As with all classes, the Europeans are always a tad behind the Americans. Why? Well, costs for a start -- importing all the kit across the Atlantic makes it much more expensive. Plus, both European and British championships run to just six races, while the Americans get many more shots at the track.
Funnily enough though, Tero Laukkanen of Finland, with help from Brad Personett, set the European speed record at 260.11mph in 2015. Erica Enders only matched that this year -- exact same speed (!) -- before fractionally improving it.
The Green Goblin Ford is now the Black & White Ford. Mats Eriksson brought out his new '56 Crown Victoria at the end of last year -- same shape but brand new car. He ran new personal bests of 5.843/244.08 at Santa Pod this past weekend. Amazingly, Mats lost on a second-round holeshot to Jean Dulamon, the French racer who has been a career also-ran since importing an ex-Vinny Budano NMCA Pro Street Camaro in 2010, noted mainly for volcanic 'nitrous burps' which launched his hood scoop high into the start-line air. This season Dulamon installed EFI and the results have been remarkable, with PBs at each race, a first-ever round win last race and now a trip to the final at the FIA European Finals, no less. Talk about an underdog achievement! Dulamon lost there to new champion Jan Ericsson (not to be confused with Mats Eriksson).
You'll gather from this that, while generally slower than their US counterparts, a number of European Pro Mods are (how shall we say?) a little more characterful -- eg Eriksson's Crown Victoria, the Jimmy Ålund-driven
Old 51 Chevy Business Coupe which won last year's championship, and 'Fast Freddy' Fagerström's astonishing, 5.9sec/240mph C-10 truck -- and that European racers hang on to their vehicles much longer.
Scroll down through the daily photo pages on Eurodragster.com's European Finals report here:
You can pick out one or two shots of the Black & White Crown Victoria.
