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Per Eklund

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Swedish rally driver (born 1946) For the Swedish fighter, see Per Eklund (fighter). For the Swedish ice hockey player, see Per Eklund (ice hockey).
Per Eklund
Per Eklund in February 2015
Personal information
NationalitySweden Swedish
Born (1946-06-21) 21 June 1946 (age 78)
Eda, Sweden
World Rally Championship record
Active years1973–1997
Co-driverSweden Rolf Carlsson
Sweden Björn Cederberg
Sweden Bo Reinicke
Sweden Hans Sylvan
Sweden Ragnar Spjuth
Sweden Jan-Olof Bohlin
United Kingdom Dave Whittock
Sweden Bruno Berglund
Sweden Johnny Johansson
Sweden Anders Olsson
TeamsSaab, Toyota, Nissan, Austin Rover, Subaru
Rallies83
Championships0
Rally wins1
Podiums13
Stage wins73
Total points270
First rally1973 Swedish Rally
First win1976 Swedish Rally
Last rally1997 RAC Rally
FIA World Rallycross Championship
Years active2014–2015
Former teamsEklund Motorsport
Starts2
Wins0
Podiums0
Best finish35th in 2015
FIA ERX Supercar Championship
Years active2011, 2013–2014
Former teamsEklund Motorsport
Starts4
Wins0
Podiums0
Best finish22nd in 2011
FIA ERX Division 1 (1997–2010) Championship
Years active1997–2010
Former teamsEklund Motorsport
Clarion Team Europe
Starts131
Championships1 (1999)
Wins12
Podiums42
FIA ERX Division 2 (1982–1996) Championship
Years active1990–1991, 1993–1996
Former teamsClarion Team Europe
Starts47
Wins2
Podiums17
Best finish4th in 1995
FIA European Rallycross Cup
Years active1976–1978
Former teamsSaab
Starts7
Wins0
Podiums1
Best finish10th in 1976

Per Torsten Eklund (born 21 June 1946) is a Swedish Rally and Rallycross driver. His nickname is "Pekka". In rallying he never made it to the very top but he has been very successful in his later rallycross career.

Biography

Saab works drive

After his education as a driving instructor, together with later teammate Stig Blomqvist at the Kvinnersta Folkhögskola outside of Örebro, Eklund was a Saab factory driver from 1970 till 1979. In 1982, however, the year after Saab discontinued its official rallying involvement, he achieved the brand's last top position in a World Championship event, finishing fourth in the Swedish Rally driving a privately entered, Clarion-sponsored Saab 99 Turbo. He was always proud of that result, since the competition consisted mostly of four-wheel-drive cars, and the event was run in snow. This signified the end of the rally era at Saab, even though Eklund went on to drive an officially-entered Saab 900 Turbo in the British round of the 1997 World Rally Championship. He was Swedish Champion in 1978, beating his team mate Stig Blomqvist. In 1982 Eklund finished 5th overall of the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers.

Rallycross

In 1971, Eklund started driving Rallycross at Valkenswaard in The Netherlands, and some months later he won the first ever Swedish Rallycross event at Hedemora, on 17 October 1971. He first drove a Saab 96 V4, in the early years of the Embassy/ERA European Rallycross Championship as teammate to his compatriot Stig Blomqvist. He was always prominent, became 7th overall respectively 4th overall in the first and second European Championship series of 1973 and 1974, but his greatest successes have been in later times. From the early 1990s till 2009, his last full season, he was one of the fastest competitors of the FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers. In 1999, Eklund claimed his first and only European title for Drivers of the Division 1, nowadays known as the SuperCars category.

Per Eklund in a Saab 9-3 in the Netherlands in 2006

Toyota

Eklund joined Toyota Team Europe in 1980, and gave the 2nd generation Celica's one of its best WRC result by finished second in the 1981 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire. He drove the Group B Celica Twincam Turbo TA64 in selected 1983 and 1984 World Rally Championship events. Eklund also rallied Group A Corolla AE86 and Celica Supra 2800 GT in the British Rally Championship.

