Last race SC: Eklund 8th

report from http://www.rallycross.de/:

Before Strängnäs five drivers in Division 1 were still able to obtain the title of '2008 Swedish Rallycross Champion in Division 1'. Michael Jernberg (Škoda Fabia) was on top of the standings with 108 points. Five points ahead of Andréas Eriksson (Ford Fiesta ST) who counted 103 points. Also Stig-Olov Walfridsson (Renault Clio RS CR1N) with 99 points, Tony Croon (Ford Focus) with 97 points and Per Eklund (SAAB 9-3 SportSedan) with 90 points had an option on the 2008 Division 1 title.

Walfridsson, Croon and Eklund all qualified for the 'B' final, with the first two sharing the front row. Eklund was on the second row. Peter Hedström (Ford Fiesta ST), Jokinen and Mats Öhman (Ford Focus) were the other 'B' final qualifiers. Öhman had a brilliant start and lead the final until the last lap when he went into the joker lap.
In the mean time Croon and Walfridsson were battling it out, however Walfridsson wasn't able to overtake Croon. When Öhman left the joker lap he re-joined the main track behind Croon but ahead of Walfridsson resulting in Croon and Öhman moving up to the 'A' final and a seventh place overall for Stig-Olov Walfridsson.
Eklund finished on a 8th place.

With this result, Eklund ends on a 5th place overall in this Swedish championship.

EC Poland: not a good weekend again

Again not a good result for Per Eklund at a European Rallycross round, this time at the Slomczyn track in Poland.
Things look great at the timed practice. The car runs good and with a 11th time the team was ready for the weekend.
But after the first qualification heat, things didn't look great afterall. Eklund lost a rear wheel of the Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan. He managed to drive to the finishline, but the time wasn't good. A last position, a 22th time overall.



photos: (c) www.erc24.com

Eklund fought back in the second and third heat, but the results were not enough to take a position in the A, B or C final. He drove twice a 13th position overall in these heats.
With these results, he had a 17th position overall, just outside the c-final. Only the first 16 qualify for the finals..........

Resuls:

1. Sverre Isachsen (N) , Ford Focus, 20
2. Ole Kristian Nøttveit (N), Ford Focus, 17
3. Andréas Eriksson (S), Ford Fiesta, 15
4. Kenneth Hansen (S), Citroën C4, 13
5. Ludvig Hunsbedt (N), Volvo S40, 12
6. Michael Jernberg (S), Škoda Fabia, 11

With these results, Kenneth Hansen is for the 14th time European champion rallycross. Congratulations, Kenneth!!!

Next race: Swedish championship, September 27 at the Strängnäs Motorstadion.

EC Czechia: Eklund in B-final on 5th position!

Last weekend, Eklund drove the 9th race in the European rallycross season 2008 in the Czech Republic.



In the timed practice, he drove a 12th time overall.

The first qualification heat on Saturday, he took also a 12th time.
The sunday went better. Both heats, second and third he drove to a 8th time overall.
This gave him a 9th position overall, equals a 4th position in the B-final.


In this final, he drove with Jos Kuypers, Andréas Eriksson, Sverre Isachsen, Frode Holte and c-final winner Michael Jernberg.
At the start it was Isachsen with the best start. Eklund took a 6th position, but Eriksson went wide in the first corner and Eklund could pass. The rest of the final was very close racing. Eriksson tried to overtake Eklund, but didn't succeed.
Eklund went on 5th position over the finish line, a 10th position overall.

Look at the on-board film of Eriksson, see a clear view on Eklund! Great!

Thanks to: (c) http://www.mediasport.cz/rallycross/videa

Results:

1. Kenneth Hansen Citroën C4 20
2. Ludvig Hunsbedt Volvo S40 17
3. Pavel Koutný Ford Fiesta ST 15
4. Sverre Isachsen Ford Focus ST 13
5. Olivier Anne Citroën C4 12
6. Ole Kristian Nøttveit Ford Focus ST 11
7. Jos Kuypers Ford Focus ST 10
8. Michael Jernberg Skoda Fabia 9
9. Frode Holte Volvo S40 8
10. Per Eklund SAAB 9-3 SportSedan 7
11. Andréas Eriksson Ford Fiesta ST 6
12. Pat Doran Ford Fiesta ST 5
13. Jean-Luc Pailler Peugeot 207 4
14. Guttorm Lindefjell Skoda Fabia 3
15. Stig-Olov Walfridsson Renault Clio RS 2
16. Kjell Arne Smerud Citroën Xsara 1

Next weekend: Poland, round 10

Model news part 5: Triumph TR7 V8

The company IXO models released in July the Triumph TR7 V8 with number 15.
Per Eklund and co-driver Hans Sylvan drove this car at the 1000 Lakes Rally 1980.


Eklund drove to a third place overall in this rally