NitrOlympX, FIA/FIM-E European Drag Racing Championships at Hockenheimring, Germany

Huge Crowds Brave Hot Weather for Great Racing Entertainment

Words and photos by Ivan Sansom and Rose Hughes

We thought the last round in Finland was hot, but that was nothing compared to the temperatures in Germany for the 30th running of the NitrOlympX, which saw the mercury soaring and the hottest conditions in the country in living memory. Not quite the conditions to deliver quick times, but it provided a stern test of the Rico Anthes Quartermile and a new prep regime that sought to resolve the problems that have blighted the event in recent years.

The result was certainly in the positive column, with grinding of the asphalt and subsequent prep yielding a track surface that withstood the trials and travails of the weekend, not least some lengthy oil-downs and a serious torching during the night show. The latter also packed them to the rafters in the stands with 70,000 being entertained by during the stunt, flame-throwing and nitro at dusk show and a fair few tens of thousands of the crowd were also very much in evidence throughout the daytime racing activities even if like many of us they were trying to avoid the direct sunlight.

FIA Top Fuel Dragster

The Hockenheimring has been a good place for Mikael Kågered in recent seasons with a runner up in 2013 followed by the event win last year, and the 2015 delivered in spectacular fashion for the Bahco Tools Express team. Not only did the Swede driver qualify low with a 4.227 to head the seven car field, but a rapid progression through the field thanks to a first round bye (taking in serious fashion with a round low 4.204), a semifinal victory over Duncan Micallef with a 4.182 and then pacing Urs Erbacher with a 4.178/283.55 to pick up the event win, set low ET and top speed of the formal side of the meeting, extend his winning streak to seven rounds (back to the semifinals at the season opener) and put some serious distance between Anita Mäkelä and Stig Neergaard, who both lost at the quarter final stage, in the points chase with two events remaining.