Post by Niko L on Aug 5, 2013 7:16:36 GMT
FHRA Summer Nationals is the only Finnish Championship Drag Race Event that is driven on Airport. This race was at Kalajoki Airport, and our plan was that I would drive the license there, and of course take part in the race too, if possible.
Friday.
This time we lent VW Touareg as a Hauler from KoneKesko and as in all other races, the trailer came from the same place. We started our journey at Noon on Friday and we knew that this would be the longest trip at this season.
Exactly Eight Hours later we were at Kalajoki. The car was taken down from the trailer, and we changed the rear tires. They were lent from Tarja Gynther's team, because the tires we had were a bit old and worn. Those Weld's Rodlites looked good on the car, too.
I also did the "License Exam" on Friday, and passed it as planned. Then we moved to our Hotel and started to concentrate on driving License passes on Saturday.
Saturday.
On Hotel breakfast we were told that on the Weekends, the breakfast starts at 8 AM instead of 7:30 AM that it does normally. Well the Tech Inspection started at 8 AM so we had to be there. A packet of Wieners from a local Shop was the breakfast for us then... After the tech inspection was passed, we did a little warm up for the car. The first run was just a drive through without a Burnout or anything. For the second run I did a burnout and doubled the speed. Slowly doing a bit faster and again bit faster runs, I ended up doing the first Full Throttle pass. 12,623 & 170,16 KM/H For ET, with some traction problems at the start. But it sure does feel good when a car that is heavy as a tank does a little wheelstand. On the second Full Throttle pass I missed a shift to 2nd gear, so the time was 12,689 & 169,90 KM/H. But the third, the final License run was the best one. The 60 FT time was decent, 1,746 and 12,552 & 169,46 KM/H...One tenth under NHRA Index! After that run I got the license and I was free to take part in the race. Luckily the last Qualification Round for Stock & SuperStock was still to come, and when we were called to Line Up, it was a nice surprise to be running in the same pair as Noora Laine, since both cars run in K/SA. I got another red light to be added to the collection, but luckily it doesn't matter in Qualifying. I ran 12,559 & 169,68 KM/H, a bit faster than Laine did on the other lane (12,631 & 167,97 for her).
Here are some Misc. Pictures of those License runs, all taken by Mika.
Here are two guys that were driving License. The Buick was driving a license for Pro ET.
And here WooHoo the X's are Removed and I'm driving my first ever Qualifying run.
Qualifying Results.
1. Arto Sulopuisto with his B/S Pontiac Firebird. He ran 10,168 that is -1.03 under the NHRA Index.
2. Jarmo Markkanen also with B/S Pontiac Firebird (The car that was bought from Jim Waldo). His 10,215 in -0.98 under NHRA Index.
3. Hannu Palasmaa with A/S '71 Chevelle. He ran 10,398 that is -0.55 under NHRA Index.
4. Sami Toppari who ran his first race of the year with this AMC AMX that runs in SS/C. It's one of the original SS AMX cars that the factory did for Drag Racing. SSAMX.com He ran 9,703 that is -0.34 under NHRA Index.
Here's other picture (Not Mine) AMX Wheelstand.
5. Noora Laine with K/SA '72 Skylark. She ran 12,437 that is -0.21 under NHRA Index.
6. Niko Lindström with K/SA '74 Chevelle. I ran the 12,559 that is -0.09 under NHRA Index.
7. Tarja Gynther with E/SA '68 Camaro. She ran 11,713 that is 0.01 over NHRA Index.
Sunday.
On Sunday it was time for the Eliminations. First Arto Sulopuisto had a solo run. On the second pair, there were Sami Toppari and Tarja Gynther. Sami's AMX broke on the burnout so Bye Run for Tarja. Then Jarmo Markkanen against Noora Laine who had some engine problems, and they arrived to Line up on the absolutely final moment, when Jarmo's Firebird was already running and ready to go. Jarmo had 10,25 Index and Noora's Team Member marked 12,47 on a window in that hurry. .106 Red Light for Noora, so Jarmo continued to the semis driving 10,272. Then on the last pair Hannu Palasmaa against me. I had 12,55 Index and Hannu had 10,43. I tried to take a green light this time, and succeeded in it, though .208 light is not good... I took the best 60FT time in this run, 1,719 and when I saw that Hannu's Chevelle is far behind, I hit the brakes before finishing line so I wouldn't break out, but 12,533 and .017 Break out anyway. At the pits Hannu said that he had no traction at all and the wheels spun a lot. If I could drive that again, I'd go Full Throttle, since it would have been a new record, though it was a new record this way too, but....
On the 2nd Round Arto Sulopuisto Red lighted against Tarja Gynther who went to the finals. Markkanen and Palasmaa had a very tight race, but Jarmo broke out very little and Hannu headed to the Finals. There Hannu took better RT and won the race with Tarja being the Runner Up. Congrats to both!
