Gulf Oil Drag Racing See Red in Finland

The Gulf Oil – Grand Prix Originals Top Fuel Bike team arrived at this year’s FHRA Nitro Nationals to be confronted by something of a tropical heatwave at the northernmost outpost on the UEM Drag Racing tour. Hot and humid conditions turned the track into a slick and tricky prospect, when it wasn’t drowning under the watery products of huge electrical storms that curtailed qualifying on the Friday and Saturday evenings. Mercifully the temperature and humidity dropped for eliminations, but these were considerably delayed whilst spares for the timing system were sourced after the Saturday evening lightning display had knocked out the power at the track and for some distance around.

Points leader Ian King qualified second behind Sverre Dahl’s 6.573 secs. @ 206 mph with a 6.626 @ 212 mph pass that had the Gulf Oil/Grand Prix Originals backed rider rolling off and on the throttle in order to overcome a seriously tricky track surface

However, in a shock quarter final both Dahl and King went out, the Norwegian rider suffering a broken camshaft drive and King with an uncharacteristic red light that saw the owner of King’s former machine Petri Paljakka through to the next round. To add to the team’s woe Paljakka had a relatively easy route through subsequent rounds to take his second consecutive Nitro Nationals win and to assume second place in the overall points standings behind championship leader King.

2011 Calendar – FIM/UEM European Drag Bike Championship

28th April-1st May: Kunmadaras, Hungary

27th-30th May: FIA Main Event, Santa Pod Raceway, England
10th-12th June: Tierp Motorpark, Sweden
30th June-3rd July: FHRA Nitro Nationals, Alastaro, Finland
5th-7th August: Sunoco Drag Challenge, Gardermoen, Norway
12th-14th August: NitrOlympX, Hockenheim, Germany
8th-11th September: FIA European Finals, Santa Pod Raceway, England

 

Picture courtesy of Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes

 

The team is extremely proud to be supported by many leaders in their chosen markets in their quest for an unprecedented sixth European Championship title: –

 

APE – The world’s most innovative manufacturer of aftermarket parts for race bikes

COMETIC GASKETS – The Premier Manufacturer of racing gaskets

BELL HELMETS – The ultimate iconic helmet brand

GATES – The world’s most trusted name in drive belts, hoses and hydraulics

GOEDHALS – The name in precision specialist gear cutting

GOODRIDGE – The most innovative and the best in fluid transfer systems

GRAND PRIX ORIGINALS – The brand for drive and lifestyle, past and present

GULF OIL INTERNATIONAL – The world’s most iconic brand in automotive fuels and lubricants

HYPERPRO – The leading producer of progressive suspension products for motor bikes

JE PISTONS – The world’s premier manufacturer of high performance forged pistons

KENT CAMS – Specialists in motor sport camshaft manufacture, short runs and one -off’s

KIBBLEWHITE PRECISION MACHINING – The highest quality valve train components available

KING RACING – The most successful Top Fuel Bike team in European Dragracing history

MICKEY THOMPSON – Simply the best drag race tyres in the world

MRE –  Leaders in trackside support for drag race components and air shifting systems

MTC ENGINEERING – Manufacturer of clutches for the fastest motorcycles in the world

NITROSHUTTER – Europe’s leading dragracing photojournalists

NCTENGINEERING – Manufacturer of the world’s leading non contact torque sensors for motorsport

PORTABLE SHADE – The best custom branded collapsible canopies available

PRO ALLOY MOTORSPORT – The UK’s leading fabricator of alloy tanks, intercoolers and radiators

PSYCLEWORKZ – The UK’s best custom and race fabricators and innovators

PUMA ENGINEERING – Manufacturer of the world’s most powerful motorcycle engines

RSG CUSTOMIZE – The UK’s most creative website designers and vinyl artists

VANSON LEATHERS – The most iconic brand in motorsport leather goods

WORLDWIDE BEARINGS – The world’s leading supplier of ceramic bearings for racing

ZODIAC – Europe’s largest supplier of performance and aftermarket HD parts

 

For more on information on King Racing, visit www.kingracing.com