The 2009 FIA Championship Drag Racing series held it’s 4th of five season events at Hockenheim Germany (August 14-16th).  A huge crowd endured unseasonably very hot weather conditions but also some great racing during the 2009 Nitrolympx event.

Top Fuel to Carter (Again!): 
The Top Fuel final saw Andy Carter lined up along side Risto Poutiainen.  After both drivers did strong burnouts, Risto couldn’t find reverse and after being pushed back he was made to shut off.  That left Andy to launch off the line and cruise through for the win.  Carter (from England) is now in prime position to clinch the ’09 season championship.  All he needs to do is make a qualifying run
during the FIA final round scheduled for Santa Pod England, in September.

Carter, who is the defending FIA Series Champion, had defeated Timo Lehtimaki and Micke Kagered in earlier competition.
TF Round one included some upsets, the biggest being when Finland’s Janne Ahonen took out championship contender (and event low qualifier) Stig Neergaard in a very close race! Janne got away first however Stig’s motor was a lot more aggressive to the 60 ft mark he was back in front. Janne then went up in smoke and it looked like it was all over – but when Stig shredded the blower belt, Janne got back on the throttle and drove around him at 5.526|356.10 kpm to 5.525|287.72 kpm.

A total of 10 Top Fuel cars were on hand for the Nitrolympx event:
Final Qualifying Results:  (Note: All speeds are in KPH)  
1. Stig Neergaard 4.850|471.99, 2. Andy Carter 4.866|469.55, 3. Micke Kagered 4.916|422.11, 4. Risto Poutiainen 5.017|442.12, 5. Urs Erbacher 5.044|451.31, 6. Lex Joon 5.077|448.33, 7. Time Lehtimaki 5.144|339.68, 8. Janne Ahonene 5.165|470.97.
DNQ: 9. Anita Mekela 5.171|404.80, 10. Jari Halinen 5.511|424.42

Andy Carter, the FIA points leader in Top Fuel.

Top Methanol Dragster Summary:  
FIA have recently adjusted the tuning regulations on both injected and blown cars in a bid to make the two set ups even closer.  At Hockenheim it appeared that is something they achieved with Top Methanol featuring the closest class racing of the weekend.

The final qualifying order after four rounds was:   (Speed is in KPH)
1. Peter Schofer 5.433|424.83, 2. Timo Habermann 5.440| 418.43, 3.Krister Johansson 5.456|416.60, 4. Dave Wilson 5.483|413.20, 5. Fred Hanssen 5.495| 415.17, 6. Paul Ingar Udtian 5.525|410.93, 7 Derek Flynn 5.527| 416.20, 8. Dennis Harbermann 5.527|416.20
DNQ: 9. Rob Turner 5.693|389.70, 10. Esko Raisvuo 5.986|409.54

In the TMD final round the #1 and #2 qualifiers faced one another.  Timo Habermann got away first with a 0.051 to Peter Schofer’s 0.063 RT.  But from there it was all Schofer.  He was well ahead by half track and at the finish line he won with a 5.474|423.51 def 5.589|409.30 kph.
Schofer defeated Dennis Harbermann (red-light) in round one and David Wilson in the semi final round.

TMD Final round - Schofer Vs. Habermann

Top Methanol Funny Car:
Following the completion of qualifying the order was:
1. Jarmo Kuttniemi 5.797|369.42, 2. Ulf Leanders 5.819|396.60, 3. Dan Larsen 5.853 | 393.51, 4.  Leif Andreasson 5.868|391.25, 5. Danny Bellio 5/906|393.30, 6. Per Hakon Troa 6.044| 383.04 & 7. Jurgen Nagel 6.172|362.64

The final round went to Dan Larsen who ran 5.873/387.34 kph to defeat Dany Bellio who red-lit away a 6.091/389.42 kph.
Prior to that Larson defeated Per Hokan Troa and Ulf Leanders in earlier competition.

TMFC Winner: Dan Larsen

Pro Mod Wars!
In Germany there is one thing they love more than anything and that’s burnouts.  The 16 Pro Mod cars in attendance did not disappoint as burnouts to the half track were common and kept the fans on their feet.

Qualifying in Pro Mod did include the most bizarre accident in European Pro Mod history and possibly the world’s first three car drag racing crash! Johnny Jorgensen was backing up from the burn out but as he stood on the brake pedal the car didn’t respond and he promptly drove back into Micke Lindahl’s Camaro  which was pushed back onto Marc Meihuzien car before Johnny had chance to shut the motor off and stop, talk about strange!

The final round saw slightly cooler air which resulted in improvements across the board.  Andy Robinson and Mats Eriksson battled hard for the top spot with Eriksson prevailing by a close margin: 6.129 secs to 6.142 secs.

Final Qualifying was:  1. Mats Eriksson 6.129/382.09, 2. Andy Robinson 6.142/373.30, 3. Urban Johansson 6.157/373.23, 4. Micke Lindahl 6.174/373.75, 5. Micke Gullqvist 6.201/368.23, 6. Marc Meihuizen 6.212/374.00, 7. Bruno Bader 6.259/362.76, 8. Roger Johansson 6.331/361.49, 9. Tomi Pontinen 6.419/364.04, 10.Graham Ellis 6.428/358.57, 11.Robert Koper 6.439/362.70, 12.Rolf Ammann 6.500/352.52, 13. Norbert Kuno 6.539/351.61, 14. Marco Maurischat 6.570/334.45, 15. Henri Joosten 6.714/319.22, 16. Johnny Sand Jorgensen 6.908/323.01

Round one of eliminations was run off Saturday night as part of the “night show”. The early evening air had considerably cooled from the horrendous 36 degrees Celsius that had been around earlier that day.

The ever-quick Urban Johansson ran to a 6.102|367.49 which was impressive, however the real man of the night was Mats Eriksson. Mats launched hard off the line he crossed the line with a 6.096|382.36 which is the first sub 6.10 second run in Europe!

On Sunday however it was Micke Lindahl who took the event win.

Lindahl had a .001 RT and ran a winning 6.209 secs at 374.33 kph to defeat Andy Robinson who 6.275|341.01 kph.

Pro Mod Winner: Micke Lindahl

6X European Champion!
Sweden’s Jimmy Alund clinched his six straight FIA European championship when he won again in Pro Stock driving his Pontiac GTO.  Alund fired off a final round 6.812 secs at 328.38 kph to defeat Richard Sundlom who had a red-light foul in the final round.

Alund had topped Harald Sturhan and Magnus Hansson in earlier eliminations.

Photos by: Julian Hunt & Dominic Romney