The opening round of the 2023 FIA/FIM European Drag Racing Championships, known as The Main Event, is set to be hosted by Santa Pod, featuring six of the world’s most powerful racing cars. This will be the largest assembly of Top Fuel vehicles in Europe since the onset of the Covid pandemic.
Three female and three male drivers will compete for the victory and an early lead in the five-race international championship series. Current record holders, Finland’s Ida Zetterström and Switzerland’s Jndia Erbacher, will be among the racers, along with Sweden’s Susanne Callin, who is looking to secure her third consecutive win.
A historic moment will unfold when Duncan Micallef, the current President of the Malta Motorsport Federation, competes. Micallef, a previous Top Fuel star and 2017’s European champion, will be the first serving head of a national motorsport organization to participate in a drag race.
Spectators will be allowed free access to the paddock area to observe the pit crews preparing nearly 250 entries. This event signifies a continued resurgence of European drag racing post-Covid.
The opening round of the FIA Pro Mod Championship and the second round of the Motorsport UK British Drag Racing Championship will feature a 16-car field of Pro Modifieds. Jan Ericsson of Sweden, a two-time FIA champion, is among the competitors, along with Michael Gullqvist, aiming for his eighth title.
In addition to the competitive events, Santa Pod’s off-track family entertainment will include the award-winning John Lawson Circus, Live Action Arena stunt displays, a wall-of-death motorcycle show, helicopter and funfair rides, night-time music performances, and the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
The Main Event is scheduled to take place from Friday 26th to Monday 29th May 2023 at Santa Pod Raceway, near Wellingborough NN29 7XA. More information and tickets can be found online at Santa Pod’s official website, or by calling the box office at 01234 782828.
This story was originally published on May 10, 2023. 
