Ah… Gatebil Rudskogen. There is no such thing as a different automotive occasion in Scandinavia that may fill my lungs with tire smoke and depart my physique damaged like this one can. That is the place it is at, however if you happen to missed it, I am right here to assist.
Now that I can lastly breathe contemporary air once more, it is time to share my expertise of summer season 2023’s greatest Gatebil celebration.
Driving 5 hours from my dwelling in Linköping (roughly two hours from Sweden’s capital, Stockholm) to wherever is not that a lot of a thrill, however when it is a pageant with quick vehicles, loopy vehicles and much more vehicles, you’ll be able to’t assist however really feel excited the entire method. That’s till you attain your location – on this case Rudskogen Motorsenter in Norway, and the skies open up like a scene from The Day After Tomorrow.
From the circuit’s outdated race management constructing – now its media heart and our humble abode for the three-day occasion – we may see the primary vehicles rolling out onto the monitor. Some wasted completely no time sliding their method into what can be an unbelievable weekend.
Given how moist it was out, I spent an excellent chunk of Thursday afternoon watching the Tremendous 3 three-car staff drift follow and qualifying classes by way of the media heart home windows.
Final 12 months’s Tremendous 3 winner, Crew Datsun, regarded like they’d every little thing underneath management; the moist situations actually appeared to favor the lower-powered vehicles. Excessive-powered trios like Crew Toyota, nonetheless, wanted to be somewhat lighter on the throttle.
The rain stopped fully as soon as the qualifying classes got here to an finish, so I took the chance to stroll round and preview what had turned up for the festivities.
Present attendees, drifters and time attackers all had their vehicles trying nice, ready to strike come very first thing Friday.
And because the solar set issues received quiet, and for a quick second I felt at peace. However as I stood there admiring the view earlier than heading again to our makeshift lodging to catch some shut-eye, a thought hit me like a freight prepare: Sleep? What sleep? The following time I will sleep might be on Sunday night time, after I’m again in Linköping.
Solar’s Out, Weapons Out. It is Friday!
It is not like I may have slept in anyway, even when I needed to. The collective sound of a full area of Gatebil Time Assault Xtreme vehicles woke me up like an adrenaline shot. Then, at 8:00am sharp, the monitor went stay for Gatebil Rudskogen 2023.
Probably the greatest issues about Gatebil occasions is that you may rock up and participate in no matter you drive. For individuals who simply wish to have an excellent time on monitor, the Open Line classes are the proper alternative to take action.
As soon as the Gatebil yellow cabs are out on monitor, you already know issues are about to get loopy.
White smoke shortly engulfed Rudskogen, and mixed with some insane warmth we had ourselves the equal of Burning Man. Minus the sandstorms, after all.
With so many vehicles on the monitor directly, accidents are going to occur. However with rescue and restoration workers round each nook, crashes and breakdowns had been shortly cleaned up so the shenanigans may resume.
A few Tremendous 3 groups used all the day to follow for the finals, which had been held later within the night. As they’d initially practiced and certified within the moist on Thursday – however Friday was fully dry and highly regarded with monitor temps within the excessive 40°Cs – a special method was wanted. This was very noticeable as soon as the finals began, however extra on that quickly.
Observe clear up occurred once in a while, which supplied a possibility to go all the way down to the paddocks. As I made my method over on one event, I snapped this image which hit me greater than I might wish to admit. This was precisely me 25+ years in the past after I began to understand that vehicles are life. Who is aware of, possibly the child within the image will grow to be a next-generation Speedhunter…
The paddocks had been all the time packed, which is an efficient factor. It positively felt like extra folks attended the occasion this 12 months than they did in 2022, and whereas I am unable to personally touch upon an extended time interval, most Gatebil Rudskogen regulars I spoke to stated it positively appeared loads busier than years previous.
There is no such thing as a scarcity of the bizarre, wacky and downright insane on the subject of Gatebil engine swaps, and I will be looking at a few loopy builds in some upcoming posts. However simply to present you a sneak peek…
I am fairly certain this was the largest turbo setup at Gatebil Rudskogen this 12 months.
A brand new addition to the venue is the AutoTech Sport workshop, the primary and solely certainly one of its sort in Norway. Right here, you’ll be able to lease out a spot to service, repair up or modify your automobile utilizing the newest gear.
Inside, the shiny new flooring was already getting aware of its new occupants, certainly one of them a pink Ford GT40 duplicate.
By this time within the day the Tremendous 3 finals had been shut, so I began the lengthy trek to the photographers pit in the course of the T14 flip, nicknamed Storsvingen. This spot put me proper within the thick of the motion.
The group was hyped for the battles. Some wrestled for leisure whereas others introduced their stuffed animals alongside. The spectators by no means disappoint at Rudskogen, very similar to the Tremendous 3.
The foundations for this competitors are easy: Every staff of three drift as shut as potential to at least one one other whereas sustaining the perfect drift line by way of the judged part. The primary nook is commonly the trickiest and might be the decider for the rest of the run.
Those that get left behind within the first nook keep left behind. Pace is clearly one of many most important components of an excellent line, and with the monitor being fully dry the low-powered vehicles did not stand an opportunity.
Solely 12 groups out of 24 entered certified for a spot within the Tremendous 3 closing, so the drifting was of a excessive commonplace. FD driver Simen Olsen was in Crew Rymax along with his A90 Toyota Supra, and as soon as this trio crossed the end line I assumed for certain they’d take the crown. However that was till I noticed who else was again in motion.
Fredric Aasbø’s Crew Toyota returned quicker and stronger than ever, and as they entered the ultimate part of the nook the group went nuts.
As soon as the mud settled and the smoke cleared, the drivers parked their battle machines in entrance of the group to attend for the Tremendous 3 profitable staff to be introduced.
Finally, Crew Toyota took again the crown. Crew Rymax positioned second and Crew No Little one Left Behind third.
As I made my method again to the media room to seize some contemporary digital camera batteries, within the distance, the trumpets of victory echoed and Gatebil Rudskogen’s Friday after celebration was formally underway.
The stroll to the principle stage is all the time enjoyable. As I used to be carrying a ‘Gatebil Media’ vest, I used to be continuously requested to take photographs. When this occurs you’re taking an image of a gaggle whether or not you wish to or not.
The Gatebil Zoo is the place the animals nicely and actually let free. There have been extra folks, extra flying beers and extra enjoyable than final 12 months’s Friday night time, so it was an effective way to complete up the primary day of Gatebil Rudskogen 2023.
There’s tons extra to come back, so stick round…
Alain Hasetta
Instagram: hazetaa
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