Drag Racing, In Finland?!

[W-409]

Here's little set of pictures so you can see what happened in the accident:

Sorry the last picture is very blurry, but it wasn't easy to take as good as that picture with full zoom.

Only one tail light was survived from that crash, if I remember correctly. Luckily the driver has new project now, a Chevy II.

[W-409]

And a Video:

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Also I found a picture of Timo Korpela's Ford Pinto Wagon, I liked this car too, the picture is taken in 2008, nowadays he drives a Super Comp Dragster. On another lane, there's Juho Yijälä with Ford Maverick, nowadays he drives very fast Street Mustang.

Edited October 5, 2012 by W-409

[NitroJunky]

Ive been to Alastaro for the last 2 years now with a top fuel dragster with not the best results but all good fun at the same time.

My first year of going the rest our team kept saying i had to sample the legendary "giant" meal att he trackside resturant. A challange to say the least.

This year was the first time i had a chance to get to the top of the track and i have to say i like the view from the top of the hill on the tow back road, As its a nice view of the track and espeacialy if you catch the end of top fuel race.

[W-409]

Wow, what Dragster you had with you?

I like seeing the race also from the hill, but especially in the Nitro Nationals, when it's full of people it's bit difficult to see. So we've been many times on the other side of the track sitting in the grandstand (?).

Next year I might be the mechanic, my dad will drive Stock Eliminator with '74 Chevelle. Well, not much compared to Top Fuel Dragster, but pretty cool anyway.

Okay, last videos from SPET Car Category, then I will move on to another favorite group of mine: Street!

First, one video of Hannu Tekoniemi & AMC Javelin SST. And pretty long burnout, too.

Then one video where you can see Rust Racing '26 Ford T and '28 Ford Funny Car. And Huge burnout by Jukka Mattila in '26 T Ford.

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Edited October 6, 2012 by W-409

[W-409]

And last, Hollow Heads' Altered 8,7 second run, team's personal best, I guess (and a massive break out with 9,11 index.).

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As I said above, next I'm going to move on to Street!

[NitroJunky]

Wow, what Dragster you had with you?

I like seeing the race also from the hill, but especially in the Nitro Nationals, when it's full of people it's bit difficult to see. So we've been many times on the other side of the track sitting in the grandstand (?).

Next year I might be the mechanic, my dad will drive Stock Eliminator with '74 Chevelle. Well, not much compared to Top Fuel Dragster, but pretty cool anyway.

Sorry just re-read my post and could have worded that better. I was/am crew on a top fuel dragster. Only wished i could aford my own but sadly not and have to settle for 24th & 16th scale models lol

2010 season i crewed for Andy Carter until he retired at the end of last season.

This year i crewed for returning guy Chris Andrews, This car is a former 2010 NHRA car owned by Mr Morgan Lucas himself.

I was one of the lucky ones and walked straight into a position on Top Fuel team and never had to work my way up through the ranks on stock cars etc. It will be good fun for you and you will have a great laugh and will always be able to look back in years to come and say "I did that"

Sadly i lost all of my photos from my first trip Finland when my PC crashed. A friend of my mine took this one us rushing to the start line for our final shot to make the field at this years Nitro Nationals at Alasataro.

[W-409]

Yeah, heh, I saw actually that you were not a driver, since I haven't seen any Gareths driving Top Fuel in Alastaro.

We have always liked Stock & Super Stock cars, since they are always nicely finished and body modifications are not allowed. And even if they're not the most powerful cars in the world, they're fast and they do nice wheelstands etc. I also like those engines with original carburetors, intake manifolds etc.

Here's a video of Top Fuel Qualification at 2012 Nitro Nationals. Finnish Drivers took all of the places from 1 to 6.

[TedsModeling]

He has also very nice '32 Ford 5W Coupe with Chevy 409 under the hood, custom trailer and this is the way he comes to racing:

Man, you 'gotta love this tow vehicle!!

[W-409]

Yes, it's maybe the nicest Hot Rod that I've seen in Finland. Since I like Hot Rods and Chevy W-Blocks, the combination of those two things is fantastic.

Okay, let's start one of my favorite categories: STREET!

On 2012 season, Street was one big group where Street B, Street D and Street D Cars were running together. I will explain what car belongs to B, C or D group in a minute.

