Day two – Saturday at the NitrolympX 2023 at the Hockenheimring. To sum up: a motorsport day could not have gone much better. All expectations in all classes were met or exceeded.
Jndia Erbacher in the Monster Engery Top Fuel Dragster conjured up two three-second times on the Rico-Anthes-Quatermile. Great joy for the team and frenetic cheers from the packed grandstands. A 3.93 at over 500 km/h put the young Swiss in first place in the qualifying ahead of her opponents Susanne Callin and Ida Zetterström.
The top methanol cars were shaken up. Sandro Bellio remains on pole, but behind him everything has been mixed up. Silvio Strauch, currently leading the European Championship, starts the race day in fifth position.
The Pro Mods were already at an incredible performance level on Friday. Today, almost all the teams have stepped it up a notch. The top five after day two made it into the five times. Andreas Arnover from Lithuania is the fastest. His 5.863 puts him exactly three thousandths ahead of Dutchman David Vegter with his 5.866. A tough battle is in store for Sunday. Whoever wants to go home as the winner will have to survive four tough race laps.
The bikes are in no way inferior to the cars in terms of action and performance. In the Pro Stock Bikes it’s “from outhouse to penthouse” for the Brit Martin Newbury. Yesterday he was last with problems, today he is the leader in the very good field with a 7.289.
In the Top Fuel Bikes Rikard Gustafsson fulfilled the expectations: A five before the decimal point! With his 5.92 he is clearly ahead, but the top speed of “only” 380 km/h shows: There is always more possible.
A lot is definitely possible in the Super Street Bikes. The entire starting field is in the 7s or even 6s. And solidly so. Right at the front is the Briton Jake Mechaell with a great 6.793 at 348 km/h. Without wheelie bars and without slicks! Right behind him is his compatriot Alan Morrison Jr. with 6.83, right on his heels. The highest speed in third place is achieved by the Hungarian Daniel Lecses with 349 km/h. Several personal best times in the field underline once again that the track in the Motodrom is also ideal for the bikes.
A fiercely contested qualifying in the Sportsman classes ensures excitement and enthusiasm throughout the day. And the highlight is the famous Saturday Night Show. Lots of fire from a variety of jet vehicles, the Force of Nature Steam Rocket Bike making its debut outside the British Isles, stunts between heaven and earth and lots of fireworks, tyre smoke and nitro in between. With many firsts such as a spectacular jump by the Red Bull Skydivers and a drone show at the end that was rewarded with much applause from the audience, the Saturday Night Show once again proved its unique position in the colourful world of entertainment.
The big show was today, the big motorsport highlight follows tomorrow: Sunday is Raceday! See you at the track!
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