Waking up on Saturday in Gatebil reminds me of Christmas morning as a child.
But instead of the presents under the tree, it’s the action, chaos and everything these amazing events have to offer that gets me excited every time.
While it’s fun to get rubber in your face trackside, I always like to spend a good portion of my Saturday morning off the track. My first destination? The Gatebil Jungle.
It may only be the second morning of the three-day Swedish event, but by this point the Mantorp Park campsites have seen better days. Just like the drivers on the track, the Gatebil spectators are going all out.
The party never stops on weekends. Everywhere I went, people were having the time of their lives.
There is a side of Scandinavian car culture that I can’t even put into words. I’ll leave you with this picture; make of it what you will…
I’ve been into the Scandinavian stance and custom car scenes for a while now, and they’re now bigger than ever. Arn Racing’s Show Garden gave visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the craziest and cleanest builds in the region.
One of the highlights this year was Stephanie Falk’s LS-swapped 944 with a Martini livery. It’s always great to see this front-engined Porsche model get some love.
Not far away, the auto-limbo competition was in full swing. This fun event is becoming more popular every year at Gatebil.
This may be one of the few places where you see a chair riding. Or maybe it’s because people will do almost anything to ensure their car ends up covered in limbo tape.
There is never a dull moment in the Mantorp Park paddock. This year you can even catch some DMEC (Drift Masters European Championship) video action. What a perfect way to get pumped up for the drifting sessions.
Monster Energy driver Dmitri Yillyuk was ready to take one of the Gatebil taxis with a celebrity passenger.
The BTCC driver was in the backseat Nicholas Hamiltonwho stopped by Mantorp Park after spending the day with the WRC star Olivier Solberg.
Gatebil was completely new to Nicolas when he arrived. But after two rides – the other with Luke Woodham – I don’t think he could ever forget it. One of my brothers in arms, Oscar Holm, caught Nicolas’ reaction as he left Luke’s Monster Energy S14. That smile says it all.
There’s always something going on at Gatebil, but there’s one aspect of the event that doesn’t get as much attention as it should: the Gatebil Extreme racing class.
These time attack cars are built to drive as fast as possible, with as few restrictions as possible.
The drivers are crazy too. 71-year-old Börje Hansson, whose Audi I featured two years agois a regular customer at Gatebil who still pushes his car to the limit.
The variety of cars in the Gatebil Extreme class is huge. You see everything from BMWs to Porsches to…. insane Ford Anglia.
But I get it; There’s nothing like the feeling of being sprayed by hot rubber after a drift car comes sideways at you at full speed. I love it, and so does everyone else at Gatebil.
Oddly enough I haven’t had a chance to go sideways at Gatebil yet. Maybe I’ll get a chance at Rudskogen Motorsenter this time next week…
After all the dust and smoke settled over Mantorp Park, the action on the track concluded on Saturday with a parade and stunt and Gymkhana shows.
It’s one of the few times you can see a camel on a drift car. Why? Because tram.
Remember the rain forecast I mentioned my thursday and friday reporting? Well, the time has finally come.
Although the public did not appear to be affected, there were concerns about the safety of those who jumped off the ramp and landed on the landing site. Both were set up on the Mantorp drag strip, which turns into an ice rink when it’s wet.
However, the slipperiness didn’t bother these maniacs in the least. However, the fun ended when monster athlete Marcus Ohlsson fell from his snowmobile during a landing. He was doing well, but the organizers decided to err on the side of caution and end it, which was the right decision.
The Gymkhana was also canceled, but the drivers did their best to give the crowd a show before the night’s festivities began.
Prizes, flying beer and music: a perfect way to end a Saturday at the Gatebil Summer Festival. But while some were enjoying the win of the Aftertrack Party victory…
…others stayed up all night to repair their cars for the last day.
Thursday to Sunday in Gatebil passes in the blink of an eye; before you know it, tents are being pitched at the campsite and drivers are lining up to take part in the famous Breisladden (powerslide) competition.
This is the last chance for drivers to push themselves and their cars to the limit.
The same goes for the Gatebil Extreme class. These guys drive fast. Sometimes way too difficult.
Gatebil legend Vidar Jødahl suffered from mechanical problems all weekend and things only got worse in the final race when an oil leak caused a fire in his BMW E30.
Oil on the track caused absolute chaos and a red flag for the race.
Another win for Kai Roger Bakken and another Gatebil event in the books.
It’s always a surreal feeling to pack your bags and head home from Gatebil Mantorp. But then I remember: Gatebil Rudskogen is just around the corner. I hope to see some of you next weekend at the Gatebil Main Event 2024. If you can’t make it, stay tuned for my report.
Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa
Additional photos by Oscar Holm
Instagram: holmmedia.se