In the Pro Fuel Shootout Urs Erbacher (near lane) lost in a fiery final to winner Lex Joon of Holland (far lane).
Funny
Car made a welcome return to European racing this Easter, back from several
years in the doldrums and back in bigger numbers. But in the final outcome of
the Pro Fuel Shootout, the Top Fuel cars made the best of things.
Fine English weather heralded the start of spring as the sun
shone on crisp mornings and delivered warm afternoons during the four-day
Easter Thunderball, the opening event on the British calendar.
It attracted contestants from all over Europe to headline in
the Pro Fuel Shootout, a long-running contest pitting Top Fuel against Funny
Car, the latter being afforded a slight starting line advantage. Two Swedish
drivers, Patrik Pers and Håkan Fällström, were there licensing. Pers suffered a
flash fire on his last run and Fällström had the fuel pump malfunction, which
ended with the Pennzoil Dodge body being blown fifty feet in the air. Both
drivers have to complete one more lap at the next event to gain their licence.