With two races done and two to go the FIA European Drag Racing Championship is at the halfway point of the season, thus anything can still happen. Susanne Callin (Top Fuel), Timo Habermann (Top Methanol), Jimmy Ålund (Pro Stock) and Andres Arnover (Pro Modified) are the current leaders, but none of them was on the highest step of the podium at the latest race at Tierp Arena. To remain or come back in the title race, a good result in the penultimate round of the championship is crucial. Interesting ingredients for an exciting NitrOlympX at the Rico Anthes Quartermile of the HockenheimRing.

With the Summit Racing Equipment Internationals at Tierp Arena fresh in mind, it’s time for round three of the 2026 FIA European Drag Racing Championship, the renowned NitrOlympX at the Rico Anthes Quartermile of the HockenheimRing, August 21th to 23st. Looking at the points standings it is unlikely that in one of the four classes the title fight will be decided in Germany, but it is important so score valuable points before heading to Santa Pod Raceway for the grand finale, the European Finals, September 11th to 13th .

It is interesting to see that none of the current championship leaders won at Tierp Arena, just over one week ago. Susanne Callin (Top Fuel), Timo Habermann (Top Methanol) and Andres Arnover (Pro Modified) were all defeated in their respective finals in Sweden, but with their victories at The Main Event, they remained in the number one position. It is even more confusing in Pro Stock, as Jimmy Ǻlund didn’t win a race so far this season, but still the 13-time Pro Stock champion left Tierp as the new leader.

Top Fuel

Susanne Callin is the current leader in the FIA European Top Fuel Championship. The reigning FIA European champion won the opening round at Santa Pod, but the Slick Tricks Racing driver lost the final at Tierp Arena.

In Sweden Top Fuel rookie Colin Millar claimed the win, the first victory in the quickest and fastest class of the FIA European Championship for a driver from Scotland. Millar is only thirty points behind his RF Motorsport teammate, so anything is still possible.

Especially as the numbers one and two in the championship will get some tough competition from Jndia Erbacher. For the 2024 FIA European Top Fuel champion from Switzerland, Hockenheim is her home race with numerous Swiss fans in the grandstands. Erbacher was runner-up in Engeland, but skipped the race at Tierp Arena. The Monster Energy supported driver will need a win to be back in the title race and still have a chance in England. But didn’t we have the same scenario in 2024, and don’t we all know who claimed the title in the final run of that season, indeed, Erbacher.

(Photo team) 

There will be a fourth Top Fueler in Hockenheim, one that can take away many points from the title contenders. The Nitro Vikings are back in the championship, this time with Øyvor Jacobsen behind the wheel. The last time the Norwegian team raced in the FIA European Championship was in 2024 with Linn Fløysvik, the 2023 FIA European Top Methanol champion. Jacobsen, also from Norway, has a long history in European Top Fuel racing and it is great to see her back in the sport. Jacobsen renewed her licence with runs at the team’s home track, Gardermoen Raceway.

Top Methanol

In Top Methanol Timo Habermann enters his home race as the leader in the championship. The Werner Habermann Racing driver won the opening round at Santa Pod Raceway, a great comeback for the 3-time FIA European champion after a 6-year break. In Sweden Habermann advanced to the final again, but after suffering severe engine damage in the semifinals, the championship leader was not able to race in the final.

As a result, Tony Bryntesson claimed the win at Tierp Arena and closed the gap to Habermann to 16 points, less than one elimination round win. The Bilsport supported A-Fuel Team Sweden driver proved his speed and consistency once again this season and will be a real threat for Habermann in Germany.

Tina Høst Nedregård is the number three in the championship, but the Jedborn Motorsport team will not be in Hockenheim and will not be able to defend their third position. Living in the very north of Sweden, travelling from Tierp back home and in one week from home to Hockenheim would take too much time, as there is also a business to run for the ‘Norwegian-Swede’ driver and her partner and tuner Daniel Jedborn.

Isak Lagg is fourth in the current standings. The young Swede is in his first full season in Top Methanol and scored some valuable points with his first elimination round win at Tierp. Lagg, flying the flag for the A-Fuel Junior Team Sweden team, is 97 points behind Habermann, but with two rounds remaining, anything is still possible.

The 2026 season is a big disappointment for Sandro Bellio so far. The reigning FIA European Top Methanol champion is still waiting for new parts to arrive and had to deal with older parts in the first two races. As a result Bellio suffered mechanical and traction problems and went out in the first round at Santa Pod and Tierp and is in fifth position, 102 points behind Habermann.

Bellio shares that fifth spot with Silvio Strauch. The German Engine Ghost team recorded some great ETs with their new engine, but not at the right moment in eliminations to score valuable points. Strauch surprised last year with a win at his home track and will definitely want to follow up on that success. Jonny Lagg is seventh in the points standings. The former champion and father of Isak Lagg suffered all kinds of traction problems so far this season. Let’s hope Lagg will finally solve that problem and will be able to record some good ETs again.

