Updated, Video - Malta wins FIA drag racing championship
Manty Bugeja inside the Mr Whippy Racing Team dragster.
A Maltese team today won the FIA European Top Methanol Dragster Championship 2012 in the final race in the series at the Santa Pod circuit, UK.
The honours went to the Mr Whippy Racing Team and driver Manty Bugeja.
More than 300 competitors took part in the six races of the FIA championship - two at Santa Pod, two in Sweden, one in Finland and one in Hockenheim, Germany.
The final at Santa Pod were followed by more than 40,000 spectators and streamed live registering more than 3.5million hits for the weekend.
The final race was won by Manty Bugeja with a 5.36sec run, with Chris Polidano very closely behind with a 5.54sec.
A contingent of more than 500 Maltese drag racing enthusiasts travelled to Santa Pod to watch and support the Maltese teams.
Manty Bugeja started the first qualifying session by taking the lead with a top time of 5.3257sec speeding up to 266.74miles for the quarter mile. Chris Polidano kept the pressure, improving throughout the qualifying sessions placing himself behind Manty after the 3rd qualifying session with a 5.3842 at 266.81mph, the only teams in the 5.3sec bracket
"A dream coming true!" was Manty first’ comments. "The team worked brilliantly throughout the season, and although the weather was not always on our side during the championship, we kept our hopes high that we can make it. This is a great honour for us to bring this prestigious FIA Championship title to our island. We did it!"
He thanked all the supporters who travelled to Santa Pod and all those who supported the venture throughout the championship.
The team returns to Malta on Tuesday at 3 p.m. from Heathrow.
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Alexander Pace Gouder.
Sep 10th 2012, 10:49
Prosit - Well done.
Mr Joe Frendo
Sep 10th 2012, 10:30
What an honour! An FIA Championship won by a Maltese Team! .. Never before this date we thoguht that such an FIA award would be within reach to our locals! Absolutely awesome to say the least!
Well done Manty Bugeja, and well done to you too Chris Polidano for making us so proud to be Maltese! This is absolutely incredible! This is no joke! Well done!
R. Azzopardi
Sep 10th 2012, 09:00
Our thanks must also go to The Times for giving this awesome piece of news the prominence it deserves.
Jesmar Cremona
Sep 10th 2012, 08:59
Prosit Kbira. Meta tisma' li xi hadd Malti jaghmel success umbaghad xi haga bhal din thossok -il vera kburi!
Malcolm Aber
Sep 10th 2012, 08:31
WELL DONE GUYS!!!!! All the Maltese citizens are proud of what you've accomplished!
AUTHORITIES.......PLEASE........TAKE......NOTE!!! :)
H Agius
Sep 10th 2012, 08:22
Well done !! Sports Minister take notice ...Goverment should help and invest in the winners !
J Micallef
Sep 10th 2012, 08:05
Well done to all the teams, drivers and thanks to sponsors.
Il-hobz tih lill min jaf jieklu....These are the true representatives of our country in Sports.
Alex Bugeja
Sep 10th 2012, 06:35
Well done Manty and your team and also well done to Kalanc's team for the superb performances they have been giving throughout this season. I had the opportunity to talk to you guys in Hockenheim Germany and while talking to other foreign drivers and crews they all had praise for you guys. Malta is again under the spotlight for the second time in a few days thanks to these extraordinary people. VIVA MALTA.
Mr raynond ciancio
Sep 10th 2012, 06:03
unur kbir ghal malta, prosit guys
Ronald Debattista
Sep 10th 2012, 06:00
When are the authorities going to start taking local motor sport seriously.
Part of this story says: The final at Santa Pod were followed by more than 40,000 spectators and streamed live registering more than 3.5million hits for the weekend.
Ministries of SPORTS,TOURISM and FINANCE, take note..
Well done to both Maltese teams for putting Malta on top of the list with 3.5 million viewers...And this is what I call free advertising of our Island..It always has to be local motor sport for Malta's name to top the lists..
stephen mifsud
Sep 10th 2012, 04:28
ok boys u did us proud fantastic result congrats to all involved ...
h camilleri
Sep 9th 2012, 22:16
Well done to both teams!
Malta has always been on top of the drag racing scene for the a very long time. Such news confirms the dedication and professionalism in this sport.
Lets hope the authorities and local businesses will support even more this Motorsport.... probably the most successful sport we've been having recently on the international scale!
joseph cassar
Sep 9th 2012, 22:10
Proud to be Maltese
Charles Mizzi
Sep 9th 2012, 21:21
Joseph Calleja the greatest Tenor in the world and now Manty Bugeja European champion and Chris Polidano runner up, the authorities must take a serious note. These people are making the Maltese nation very proud in just two days.
Very, very well done.
Mr Karl Ciarlo'
Sep 9th 2012, 23:18
That's right Charles, a very very well done. Let us not forget all those other Maltese who achieved international success in the field of motorsport. We need to support their efforts and recognise their efforts.
Mr Oliver Attard
Sep 9th 2012, 21:11
Well done guys.
John Mallia
Sep 9th 2012, 20:48
This is what Malta excels in and we should recognise it much better!
effie stafrace
Sep 9th 2012, 20:11
manty bugeja and joseph calleja made malta proud this weekene.
Richard Caruana
Sep 9th 2012, 19:38
A big well done.
vella m
Sep 9th 2012, 19:21
Prosit to Manty and his racing team,Simple the best.
Andrew Cumbo
Sep 9th 2012, 19:19
Well Done Mr. Whippy, Manty and all the team. You make us proud the Maltese proud especially the Zejtun people.
anthony borg
Sep 9th 2012, 18:43
Proset Mr Whippy racing team u Manty Bugeja... We are proud that we are Maltese ...
Daniel Vella
Sep 9th 2012, 18:40
It is about time someone realises that we are capable in Motorsport! Well Done to Mr. Whippy Racing Team and keep up the great work! We motorsport Enthusiasts are all proud of you!!!!
R. Azzopardi
Sep 10th 2012, 07:50
It's about time that someone realises that we are VERY capable in many sporting disciplines (we top the bill with motorsport). the problem is that we're absolute rubbish at football and yet that's where most of the money dedicated to sports goes.
Well done to all at Santa Pod. Ma ninsewx lil kalanc of course!
Alfred Farrugia
Sep 9th 2012, 18:06
I wish to congratulate Joe Carabott and his Mr. Whippy Racing Team and driver Manty Bugeja for their success after an excellent showing throughout the 2012 FIA European Drag Racing Championship – Top Methanol Dragster class, which included events in Sweden, Finland and Germany in addition to the UK.
Tehnically, Manty has already won his first race as champion when he defeated Timo Habermann, because when Krister Johansson defeated Dennis Habermann in the earlier elimination round, there was nobody who could match his FIA championship points.
I also wish to congratulate Chris Polidano and his Kalanc Racing Team for an excellent second place at Santa Pod. Malta should be proud of these teams and drivers and it would be appropriate for our authorities – sports and tourism – to take note of such achievements.
More details may be found on the Eurodragster.com website on the event index pages. http://www.eurodragster.com/santapod/live/2012fiaeuropeanfinals/reports/sunday.asp
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