In qualifying, the Will Hanna-tuned combination ran 5.42sec, 5.38sec, 5.40sec and 5.39sec. That’s consistency, and it was also good for the number one qualifying position, leaving home favourites such as Timo Habermann and Peter Schöfer behind. In eliminations Fred Hanssen improved to two 5.37sec passes to sideline Derek Flynn and Krister Johansson and secure a spot in the final. But before the other semi-final between Timo Habermann and Peter Schöfer could be run, rain made an early end to the 25th NitrOlympX. So there was no dream final against Timo Habermann at the German’s home track and no points for the semi-final win.

“At the moment I’m very disappointed,” said Hanssen immediately after the organisation called off the event. “We had the fastest car all weekend and were extremely consistent too. For the second time in a row we’ve been prevented from making up points in the championship. Dennis Habermann was out in the first round so we could have closed on him in the championship. After the rain-out at Mantorp, we knew the title was out of reach but the number two was still possible. That’s difficult now too, and the number two spot is still not number one.”