Hockenheim-ring Germany 23rd August 2024: The 2024 Nitrolympx kicked off today at the Rico Anthes Raceway with the first qualification rounds for all the categories (sportsmen, FIA, and FIM). As usual, the Nitrolympx weekend is open with the first qualifications (only two qualification runs) for the sportsmen categories, followed by the FIA/FIM categories. The weather gods blessed Hockenheim-ring and the Rico Anthes Quartermile race track with double-digit temperatures and dry weather. Perfect qualification days; some struggled to get the power down the track, but overall, several satisfied faces among drivers/riders. Top Qualifiers for the FIA categories are Jndia Erbacher (TF), Sandro Bellio (TM), Stian Rusånes (PM) & Jimmy Ålund (PS). Top qualifiers from the FIM categories are Rickard Gustafsson (TFB), Marcus Christiansen (STB), Jake Mechaell (SSB), Jörg Lymant (PSB) & Brad Morrison (JrDB).
Text: Benjamin Wefer
Pictures: Benjamin Wefer,
Nitrolympx is also the fourth round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship and the penultimate before teams reroute themselves for the European finals in Santapod, UK. One highlight during this Nitrolympx is Guest star Ida Zetterström. Europe’s reigning Top Fuel champion moved to the USA and is now competing in NHRA. She will be reunited with her old dragster to run the demo show on Saturday night (Nitrolympx Nightshow).
Jndia Erbacher takes the lead in Top Fuel Dragster for the consecutive year here at Rico Anthes Quartermile. The Swiss managed to take the lead with a 4.177-second run at 412 km/hrs in the first qualification round and unfortunately couldn’t improve her time on her second pass. Most TF competitors struggled to get all the horsepower down the track, but what is remarkable is that Erbacher took the lead with an identical time compared to 2023 (She clocked a 4.170 at 356 km/hrs last year). Linn FlØysvik is second with a 4.897-second run at 276 km/hrs, and Susanne Callin is third with a 4.988-second run at 234 km/hrs. It’s a five-car field, and all of them can run in three seconds! Saturday will be interesting for this category.
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Jndia Erbacher |
Linn FlØysvik |
Sandro Bellio again takes the provisional number one spot in Top Methanol (TM). Bellio crossed the finish line during the first qualification round in 5.380 seconds at 380 km/hrs (5.580 minus the 0.20 second for the handicap race). Jonny Lagg also had a straight arrow run in the morning and crossed the finish line in 5.384 seconds at 434 km/hr, which is currently suitable for the number two spot. Third place is for Tony Bryntesson, who clocked a 6.203-second run at 339 km/hr—Only a slight improvement during the afternoon session for Jurgen Nagel, but he remains in fourth.
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Sandro Bellio |
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Johnny Lagg |
Tony Bryntesson |
Stian Rusånes is the provisional leader in Pro Modified (PM). Also, in Pro Modified, the numbers were not what we used to see. There were no five-second runs after two qualification rounds, but Rusånes was close with 6.002 seconds at 368.17 km/hrs during the first qualification round. He couldn’t improve his time in the afternoon session, but he was good enough to maintain the lead. Dutch driver David Vegter is currently second with a 6.029-second run at 386.44 km/hr, followed by Michel Tooren, who is currently third with just 0.009 seconds behind Vegter. Tooren crossed the finish line in 6.038 seconds at 380 km/hr.
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Stian Rusånes |
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David Vegter |
Michel Tooren |
Jimmy Ålund leads Pro Stock after two qualification rounds at the Rico Anthes Quartermile. Ålund, currently leading the Championship, clocked a 6.618-second run at 336 km/hr. Micheal Malmgren is second with 6.656 seconds at 335 km/hr, followed by Robin Norén, who is right behind him with 6.754 seconds at 331 km/hr.
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Jimmy Ålund |
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Micheal Malmgren |
Robin Norén |
Super Gas [9.90 index] Oscar Scappocin, who won the French Championship last month, is the provisional top qualifier after two sessions with a 9.935-second at 198 km/hr. Lorenzo Dolcini is second with a 9.946 at 207 km/hr, followed by Aurelien Menard with a 9.948 at 209 km/hr.
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Oscar Scappoci |
Lorenzo Dolcini |
Rickard Gustafsson takes the lead in Top Fuel Bike. Gustafsson claimed the number one spot in Q1 already with a 6.698 at 305 km/hr and improved this to 6.262 at 371 km/hr to remain in the lead. Gustafsson needed this improvement, as Eric Richard clocked a 6.638 at 349 km/hr in the afternoon qualification round. Richard is now second. Kari Rautanen is currently third with 6.772 seconds at 336 km/hr.
Marcus Christiansen takes the lead in Super Twin Bike. Christiansen took the lead during the first qualification round with a 6.701 at 344 and improved this in Q2 to a 6.418 at 351 km/hr to secure his number one spot. The second qualifier is Roman Sixta, with a 7.035 at 225 km/hr. Belgian rider Chris van Nimmen is currently third with a 7.539 second at 232 km/hr.
