Eklund 4th at first SC

The Saturday at the Knutstorp circuit began very good for Per Eklund. At this first race for the Swedish Championship he had a first time overall in the first qualification heat.

The second and third head he had a fifth time overall, putting him on a third position in the a-final.


Photo:(c)Mikael Persson



Report A-final by http://www.rallycross.com/:

Stig-Olov Walfridsson, who was on the innerside as pole sitter Eriksson opted for the outerside of the grid, went into the lead when the green(!) light was showen ahead of Eklund and Hedström. Eriksson faced some issues during the start and joined the field in sixth position. Already in the first corner Eklund went off the track as Peter Hedström was too enthousiastic to try to gain second place in the race. Eventually Hedström was blackflagged by the Clerk of the Course for pushing on Eklund. Eklund on the other hand lost a lot of time with this incident but continued racing and joined the track again in last position. By the end of the first lap Walfridsson was leading the field ahead of Tony Croon, Eriksson, who worked his way up to third place after missing the start, Jernberg and Eklund. During the second lap, Walfridsson who was chased by Croon and Eriksson slowed down. Croon was forced to brake and Eriksson hit Croon by accident. Eriksson damaged the turbo and intercooler of the Fiesta and his final was reduced to driving the remaining laps at a very low speed. By the end of that second lap Walfridsson went to the startgrid again. "I noticed a red flag and i supposed the race was stopped. Therefore I went back to the startgrid," Walfridsson declared afterwards. "Yeah, i also saw a red flag," said Croon. "I was forced to brake behind Walfridsson, but then i realised that the race still was going on, so I continued," he said. Racing went on with Croon in the lead while Jernberg climbed to second place. Jernberg went into the joker lap in the penultimate lap while Croon passed through it in the last lap. However, the joker lap didn't change the positions anymore. Croon came in first and won surprisingly his first Division one event of his career. Jernberg, with a puncture (back left), was second while Eriksson and Eklund finished the race on places three and four.

Per Eklund (SAAB 9-3 ASS) in close contact with Peter Hedström (Ford Fiesta ST). The latter got blackflagged for this action on Eklund. (Photo: © Lennart Pettersson)

Results:

1. Tony Croon Ford Focus 30


2. Michael Jernberg Skoda Fabia 27


3. Andréas Eriksson Ford Fiesta ST 25+3


4. Per Eklund SAAB 9-3 ASS 23


5. Stig-Olov Walfridsson Renault Clio RS 22+2


6. Peter Hedström Ford Fiesta ST 21+1


7. George Tracey Peugeot 307 CC 20


8. Jakob Teil Hansen Ford Escort RS 19

George Tracey confirmed for Knutstorp

From http://www.rallycross.com/:


Irish Rallycross driver George Tracey (Peugeot 307cc) participates in the first round of the 2008 Swedish Rallycross Championship that goes underway next Saturday May 17 at Kågeröd (Ring Knutstorp) in the south of Sweden. The news of his participation, already known for some time, was confirmed on Tuesday.

The participation of the Irishman at Kågeröd is a result of the close collaboration between the teams of George Tracey and Swede Per Eklund in 2008. Over winter Eklund Motorsport already prepared the Peugeot 307cc for Rallycross. After the ERC round in France the car left for Arvika in Sweden, hometown of Eklund Motorsport, where it will be prepared for the Swedish season's opener.


George Tracey (Peugeot 307cc) pictured during the 2008 Portuguese ERC round. (Photo: © Jan Kåre Rafoss)

C-final for Eklund at second EC in France

At a sunny and dusty Kerlabo circuit in France, Eklund could make it to the c-final.
"The car was quick and good, there were no defects. The whole weekend was only a littlebit dusty", Eklund reports.
Per had a 10th time overall in the first qualification, a 16th time in the second and a 12th time in the third heat.
"I could not make the difference, in every heat I lost second at the start and in some corners".
With 22 points he had an 4th position in the c-final.

In the c-final the could make up to the third place, just a few laps before the finish, it was Frode Holte who hit his car into Eklund. Instead of chasing to the heat leader, Eklund has to be satisfied with a 4th place in this c-final, a 14th place overall.

After two races, Eklund has a ninth place in the championship.
"All the things we try will result in a better car, but the competition is tough. It is never been so tough as this year!"

Results 2nd EC France:

1. Jean-Luc Pailler Peugeot 20
2. Ludvig Hunsbedt Volvo 17
3. Kenneth Hansen Citroën 15
4. Michael Jernberg Škoda 13
5. David Meslier Renault 12
6. Guttorm Lindefjell Ford 11
7. Andréas Eriksson Ford 10
8. Sverre Isachsen Ford 9
9. Kjell Arne Smerud Citroën 8
10. Morten Bermingrud Citroën 7
11. Olivier Anne Citroën 6
12. Stig-Olov Walfridsson Renault 5
13. Frode Holte Volvo 4
14. Per Eklund Saab 3
15. Marc Laboulle Citroën 2
16. Ole Kristian Nøttveit Ford 1

Eklund 6th at first EC 2008!

Today, the new season of the European rallycross started, and not so bad!



Eklund managed this week with a lot of work to finalize the new Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan. Just in time he arrived in Portugal for the first race.

In the first heat, Eklund drove to a 12th time, the second heat to a 11th time overall. In the third head, Eklund drove to a good 7th time. This means together a 5th place in the B-final.
Eklund managed to win the B-final! In the A-final he couldn't make any progression, so a 6th place overall!

Results:

1. Ludvig Hunsbedt (N), Volvo S40


2. Kenneth Hansen (S), Citroën C4


3. Ole Kristian Nøttveit (N), Ford Focus ST


4. Sverre Isachsen (N), Ford Focus ST


5. Michael Jernberg (S), Škoda Fabia


6. Per Eklund (S), SAAB 9-3 ASS

Next race in Cohiniac, France next weekend!

Regards,
Mike Jager