FIA/FIM-Europe NitrOlymp’X, Hockenheimring, Germany

Words and photos Ivan Sansom & Rose Hughes

Pre-event nerves about the state of the Rico Anthes Quartermile, after the fiasco of last year, were rapidly eased after the first pro-class qualifying session where most race vehicles stuck to the track, thanks to an immense amount of work to groom the new asphalt surface in the weeks and months leading up to the sole major event at the facility of the year. The crowd was again a big one, and not just for the Saturday Nightshow that has them packed into the rafters, and the weather held fair for the whole weekend. As we head into the final stretch for the various series that were in attendance over the meeting, the 2013 edition of the NitrOlymp’X also provided the opportunity for some major moves in the championship points with a number of classes are looking very favourable for the current leaders.

FIA Top Fuel Dragster

It would be considered a surprise that the winningest European Top Fuel team in recent years has picked up only one event trophy this season, but Thomas Nataas and the Veidec/Biltema Andersen Racing squad picked up a second at Hockenheim, and, in doing so, vaulted Nataas into a substantial lead in the points. A first session 4.074 indicated that the track was race fit, and would put the Norwegian into second spot and critically in amongst the other championship contenders on the lower half of the ladder. First round of eliminations and incoming points leader Antti Horto was dispatched in a 4.355 to a 4.661 that had both cars breaking traction past the eighth mile mark. The semi-final pairing against Anita Mäkelä came after a lengthy clean-up with the track warming in the afternoon sun, both rides hazing smoke not too far out from the start but Nataas was able to hold it together with a 4.425 to Anita’s 4.721. Final time and Nataas was handed a freebie and the chance to put some clear water between himself and the rest of the chasing pack when Micke Kågered’s ride was shutdown after the burnout, and a 4.119 took the winlight, set low ET of eliminations day and over three rounds of competition ahead of the rest with two events remaining on the calendar.

Although ultimately he had to be content with the runner-up spot, Micke Kågered and the Bahco Tools Express team entered eliminations in a positive frame of mind after qualifying in the top half of the field (for the first time since 2010) with a 4.261. First round saw a return to the flamers that had plagued the team in recent seasons, but the torched head gasket came after opponent Jari Halinen had given up the chase thanks to an almost immediate loss of traction. Semifinal time and the fireball was in the other lane when the returning Urs Erbacher lost another bullet (it was an expensive weekend for the Swiss racer as team mate Noah Stutz also chewed up a fair bit of aluminum in a failed attempt to qualify) in a 4.433 to a 4.562 match-up. A fluid leak ended the Swedish veteran’s run, but going rounds on raceday is something he’s not done for a while.