Ah… Gatebil Rudskogen. There isn’t a different automotive occasion in Scandinavia that may fill my lungs with tire smoke and go away my physique damaged like this one can. That is the place it’s at, however should you missed it, I’m right here to assist.

Now that I can lastly breathe contemporary air once more, it’s time to share my expertise of summer time 2023’s largest Gatebil occasion.

Driving 5 hours from my dwelling in Linköping (roughly two hours from Sweden’s capital, Stockholm) to anyplace isn’t that a lot of a thrill, however when it’s a pageant with quick vehicles, loopy vehicles and much more vehicles, you may’t assist however really feel excited the entire means. That’s till you 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From the circuit’s outdated race management constructing – now its media heart and our humble abode for the three-day occasion – we may see the primary vehicles rolling out onto the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 means into what could be an unimaginable weekend.

Given how moist it was out, I spent a superb chunk of Thursday afternoon watching the Tremendous 3 three-car group drift follow and qualifying periods by way of the media heart home windows.

Final yr’s Tremendous 3 winner, Workforce Datsun, seemed like that they had every thing underneath management; the moist situations actually appeared to favour the lower-powered vehicles. Excessive-powered trios like Workforce Toyota, nonetheless, wanted to be a bit lighter on the throttle.

The rain stopped fully as soon as the qualifying periods 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 effective, 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 accomodation to catch some shut-eye, a thought hit me like a freight practice: Sleep? What sleep? The following time I’ll sleep might be on Sunday evening, after I’m again in Linköping.

Solar’s Out, Weapons Out. It’s Friday!

It’s 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 reside for Gatebil Rudskogen 2023.

Probably the greatest issues about Gatebil occasions is which you could rock up and participate in no matter you drive. For those who simply need to have a superb time on monitor, the Open Line periods are the right alternative to take action.

As soon as the Gatebil yellow cabs are out on monitor, you recognize issues are about to get loopy.

White smoke rapidly engulfed Rudskogen, and mixed with some insane warmth we had ourselves the equal of Burning Man. Minus the sandstorms, in fact.

With so many vehicles on monitor without delay, accidents are going to occur. However with rescue and restoration workers round each nook, crashes and breakdowns have been rapidly cleaned up so the shenanigans may resume.

A few Tremendous 3 groups used all the day to follow for the finals, which have been held later within the night. As that they had 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 unique strategy 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 offered a chance to move all the way down to the paddocks. As I made my means over on one event, I snapped this image which hit me greater than I’d wish to admit. This was precisely me 25+ years in the past after I started to appreciate that vehicles are life. Who is aware of, perhaps the child within the image will change into a next-generation Speedhunter…

The paddocks have been all the time packed, which is an efficient factor. It undoubtedly felt like extra folks attended the occasion this yr than they did in 2022, and whereas I can’t personally touch upon an extended time interval, most Gatebil Rudskogen regulars I spoke to stated it undoubtedly appeared rather a lot busier than years previous.

There isn’t a scarcity of the bizarre, wacky and downright insane in the case of Gatebil engine swaps, and I’ll be looking at a few loopy builds in some upcoming posts. However simply to offer you a sneak peek…

I’m fairly positive this was the largest turbo setup at Gatebil Rudskogen this yr.

A brand new addition to the venue is the AutoTech Sport workshop, the primary and solely one in all its type in Norway. Right here, you may hire out a spot to service, repair up or modify your automotive utilizing the most recent tools.

Inside, the shiny new flooring was already getting acquainted with its new occupants, one in all them a purple Ford GT40 duplicate.

By this time within the day the Tremendous 3 finals have 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 have been hyped for the battles. Some wrestled for leisure whereas others introduced their stuffed animal alongside. The spectators by no means disappoint at Rudskogen, very similar to the Tremendous 3.

The principles for this competitors are easy: Every group of three drift as shut as attainable to 1 one other whereas sustaining the very best drift line by way of the judged part. The primary nook is usually the trickiest and may be the decider for the rest of the run.

Those that get left behind within the first nook keep left behind. Velocity is clearly one of many foremost elements of a superb line, and with the monitor being fully dry the low-powered vehicles didn’t stand an opportunity.

Solely 12 groups out of 24 entered certified for a spot within the Tremendous 3 remaining, so the drifting was of a excessive normal. FD driver Simen Olsen was in Workforce Rymax together with his A90 Toyota Supra, and as soon as this trio crossed the end line I believed for positive they’d take the crown. However that was till I noticed who else was again in motion.

Fredric Aasbø’s Workforce Toyota returned quicker and stronger than ever, and as they entered the ultimate part of the nook the gang went nuts.

As soon as the mud settled and the smoke cleared, the drivers parked their battle machines in entrance of the gang to attend for the Tremendous 3 profitable group to be introduced.

In the end, Workforce Toyota took again the crown. Workforce Rymax positioned second and Workforce Fullfinans third.

As I made my means again to the media room to seize some contemporary digicam batteries, within the distance, the trumpets of victory echoed and Gatebil Rudskogen’s Friday afterparty was formally underway.

The stroll to the principle stage is all the time enjoyable. As I used to be sporting a ‘Gatebil Media’ vest, I used to be always requested to take pictures. When this occurs you take an image of a gaggle whether or not you need to or not.

The Gatebil Zoo is the place the animals effectively and actually let free. There was extra folks, extra flying beers and extra enjoyable than final yr’s Friday evening, so it was a good way to complete up the primary day of Gatebil Rudskogen 2023.

There’s tons extra to return, so stick round…

Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa

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