Today, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series team Dexwet-DF1 Racing, along with their driver Justin Kunz, will be visiting the largest drag racing event in Europe, the NitrOlympX at Hockenheimring, to help promote the upcoming Euro Series Playoff round at Hockenheim in September.
Kunz is also scheduled to do a seat swap with British FIA European Drag Racing Championship driver Liam Jones as part of the “TAKE A SEAT NASCAR vs. TOP FUEL DRAGSTER” program that the NitrOlympX organizers have prepared for this special occasion. Jones will be testing out Dexwet-DF1’s Euro Series Chevrolet Camaro car while Kunz will be sitting inside Liam Jones’ 10,000-horsepower CBD Asylum-prepared Top Fuel Dragster.
“NASCAR and drag racing, what else do you need to feel the American spirit?” said Kunz in a post that he posted in his official Facebook page four days ago. “You will get it all this weekend at Hockenheimring. We Dexwet-DF1 Racing will be there to promote our NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race in September. I will also take seat in the top fuel dragster of Liam Jones, who set the latest 1/4 mile record here with 501 km/h (and) in return he will explore our Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR. I can’t wait to do this!” further adds Kunz in the post.
Described as the largest drag racing event outside of the United States with approximately 40,000 fans visiting the event every year, NitrOlympX has been held annually at Hockenheim ever since 1986. Originally hosted in the circuit’s start and finish straight, it was moved to the drag strip after it was built in 1989.
According to the official website of NitrOlympX, the event itself is synonymous with Rico Anthes, the former European drag racing champion that organized and promotes the event from 1986 to 2007. After Hockenheim became the event’s promoter in 2008, the track opted to rename the drag strip section as the “Rico Anthes Quartermile” in honor of Anthes.
The 2019 edition of NitrOlympX has completed their first qualifying runs yesterday, with defending FIA European Drag Racing Top Fuel Champion Anita Mäkelä currently holds the provisional pole position for Sunday’s main event with a time of 3.879 seconds in yesterday’s second qualifying session. Liam Jones, who will do the seat swap with Kunz, currently sits in third in the provisional time sheets with a time of 3.92 seconds.
Disclaimer: Unless noted, all photos used in this article are courtesy of Dexwet-DF1 Racing.