Gecco Cup, Koszalin 21-22 August 2010
Just like 2009 we got invited to race in Poland this summer.
Initially the idea was to race the same weekend as we did last year,
but the weather forecasts were so unstable that race were nearly cancelled.
We were invited to a two days event near Koszalin, 200km west of Gdansk instead.
The weather forecasts didnt look too bright this time either,
so we were just hoping it can not possible rain for two hole days.
SMHI (The swedish metereologic center) were scertain it would rain all thursday
but it did not. The weather were actually really nice as we went to the ferry.
I had brand new shoes and pants. The rest of the team were amazed.
Like usual the car was too wide for the trailer...
...so we had to stick cloths between the trailer and the car.
At Nynäshamn we met up with Mats, Christian, Matte and Emil with the wheelie-BMW E30.
Important things are gone thrue in the baltic sea.
We got an extremely large road map over Poland as soon as we got off the ferry.
Last years trouble finding the way to the track were now eliminated. GPS is for geeks.
After driving in circles somewere between Gdansk and Sopot for hours,
the GPS were taken out from its case... =)
Took some photos of the car right outside Rosnowo while we were waiting for guidance to the cabins.
In Rosnowo there were one 24h store and one quite spooky pub.
We got some food in the store, went to the cabins and made ourselfes comfortable.
Saturday morning we went to the track, wich was only a couple of km from our cabins.
There were still big party in the pub by the way.
As we unloaded our cars the rescue team arrived.
In the bakgruond you can see a new way to unload a bike.
Saturdays race started with a bracket competition.
Nor we or the crew had ever ran bracket before.
We kind of fealt bracket might not be the most suitable form of competition for our car,
but on the other hand. We didnt go all the way to Poland to stand beside the track and wach either.
The track was made of concrete blocks just like the track in Borsk,
but these blocks were not asphalted wich made traction verry good.
Mats ran with the BMW right before us, and he could hardly do a propper burnout due to the good traction.
We had the same problems. As soon as I got out of the whater the car hooked up with the track.
Oh, my. How will this end, I thought.
I was to race against a Suzuki Hayabusa in left line.
We set our dial in to 10,00s and the Suzuki 10,05s, so there not much of a difference of when to start.
I was way ahead at the finnish line after only 9,85sec!
The Suzuki crossed the line after 10,09 wich made him win that round.
I had 246kmh at the finnish line and did an amazing 1,37s in 60-ft.
We actually had dificoulties beliving that since we ran 1,44 at Mantorp with european championship-traction,
but all other cars and bikes set 60-ft times that were normal in that line so we just had to belive it.
That was in right lane.
Just like in Borsk the starter acted up like a wind mill as I was to enter stage,
causing me to loose concentration, so the rest of our runs we made in left lane
so my exhaust would shoot its flames from the starter and not on to him.
Mats exhaust is to the right so he ran most of his runs in right lane.
For our second run we lowered our dial in to 9,75 so that we would not break out.
We also raised our wheeliebars because the car started to feel realy unstable after 300m in the first run.
I didnt give much thought of who my competitor was, but it was Arek in a Ssanyoug minivan.
He had set 19,75 as dial in causing me to start 10 seconds after him.
On top of the fact that I had to wait for a verry long time the tree was set up for pro start.
In bracket there should be sportsman tree lighting up each yellow bulb at a time wich was not the case here.
After I had waited by the tree for a couple of seconds I really thought the timing were broken so I went away,
causing such a grand red light the time slip claimed I ran 4,37...
-Perhaps that was by how much I redlighted, I dont know.
On the 60-ft we could clearly see there was less traction in left lane.
In the first elimination run I met a Seat Leon Diesel.
He had set his dial in to some 17 sec.
I now knew that eventually there will be green for me too,
but I missed the start, shortshifted into second and lost the round.
We pretty much knew the Wok was never built for bracket and now we know for sure. =)
We ran one round in the 1/4mile competition after the bracket,
but I overstaged and didnt even get a slip for that run.
Really nice to see people so interested in the car.
Betwen the runs there were lots of things to look at.
These two are the most odd ones.
The yellow car is some kind of evolution of the car Capuccino.
The owner of this had a Capuccino to Borsk last year.
This red Fiat 127 is rebuilt by the gray haired man in the yellow vest.
Any parts that might be replaced by titanium or aircraft aloy was.
He had a book in the rear window showing him with a fiat 127 from when he was young.
I got the impression he was some kind of developer/technical advisor at the factory back in the days.
This car weights 560kg and has a Corrado engine with torbo and compressor.
He wanted everyone to try it and test the rear spoiler... =)
Mr bean took a nap.
Saturday evening there was a big party on the area.
Driftcars were racing with lights pretty much everyware,
strip shows on the big stand, DJs and all kinds of partying.
We got whater in our oil, so we retightened the head studs and changed oil.
Sunday.
After the first burnout I could not get in reverse gear.
It turned out the linkages had loosened, but when we put it in to place all gears were gone.
We took the gear box down but could not find any problems with it.
We put it back and everything were working...
...ghost errors.
With the ghost chased away we ran 10,43 and 10,33.
We tested a set of champion spark plugs after recomendation,
but that was not working at all. Thats why I had 223kmh in one round.
We were easily No1 qualifyers in our class.
Only eliminations were left.
The weather that we had so much luck with seemed to change, and it changed quickly.
Just as we were to run our first eliminations run there were some error with the timing equippment,
and as the crew were repairing the timing the wind turned and the dark clouds
that at first seemed to pass the track by a couple of kilometers entered the track will full power.
The track changed into a catastroph area in seconds. It started to rain so heavy I hardly could find my way back to the pit,
and when I did the pit was a disaster. Our tent were broken, tools were everyware, everyone were running
trying to find shelter for the rain.
After 15 minutes or so it stopped raining and we started to sort out the mess.
A couple of additional showers came and went before we went to collect our cups.
Mats and Christian were fastest in RWD Turbo, and got the first place in King of Poland.
We got second place in King of Poland based on timeslips.
When we got the tent and tools together the sun started to shine and the rest of the evening was great.
Mr Bean tryes to dry his shoes over open flame,
while I eat the rest of the pickles.
Later on sunday evening Arek and the rest of the crew invited us to a vodka/barbaque party in their camp.
Monday moring we headed for Gdansk Centrum.
We had an awsome lunch at the quayside waching the pirate ships and smiling at the sun.
This was a bunch of odd fellows we got to know at the ferry.
Had to enter the ferry in reverse...
Home sweet home.
Tired, exhausted, but still so verry verry happy.
Happy over being so wellcomed to Poland, for meeting so much nice people,
for winning and still have the engine in one piece...
ah, I cant say it too many times: This was 2010th all time high!
I would espescially like to thank Arek, Lukasz, Michal and SSS
for being so wellcoming and for giving us the oportunity to come to Poland and race two years in a row.
We who went on this trip was me, Björn Holmberg,
Björn Nordman, Björn Rickan and Therese Bodell.
BMW-team consisted of Mats Jakobsson, Christian Thomasson, Mattias Beer and Emil Larsson.
Hope to see you all in Poland next year too! =)
