The NitrOlympX is called after the nitro burning Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars. And still, in the 28th edition of this great German event, the 8,000bhp Top Fuelers are the stars and crowd favourites with their storming side by side runs. After four exciting qualifying runs and spectacular eliminations, Thomas Nataas in the Andersen Racing car was the big winner at the Rico Anthes Quartermile, as the Norwegian not only won the race, but is also the new leader in the FIA European Championship.


Duncan Micallef

With ten cars on site, the fourth round of the FIA European Championship, had the biggest Top Fuel field so far this year. In the Rune Fjeld Motorsport car Maltese Duncan Micallef had his first FIA European Championship race for 2013. First time out too was multiple champion Urs Erbacher, while in the second Erbacher Racing car 18-years old Noah Stutz made his Top Fuel debut.


Noah Stutz

In the first round of qualifying Thomas Nataas impresses with an out of the trailer 4.074 seconds, proving the track crew did a great job in preparing the new Rico Anthes Quartermile. But with only one magneto working, the Andersen Racing car suffered ignition problems and the Norwegian could not improve in the next three qualifying runs. Nataas had a scary ride in run number four, as the throttle stuck wide open for two seconds after the finish line, but in a great driving job the Norwegian could bring the car to a stop in time.

In his second race for Rune Fjeld Motorsport, Chris Andrews laid down two solid runs in the former Don Schumacher Racing Top Fueler, to impress with a great 4.074 seconds in run number three, exactly the same e.t. as Nataas. But thanks to his higher speed (482 to 475 km/h) the Lucas Oil driver was the new number one.

Behind Andrews and Nataas the rest of the field was extremely close together too. A 4.146 seconds in the third run gave Stig Neergaard the number three position, as Micke Kågered proved he solved his problems and jumped into a great number four position with a 4.261 seconds in his last run. Only 0.009 seconds behind the Bahco Express. 

Jari Halinen was the first Finnish driver in fifth and that must have been a while ago there was no Finn in the top four. Except the last run, where a parts failure caused an huge fireball, Anita Mäkelä was very consistent, but (in her eyes of course) not fast enough in sixth, while championship leader before Hockenheim, Antti Horto was only seventh. As the team had to run two cars and also had to solve some technical problems, Erbacher skipped the Friday qualifying to come back with a 4.425 seconds Saturday. With that run the Swiss was eight and last one to qualify.

Not in the ladder Micallef, as after a check out pass the Maltese suffered wheel spin twice, but still managed to run a 4.595 seconds. Stutz gained very valuable experience with three runs. In a final attempt to qualify, the young Swiss suffered an engine explosion, but all in all the 18-years old rookie did a great job and proved to be a valuable asset to the class.


Duncan Micallef (left) and Chris Andrews

Stig Neergaard

Urs Erbacher and Micke Kågered
 

photo: Event winner and championship leader Thomas Nataas with Anita Mäkelä, who is second in the championship with two events remaining

Thanks to their qualifying position, the top four in the championship was on the same side of the elimination ladder. So in direct confrontations many points could be won, or lost. In the first round Nataas had to face his closest rival, championship leader (before Hockenheim) Horto. Both drivers suffered traction problems half-track, but Nataas stayed with it and crossed the finish line in a winning 4.35 seconds. As Mäkelä, the number three in the championship, eliminated a tyre smoking number four, Neergaard, the semi-final was a Norwegian Finnish confrontation between the, at that moment already, number one (Nataas) and two (Mäkelä) in the championship. Nataas was away first, but both drivers had traction problems. Nataas stayed with it again, took the win light and was in the final.


Jari Halinen

On the other side of the elimination ladder, Kågered had some problems in the first round as there was fire around the engine, but still managed to defeat Halinen. A ‘moment to forget’ for number one qualifier Andrews. The Lucas Oil driver rolled through the beams (‘my own fault’, he immediately admitted) and pulled a red light, handing the win to a now much stronger looking Erbacher (4.23 seconds). The semi-final between Erbacher and Kågered was a close race, until Erbacher’s engine exploded in a big way and the Swede could take the win.


Micke Kågered

So a final with Nataas and Kågered, but after the burn out Kagered’s crewchief saw and heard serious engine problems and shut off the car. But a bye run was no reason for Nataas to take it easy and in a great pass and much to the delight of the crowd, the Andersen Racing car stormed to a 4.11 seconds, the best run of eliminations.


Winner Thomas Naatas/Andersen Racing

With his win Nataas added an extra 20 points to his total and leads the championship for the second time this year. In second and 68 point behind is Mäkelä and another two points back former leader Horto.

Low Elapsed Time of the Event:  4.074sec. – Chris Andrews (Q3)
Top Speed of the Event: 
482.48km/h / 299.80mph – Chris Andrews (Q3)

LINK TO RESULTS DATA (pdf-format):

QUALIFICATIONS 
ELIMINATIONS

For results from the timing system for all classes please check;
http://nitrolympx.bw-timing.de
courtesy of BW Timing/HockenheimRing


Antti Horto

Anita Mäkelä