International Update – Germany’s NitrOlympX!

Germany’s annual FIANitroOlympX (at Hockenheimring) event was thankfully a far cry from last year’s non event….

During 2012 major problems arose after the race surface had been scrubbed away prior to the race and most competitors refused to compete, so, with a new surface and plenty of sledding and gluing it proved a hit with several personal bests and a new Pro Stock Bike speed record. Disappointment was again in evidence as there were no Top Methanol Dragsters racing, once again finances and differences of opinions on rules kept them away. The weather was fine, warm with high cloud cover at times all to the benefit of the capacity crowd especially at the Saturday Night Show.

Top Fuel — was led by England’s Chris Andrews in the Lucas Oil dragster with a fine 4.074/299 followed by Norway’s Thomas Nataas with a 4.074/295, the two most disappointed were the teams of Malta’s Duncan Micallef and rookie Noah Stutz from Switzerland who did not make the eight car eliminations. It was all over in round one for Andrews as he red lit allowing Swiss man Urs Erbacher who was back in competition for the first time this year, the 4.235/280 win. Sweden’s Micke Kågered seems to have found the power and despite fireballing at one hundred feet, took the win as Finn Jari Halinen blazed the tyres. The match between the Nitro Nationals winner Anita Mäkelä and Denmark’s Stig Neergaard ended with Neergaard going into tyre smoke, Mäkelä’s 4.295/269 beat the 4.524/199. Finally, Nataas easily dispatched Finn Antti Horto with a 4.355/237 to a 4.661/173.

Round two saw Erbacher suffer an engine fire from three quarter track his 4.562/214 being beaten by Kågered’s 4.403/252 and a last minute lane swap had Nataas take a 4.425/244 win over Mäkelä’s chasing 4.721/232.

The final ended up a solo for Thomas Nataas as Micke Kågered’s car suffered ignition failure at the crucial moment leaving Nataas to take his second win of the season, a 4.119/269 clinched the deal.

Norwegian Thomas Nataas prevailed in Top Fuel eliminator

Top Methanol Funny Car — saw the Lindberg brothers dominate again as Jonnie took pole with a 5.621/260 and Johan taking the trophy. Belgian Danny Bellio made a return to the class sitting on the bump. Jonnie Lindberg took the first round bye whilst Sweden’s Ulf Leanders put Bellio back in the trailer, a 5.649/259 beating the troubled 6.314/194. Adam Flamholc, the Sweden Internationals winner saw off an up in smoke fellow countryman Leif Andréasson, 5.789/252 to a losing 6.566/200. Germany’s representative in the class, Jürgen Nagel shook and got crossed up losing to Johan Lindberg to end the round.

Jonnie Lindberg’s day ended with tyre shake and the win going to Flamholc’s 5.754/237 and in the other pairing an up in smoke Leanders lost to Johan Lindberg’s 5.616/256.

The money run saw Adam Flamholc’s Amalie/Cleanpipe/Hurst Boiler backed Monte Carlo leave first but Johan Lindberg’s Chevrolet/Pålplintar Monte Carlo chased him down taking the win with a 5.622/254 to a losing 5.783/251.

The Chevy Monte Carlo of Johan Lindberg won for the 2nd race in a row in TMFC.

Pro Mod — had Sweden’s Micke Gullqvist lead the twelve strong pack with a good 5.972/243, the only car in the fives. Round one kicked off with Holland’s Robert Joosten, who last year on the bad track hit the wall but this time getting the win with a 6.108/238 over Swiss man Bruno Bader’s 6.231/228. A Swedish battle came next as Mattias Wulcan running an ex Lindberg motor got by Mats Eriksson’s Crown Victoria, 6.065/241 win to a losing 6.187/232. Next up, an all Dutch duel with David Vegter getting the nod with a 6.244/227 as Marc Meihuizen smoked the tyres from one hundred feet out. Gullqvist banged out another five as he saw off Germany’s Norbert Kuno, 5.969/243 to a smoking out of shape 12.56/61.

Joosten opened round two going up in smoke as Gullqvist ran the winning 6.047/241 getting him to another final. It all ended in a blatant red light for Vegter allowing Wulcan to chase, getting loose and into a big weave up track but getting the 6.478/172 win

Mattias Wulcan in his Firebird knew he was up against it in the final against Santa Pod Raceway’s Main Event winner Micke Gullqvist in his Stavdal/Persåkers Camaro and used a great holeshot to upset the multi winner, a 6.082/239 beat the 5.984/244 charge.

Pro Mod featured an upset first time winner – Sweden’s Mattias Wulcan

 Pro Stock — showed no surprises when Jimmy Ålund took top qualifier, a 6.653/208 just ahead of arch rival Thomas Lindström’s 6.691/203 with the rest of the class of eight Swedes tailing off into the 6.7s to 6.9s. Round one had Magnus Petersson take the first victory against Christian Sagelv then Michael Malmgren’s 6.726/206 saw off Jan Palmqvist’s 6.842/200. Michael Callin shook and shut off giving the win to Lindström’s 6.714/203 and finally Ålund took a 6.654/208 win against Ulf Wagnhester’s slowed up 10.064/88.

A 6.757/207 took Ålund to the final as he beat the close 6.783/204 from Petersson whilst the pairing of Lindström and Malmgren was decided with a win for Lindström’s 6.729/206 as Malmgren slowed to a losing 7.048/167.

It was the usual final as Jimmy Ålund in his KW Parts.com ’12 Camaro took on the Ernryd Cars ’08 Dodge Stratus of Thomas Lindström, Ålund got the better leave and notched up his third win of the year with a 6.716/207 to Lindström’s close 6.707/206.

European Pro Stock powerhouse racer Jimmy Ålund scored another win.

Funny Car — is a non FIA class but runs as the European Funny Car Series with this being the third round. Unfortunately, two teams no showed leaving a four car field with Sweden’s Leif Helander getting a 5.973/175 to sit on pole. The final came down to a run-off between Helander and England’s Gordon Smith, Helander took the light with a 6.034/225 as Smith followed with a troubled 10.692/105.

Leif Helander won the event’s Nitro FC exhibition

Posting and Photos by Roger Gorringe – www.nitroexposure.co.uk  (Copyright: August 2013)