The BILSPORT magazine is published in Sweden with 63.000 printed copies and issued 26 times every year. BILSPORT is a "must read" magazine for everyone who wants to stay updated with the latest in motorsports and it covers events, not only in Scandinavia, but in Europe and occasionally a wider area than that. Micke Kågered is one of the magazines associated drivers, representing drag racing.



One of Mickes tasks as a BILSPORT TOP FIVE- driver is to write a column four times a year, sharing his thoughts with the readers. In the BILSPORT21-issue, dated october 6th, Micke makes a summary of the race season 2005. To the right, we have placed the original version in swedish. Below follows the article in a translated english version;

MIKAEL KÅGERED

"SIX TIMES EUROPEAN CHAMPION MIKAEL KÅGERED LOOKS BACK AT A TOUGH SEASON. MIKAEL COMPETES IN THE TOP FUEL DRAGSTER CLASS SINCE 2001, THE FASTEST AND MOST SPECTACULAR CATEGORY IN DRAGRACING"

Summary of the season
..And with the event in England that you could read about in the last issue, another European championship season in dragracing has come to an end. I lost the top fuel final against Tommy Möller and even if we did not win it feels good to end the season by being in a final. I went from 5th to 3rd place in the championship and that is also a step in the right direction.

Earlier this season, a fuel leak during the 2nd event of the season in Finland meant I was disqualified in the quarter finals. If not for that I would have had a better chance at the championship title. I know it is a bad idea to use the words "if" and "if not" when it comes to racing. My point is not to come up with an excuse, rather to point out how important it is to testrun and learn from that. The more routine you have, the less risk that something unexpected occurs, as I also noticed in my team as the season passed. Both the top fuel dragster and the team have become an increasingly strong unity and at the last event we both qualified number one and were in the final. 

Looking ahead
To next season we will take all opportunities we get to testrun before the race season starts. It is important to be competitive already at the first event and we will do everything in our power to win the FIA European Championship in top fuel dragster.
With this said I would like to take the opportunity to thank my crew. It is a real team work we are performing and everybody has a part in our success. The cooperation with our sponsors also plays an important role and I feel privileged to be able to work together with the fine companies I do.
Together we look forward and next season appears to become very interesting. As it seems the class will expand by at least two new teams. It is good for the entire sport of dragracing that the Top Fuel class grows even stronger.

Tough competition
That the competition becomes tougher, I do not see as negative. On the contrary, it will make it feel even better to win. Hopefully Germany comes back into our race calendar again 2006, but nothing is set yet.

There are also discussions about an event in Bahrain within the championship, but I think there are still a lot of details to fall in place before it can become reality.
 
Now awaits a period of exhibitions and shows, were we for instance will take part in Svenska Bilsportmässan in Stockholm/Älvsjö november 25-27th. I hope to meet many of you readers there.

See You!

Signed by M. KÅGERED  

BILSPORT TOP FIVE
The dragracing pro Mikael Kågered is part of the Bilsport team of champions.