On top of capturing all the best bits of Gatebil’s 2024 Main Event at Rudskogen Motorsenter in Norway, I had another goal this year: Riding in a pro-spec drift machine.
Asking a random stranger if I could be a passenger is something that I’m bad at. But then I remembered – I have plenty of friends driving at Gatebil. I could ask anyone.
With Saturday’s drift sessions in full swing, I stationed myself at that famous drift initiation spot on Rudskogen’s main straight to pick out a car.
I say this every year, but standing in this spot, with only a thin metal barrier to protect you from drift cars approaching at over 200km/h, is exhilarating. It didn’t take me long to know which driver I wanted to ride with.
Behold Olav Haugen Hasdal‘s Mercedes-Benz A-Class, powered by a twin-turbo BMW V8 producing 700hp.
I’ve watched Olav compete at Gatebil events for a few years, and he was happy to help make my drift passenger dream a reality. I said goodbye to the life I once knew, and we headed out on track.
It didn’t take long for Olav to catch up to the pack. We quickly transitioned into full tandem mode, with drivers Odd-Helge Helstad in his 2JZ S14.5 leading, followed by Max Vonka in his ex-D1 Grand Prix Nissan Silvia S15, and Max’s brother Ludvik Vonka in his grassroots S15.
After a few corners running wild with the S-chassis trio, I began to understand why people dedicate their lives to this sport. Nothing compares to the sensation of g-forces pushing you into your seat as the front end of the car takes a direction you’re not accustomed to.
Before I could give it more thought, we exited Paris Corner in tandem and headed for Rudskogen’s main straight.
I tried taking a picture of the speedometer, which read 210km/h before Olav initiated toward the steel barrier and threw his Mercedes into the first corner, backwards. All I could do was clench my camera between my legs and hope for the best.
Ludvik eventually caught up with us, and we completed the remaining laps with more of the same.
Completely dumbfounded by what I had just experienced, all I could do as we headed for the pits was exclaim the word ‘insane’ in Swedish, over and over again. After thanking Olav for the passenger ride of a lifetime, I took off the racing suit that had been lent to me – which was surprisingly dry – and tried to make sense of the experience.
It took me a moment to calm my adrenaline-fueled body. Walking through the paddock and chatting with some fellow Icelanders helped.
Once the heat dies down in the latter stages of the day, the Gatebil’s Show Garden is always worth checking out. Here, show cars from all across Scandinavia fill the go-kart track below the main circuit.
German car brands seem to dominate this side of the Gatebil, with one clear favorite amongst owners: BMW. This M240i on RAYS Volk Racing TE37s was a standout for me.
Of course, being Scandinavia, there’s always love for Volvo too.
The same goes for Japanese cars, even if the entry prices for models like this stock Euro-spec Mazda RX-7 are now stratospheric.
Thankfully though, there are still people willing to customize them, which I fully support.
One of Gatebil’s most iconic sub-events is the Breisladden, or power-slide competition. This year, over 130 drivers lined up for Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session, which you might be surprised to learn was not a record number. However, it ensured a lengthy and exciting competition.
Unlike the Super 3, where teams of three drivers drift as close to each other as possible, the Breisladden is about individuals achieving the best slide while maintaining angle and speed. But this year, the rain resulted in a somewhat different dynamic with car control becoming paramount.
Some drivers turned the Breisladden into a spectacle. Slower speeds allowed for impressive maneuvers, such as one-handed drifts. I even witnessed one driver remove and wave his steering wheel while drifting.
The situation became even more dire as water pooled on the track. Even the Audis had a rough time doing their famous all-wheel drive drifts.
It didn’t stop the drivers from having an absolute blast, though. As the final cars started making their qualifying runs I called it a day; the rain was bucketing down.
When I woke the next morning for the final day of the event, the weather had not improved. The rain had fully set in, and everyone had resigned themselves to the fact the Breisladden final would be contested in the wet.
While I don’t want to sound overly negative, it was a sad sight. The stands were nearly empty and the hype had almost gone. That was until I spotted the Norwegian madman Morten Lyngøy. You have better odds of winning the lottery than seeing this guy without a smile on his face.
Drivers were lined up, tires somewhat warmed up, and it was time for me to savor the final moments at Gatebil’s 2024 Main Event.
The top three – Morten Lyngøy in 3rd, Ole Morten Davanger in 2nd, and Odd-Helge Helstad in 1st place had no problems tackling the wet track.
I had my doubts regarding the final Gatebil Extreme race. But I wasn’t surprised when the 30-odd cars blew past with water rooster tails behind them.
With this much water and horsepower combined, off-track excursions were expected. Fortunately, there were no major incidents.
Mads Siljehaug clinched victory once again, securing first place ahead of Mr. Gatebil Extreme himself, Kai Roger Bakken.
It’s always a weird feeling seeing the last track group receive their prizes. It’s almost to pack your bags and head home.
The six-hour drive back to Stockholm, Sweden gave me time to reflect on the best Scandinavian event on the summer calendar. As always, Gatebil’s Main Event delivered – even with atrocious weather this time around. I’ve still got more from the event to share with you too, so stay tuned for that.
Next year, Gatebil will head to Germany, with a new event taking place at Circuit Meppen in Lower Saxony. I really can’t wait to show the Germans how Scandinavians party, Gatebil style. Lass uns gehen!
Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa
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