Accomplishments

  • FIA European Rallycross Champion 1999 with Saab 9-3 T16 4x4
  • 2nd overall in the 1998, 2002 and 2003 FIA European Rallycross Championships
  • 3rd overall in the 2000 and 2001 FIA European Rallycross Championships
  • Swedish Rallycross Champion 2004

Best international rally results (top three results only)

1969

  • Norwegian Winter Rally (N), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?

1971

  • Norwegian Winter Rally (N), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?

1972

  • Firestone Rally (E), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?
  • Dutch Texaco Rally (NL), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?
  • Österreichische Alpenfahrt (A), 3rd, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Bo Reinicke

1973

  • Swedish Rally (S), 2nd, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Rolf Carlsson
  • Österreichische Alpenfahrt (A), 3rd, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Bo Reinicke

1976

  • Swedish Rally (S), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Björn Cederberg

1980

  • 1000 Lakes Rally (FIN), 3rd, Triumph TR7 V8, co-driver Hans Sylvan

1981

  • Ivory Coast Rally (CI), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT, co-driver Ragnar Spjuth

1982

  • Portugal Rally (P), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT (RA45), co-driver Ragnar Spjuth
  • Rally of New Zealand (NZ), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT (RA64), co-driver Ragnar Spjuth
  • Ivory Coast Rally (CI), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT (RA64), co-driver Ragnar Spjuth

1983

  • Ivory Coast Rally (CI), 3rd, Toyota Celica TCT, co-driver Ragnar Spjuth

1984

  • Swedish Rally (S), 3rd, Audi quattro A2, co-driver Dave Whittock
  • RAC Rally (GB), 3rd, Toyota Celica TCT, co-driver Dave Whittock

1988

  • Safari Rally (EAK), 3rd, Nissan 200SX, co-driver Dave Whittock

1989

  • Swedish Rally (S), 2nd, Lancia Delta HF integrale, co-driver Dave Whittock

1991

  • Hunsrück-Rallye (D), 3rd, Lancia Delta HF integrale 16V, co-driver Jan-Olof Bohlin

Pikes Peak

  • Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (USA): In 2000, Per Eklund achieved a record time of 11:21.58 in his Saab 9-3 Viggen 4x4 while racing the Pikes Peak Open category that was valid until being bettered in 2012 by Frenchman Romain Dumas.
  • In 2002, Per Eklund took the Unlimited Class Victory. Eklund and his Saab's performance defeated the second place Unlimited Class entry and long-time Swedish rival Stig Blomqvist by over 34 seconds with a time of 11:13.20.

Trivia

En får ente ge sej (Värmland dialect for "One must not give up") is Eklund's motto and the title of his biography. By Per Eklund & Anders Tunberg, 210 pages, Sportförlaget 1998, ISBN 91-88540-95-2

