The OlsbergsMSE squad claimed a double victory in the Swedish RallyX season opener at Ring Knutstorp, Sebastian Eriksson taking the win in SuperCars and Kevin Eriksson in RallyX Lites.

Friday and Saturday last the legendary Ring Knutstorp near Malmö in Sweden’s most southern province Skåne saw the kick-off of the new Swedish 2014 RallyX series. On October 14 1973 the venue at the town of Kågeröd made part of the first ever European Rallycross Championship, hosting the penultimate round of the series before the Final took place on November 3 at Lydden Hill in England. Many Rallycross events followed over the years, organised by the club Hyllinge Motorsällskap, till in the late 1990s Knutstorp disappeared from the RX calendars. However, for 2007 and 2008 the venue hosted again two rounds of the Swedish Rallycross Championship (SRC), before another break of five seasons and no Rallycross events in Kågeröd. But this year the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship (STCC) organisers have brought the sport back to town, the RallyX competition being part of their Racing/Rallycross double-feature.

Robin Larsson (Audi A1) claimed the fastest times of Heat 1 and 2 on Saturday. © JKR/ERC24

The SuperCars podium: (from left) runner-up Robin Larsson, winner Sebastian Eriksson and third Johan Kristoffersson. © JKR/ERC24

Friday’s Rallycross programme started with the so-called Qualifying [Timed Practice]. Of the ten starters the three Norwegians Tommy Rustad, Daniel Holten and Henning Solberg claimed the fastest times here, Rustad being the only driver doing one lap under 44 seconds. Heat 1 saw Swede Robin Larsson winning from his compatriots Per-Gunnar Andersson and Sebastian Eriksson, while their fellow-countryman Johan Kristoffersson did not make it to the finish. Larsson was again fastest in Heat 2, this time ahead of Sebastian Eriksson and Henning Solberg.

Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo Mk5) experienced an event with ups and downs… © JKR/ERC24

…and so did his Norwegian teammate Ole Christian Veiby (VW Scirocco Mk3). © JKR/ERC24

…but for Norwegian Volvo campaigner Tommy Rustad the event finished worse. © JKR/ERC24

Heat 3 and the Finals followed on Sunday, Sebastian Eriksson making the best time of the last two qualifying runs his, followed by Daniel Holten and Henning Solberg. Two Semi-Finals with four cars each were the next events on the time table. SF1 fell prey to Robin Larsson, ‘P-G’ Andersson made it to runner-up and Johan Kristoffersson finished in third place. Daniel Holten lost his ticket to the Final during the sprint to the first corner in which his rear-axle got hit and the left wheel bend by the car of another competitor. The Ford Fiesta driver tried hard to press on, but realised in lap two that it would be better to give up. Sebastian Eriksson dominated SF2, reaching the chequered flag ahead of Tommy Rustad and Norwegian 17 years old Ole Christian Veiby. Veiby took advantage from the bad luck of Henning Solberg here, who raced over half the distance with a wobbling right rear wheel. It took VW campaigner Veiby two laps to pass Saab driver Solberg, nevertheless, whose speed was simply amazing.

With only three wheels going the way they should Daniel Holten had to give up early in the SuperCars Final. © JKR/ERC24

The weather was all but perfect in Sweden’s Skåne region. © JKR/ERC24

The SuperCars category of the Swedish Rallycross Championship is back to life again. © JKR/ERC24

The all decisive Final lost ‘P-G’ Andersson already in lap three while Tommy Rustad had to throw in the towel in lap four. Sebastian Eriksson proved once again to be really fast, the 21 years old OMSE man beating Robin Larsson, Johan Kristoffersson and Ole Christian Veiby to the places two to four.

Patrik Flodin dominated the RallyX Lites category, but eventually made it to sixth overall only. © JKR/ERC24

The Ring Knutstorp RallyX round cost Norwegian Lites driver Åsmund Holten dear. © JKR/ERC24

The RallyX Lites rostrum: (from left) runner-up Kevin Hansen, winner Kevin Eriksson and third Linus Leise. © JKR/ERC24

Swede Patrik Flodin claimed the fastest times in all three heats of the RallyX Lites category, then winning also SF2. Here it was Norwegian teenager Åsmund Holten who was forced into a spectacular threefold barrel-roll with his Lites vehicle, bringing his day to an expensive end. SF1 of the Lites was bagged by Kevin Eriksson, the son of OMSE principal Andréas Eriksson.

After winning in the WorldRX round of Portugal Kevin Eriksson made the Knutstorp Lites event his. © JKR/ERC24

15 years old Kevin Hansen claimed a fine second place in the RallyX Lites Final at Kågeröd. © JKR/ERC24

In the Final it was qualification dominator Patrik Flodin who experienced a very early end of the show. Heading towards the first corner he had contact with the car of Kevin Eriksson, thereby broke his steering and then crashed his Lites vehicle against a tyre stack to retire at the spot. Thereby it became Eriksson’s race who eventually claimed a victory that was, after Flodin’s retirement, never in severe danger again. Kevin Hansen, the younger of the two sons of Kenneth Hansen, proved his skills by finishing in second position, Linus Leise completing the Knutstorp Lites podium in third place.

• Round 1, Swedish Rallycross Championship/RallyX, Ring Knutstorp, Kågeröd (S), 09.–10.05.2014
• FINAL RESULTS SUPERCARS:
• 1. Sebastian Eriksson (S) Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST
• 2. Robin Larsson (S) Audi A1
• 3. Johan Kristoffersson (S) VW Polo Mk5
• 4. Ole Christian Veiby (N) VW Scirocco Mk3
• 5. Tommy Rustad (N) Volvo C30/4 – DNF
• 6. Per-Gunnar Andersson (S) VW Polo Mk5 – DNF
• FINAL RESULTS RALLYX LITES:
• 1. Kevin Eriksson (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 2. Kevin Hansen (S) “Peugeot 208”
• 3. Linus Leise (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 4. Tobias Brink (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 5. Sandra Hultgren ♀ (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7”
• 6. Patrik Flodin (S) “Ford Fiesta Mk7” – DNF

Top photo: OMSE team member Sebastian Eriksson made the SuperCars victory at the Ring Knutstorp his. © JKR/ERC24