NitrOlympX gold for Liam Jones, Timo Habermann, Michael Gullqvist and Robin Norén

Liam Jones raced to victory in the Top Fuel final of the NitrOlympX, round four of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship at the Rico Anthes Quartermile of the Hockenheimring. It was the first FIA Top Fuel win for the British Rune Fjeld Motorsport driver. In Pro Stock Robin Norén was the surprise winner and for the young driver from Sweden is was also his first victory in an FIA race. In Top Methanol Timo Habermann defeated his brother Dennis in the final to take his third win of the season. In Pro Modified Michael Gullqvist was the winner as the reigning champion defeated Jan Ericsson in the final.

It was a great day of racing at the Rico Anthes Quartermile, as the weather and track conditions at the Hockenheimring were excellent again. In several categories track records were reset and with upset wins and holeshot wins, eliminations were in many ways exciting.

Liam Jones was the man to beat in Top Fuel. After his number one qualifying position, the CBD Asylum Rune Fjeld Motorsport driver reset the Rico Anthes Quartermile Top Fuel track record to a stunning 3.882 seconds in the first round of eliminations. In the semifinal Jones stormed to another great 3.91 seconds to defeat championship leader Anita Mäkelä. In the final Jones had to face Eagle Racing Motorsport RFM teammate Antti Horto. The Finnish number two in the championship defeated Mikael Kågered in the first round to advance to the final in a bye run as Kenni Neergaard suffered engine problems and couldn’t start.

In a great final Jones completed his string of 3-second passes with 3.99 seconds to defeat Horto. It was the first win for the British driver in his FIA Top Fuel career.

With Robin Norén, Pro Stock had a first time winner as well at Hockenheim. In the semifinal the number four qualifier took an upset holeshot win over number one qualifier Michael Malmgren. As Bengt Lungdahl defeated championship leader Stefan Ernryd in the other semifinal, Norén had to face the reigning Pro Stock champion in the final.

But it was Norén’s day as in the final Ljungdahl pulled a red light, handing the win to a very surprised young Swedish driver who hadn’t seen Ljungdahl’s red light.

In Top Methanol the Habermann brothers Timo and Dennis are unstoppable this season and that dominance continued at their home track in Germany. Number one qualifier Timo Habermann advanced to the final after defeating Sandro Bellio in the semifinal, while Dennis Habermann reached the final after a win over Linn Engan Karlsen and Jonny Lagg, who pulled a red light in the semifinal.

Thus for the third time in four races this season it was an all Habermann final. In the final Dennis pulled a red light, handing the win to Timo. For Timo Habermann it was the third win of the season.

Pro Modified was once again spectacular and exciting as well with some major upsets. Number one qualifier Jimmy Ålund was defeated on a holeshot in the semifinal by Jan Ericsson. On the other side of the elimination ladder the number seven qualifier David Vegter surprised number two qualifier Andy Robinson with a holeshot win in the quarter finals. In the semifinal the Dutch racer had to face Michael Gullqvist after the reigning champion escaped in the quarter final when a quicker Roger Johansson crossed the centre line and was disqualified. In the semifinal Gullqvist was back to form and advanced to the final as Vegter pulled a red light.

In the final Gullqvist once again proved why the Swede is the multiple Pro Modified champion as he defeated Ericsson and took the win in 5.976 seconds.

The next race in the FIA European Drag Racing Championship is next week, the Summit Racing Equipment Internationals at Tierp Arena in Sweden.

For all results: http://nitrolympx.bw-timing.de./

For pit notes and live reports and detailed results see eurodragster.com: http://www.eurodragster.com/live/2018nitrolympx/