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Veidec Festival 2009 Racereport |
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Written by Helge Myrseth
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Thursday, 30 July 2009 |
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The Islanders was in the game already at Thursday when the Teams junior dragsters was qualified #8 ( Maja) and #18 ( Birgitte) in a incredible tight field of 48 junior dragsters.
Paul Ingar was ready to do some good numbers in the first qualifying round of top methanol dragster Friday afternoon, but when he backed up after the burnout a malfunction on the steering placed the dragster across the track and he needed to shut off…. The team was a bit confused about this problem but they solved it within one hour and the dragster was ready for the second round at the evening.With 5 cars in the 5,5 already after 1 qualifying round the team had some pressure on them to tune the car for a fast pass in the same 5,5 range to insure a good qualifying spot. The car left the line nice and the run was straight, the time was 5,60 – 404kmt and good for the #5 spot. The team was happy with this run until the fueltest , the fuel was not clear and the run was disqualified !! Some problems taking the test from the tank had given some crud and old fuel from the pipelines at the sample, noting wrong with the type and value of the fuel but disqualified anyway.
The islanders was still not in the 8 cars field and the upcoming Saturday qualifying runs was more important than ever…
Third round and second last attempt to get qualified,-Unfortunate the outcome was about the same as in Alastaro some weeks ago, the dragster went into heavy tire shake just after the 60 foot ( 0,91 sec 60 foot) and Paul Ingar needed to lift the throttle - The time 6,45 – 381kmt was not good enough to get into the 8 cars field. So the team was back in the pit again wondering and brainstorming how to overcome this tire shake problems…The strategy for the last qualify run at Saturday afternoon was to soften the tuneup of the car and make a safe good pass to insure a spot in the 8 cars field for Sundays eliminations, we needed a time below the 5,8 to get qualified. Paul Ingar and the crew was under heavy pressure when the dragster entered the track, 20.000 spectators at the grandstands and a field of record fast Top Methanol Dragsters fighting for the right to run in the eliminations the next day….
The dragster launched strong and made a straight quick run, the dragster was pulling harder and harder all the way down to the finish line. The time 5,51-414kmt came up on the scoreboards and the Islanders team went bananas, Paul Ingar was qualified nr 5 and a great new personal best in ET and speed ! There was a great feeling and atmosphere in the team Saturday night, a new PB and qualified nr 5 after a lot of struggle to get the dragster in the low 5,5 runs.
The dragster was checked over and prepared for first round of elimination against Krister Johanson. Krister was qualified nr 4 with a 5,50 and Paulingar nr 5 with a 5,51 so the elimination run was looking to bee a thriller. The Islanders tuned the Dragster a slightly bit harder, not to much – still afraid for those scary tire shakes… Again the Islanders dragster made a strong launch and a straight strong pulling run, the times on the scorebords : 5,50 -414kmt for Paul Ingar and 5,43 – 426kmt for Krister. Krister was to strong for the Islanders this time, but Paul Ingar made a new personal best again so the Islanders are definitely on the right course with the tune up of the dragster.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 11 August 2009 )
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