Street is all about Heads Up Racing, no handicaps or "Safety Indexes" needed. The fastest wins. They drive with a Pro Tree. Cars can't drive with real Drag Slicks, they need to have only Drag Radials. Tube frames are not allowed either, but rear and front suspensions can be modified a bit. Engine tuning is pretty much free, but there can be no more than two superchargers, turbos etc. NOS is not allowed. Lenco is not allowed.

I guess that's the most important, if you have questions, just ask.

What Car Runs in B, D or D Street?

B/Street: Smaller engines than 244 Cid, Turbocharged or Supercharged.

C/Street: Bigger engines than 244 Cid, and smaller than 366 Cid if you are using Roots-Supercharger. If there are no superchargers, then you can run maximum of 410 Cid. engines.

D/Street: Bigger engines than 366 Cid and smaller than 640 Cid engines without superchargers or turbos. If Supercharged, or turboed engine, maximum engine size is 480 Cid.

Okay, few examples of cars that run Street Category. Let's start from STREET B. These cars run usually with 4 or six cylinder engines with turbochargers:

Let's begin with Jani Lindqvist's BMW 2002. It goes 8,4 times.

Then Osmo Isokungas' Mercedes Benz TurboDiesel. Lots of Diesel Smoke, but it's fast, too, goes low 10's or high 9's if I remember correctly.

Then Jani Hautakoski's '74 Ford Escort. Best time 8,767.

Then Another MK1 Escort, can't remember the driver or best ET, but cool car anyway.

Aki Kulmala's Toyota Starlet, goes 9's I guess.

[W-409]

Then Kimmo Priuska's Datsun 140 Y. Best ET is 8,6 if I remember correctly, and sometimes it does huge wheelstands, too.

(Not My Video)

And the fastest Street B Car in Finland: Timo Erhomäki's Opel Ascona Wagon. Best ET is 8,2 seconds.

[W-409]

Then cars what run C/Street and D/Street:

First, Suojanen Brothers' Ford Mustang. Very fast car, no blowers, turbos or anything like that. Goes low 9's and runs in C/Street with 362" Engine.

Kenneth Matfolk's Plymouth Valiant. Runs in C/Street too. No blowers, turbos etc. and the best time so far is 8,6.

Toni Nyström's Miami Vice Racing Valiant with 358 Cid. engine, no blowers, turbos etc on this one either. Runs high 9's. (Yes, it's a Street Legal Car!) Runs in C/Street.

[W-409]

Sauli Hituri's Plymouth Valiant, runs in C/Street, too. Goes 9 second times.

Michel Seeck's Dodge Dart, runs in C/Street Too. Can't remember the best times of this one, though.

Risto Vataja's Firebird. Runs in C/Street and it's Street Legal car too. Goes mid 10's.

Toni Peräkasari's Chevy II, runs in D/Street and it has no blowers or turbos etc., either. Goes low 9's.

Janne Nykänen's Blower Powered Valiant in D/Street. Goes 9's if I remember correctly.

[W-409]

Tommi Hammarberg's Valiant. Runs 9's in D/Street, but can't remember the engine size. Anyway there is no blower, turbo etc.

Kari Koli's Camaro. 489 Cid engine with Tunnel Ram if I remember correctly, runs high 8's.

Antero Kauppila's Chevy Impala with 454 BBC and Blower. Not the smallest or the lightest car, but goes nicely.

Pasi Laine's Ford Ranchero with 473 Cid engine, no blower, turbo or other that kind of stuff.

Mika Rajamäki's Buick Grand National. No blower, turbos or anything in this 582" engine and it goes high 8's.

[W-409]

Then The Fastest car in Street categories: '67 Plymouth Vip. On season 2012, it was driven by Jussi Lahti. The best time was 7,9 and that wasn't the cleanest run ever. Driver had to lift up throttle few times and car didn't go 100% straight. But this is pretty wild car.

[W-409]

Oh and I had to say: That Plymouth Vip has 477" engine and TwinTurbos.

Another fast car, Juho Yijälä-Räty's Mustang. It has 5,4 liter engine with ProCharger. Goes 8,4 times.

Sometimes this Mustang does wheelstands, too.

[W-409]

That's it for Street. Next another Favorite group of mine: Stock & Super Stock!

