By Nordic Nations top pure road race, the sixtieth Imatranajo edition, takes place next week (3rd-5th July) on the iconic Jarno Saarinen Circuit Imatra.
The twenty-five rider ESR Superbike field including twelve permanent series riders, sees ten nations represented whilst countries representation within the ‘ESR Osmo’s Cosmos Supersport’ entry-list, stand at five.
Uncatchable on home soil in recent times, Imatranajo lap-record holder (1.48.743 plus all-time lap-record set during qualifying last year – 1.48.646), fourteen times consecutive SBK race winner Erno Kostamo will not be racing, after his lap-two, Milwaukee Senior TT incident at the 11th Milestone. Stay strong ‘Eke #38’!
ESR Imatranajo, provisional starters list – is as follows:
(Title sponsor positioned near racers names)
ESR Superbike:
Olivier Lupberger (Switzerland) – Team Lupberger
Rasmus Lindstrom (Sweden) – Swedish Racing Parts
Pontus Rostlinger (Sweden) – Rostlinger Racing 8
Jean-Pierre Polet (Belgium) – Roads Warrior
Amalric Blanc (France)
Jakub Sprojcar (Czech Republic) – TT Race
Anssi Koski (Finland) – AK 51 Racing Team
Rob Van Eijs (Netherlands) – Van Eijs Technical Support
Stephane Bednarek (France) – Family Racing Team
Damien De Reys (Belgium) – Buzz27
Laurent Hoffmann (Belgium) – Hoffmann by MRP
Fedrik Matthys (Belgium) – Hoffmann by MRP
Guest Riders (Wildcards):
Nico Muller (Germany) – Muller Motorsport
Niko Lehtiranta (Finland) – Lehtiranta Racing
Ville Valtonen (Finland)
Jesse Riihonen (Finland)
Eemeli Lahti (Finland) – Velt Motocenter
Lasse Karki (Finland) – Team Vuokrakontti
Markus Karlsson (Sweden) – Karlsson Motorsport
Toni Tapio (Finland) – Team Tapio
Heikki Manilla (Finland)
David Brook (England) – Brook suspension.com
Roope Ollonqvist (Finland)
Emil Krchnavy (Slovakia) – KRS Racing
Pekka Pouhakka (Finland) – RRC/Mopoukot
ESR Osmo’s Cosmos Supersport:
Juho Kantola (Finland) – Ducati JK36 Racing/MRC
Gary Johnson (England) – Team Schleizer Dreieck
Rasmus Nurmi (Finland) – Kallio Racing
Mikko Uski (Finland) – Team Vuokrakontti
Topi Mustonen (Finland) – AK51 Racing Team
Ville Eemil Kultti (Finland)
Amalric Blanc (France)
Ari-Petteri Kuivalainen (Finland)
Juho-Oskari Mahonen (Finland)
Sebastian Frotscher (Germany) – Team Schleizer Dreieck
Brian Fuidge (England) – Royal Navy Road Racing
Erno Kivimaki (Finland) – Project Okke Racing
Mike Mace (England) – Mike Mace Racing
Roope Pitkonen (Finland)
Sami Siimesto (Finland)
Osvaldas Lazdauskas (Lithuania/Norway)
Stephane Bednarek (France) – Family Racing Team
Niko Tanskanen (Finland) – HRT Racing
Photo credit: Jan Vavra
Words by Jan Vavra