Jürgen Nagel is the third driver from Germany on the entry list. The Funny Car veteran had a horrible weekend at Tierp Arena. Due to fuel system problems Nagel was not able to come to the start line at all and travelled back home without even one single meter at the track.

Pro Modified

In Pro Modified the fight for victory will be once again intense. In the current championship standings the numbers one and two are separated by only four points! Andres Arnover is the leader after the driver from Estonia won the first round of the championship and finished the race in Sweden as the runner-up.

At Tierp Arena Arnover was defeated in the final by Jere Rantaniemi, the reigning FIA European Pro Modified champion. The Finn had a semifinal finish in England and that makes him the number two, but only four points short of the lead.

Michel Tooren is third, but already 73 points behind Arnover. After a difficult Main Event weekend, the Pro Dutch Racing team made major steps with a win at a Motorsport UK Pro Mod race in England, a new personal best (5.79 seconds) and a semifinal finish at Tierp Arena. Tooren will do everything he can to close the gap to the leaders before heading to Santa Pod.

With Stian Rusånes there is the fourth nationality in the top four. The driver from Norway has a really good season so far and is only 10 points behind Tooren. New personal bests and a semifinal finish at Tierp make Rusånes to a dark horse for a Hockenheim win.

David Vegter is fifth, but the gap to Arnover is 127 points. Vegter, always a front runner in the championship, had a bad season so far with a quarter final and first round exit. Vegter and his Camaro are one of the quickest combinations in Pro Mod, but so far this season very unlucky.

But it can even be worse. Behind Andy Robinson, who will skip Hockenheim, Marck Harteveld is seventh in the ranking. The Voodoo Hemi Racing driver finished the 2025 season as the number two and wanted to go for the title this season. At Santa Pod Harteveld was defeated in the quarter finals, but the worst was to come at Tierp were the green Superbird finished qualifying in 20th position and was not qualified for eliminations.

Kim Kristiansen, from Denmark, is ninth in the championship and the last driver in the top ten who will be in Hockenheim. Missing from the top ten is Bruno Bader. The Swiss Pro Mod veteran is 14th and has a horrible season so far with a first round exit at Santa Pod and, like Harteveld, a ‘did not qualify’ at Tierp. Bader will be out for revenge at Hockenheim.

(Photo Rose Hughes)

A man to watch is definitely Mats Eriksson. The Swede is really quick, but he missed the opening round at Santa Pod and ran into serious problems in the first round at Tierp. As a result the Swede is only in 21st position in the championship. In his last season in Pro Mod Eriksson will be looking for rehabilitation with a good result in Germany (and England).

The Pro Modified field is completed in Hockenheim by Peter Wacker and Marcus Hilt, both from Switzerland, and Michael Winter, Dominik Reinhardt and Walter Strobel from Germany. For Reinhardt and Strobel, also competitors in Hockenheim last season, it will be their first race in the 2026 FIA European Championship.

Pro Stock         

In Pro Stock the top four in the championship is separated by only 30 points, less than two elimination round wins. With Jimmy Ålund in the lead, nothing special and business as usual you would say. But this time it is special as the 13-time European champion didn’t win a race so far. At Santa Pod Ålund was runner-up and at Tierp he was defeated in the semifinals. But as the other top four drivers scored so inconsistently, the Swede is leading with two races to go.

Simon Ekengren is the surprise number two, only 17 points short of Ålund. Ekengren scored a great win at Tierp Arena, but had a first round exit at Santa Pod. Almost the same happened to Stefan Ernryd, who was the proud winner of the opening round, but was defeated in the first round at Tierp. The two Dodges are second and third, separated by only two points.

Robin Norén is fourth, 30 points behind leader Ålund. The reigning FIA European Pro Stock champion had problems in the first elimination round at Santa Pod, but bounced back with a runner-up finish at Tierp. Norén might need a win at Hockenheim to still have a fair chance of a second consecutive title.

Michael Malmgren is the number five in the standings, but already 61 points behind Ålund. It will be difficult for the very experienced driver to come back in the title fight. For Henry Riehl Hockenheim is his home race. Riehl is the only driver not coming from Sweden in Pro Stock and with the Harald Sturhan Mercedes CLK also the only non-American car in the Pro Stock category. Riehl and the Sturhan team hope to record some new personal bests at Hockenheim and gain some more experience in this high-tech category.

Qualifying for the NitrOlympX will start on Friday August 21th and will continue on Saturday August 22th . Eliminations will start on Sunday morning August 23st.           

Text and photos Remco Scheelings