Andreasson impresses in drag showdown

Drag star Leif Andreasson impressed new lead sponsor, Esab, with a blistering start to the season at the Santa Pod track in Northamtonshire recently.

Drag star Leif Andreasson impressed new lead sponsor, Esab, with a blistering start to the season at the Santa Pod track in Northamtonshire recently.

Turning in consistently fast times, Andreasson scorched to the finals at the opening round of this year's Metanol Funny Cars Championship.

In Esab's white hot world of welding equipment and consumables, drag racing makes for a perfect combination with the world's market leader.

Demands on engine and bodywork are phenomenal, and the toll on cars and equipment soon "sorts the men from the boys".

Esab's commitment to the sport gives the Andreasson Motor Sports team serious financial backing and some of the best TIG welding equipment in the world, both absolutely vital in the preparation of the car between meets and for running repairs between races.

"Esab's support over the last three years has been tremendous", said Leif Andreasson, who was European Champion in 2001 and has high hopes of winning back his crown this year.

"Now, with Esab on board as a lead sponsor, we are working much more closely with them.

An immediate benefit from this is that, as part of our bid to sharpen up our whole mechanical and engineering support operation, we have four guys spending time at Esab taking a welding training course".

"We are also visiting their plant at Laxa shortly, when we'll have the chance to see their whole product range and check out any other equipment that may help us in our title bid this year".

Santa Pod was a flying start to the 2003 season for the three-times European champion, performing for the first time in front of a new army of fans - Esab employees and local customers who turned out in force for the finals on Bank Holiday Monday.

In addition to the racing, Esab's employees also had the opportunity of seeing what went on in the pits, including a complete change of engine when the team was under pressure to be ready for a new race.

Up against Urs Erbacher in the final, Andreasson had to be content with second place with a run of 5.901s (241.7mph) as against Erbacher's 5.715s (248.36mph).

He is confident, however, that the next stop on the European tour, Alastaro in Finland, will see the Andreasson Motor Sports Team in even better form.

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