The codriver = me, had never been in such close encounters with cars like these before. As it happened my best friend, by the way, asked me if I would like to join StreetWeek several months ahead. Given the circumstances at the time I of course said yes. We all love cars don’t we?

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©Erik Torssell

Several months passed, and we were not sure if it was going to happen. In the end the women and men behind this event made it happen, It was a GO. Erik, the other half of team 049 picked me up and we were ready. We are as well as all the others in this competition.

At Kjula dragway the first day. A mandatory inspection of the car and it’s security features. We don’t want to die do we?
We passed that check and the world of drag racing risend in front of our eyes.

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GT500 at Kjula Raceway. Street Week Sweden 2021. ©Erik Torssell

The car, I would like to print it out explicitly, was not an ordinary car. Well who would expect an ordinary car at such an event like this? It was a Shelby -13 with all the bells and whistles. And even more. Which gave us an advantage when the competition rode along.

”Imagine us driving along the small roads
with a beast like that. The rumbling from the engine
did for sure scare all the mooses away”

Erik, my dear friend and pilot in this event, scored a low 7 in his first race at Kjula dragway. At that time we were not sure of the rules, thinking the best of all races during the day was what counted. And that was not at all the case. The 3 very first races were added to the week.

We moved on. Second raceway was Emmaboda raceway. Not a bad spot to watch racers and cars giving it all they got. However at this point we realized it’s not a game of taking us from point A to B. It was more of a southern swing taking us all over the place.

Imagine us driving along the small roads with a beast like that. The rumbling from the engine did for sure scare all the mooses away. And we had issues talking to each other on the way. BUT we had AC in the car, and that was an exception from most of the teams competing with us.

We hit Emmaboda. At this time we were already in sync on what had to be done in the sense of street racing with our particular car, we, in the zone. Erik did his best and we were in general OK with the day. Actually rather happy despite the disaster called a hotel. Really, the owner / employee could not stand it either and left early in the morning before charging us for the stay.

Malmö. A tight and narrow strip. But we got it. Others didn’t and ended up in the fence and elsewhere.

Malmö Raceway at Street Week 2021

At this point we were next to getting exhausted due to the 30-35 degrees out at the racing field. But thinking of the other drivers, driving without AC got us somewhat in the mood.

Vårgårda. A nice place again. Still those 30 to 35 degrees. We piled up with bottles of water and some beer too, as a co driver you have some privileges the pilots don’t. I really like the open air raceways. From a very narrow and tight Malmö to the open fields and a smell of rubber punished to the ground, at the same time inhaling the fumes of power. That’s why we are alive, right?

Vårgårda Raceway at Street Week 2021

Mantorp, a feast for our eyes. A classic track. And even more than that. While cruising from the very best hotel visited at this trip we got a bit sentimental. Back in the good early 80′ we visited the very same track and stayed there a night, in a tent. Our tent was voted as the most rocking tent that night! I was supposedly showing up early morning driving my bike along that very same. Things old men having a big laugh at, years after.

Mantorp Park at Street Week 2021

Now, at the end of this event, we rolled back to the beginning. The checkpoints were not too bad and we strolled along the small roads and the engine was still scaring those mooses, and by the way all others too, at the road. Meaning we could hardly have a conversation. But I think we both had that feeling in our chests, we did it.

Lining up for the last burnout at Kjula dragway, we had actully done it. Us, the car and the extremely good weather during the trip made it a success.

Målgång Kjula at Street Week 2021

What happens next year?

Read more about Street Week 2021