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World
Rally legend Per Eklund is competing in tne inaugural 2007 London Masters Rallycross
competition, held at ExCel on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th December. A World
Rally Championship round winner and former European Rallycross Championship
title holder, Per has been competing in motorsport for around 40 years.
Swedish-born
Per began his driving career in 1968 in the Swedish Rally, a race he won in
1976. From 1970 to 1979, he was a Saab works driver and started racing in a
Saab 99 Turbo before progressing to a Saab 900 Turbo, which he raced in the
British round of the 1997 World Championship. During the 70s and 80s, Per raced
in the RAC Rally competing in a mix of cars including a Toyota
Celica, a Saab 96 V4 and 99 EMS, and a Lancia
Delta before driving for British Leyland and Audi.
Per
started driving in Rallycross by winning the first ever Swedish Rallycross
event at Hedemora, on 17th October 1971. He again drove a Saab 96 V4 and then a
Saab 99 in its various sporting evolutions. He was always prominent, became seventh
overall respectively and fourth overall in the first and second European
Championship series of 1973 and 1974. His greatest successes have been in more
modern times when he won the FIA European Rallycross Championship in 1999 and
is still one of the fastest competitors finishing eighth in this year’s
competition.
Race
and show organiser Philip Bunn said: “We are thrilled that Per will be
competing at the London Masters. His involvement, along with drivers such as
Ollie Donovan and ‘Mad’ Mark Watson, confirms that this is a major event for
the motorsport calendar and as such is attracting major competitors. The final
preparations are being made to the circuit so that we ensure that the surface
is perfect for a high performance motorsport competition.”
The
circuit is a minimum of 14.5 metres wide with an approximate length of 650
metres. The lap time for a Division 1 car is expected to be between 30 and 35
seconds with an average speed of approximately 80mph. The circuit has been
constructed with fast flowing corners, featuring two spectacular yumps. With
Division 1, Super National, Procar 1600 and 2000, Revivals, Junior Rallycross
and Minicross categories, visitors will be on the edge of their seats watching
the exhilarating live action.
The
London Masters
is just one of the exciting features of the 2007 London Motorsport Show which covers
all disciplines of motorsport from Karting through to Formula One and is a must
for any motor racing enthusiast. Doors open each day from 10am and the show
closes at 6.30pm on
Saturday with the rallycross event finishing at around 8pm and 3.30pm on Sunday. For information
and to book tickets, visit www.londonmasters.co.uk.
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