Rally of the Midnight Sun

Rally of the
Midnight Sun
Per Hägeman Reports
T
his year’s historic Midnattssolsrallyt was run under a new
organisation, the same as for the Swedish Rally in the
winter. So instead of Västerås, now Karlstad was the hub of
the June 17-20 event. The rally ran with a maximum number of
competitors, though many missed the two ex-World Champions,
Björn Waldegård and Stig Blomqvist. However, there were earlier
winners, such as Kenneth Bäcklund (Escort RS 1800) and Tom
Damberg (Volvo 164) and a bunch of Volvo 240s with heavy-footed
drivers. Making a come back, now in historic, was Björn Johansson,
four times Swedish Champion, now as then in an Opel Kadett GT/E.
From Germany came ex-German Champion, Reihard Hainbach in an
Opel Commodore.
99% of the rally was run on gravel, 1250kms overall, with 230kms
of special stages, many of which were old stages from the Swedish
rally. On Thursday the rally struck out northwest of Karlstad, on
Friday to the north and on Saturday northeast of the headquarters.
The new organisers were lucky with the weather, which was real
Swedish summer, and as usual there were lots of spectators.
After the Wednesday evening stage on a rally-cross circuit outside
Karlstad and the first Thursday morning stages, Erik Johansson
led, as he had last year, in the Audi Quattro, but he soon had to
retire (also like last year) with failing fuel pumps. During the day
there was a three-way fight involving mere seconds between Mats
Karlsson, Jimmy Olsson and Mats Thorszelius, all in Volvo 240s.
However, on the last stage of the day, trio leader Mats Karlsson
made a jump start and was given a 10sec penalty, leaving the
overnight lead to Jimmy Olsson by 2.7secs ahead of Thorszelius,
with the penalised Karlsson 5.7secs adrift. In fourth place was
Thomas Norqvist also in a Volvo 240, and best non-Volvo was
Kenneth Bäcklund in an Escort RS 1800, who came home 14.9secs
later. Last year’s winner, Tom Damberg only managed seventh
place in his Volvo 164, otherwise it was an all Volvo 240 top 10.
In the regularity class, Tom Hotvedt from Norway led in a Porsche
911.
The moment that cost Bäcklund everything:
Kenneth Bäcklund overshoots the turning. He
had to do a 360 to get back into the running, and
with such a slim margin, lost all hope of victory
Photos Linda Romppala
Next day, Thorszelius was fastest on the first stage and took the
lead, just to have a core plug go on the next stage, leading to
overheating – and retirement. Olsson was back in the lead, but
as the day progressed Bäcklund got warmed up, and with some
fastest times he was suddenly out front. But Olsson had an
answer. On the last stage of the day, he made a real effort and
retook the overnight lead by 0.3 of a second. Usually such a small
lead could be a disadvantage, but with the dry weather and the
dust, it might be an advantage after all. Mats Karlsson was still on
third and Norqvist in fourth, while Damberg had advanced to fifth
place. In the lead in the regularity class was now Thorbjörn Bye,
also from Norway, in a BMW 2002 Tii with experienced Oddvar
Moland at the clocks.
Everything was still open for Saturday’s finale. Olsson was able to
add some seconds to his lead, but the pace was so high, there was
plenty of scope for a mistake. On the stage before the lunch halt at
Lindesberg, Bäcklund overshot a tricky crossing and lost seconds.
Damberg rolled his 164 and lost much time, so that at Lindesberg
there was much activity for spectators to see. A whole street was
closed off and used as the service point, and there was welding
done on Damberg’s car and a new screen put in. On Olsson’s car,
the prop shaft was off and being worked on.
Historic Motor Racing News October 2013
Per Göransson and Björn Wessel have their hands full of Ford Falcon
Photo pressphotos
12
Bäcklund took a view for the final stages and settled for second
place, and the 2-litre class win, with Jimmy Olsson finally winning
by 38secs. Mats Karlsson, returning after a long retirement, did a
good job to finish third, while Janne Westlund, in another Volvo
240, finished fourth, with Per Göthberg fifth and class winner in a
Porsche 911 Carrera.
After a good run Tom Damberg retired just at the end, and Björn
Johansson retired his Kadett GT/E, while in the top 10.
Further class winners were Bo Warmenius, who finished ninth
overall in a Ford Escort RS 1600, Thomas Johansson in a BMW
2002, Thomas Johansson (no relation) in a Volvo Amazon, Björn
Sjunning in a Ford Lotus Cortina, Per Göransson in a Ford Falcon
Futura, Ragnar Glav in a Saab Monte Carlo, Tommy Leindahl, in a
Ford Cortina 1300, Kjell Fransson in a VW 1303, Ola Stokka in a
Volvo PV 544, with Annie Seel in a Toyota Starlet winning the Ewy
Rosqvist Ladies Cup.
In regularity, last year’s victor, Thorbjörn Bye, was the winner with
Bertil Trued, (Saab 96 V-4) second, Peter Fixell third, Pentti-Juhani
Hintikka, from Finland was fourth, and in fifth was the Chairman of
the Swedish Autosport Union, Kåge Schildt with his Austin Healey
3000. Nina von Krusenstierna took the Ladies Cup driving a Mini
850.
All looks good for the future, but the MD of the Swedish Rally just
recently made clear that what the promoters of the WRC are now
charging for the rights to arrange a WRC rally is more than the
Swedish rally probably could achieve. In that case the Midnight
Sun Rally probably would need to be under another umbrella.
“The rally has been really hard, one of the
toughest that I’ve driven, but we’ve had
fun all the time”, said Olsson when it was
all over. “I am extremely pleased about
first place, because there is not much that
beats a win in Midnattssolsrallyt.”
Jimmy Olsson and Conny Sundqvist
take their Volvo to victory, finally
finishing 38secs ahead of rival
Kenneth Bäcklund
*
Damberg’s Volvo just after his rollover:
look at the right front wheel. In the
stage after, he had repaired his car as
much as he could and set an impressive
fifth best time
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Historic Motor Racing News October 2013