Words and pictures Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes

Under new management for 2009, the 23rd running of the Nitrolymp’X at the spectacular Hockenheimring is one of the jewels in the European drag racing crown, certainly in impressing visitors in front of the best equipped facility, especially when it comes to attracting the corporate bucks. This meant that a number of racers on a selective schedule for 2009 were here in force (the Nitrolymp’X being the closest to a home race for Switzerland’s Urs Erbacher and Dutchman Lex Joon in the FIA Top Fuel ranks, and both of these will be racing on the NHRA circuit later in 2009), and a large number of North America accents were heard around the pits during the course of the weekend. With a relatively inexperienced crew, there were a few eyebrow raising incidents during the course event, but we’ll put those to one side and encourage the rookie track crew to learn from these and look back on a truly memorable, and sweltering, event. Major highlights included the first FIA Pro Mod into the 6.0s, a bumpfest in the final qualifying session of FIA Top Fuel Dragster, and the spectacular sight of the quickest pass in history on two wheels.