Santa Pod (England), May 29, 2014 - The best possible start of the season for MPM- driver Marc Meihuizen. In qualifying for Round 1, the opening round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship, Meihuizen powered his MPM ’68 Pontiac Firebird to a stunning 5.981 seconds to race to the number one qualifying position in Pro Modified. “The crew did a tremendous job to give me such a good car in such a short time. Our goal for this year is loud and clear, into the 5.8 seconds and 250 mph. We will always try to be faster than we did the run before”, said a happy Marc Meihuizen. As eliminations had to be cancelled due to rain, the MPM-driver is also the number one in the championship.
The first round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship was at Santa Pod Raceway. Last year Marc Meihuizen was the number three in the FIA European Pro Modified Championship, but in England he had a start he could only have dreamed about. But nobody knew the team had to work against the clock to get the ’68 Pontiac Firebird race ready in time. “We checked all parts of the car this winter, made some changes to the chassis and refreshed some parts in the engine. These parts arrived very late, so it was a close call”, said Meihuizen about the work they had to do in the last few weeks before the race.
The first day of qualifying was washed away by rain, so on day two the team had to see how all changes would affect the Pontiac. The first run was a 6.96 and the second a 6.38 seconds. But run three was the one they were looking for. With 5.981 seconds and 241 mph Meihuizen was the number one qualifier and defeated reigning champion Michael Gullqvist, until that moment the only driver to break the 6-seconds barrier with a 5.99 seconds. “In the first run there was a leak in the air bottle, so I had problems with the shifter. The second run was already much better and with these data the crew made the setup for run three. They did a tremendous job to find the right setup for the car in less than three runs. They already had to work very hard at home to get the car ready in time and now they proved again how good they are”, said the MPM-driver, making loud and clear how happy he is with his J.W.R. Racing crew under the supervision of Joeri Woudenberg. “I felt very comfortable in the car right away and when we look at the data, there is even far more to come. I the 5,98 run I had wheelspin in second and third gear! This engine and setup has more power than ever before”, said a happy Meihuizen.
Eliminations were washed away by persistent rain too, so as the number one qualifier MPM- driver Meihuizen is also the leader in the FIA European Pro Mod Championship. But that’s not the most important goal for Meihuizen and his J.W.R. Racing team. “We want to run into the 5.8 seconds and 250 mph. To go as fast as we can, always to the limit and every run faster than the run before.” After Round 1 everybody will realize how serious these words are.
The next race in the FIA European Drag Racing Championship is the first weekend of July at Alastaro in Finland. Because the Tierp race was cancelled, Meihuizen will have an extra test race at a track near Malmö.
- Author
- Remco Scheelings
- Photographer
- Remco Scheelings
Dragracing FIA European Championship Main event Marc Meihuizen MPM Racing MPM Sports Pro mod Santa Pod