See You At Motopark, though the driver is wrong there, Mika will be driving this season, but on the next one...He can be just a Mechanic
!
Edit: Here's a Video of my Elimination Run:
Friday.
This time we lent VW Touareg as a Hauler from KoneKesko and as in all other races, the trailer came from the same place. We started our journey at Noon on Friday and we knew that this would be the longest trip at this season.
Exactly Eight Hours later we were at Kalajoki. The car was taken down from the trailer, and we changed the rear tires. They were lent from Tarja Gynther's team, because the tires we had were a bit old and worn. Those Weld's Rodlites looked good on the car, too.
I also did the "License Exam" on Friday, and passed it as planned. Then we moved to our Hotel and started to concentrate on driving License passes on Saturday.
Saturday.
On Hotel breakfast we were told that on the Weekends, the breakfast starts at 8 AM instead of 7:30 AM that it does normally. Well the Tech Inspection started at 8 AM so we had to be there. A packet of Wieners from a local Shop was the breakfast for us then... After the tech inspection was passed, we did a little warm up for the car. The first run was just a drive through without a Burnout or anything. For the second run I did a burnout and doubled the speed. Slowly doing a bit faster and again bit faster runs, I ended up doing the first Full Throttle pass. 12,623 & 170,16 KM/H For ET, with some traction problems at the start. But it sure does feel good when a car that is heavy as a tank does a little wheelstand. On the second Full Throttle pass I missed a shift to 2nd gear, so the time was 12,689 & 169,90 KM/H. But the third, the final License run was the best one. The 60 FT time was decent, 1,746 and 12,552 & 169,46 KM/H...One tenth under NHRA Index! After that run I got the license and I was free to take part in the race. Luckily the last Qualification Round for Stock & SuperStock was still to come, and when we were called to Line Up, it was a nice surprise to be running in the same pair as Noora Laine, since both cars run in K/SA. I got another red light to be added to the collection, but luckily it doesn't matter in Qualifying. I ran 12,559 & 169,68 KM/H, a bit faster than Laine did on the other lane (12,631 & 167,97 for her).
Here are some Misc. Pictures of those License runs, all taken by Mika.
Here are two guys that were driving License. The Buick was driving a license for Pro ET.
And here WooHoo the X's are Removed and I'm driving my first ever Qualifying run.
Qualifying Results.
1. Arto Sulopuisto with his B/S Pontiac Firebird. He ran 10,168 that is -1.03 under the NHRA Index.
2. Jarmo Markkanen also with B/S Pontiac Firebird (The car that was bought from Jim Waldo). His 10,215 in -0.98 under NHRA Index.
3. Hannu Palasmaa with A/S '71 Chevelle. He ran 10,398 that is -0.55 under NHRA Index.
4. Sami Toppari who ran his first race of the year with this AMC AMX that runs in SS/C. It's one of the original SS AMX cars that the factory did for Drag Racing. SSAMX.com He ran 9,703 that is -0.34 under NHRA Index.
Here's other picture (Not Mine) AMX Wheelstand.
5. Noora Laine with K/SA '72 Skylark. She ran 12,437 that is -0.21 under NHRA Index.
6. Niko Lindström with K/SA '74 Chevelle. I ran the 12,559 that is -0.09 under NHRA Index.
7. Tarja Gynther with E/SA '68 Camaro. She ran 11,713 that is 0.01 over NHRA Index.
Sunday.
On Sunday it was time for the Eliminations. First Arto Sulopuisto had a solo run. On the second pair, there were Sami Toppari and Tarja Gynther. Sami's AMX broke on the burnout so Bye Run for Tarja. Then Jarmo Markkanen against Noora Laine who had some engine problems, and they arrived to Line up on the absolutely final moment, when Jarmo's Firebird was already running and ready to go. Jarmo had 10,25 Index and Noora's Team Member marked 12,47 on a window in that hurry. .106 Red Light for Noora, so Jarmo continued to the semis driving 10,272. Then on the last pair Hannu Palasmaa against me. I had 12,55 Index and Hannu had 10,43. I tried to take a green light this time, and succeeded in it, though .208 light is not good... I took the best 60FT time in this run, 1,719 and when I saw that Hannu's Chevelle is far behind, I hit the brakes before finishing line so I wouldn't break out, but 12,533 and .017 Break out anyway. At the pits Hannu said that he had no traction at all and the wheels spun a lot. If I could drive that again, I'd go Full Throttle, since it would have been a new record, though it was a new record this way too, but....
On the 2nd Round Arto Sulopuisto Red lighted against Tarja Gynther who went to the finals. Markkanen and Palasmaa had a very tight race, but Jarmo broke out very little and Hannu headed to the Finals. There Hannu took better RT and won the race with Tarja being the Runner Up. Congrats to both!
See You At Motopark, though the driver is wrong there, Mika will be driving this season, but on the next one...He can be just a Mechanic
!Edit: Here's a Video of my Elimination Run: