Tommy Johnson Jr. once again wrapped up another win in Top Fuel at Finland’s Nitro Nationals. His first visit to the country saw him take on all the Finnish racers starting with local lady Anita Mäkelä, 4.209 to a losing 4.550 then a 4.224 beat the 4.850 from Timo Lehtimäki. The final dealt TJ the class rookie, young Antti Horto in one of the Rune Fjeld owned machines, a red light 5.169/248 was easily dispatched by the 4.185/269 thousand foot time from the Per Andersen and Karsten Andersen owned and tuned Sunoco fueller.

Norway’s Fred Hanssen with the US tuner Will Hanna directing operations dominated the Top Methanol Dragster class, his first victim was current champ Timo Habermann, 5.479 to a losing 5.539, in the semi English driver Derek Flynn hazed the slick allowing Hanssen to motor through with a 5.447 to a 6.377. The final put Fred Hanssen’s Black & White blown car up against England’s Dave Wilson in the Silverline Tools A/Fueller, Wilson went into instant smoke and an 8.897/109 was no match for the winning 5.370/258.

Ulf Leanders from Sweden led the small field with a 5.773/248 clocking and did not look back taking out the Tierp, Sweden event winner Jonas Staflund in the semis then faced Norway’s Arvid Grødem in his Sunoco backed Mustang. Grødem got a little loose off the line as Leanders in the IronCad Dodge Charger ran the winning 5.710/247 to the 6.047/239.

Sweden’s Mats Eriksson has managed to tame his wild ’56 Crown Victoria Pro Mod garnering pole with a 6.159/236 then wading through the pack beating Linda Thun Tønseth in round one, Robert Joosten in two and another Dutch racer, Marc Meihuizen before taking on the might of Sweden’s Micke Gullqvist. Eriksson’s Green Goblin machine left well ahead of Gullqvist and the 6.125/231 beat the chasing 5.988/240.

A dominant Jimmy Ålund from Sweden ruled the Pro Stock weekend with top qualifier of 6.770/204 and an imperious series of bouts beating fellow Swede Jonas Dantanus in one then Finn Richard Sundblom in round two before coming facing new boy in the Ernryd Cars backed Dodge of Thomas Lindström, however Lindström red lit as Ålund in his Klintberg & Way ’04 Grand Am whose legal 6.813/203 took won.

Holland’s Roel Koedam took command of the Super Twin Bike category in the last qualifier, a 6.725/187 then managed to stay ahead of some of the heavy hitters, taking out one such in round one as champ Lorenz Stäuble was beaten. Another usual top rider Sweden’s Per Bengtsson went out to Koedam in the semi before the Dutch Zodiac bike faced Finn Jaska Salakari but it was all over on the start line as Salakari broke allowing Koedam the 7.773/152 win.

A small field of Top Fuel Bikes had Norway’s Sverre Dahl lead the way with a 6.573/206 but a round one no show allowed Samu Kemppainen the win. A round two bye got Kemppainen into the final to face the ‘10 champ Finland’s Petri Paljakka, an off par 7.947/189 took the win as Kemppainen broke.

It was Finland’s Fredrik Fredlund who dominated the Pro Stock Bike field qualifying with a 7.086/189 but went out in round one due to breakage. It was number two qualifier Denmark’s Jesper Thiel who made his way to the money run beating Kenneth Vik then Dave Beck before taking the trophy with a 7.134/183 as opponent Kalle Lyrén followed with a close but losing 7.249/182.

It was Sweden’s Rikard Gustafsson that took the final top spot in Funny Bike qualifying on a 6.830/204 then went on the secure the win by beating Pasi Hirvasoja in round one, Pasi Alakunnas in two then running a 6.546/197 event win as Jens Hojen tried in vain to catch up losing with a 7.313/180.

Antti Horto from Finland obtained his Top Fuel licence recently and in only his second race event took runner up, a feat that the young driver was very proud of especially taking on the might of US racer Tommy Johnson Jr. in the final.

England’s Dave Wilson got all the way to the final of Top Methanol Dragster but went up in smoke off the line saying afterward it was his error as he had not adjusted the set-up to suit the cooler track.

Norway’s Arvid Grødem gave it his best shot in Top Methanol Funny Car but got a little loose and ended up runner up.

In Pro Mod Finland’s Timo Äikää    managed this fiery snort as he tried in vain to get a qualifying place.

The vicious thunderstorms that put paid to the second qualifying sessions on both Friday and Saturday flooded out several pits including that of Finnish Top Fuel racer Anita Mäkelä. The golf cart was used to ferry team members across the pit and back.