Nitrolymp'X, Hockenheimring, Germany, FIA European Drag Racing Championships
Over to Germany for the unique and truly teutonic experience that is the Nitrolymp’X held at the Hockenheimring, one of the premier motorsports centres in Europe with a dedicated standalone dragstrip built into the stadium complex and a shutdown area that runs for miles and miles out into the forests of Baden-Wurttemberg. No worries here then about racing over 1320 feet and with hi-spec facilities that one would expect (and Bernie Ecclestone would demand) from a Formula One track, it’s no wonder that the return of the FIA tour to Hockenheim after a break of a few years was eagerly anticipated by many of the teams. The 23rd running of the event provided many highs with the track record demolished in a number of classes and some real shocks in qualification and eliminations.
FIA Top Fuel Dragster
The FIA Championships saw some major shake-ups during the course of the Nitrolymp’X, not least in Top Fuel. Having found the source of some clutch issues after their first round loss in Sweden, the Bacho Tools team led by Micke Kagered arrived at Hockenheim with renewed optimism. This proved to be well placed as Kagered took 3rd spot on the ladder with a 4.865, ran a new PB of 4.803 in defeating a motor destroying 5.0 from Stig Neergaard in the first round of eliminations, took a single when Risto Poutiainen was a no-show in the semis and drove around a tirehazing Lex Joon with a 4.915 to take his first FIA win light in four years and put him into strong championship contention.
With a lot of guests from MPM Oil to host over the weekend, Lex Joon was determined to put on a good show after his first round exit at Mantorp. How good? Well, taking pole position with a 4.827 in the final session was a pretty solid effort. Things got better with Andy Carter and Urs Erbacher losing in the opening round of eliminations and Joon prevailing over Jari Halinen with a 4.774/311.06, and better still with Joon holeshooting Tommi Haapanen on a 4.904 to 4.900 match up in the semi finals, before spinning the slicks at 150 foot to hand victory to Kagered. The first four in the points (Joon, Carter, Kagered and Erbacher) are now separated by just over one round of eliminations heading into the Finals at Santa Pod at the beginning of September.