Norrköping, Sweden – Over the summer, we were happy to report that professional FIA-sanctioned Drag Racing returned to Europe after a two-year halt from the global pandemic (albeit with a modified race calendar).
And now that the season’s over, no one could be happier than Swedish driver Jimmy Ålund, the 2022 FIA European Pro Stock Champ.
Ålund’s 2022 FIA European Pro Stock Championship Recap
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Summit Racing Scandinavian Internationals
With a truncated schedule, the FIA Pro Stock season started with the Summit Racing Scandinavian Internationals at Tierp Arena in Sweden in early August. Ålund ran the quickest ETs and speeds in all the qualifying runs, which netted him the maximum available 12 bonus points—which, as it turns out, will come in really, really handy later.
Despite running well in the first round of eliminations, mechanical issues in the second round resulted in a loss to the eventual event winner, Robin Norén.
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The NitrOlympx
Later in August, FIA Pro Stock racing roared into Hockenheim, Germany for The NitrOlympx. Billed as “the largest drag racing event outside of the United States,” the event drew in a record crowd. Ålund qualified well, running the quickest ETs in the Q3 and Q4 rounds, snatching 9 bonus championship points in the process.
He carried that momentum through eliminations to secure the event win with his Summit Racing Pro Stock Chevy Camaro. “Hockenheim delivers another spectacular event,” Ålund said. “It’s a great feeling to race in front of such a huge and appreciative crowd.”
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The FIA Euro Finals
Going into the final event of the season at Santa Pod Raceway in the U.K., each of the top three teams had a legit shot at winning the championship—so suffice it to say, the racing was competitive.
Racers and the track crew battled rain through most of the qualifying rounds, but once it dried up, Ålund was sitting in the Number Two qualifying position for Sunday. Racing through heavy fog, he made it to the Final Round to face the Number One qualifier, Michael Malmgren.
Malmgren got the win with a blazing-fast 6.615-second ET, besting Ålund’s 6.618-second effort.
But! Remember those 12 qualifying points Ålund grabbed way back in Sweden? Turns out, that was a big deal—thanks to consistent qualifying and elimination performances, he was able to lock-up the 2022 FIA European Pro Stock Championship by a mere 11 points!
“Be sure it was an all-out team effort, it’s great to race for a championship again,” said Ålund. “We’re looking forward to more of the same in 2023”
This marks the 12th time in Ålund’s career that he’s claimed the FIA European Pro Stock Championship.
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