Top Fuel Bike.
Rikard Gustafsson returns to the UK as one of the favourites for this years FIM Top Fuel Bike championship. Gustafsson has been testing some clutch modifications and ran 5.86 in Sweden last year, he is the first European Top Fuel Bike rider to run over 250mph and is the Championship speed record holder. Neil Midgley is now the owner of the bike that holds Championship ET record of 5.662 by previous owner Filippos Papafilippou. Midgley won the Springspeed Nationals recently and has run a career best of 5.865. Festival of Power winner Steve Woollatt will hopefully back in contention after a clutch explosion at the Springspeed Nationals. Al Smith will be testing a new ignition system. Rene Van Den Berg returns after a good outing at the Festival of Power running in the 6.2secs zone. If any of the Top Fuel Bikes have problems Europe’s quickest Funny Bike rider Stuart Crane could be in with a chance of winning the event. Crane’s teammates Mark Smith and Dale Leeks are also entered. Louis Davies has had two runner up finishes this season in Funny Bike and will have a bigger motor 1640cc for this event.
Super Twins
Two-time and reigning FIM Champion Marcus Christiansen heads the entry list and is the quickest normally aspirated V Twin in Europe in SuperTwin Fuel Bikes. Three-time champion Martijn De Haas will be one of the challengers for the championship. 2014 FIM Champion Samu Kemppainen makes a welcome return to the championship and is another rider to look out for to win the event. Marc Van Den Boer returns on his Pro Fuel bike who dipped into the 6secs here at Santa Pod on his last visit. Chris Van Nimmen makes his debut in the class on an ex Soren Hartvig bike.
Pro Stock Bike.
On paper Martin Newbury 7.05-194mph will be favourite at the Main Event. 2018 FIM Champion Bertrand Maurice competed in Sweden last year running a personal best of 7.176. Martin Bishop has been busy preparing three motors for the event. Simon David and Aswin Le Noble are also entered.
Super Street Bike.
Reigning Champion Steve Venables will have some tough opposition, with ACU ET and Speed record holder Daniel Lencses 6.776-220.37mph. Springspeed Nationals winner Jake Mechaell and former champion Garry Bowe. There are two other six-second runners, Alan Morrison Jr 6.913 and Mogens Lund who has finished in the top three the last three seasons the championship was run. Stephen Mead could also be a surprise contender for the event.
Eric Teboul will be putting in some demos with his Rocket Bike with p/b of 5.12-281mph. Hans-Henrik Thomsen the world ET record holder for an Electric Bike will attempt a new speed record, which is held by Larry McBride 201.37mph.
Report by Steven Moxley