Hockenheim, August 12, 2013 - Speed and a great qualifying position are no guarantees for a good result in eliminations, that's what Marc Meihuizen found out again at the NitrOlympX. With a great 6.056 seconds the MPM-driver was the number two qualifier, just behind reigning champion Michael Gullqvist. But in the quarter finals the Dutchman lost traction only a few meters after the start and was eliminated. So not another win for Meihuizen after his great number one position in Finland.
The NitrOlympX is more than just the fourth round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. The great facility of the Hockenheimring and its Rico Anthes Quartermile, the whole program with the world famous Saturday Nightshow, all these things made the NitrOlympX to what it now is, with 60,000 spectators Europa's most prestigious dragrace and different from all other FIA European Championship races.
After his fantastic win in Finland, MPM-driver Marc Meihuizen was still 'in the winning mood' when the team left for Germany. But for the number two in the FIA European Pro Modified Championship, the first two qualifying runs were not what he was looking for. A 6.21 seconds was the result of run one, and in run number two the MPM '68 Firebird lost traction almost immediately after it left the start line. But tuner/crewchief Joeri Woudenberg had enough information to put a better set-up in the car for run number three. In a great 6.056 seconds Meihuizen crossed the finish line and jumped into the number two qualifying position, just behind reigning champion Michael Gullqvist. In the fourth and last qualifying run the Firebird lost traction again, so no improvements for the MPM-driver. "When you have the idea improvements are not possible, you can better stay in the pits. We tried, but this was too much power for this track", said a cool Woudenberg after the run.
As the number two qualifier Meihuizen had to face his MPM-colleague David Vegter in the quarter finals, a rerun of the Alastaro quarter final. In Finland the J.W.R. Racing Pontiac took the win light and even won the race. At the Rico Anthes Quartermile the outcome was completely different. With a great reaction time Meihuizen was in front, but after only a few meters the Firebird lost traction and went 'up in smoke'. In 6.24 seconds, the best run of the weekend so far, Vegter took the win light and made an early end to MPM-driver Meihuizen's NitrOlympX race. In the FIA European Championship Meihuizen lost one place and is now the number three, but still close to the runner-up position. "Disappointing and question marks", was Meihuizen's first reaction after the race. "Out of five runs we lost traction at the start line three times, and even in the 6.05 second run, we spun the tyres in the second part of the run. We tried to take out power, but still we had too much. The track conditions and temperature changed so many times, we couldn't deal with that. We couldn't read the track in time and in the right way and that’s frustrating."
But Meihuizen doesn't have to wait very long for revenge. For August 23 to 25 Tierp Arena will be host to the Scandinavian Internationals, the fifth round of the FIA European Drag Racing Championship. When the conditions are good, MPM-driver Meihuizen can run great numbers again at this beautiful and great Swedish track. With 31 Pro Mods on the entry list the race will be very interesting. "Hockenheim was good, but the track at Tierp Arena is better and we raced there in June so we have more data. We want to run into the fives again and go for a top position", says Meihuizen, already looking forward to the next race.
- Author
- Remco Scheelings
- Photographer
- Remco Scheelings
Dragracing FIA European Championship Hockenheim Main event Marc Meihuizen MPM Racing MPM Sports NitrOlympX Pro mod
