Sweden: SRC rounds five, six summary

Rådström did it again - 29th South Swedish Rally

29th South Swedish Rally was this year situated in Växjö with the stages and the only service halt situated around and in Älmhult in the southern part of the Småland region.

Last year winner, Thomas Rådström, the former Citroën works driver, now in a Toyota WRC, dominated the Swedish Championship class from start to finish. The only one who could match his speed was Mats Jonsson, Ford Escort WRC. There were 18 stages and Rådström was the faster on 12 of them and Jonsson on the remaining 6 stages. Andreas Eriksson in a Ford Focus WRC01 was out of the rally day one at the last service. But the championship rules allow him to restart the second day and there he was more fortunate. He took the third place day two.

In the classes counting for the European Rally Cup North points there were a number of different leaders during the Friday. Young Patric Carlsson in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, took the lead from the beginning, but PG Andersson, Suzuki Ignis, and Jimmy Joge, Peugeot 206, started an attack with their 2WD cars and both of them lead the rally after one stage each. Till Joge went off and the veteran Stig-Olov Walfridsson, Mitsubishi, came sneaking from behind up to the lead when the cars came to the night rest.

Walfridsson did not let anyone disturb him the second day and had no problems to take the win in the European Rally Cup. The very fast Finnish driver, Jukka Ketomäki, also in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, followed Walfridsson all the day but were still 17,9 seconds behind him at the finish. But that was quite enough for Ketomäki to take the lead in the European Rally Cup North.

Kenneth Bäcklund, Mitsubishi Lancer EvoVII, did his first roll for four years at the Friday, but from sixteenth place he struggled back to a third place at the ramp. In the 2WD class the fight between the two young drivers PG Andersson and Jimmy Joge continued with PG number as the winner at the finish. Joge with a slightly demolished car since day one.

General Classification Sydrallyt, Swedish Championship: 1) Thomas Rådström, Vännäs, Olsberg Toyota Corolla WRC, 56.32,4, 2) Mats Jonsson, Forshaga, Ford Escort WRC, 56.39,0, 3) Andreas Eriksson, Nynäshamn, Ford Focus WRC01, 56.59,7, 4) Jari Saarinen, Mjölby, Ford Escort WRC, 57.19,5, 5) Mats Thorszelius, Uppsala, Toyota Corolla WRC, 57.55,9, 6) Dick Wicksell, Uppsala, Subaru Impreza WRC, 58.17,0.

General Classification South Swedish Rally, European Rally Cup North: 1) Stig-Olov Walfridsson, Torsby, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, 2.08.55,2, 2) Jukka Ketomäki, Finland, do, 2.09.13,1, 3) Kenneth Bäcklund, Vara, do, 2.10.00,0, 4) Patric Carlsson, Nyköping, do, 2.10,39,8, 5) Torbjörn Pahlin, Sundsvall, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, 2.10.54,4, 6) PG Andersson, Årjäng, Suzuki Ignis, 2.11.03,1, 7) Magnus Mellqvist, Söderhamn, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, 2.11.57,2.

-Håkan Tonér