Per Eklund didn't had a good weekend at the European Rallycross round 8 in the Netherlands.
With the results from the qualification heats (19th, 14th and again 19th) he didn't qualify for any finals. His overall position for this weekend is a 20th place.
The team worked until 22:30 with the gearbox and change the differential.
In the morning the wheather is very wet, a lot of rain. The team changed the car to wet setup by bchanging the roll bars, suspention and full wet tires.
Eklund has a good feeling about the setup of the car during the warm-up laps.
Heat 2:
Eklund starts with van Mechelen, Holte, Evans and Pauwels. The best start was for Eklund, just before Holte, Mechelen, Evans and Pauwels.
Eklund could extent his lead to almost 9 seconds ahead of Holte and the others drivers.
In the last lap Eklund took the joker lap and was still in front. In the corner on the Duivelsberg, Eklund went to wide and the car slips.
He could not drive away and the other cars were hold up, even some drivers hit the Saab 9-3. Eklund could manage to drive the car away and is still on first position. Van Mechelen managed to overtake during this action from last position to second. Eklund finished before van Mechelen, Holte, Pauwels and Evans. He has a 17th time overall, with a 3rd quickest laptime!
If he did not made the mistake, he probely had a 4th overall.
Results:
later
Heat 3:
Just before this heat, it starts to rain and the track who was drying up, is more slippery again.
Eklund starts with Bermingrud, Walfridsson, van Mechelen and Holte.
Per Eklund makes a good start and went second into the corner after Holte.
Holte and Eklund can drive easy at the front, Eklund has to drive very hard to catch up with Holte. In the second lap, Eklund takes the jokerlap and stays at second position.
At the finish it is Holte on first position, Eklund 2nd, Bermingrud 3rd, van Mechelen 4th and Walfridsson 5th.
Eklund has a 11th time overall. More rain is falling and the other topdrivers can't set a good time.
Results:
With a 12th, 17th and a 11th time. Per Eklund starts at the last position in the C-final (16th position).
C-final:
Nottweit, Holte, Munnich, Bermingrud, Kuijpers and Eklund start in this final. It is Holte with the best start, Nottveit second and Eklund from the back of the grid to third position. After the first corner, Eklund takes the jokerlap and has to let pass Kuijpers.In lap 2 Kuijpers makes a mistake and takes the first corner very wide, Eklund can pass to position 3 again. In lap 3 Nottveit takes the jokerlap and Eklund can pass to position 2.
Eklund pushed very hard to get to Holte, but Holte can hold his first position when he crosses the finishline.
Next weekend: EC Valkenswaard, the Netherlands
According to Belgium rallycross fan Alex Schijvinck, today it is Eklund's 350 European rallycross race!
Per Eklund is the only driver who started from the beginning in 1973 until now. Some years, Per was not driving in European rallycross (1979 until 1989 and in 1992).
In this period, Eklund took one EC title, in 1999.
Photo: Alex is presenting the data to Eklund
Today it is sunny weather 25 degrees The last few days there was a lot of rain.
Eklund made some improvements the last 3 weeks after Höljes. The turbo has been inproved, also some electric systems. They found some extra horsepower!
Timed practice
The track was dry and sunny, with a lot of dust. Per had a clean run. He drove a 9th time overall. 
Results:
With this result, Eklund has a 12th time overall.
Eklund told: "I lost 3rd gear during this heat, I could drive better". The team replaced the gearbox after the heat and the car is ready for tommorow.
