Vegter Pro Mod Racing are about to embark on a very special adventure. At the invitation of Dragtimes, the driving force behind the Russian Drag Racing Championship, in early August the team will travel to Russia to take part in two races of the Russian championship at Autodrom Nizegorodskoye Koltco. It’s a unique event that David Vegter is really looking forward to. “We got in touch with Dragtimes through our tuner Adam Flamholc. They wanted us to race at their events and they do a perfect job in organizing everything for us. Dragtimes is a very professional organization and their future plans for drag racing are very promising. It’s a great adventure and a chance you only get once in a lifetime”.
Not much has been known about Russian drag racing in this part of Europe so far. Dragtimes want to change that as soon as possible. The first time we heard about Russian drag racing was a few months ago, when Adam Flamholc sold his Pro Modified/Top Doorslammer Dodge Viper to a Russian team, and the Swede was hired as their tuner. A few weeks ago the team had their first race outside Russia at the FIA European Championship race at Alastaro, Finland. “Adam Flamholc is our tuner and that’s how Dragtimes got in touch with us. They contacted me a few weeks ago and at Alastaro we had a meeting to discuss the details. We will take part in two races at Autodrom Nizegorodskoye Koltco, August 6–7 and 13–14. That fits our schedule, as the next week we have the FIA European Championship race at Hockenheim”, said David Vegter about the Russian adventure.
Autodrom Nizegorodskoye Koltco is a full size race track with a dragstrip, located near Nizhny Novgorod, a city 400 kilometers east of Moscow. The classes in the Russian Drag Racing Championship (RDRC) are totally different from what we know in the rest of Europe, and that’s why Vegter will take part in the rear-wheel-drive category. The 3,000 bhp Vegter Pro Mod Racing ’67 Camaro will have to face the ex Flamholc Top Doorslammer Viper of Dmitry Samorukov, but also far less powerful cars. Traction might not be as good as at most FIA European Championship tracks, but Samorukov already recorded quick elapsed times at tracks in his own country. “Dragtimes is a professional organization, you can see that in the way they deal with everything. They also plan to build a new drag race track like Tierp that can and will be used for international drag races”, said Vegter.
Vegter has some busy weeks ahead of him. “Although Dragtimes arrange a lot for us, there are always many things we have to do ourselves, like applying for a visa. The bus and racecar are at Johnny Oksa’s place at the moment. Next week we will fly to Finland, pick up the bus and drive to Nizhny Novgorod. There will be a Russian guide waiting for us in Finland, and he will accompany us during our Russian trip. In between the races we fly back home. After the second race we will drive the bus directly to Hockenheim. We have to take the same route as we did on our way to Russia, so we have to go back to Finland first. From Hockenheim we will drive to Tierp Arena, Sweden, as the week after the NitrOlympX, we have round five of the FIA European Championship. It’s pretty hectic, but it’s a unique opportunity you get once in a lifetime, so of course you accept such an invitation”, said Vegter, who is looking forward to this Russian trip.
Vegter Pro Mod Racing is supported by Playboy Energy Drink, HKR Techniek, WVB Holland, PedalToTheMetal Musclecar Performance, DutchBoxx Golfkarton en Sonic Equipment.
Text, photos: Remco Scheelings
