Credits to Threewide and Sass MotorBlog for the original reporting of this.
Justin Kunz, the driver of the No. 99 Dexwet-DF1 Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the Elite 2 class, was at Hockenheim last Saturday during the annual NitrOlympX drag racing competition to both promote the upcoming Euro Series Playoff round at Hockenheim next month as well as taking part in a successful seat exchange program with FIA European Drag Racing Championship driver Liam Jones.
According to the reports made by Threewide.de and by Sass MotorBlog, Kunz and Jones’ “Take a Seat” seat exchange program happened on Saturday morning before the qualifying of the Top Fuel class. As fans had their attention on the sight of the Jones’ Team CBD Asylum dragster and Dexwet-DF1’s Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR car being close together in the paddock, Kunz and Jones had their first talks together with the two drivers talking about each other’s vehicles as well as the technology and engines that powered their respective machines.
During the seat exchange program, Kunz was the first to do the seat exchange as the 22-year old German takes a seat inside Jones’ 10,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster. “So much power, the huge compressor and no brakes but with the parachutes to stop (the car)!” said a visibly impressed Kunz.
Later, it was Jones’ turn to do the seat exchange. Jones’ seat exchange was somewhat trickier than Kunz’s, as his muscular and large body size makes it rather difficult for him to get inside the NASCAR Euro cars at first. But after getting used to the cockpit of the NASCAR cars with the help of Kunz’s explanation, Jones is also visibly impressed by the NASCAR Euro cars. “It’s all very interesting and really fun! I would love to drive the car on a race track,” said Jones.
Jones even suggested Kunz to be inside the cockpit of the CBD Asylum dragster as the team fired its engine to prepare itself for the Warm Up sessions. “An incredible vote of confidence! I did not expect that at all,” admitted Kunz.
Soon after, Jones helped Kunz to equip his ear protection and gas mask as the CBD Asylum team filled the fuel of the Top Fuel dragster. Kunz sat in the cockpit as the CBD Asylum team fired the 10,000-horsepower engine that powered their dragster with an extreme noise level and yellowish mist of combustion fumes surrounding the car as the engine was warmed up.
Kunz couldn’t hide his smile as he climbed out of the cockpit to huge cheers from the fans that had now surrounded the CBD Asylum team tent. “It’s so incredible when you sit in front of this huge engine when it’s running. Liam is such a nice guy and he does a “sick” sport!” said Kunz.
Norbert Walchhofer, the Head of Motorsport of Dexwet-DF1 Racing, was in attendance for the seat exchange and he’s also visibly impressed at how popular the NitrOlympX is to the fans. “The backdrop of the NitrOlympX shows me once again at how much US sports are popular in Europe,” said Walchhofer. Threewide also reported that Walchhofer wants to invite Jones to do a proper test session with the team’s NASCAR Euro car at some point in the future.
The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will return to action in exactly one-month time for the 2019 edition of the American Fan Fest Semi Finals at Hockenheim. Justin Kunz currently sits in 7th in the Elite 2 championship, 50 points behind championship leader Giorgio Maggi. Kunz will be looking to improve upon the double Top 10 finish that he achieved last year as he aims to finish the 2019 season on a high note.
Disclaimer: Unless noted, all photos used in this article are courtesy of Sass MotorBlog.