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Marcus Christiansen |
Roman Sixta |
Jake Mechaell is the provisional leader in Super Street Bike. Most riders struggled during both qualification sessions, but suddenly, we saw one six-second run after the other during the last pairs in the afternoon sessions. And then came Mechaell, who left the tree with a reaction time of 0.089 seconds and clocked a 6.810 second at 350 km/hr during the second qualification. The second spot is for Alan Morrison Jr., with 6.856 at 341 km/hr, followed by Krisztiάn Jάsz, with 6.917 at 329 km/hr.
Here are the top 3 qualifiers of the classes on the first day of ‘NOX’ (NitrOlympX) at the Hockenheim-ring, Germany.
| FIA-TOP FUEL DRAGSTER | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Jndia Erbacher | Top Fuel Dragster | 4.177 |
| Linn Fløysvik | Top Fuel Dragster | 4.897 |
| Susanne Callin | Top Fuel Dragster | 4.987 |
| FIA-TOP METHANOL | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Sandro Bellio | Chevrolet Monte Carlo funny car | 5.380 |
| Jonny Lagg | TM Dragster | 5.384 |
| Tony Bryntesson | TM Dragster | 5.617 |
| FIA-PRO MODIFIED | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Sian Rusånen | Ford Willys 1941 | 6.002 |
| David Vegter | Chevrolet Camaro | 6.029 |
| Michel Toore | Chevrolet Camaro | 6.038 |
| FIA-PRO STOCK | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Jimmy Ålund | Chevrolet Camaro | 6.618 |
| Robin Norén | Pontiac GXP | 6.656 |
| Michael Malmgren | Pontiac GXP | 6.754 |
| Pro Comp Doorslammer | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Julian Bayer | Volkswagen Golf 2 | 8.109 |
| René Ehrismann | 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air | 8.385 |
| Manuel Kreiter | Oldsmobile Cutless | 8.405 |
| SUPER PRO ET | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Robert Gassner | 1967 Chevrolet Camaro | 8.482 |
| Steve Marconato | Ford Mustang | 8.774 |
| Oliver Petzold | Chevrolet Corvette | 8.272 |
| SUPER COMP SC (8.90 index) | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Daniel Hefti | Chevrolet Nova | 8.912 |
| Oliver Krautberger | Chevrolet Monte Carlo | 8.973 |
| Gerd Habermann | Dragster | 9.102 |
| PRO ET | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Martin Weikum | Chevrolet Camaro | 10.407 |
| Nick Mugridge | Dragster | 10.116 |
| Sandro Widmer | Nissan GT-R | 10.034 |
| SUPER GAS SG (9.90 Index) | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Oscar Scappocin | Chevrolet Nova | 9.935 |
| Lorenzo Dolcini | Plymouth Belvedere | 9.946 |
| Aurelien Menard | Ford Pinto | 9.948 |
| JUNIOR DRAGSTER JD (1/8 mile) | ||
| Driver | Make | RT |
| Nieve Deevey | Jr. Dragster | 0.016 |
| Sam Timmers | Jr. Dragster | 0.019 |
| Luke Mugridge | Jr. Dragster | 0.026 |
| FIM E-TOP FUEL BIKE | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Rikard Gustafsson | TF Bike | 6.262 |
| Eric Richard | Suzuki | 6.638 |
| Kari Rautanen | TF Bike | 6.772 |
| FIM E-SUPER TWIN BIKE | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Marcus Christiansen | Super Twin Bike | 6.418 |
| Roman Sixta | Super Twin Bike | 7.035 |
| Chris van Nimmer | Super Twin Bike | 7.539 |
| FIM E-PRO STOCK BIKE | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Jörg Lymant | Pro Stock Bike | 7.182 |
| Bertrand Maurice | Pro Stock Bike | 7.241 |
| Dimitrios Petridis | Pro Stock Bike | 7.277 |
| FUNNY BIKE | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Markus Laur | Suzuki GSX | 7.293 |
| Stefan Hagenstein | Suzuki GSX | 7.305 |
| Thomas Joswig | 7.413 | |
| FIM E-SUPER STREET BIKE SSB | ||
| Driver | Make | ET |
| Jake Mechaell | Suzuki Hayabusa | 6.810 |
| Alan Morrison Jr. | Suzuki Hayabusa | 6.856 |
| Jάsz Krisztiάn | Suzuki Hayabusa | 6.917 |
| FIM E Junior Drag Bike | ||
| Jaxon King | JDB | 13.31 |
| Brad Morrison | JDB | 12.30 |
| Richard Willcox | Mito | 9.62 |
Stay tuned for the second day of the Nitrolympx weekend (the last Qualifications and first elimination rounds!) We from The Chronicles of Boost want to wish all competing drivers good luck, but most of all, have fun!
