran 8.531. Former champion Bertrand Maurice has had a season long issue with launching off the start line and only managed to qualify in the last session 9.081.
Bishop beat Noble in the first semi 7.661 to 8.469. Newbury did not run, leaving Maurice a solo to the final 7.353. In the final Bishop carbs dislodged during the burnout and went onto three cylinders. Leaving Maurice another solo run to the winner’s circle 7.355.
Super Street Bike.
The Super Street Bike class put on a superb performance to the Huge crowd attending the event. Daniel Lencses had a twenty point lead ahead of Mathias Bohlin. Lencses ran 6.682-221.20 and in the second session was part of the quickest side by side in Europe 6.75 to Steve Venables personal best figures of 6.703-224.41. During qualifying Venables had part of the rear bodywork come off and managed to control the bike and safely stop in the shutdown area. Jake Mechaell was testing some parts and ran 6.859 with a p/b speed of 215.13. Garry Bowe stunned everyone with a out of the trailer 6.871 p/b at 211.09. Mogens Lund had a mathematical chance of the title coming into the event. He ran a p/b of 6.946-212.03. Bohlin was looking for a baseline for the bike and ran a best of 6.992-206.10. Alan Morrison Jr had a new swingarm and the team were still sorting out a handling issue going into race day, after qualifying 7.008-190.58. Ross Morrison was still having gear shift issues 7.159-202.56. Mark Hope had his swingarm repaired and rear wheel off his brother Alex bike. Ran 7.230-198.12 for ninth. Stephen Mead was next 7.329-196.41 followed by Margot Schmidt who had a new Pulsar Turbo and her best 7.881 with the new combination. Steve Wood had the help from Danny Cockerill and Dan De’ath 8.134-179.25. Rudolfo Maduro had repaired his motor (conrod broke at Green Light Nationals) but suffered an oil leak which was repaired and then a part broke on the suspension, but managed a time of 9.197.
Lencses had a bye run 6.743-22.21 and became the 2022 European FIM Super Street Bike Champion. It was an all Morrison family affair and Alan left first and took the win 6.984-207.07 to Ross 7.073 with a p/b speed of 208.18. Bowe eased pass 7.034 Schmidt who ran her best to date 7.821. Lund beat Mead. Venables trailered Maduro. Mechaell beat Wood who ran his best of the weekend 8.004-179.25. Bohlin lost to Hope when he pulled a big wheelie off the start line.
Into Round two and a shock result saw Lencses spin off the start line against Morrison Jr who ran 6.933-213.09. Bowe had problem, while Lund ran another p/b 6.941-214.10. Venables had a bye to the semis at 1000ft mark a conrod broke and a huge fireball erupted. Santa Pod has never witness a fireball of a Super Street Bike. Venables managed to stop at a fire marshall point. He was ok, the bike rear bodywork and parts melted. Mechaell beat Hope in the last race of round two.
Semi-finals and what a close race the crowd witness between Morrison Jr winning with personal best figures of 6.835-212.82 against Lund with another p/b 6.925 at 214.10. Mechaell broke the beam.
The final was another great race with Morrison Jr running another p/b 6.822-211.80 to take the win light against Mechaell 6.914 at a p/b speed of 216.13 to send the fans home happy.
Report by Steven Moxley.