Islanders Drag Racing Team was established in 1994, then as Frøya Dragracing Team and consisted of six team members.The team ran their first race in 1995 with a Chevelle -65 driven by Paul Ingar Udtian in Super Street. In 1996 the team had grown to three cars: A Competition Dragster driven by Paul Ingar Udtian, a Super Comp Altered driven by Jan Valvåg and a Super Gas driven by Jøran Sørdal.
 
Paul Ingar's first Super Comp Dragster. Paul Ingar being interviewed.
The same year, in 1996, Paul Ingar bought a new Super Comp Dragster. In his rookie year in Super Comp, Paul Ingar finished 5th in the Nordic Drag Racing Series of a total of 41 drivers - and then by attending only five of eight races. This created some media attention and there were several news articles about this new and successful team.
Since the team had grown into three cars, we had to get hold of some kind of transportation. The team bought a bus, a Volvo B58 -75 model and a trailer. We managed to get both the Super Comp dragster and altered into the bus, while the Super Gas car had to go in the trailer. Even today we have a reputation for exploiting all the room we got, as we are one of few FIA teams that travel by bus instead of large trailers.
The team's first bus, and the Neil & Parks dragster.
At the end of the 97 season Paul Ingar bought a new dragster, a Neil & Parks 89 model. This year we finished 2nd in the Nordic Drag Racing Series of a total of 54 drivers. We ended the season by winning at Mantorp Park.
By looking at the results for the Super Comp Nordic Drag Racing Series for 1998, we find several familiar names. Paul Ingar came second behind Tommy Leindahl (now races in Pro Stock). Further down on the list we find names as Arvid Grødem (Top Methanol Funny Car), Leif Andreasson (Top Methanol Funny Car), Jonas Staflund (Top Methanol Funny Car) and Marco Maurischat (Pro Mod).
 
The team has won a lot of trophies.
The years in Super Comp went by, and we were always fighting among the top ten. It led to two titles as champion of the Nordic Drag Racing Series, winning the Norwegian Championship and an election as Drag Racer of the Year by AMCAR. In addition the team has had a Junior Dragster in the team since 2000, and both of Paul Ingar's daughters, Maja and Mari, drives one.
After a while Super Comp became "boring" and the idea of a bigger and faster ride came to mind. In 2007 - over ten years after his debut - Paul Ingar bought Dave Wilson's Top Methanol Dragster and moved into the FIA ranks. 2007 was meant to be a test season for the team, and it went better than we could imagine. In our rookie year in TMD, we finished as number four in the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. Since 2007 the class has grown and the competition gets tougher and tougher for each year. We're proud of our history and what we have accomplished, and will continue to do our best and the racetrack and win the FIA European Championship for Top Methanol Dragster. |
