Jari Halinen, Mats Eriksson, Timo Habermann and Leif Andreasson provisional leaders in the heat of Hockenheim
Jari Halinen
Jari Halinen is the leader in Top Fuel after the first day of qualifying for the 30th NitrOlympX at Hockenheim, the fourth round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. In Pro Modified Mats Eriksson’s 6.22 seconds was enough to take the lead after day one, while in Top Methanol Dragster and Top Methanol Funny Car Timo Habermann and Leif Andreasson are the provisional leaders. Qualifying was curtailed to one run, as there was a massive oildown short before the second session and there was not enough time left to bring the track back in racing condition.
It was almost 40 degrees at the Rico Anthes Quartermile today, the first day of qualifying for the 30th NitrOlympX, round four of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. Despite the extreme heat and the sun burning on the track, the Rico Anthes Quartermile stayed in good condition during the day. But with the heat, the air was so bad, good ETs were almost impossible. Late in the afternoon, when the FIA classes were called to the starting line, there was a massive, at least 400 meter long oildown in one of the other classes. It was that bad, there was not enough time left to bring the track back in racing condition and so the race director had to cancel the second qualifying session for all FIA classes.
Jari Halinen
Jari Halinen was the leader in Top Fuel after that first and only run of the day. The Finn had an ET of 4.390 seconds. Stig Neergaard is the number two qualifier after day one, only 0.007 seconds behind Halinen, with Duncan Micallef in third and Liam Jones in fourth.
Stig Neergaard
Liam Jones
Championship leader Micke Kågered is seventh and last qualifier at the moment. So there is some work to do tomorrow for the reigning champion, who has Urs Erbacher and Anita Mäkelä just in front of him.
Mats Eriksson
In Pro Modified many drivers had problems to fire up their car at the start line and so only seven recorded a time so far. Number one qualifier is championship leader Mats Eriksson (6.22 seconds) with Bruno Bader in second position (6.383 seconds).
Bruno Bader
Robert Joosten
Only 0.006 seconds behind the Swiss number two in the championship is Robert Joosten, the first one to go into the 6.3 today. Michael Gullqvist is number four at the end of day one, with David Vegter in fifth position.
Timo Habermann
In Top Methanol Dragster Timo Habermann is the leader after day one with a great 5.42 seconds, a good ET in these difficult conditions. Jonny Lagg is second (5.55 seconds) and Dennis Habermann third, as the German local hero had traction problems in his run.
Leif Andreasson
In Top Methanol Funny Car only two competitors at Hockenheim. Leif Andreasson is the number one qualifier so far (5.92 seconds) with Jürgen Nagel in second position.
Qualifying for the NitrOlympX continues Saturday with two sessions scheduled for all Pro classes.
