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Andres Arnover Triumphs at Opening Round of British Drag Racing Championship
The opening round of the 2025 Motorsport UK British Drag Racing Championship proved to be a significant moment for Estonian racer Andres Arnover, showcasing a display of highs and lows typical of drag racing.
Since making his entrance into the Pro Modified category in 2021, Arnover has gained recognition for his compelling driving style, even though he had only one championship win to his name until recently. This victory was achieved last August at the FIA round in Hockenheim. As the season commenced at Santa Pod over the Easter weekend, Arnover faced challenges during the qualifying sessions, dealing with tyre shake on three out of four attempts. However, his performance during his second qualifier stood out. In an impressive display, the turbocharged Mustang completed the run in a record-breaking time of 5.695 seconds at a speed of 254.67 mph, setting the fastest Pro Mod pass recorded in Europe and coming very close to his personal best established at Santa Pod last year.
Competing alongside Arnover was Andy Robinson, a seasoned veteran looking to claim his tenth Motorsport UK title since the Pro Mod class was introduced as a championship category in 2007. Only twice champion Kevin Slyfield has matched Robinson’s remarkable title pursuit. In the previous year, Robinson reclaimed both speed records for the British Pro Mod class (5.820 seconds and 249.07 mph) while Slyfield took a break from racing, officially retiring. However, Slyfield returned for the current season and quickly made an impact, qualifying second with a time of 5.945 seconds, just ahead of Robinson’s 6.034 seconds.
In terms of the other returning drivers, David Smith showcased personal best performances throughout the event, though they still fell short of competing with Arnover’s impressive speed at the top of the leaderboard. During the eliminations on Sunday, Arnover’s performance continued to impress, as he overcame Jon Webster in a turbo Mustang showdown. Clocking a top event speed of 254.71 mph and a time of 5.821 seconds, Arnover’s ascent through the rounds only became more pronounced. In the final race, he faced off against Robinson, who had established consistent performances with times in the 5.9-second range. Ultimately, Arnover eclipsed Robinson’s efforts, finishing with a remarkable time of 5.736 seconds at 254.62 mph, further solidifying his place within the sport.
Having decisively defeated some of the most talented racers in Britain, Andres Arnover is now preparing to take on Europe’s elite Pro Mod competitors next month as the FIA championship unfolds at Santa Pod.
Source
www.autosport.com