[GoatGuy]

Great photos and video Niko. I like the Firebird pic and top fuel videos. Thanks for sharing. I cranked up the volume.

[W-409]

Thanx, Dave! Here's some more:

My Favorite car category, Stock/Super Stock (yes, they drive together here in Finland).

FHRA and NHRA Rules are the same, so I guess there's no need to explain them.

We have many great cars here in Finland, here they come:

First Timo Eronen's SS/AH Hemi Barracuda. Goes 8,9 times.

Then Arto Sulopuisto's B/S Pontiac Firebird.

Tarmo Mikkola's Camaro, runs in Super Stock, but can't remember the class. Goes high 9's anyway.

Yrjö Wallius' Rambler American runs in SS/J and goes low 10's/high 9's.

[W-409]

Then this '71 Chevelle, driven by Hannu Palasmaa in A/S.

Then '67 Camaro SS/HA (if I remember correctly.) This year it was driven by Anna Kaisa Manninen.

[W-409]

Then this Buick Skylark driven by Noora Laine. Runs in K/SA and the best ET is about 12,3.

Tarja Gynther's Chevy Camaro, runs in E/SA if I remember correctly.

Iiro Mikkola's Chevy Nova:

Jarmo Markkanen's Pontiac Firebird (the Green one). Bought from Jim Waldo. It ran 0,99 under the index this year, not bad I would say.

Before changing to that Firebird, Jarmo Markkanen drove this '69 Nova for 19 years.

Actually in that picture, Markkanen has already sold the Nova and driver is Daniel Nyling, but it looks the same as it did when Jarmo Markkanen was driving.

[Burnout]

Very cool to see such high level drags outside of the U.S.! Thanks for sharing.

[chaotle80]

Hi Niko,

very nice Pictures. There are al lot of cool cars in Finnland. Specially the Barrcuda is pretty cool.

I´ve seen the Alastaro European Chemapionchip runs on live stream.

I live in germany and we also have a dragracing scene with some nice cars, if it´s ok for you i can share some Pics.

Next week a dream to me came true, i will fly to Las Vegas to an NHRA run..

Kind regards

Marcus

[W-409]

Thanks for the interest!

Yeah, sure, post pictures from Germany too! Do you have other Drag Strips than Hockenheim there? This year Hockenheim's track wasn't in perfect condition, but I can remember that at least Finnish TMFC Driver Jarmo Kuutniemi drove his record pass there.

Here are some more Finnish Stockers & Super Stockers:

First this Chevy Camaro driven by Asko Somppi in GT/CA (one of the sub-categories of Super Stock.)

Then Jukka Johansson's Mercury Cougar Eliminator Stocker. I guess this is not the most common car in Stock Eliminator?

You've seen this one already, but found cool picture of it, Tarmo Mikkola's Super Stock Camaro.

Then Sami Toppari's AMC AMX Super Stocker...... This is one of the original SS AMX Drag Cars that were made for Drag Racing straight from the factory! http://ssamx.com/41.htm

[W-409]

Then Chevy Chevelle Wagon driven By Anna Kaisa Manninen. It did run in P/SA.

And then Pasi Mikkonen's Firebird. Pictures are from 2006 season. It did run in B/FI, what's that?! But I do remember that this was Very good and fast car, and if I remember correctly, it ran faster than NHRA Record in 2006 or 2007, can't remember which year it was.

One better picture, not mine: http://kuvia.1g.fi/kuvat/Tapahtumat+2006/AlastaroNitroNats/NitroNats-06-961.jpg

Then Some Old Gold:

Older pictures of Finnish Stockers, we had Lots of them in the 80's and 90's. And these pictures are NOT mine, I was not born then, but I've read all Finnish American Car Magazines etc. and here are some cars, I remember:

Martti "Luppe" Luoso's Buick Grand National.

[W-409]

Arto Sulopuisto's Chevy Nova, in Super Stock. Nowadays Sulopuisto is driving Stock Eliminator with Pontiac Firebird, I've posted a picture of it earlier on this page.

P-A Skinnars' Cuda. This runs in Modified Stock, it was close of Super Stock, basically the same but with minor differences.

Peter Alm's Dodge Polara with 426 Max Wedge:

Edited October 20, 2012 by W-409