As the lights dimmed and the engines roared to life in the inaugural race of the season, Stevan Petrovic (RCR Sweden) who started from pole position, held onto his advantage as he blitzed through sector 1 and onto the dragster strip of Mantorp Park. However, a slight misstep through the chicane gave Erlend Juan Olsen from AutoTech-Sport Norway the opening he needed to surge ahead. Approaching the braking zone, Olsen attempted to secure the lead but misjudged his braking point, sending him wide into the unforgiving gravel trap.
Seizing the opportunity, Erik Stillman (ES Racing) swiftly capitalized, catapulting from P5 to snatch the lead just before the Safety Car intervention.
Upon the restart, Petrovic executed a daring move on Stillman into Turn 1, maneuvering around the outside to reclaim his position at the front of the pack. With the final lap looming, the battle for second and third positions intensified, with Stillman, Bäck, and Jönsson (MJ Racing) engaging in a nail-biting tussle. Despite the pressure, Stillman maintained his composure, fending off Ludvig Bäck (RCR Sweden) to secure the final podium spot in the season’s opening race.
The final standings were as follows:
- Stevan Petrovic (SWE) — 8 laps —
- Erik Stillman (SWE) +3.128
- Ludvig Bäck (SWE) +3.393
- Marcus Jönsson (SWE) +3.989
- Gustav Emanuelsson (SWE) +5.988
- Johan Leander (LUX) +6.862
- Torbjörn Hallenheim (SWE) +12.102
- Mikael Lidén (SWE) 14.330
- Patrik Larsson (SWE) +16.540
- Jesper Fristedt (SWE) +17.514
- Erlend Juan Olsen (NOR) DNF
For detailed race results, visit raceresults.se.