Racing record

Complete WRC results

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Pts
1973 Saab-Scania Saab 96 V4 MON SWE
2 		POR KEN MOR GRE POL FIN
Ret 		AUT
3 		ITA USA GBR
Ret 		FRA N/A
1974 Saab-Scania Saab 96 V4 MON
C 		SWE
C 		POR KEN GRE
C 		FIN
Ret 		ITA CAN USA GBR
Ret 		FRA N/A
1975 Saab-Scania Saab 96 V4 MON SWE
4 		KEN GRE MOR POR FIN
4 		ITA FRA GBR
Ret 		N/A
1976 Saab-Scania Saab 96 V4 MON SWE
1 		POR KEN GRE MOR N/A
Saab 99 EMS FIN
Ret 		ITA FRA GBR
Ret
1977 Saab-Scania Saab 99 EMS MON SWE
Ret 		POR KEN NZL GRE FIN
Ret 		CAN ITA FRA GBR
9 		NC 0
1978 Saab-Scania Saab 99 EMS MON SWE
Ret 		KEN POR GRE NC 0
Per Eklund Porsche Carrera FIN
4 		CAN ITA CIV FRA
Saab-Scania Saab 99 Turbo GBR
Ret
1979 Fiat Alitalia Fiat Ritmo 75 MON
Ret 		54th 3
Saab-Scania Saab 99 Turbo SWE
Ret 		POR KEN GRE NZL
British Leyland Cars Triumph TR7 V8 FIN
8 		CAN ITA
Ret 		FRA GBR
13 		CIV
1980 Pierburg Volkswagen Golf GTi MON
5 		11th 27
Team Datsun Sweden Datsun 160J SWE
8
British Leyland Cars Triumph TR7 V8 POR
Ret 		KEN GRE ARG FIN
3 		NZL ITA FRA GBR
7
Premoto Toyota Toyota Celica 2000 GT CIV
Ret
1981 Pierburg Volkswagen Golf GTi MON
Ret 		10th 29
Publimo Racing / Clarion Porsche 911 SC SWE
9
Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica 2000 GT POR
Ret 		KEN FRA
6 		GRE
Ret 		ARG BRA
Rallysport News Team Porsche 911 SC FIN
Ret 		ITA
Premoto Toyota Toyota Celica 2000 GT CIV
2
Toyota Team Great Britain GBR
6
1982 Saab Sport Saab 99 Turbo MON SWE
4 		5th 57
Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica 2000 GT POR
2 		KEN FRA GRE NZL
2 		BRA
Rallysport News Team Porsche 911 SC FIN
Ret
Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Golf GTi 16S ITA
Ret
Premoto Toyota Toyota Celica 2000 GT CIV
2
Toyota Team Great Britain GBR
9
1983 Saab Sport Saab 99 Turbo MON SWE
Ret 		POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG 10th 22
Sesab Service Audi Quattro A2 FIN
4 		ITA
Premoto Toyota Toyota Celica 2000 GT CIV
3
Toyota Team Great Britain GBR
Ret
1984 Clarion Audi Quattro A2 MON SWE
3 		POR FIN
6 		ITA CIV 7th 30
Westlands Motors Toyota Celica Twincam Turbo KEN
Ret 		FRA GRE NZL ARG
Toyota Team Great Britain GBR
3
1985 Clarion Svenska Audi Quattro A2 MON SWE
5 		POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN
6 		ITA CIV GBR
4 		10th 24
1986 Austin Rover WRT MG Metro 6R4 MON SWE
Ret 		POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG GBR
7 		USA 34th 8
Clarion Team Europe FIN
7 		CIV ITA
1987 Subaru Deutschland Subaru RX Turbo MON
10 		12th 25
Clarion Team Europe Audi Coupé Quattro SWE
7 		POR FIN
4 		CIV ITA GBR
EX
Fuji Heavy Industries Subaru RX Turbo KEN
5 		FRA GRE
Nissan Motorsports International Nissan 200SX USA
9 		NZL ARG
1988 Clarion Team Europe Lancia Delta HF 4WD MON SWE
Ret 		20th 12
Nissan Motorsports International Nissan 200SX KEN
3 		FRA GRE USA NZL ARG FIN CIV ITA
Clarion Team Europe Nissan March Turbo GBR
21
1989 Clarion Team Europe Lancia Delta Integrale SWE
2 		FIN
Ret 		AUS ITA CIV GBR
Ret 		19th 16
Nissan March Turbo MON
Ret 		POR GRE
10 		NZL ARG
Nissan Motorsports International Nissan 200SX KEN
Ret 		FRA
1990 Clarion Team Europe Lancia Delta Integrale 16V MON POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN
Ret 		AUS ITA CIV GBR
12 		NC 0
1991 Clarion Team Europe Lancia Delta Integrale 16V MON SWE
8 		POR KEN FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA CIV ESP GBR
Ret 		49th 3
1992 Clarion Team Europe Subaru Legacy RS MON SWE
6 		POR 32nd 8
Noriyuki Koseki Subaru Legacy 4WD Turbo KEN
9 		FRA GRE NZL ARG FIN AUS ITA CIV ESP
Per Eklund Subaru Legacy RS GBR
12
1993 Eklund Team Europe Subaru Legacy RS MON SWE
6 		POR KEN FRA GRE ARG NZL FIN AUS ITA ESP 31st 6
1996 Clarion Team Europe Subaru Legacy RS SWE
17 		KEN IDN GRE ARG FIN AUS ITA ESP NC 0
1997 Per Eklund Saab 900 Turbo MON SWE KEN POR ESP FRA ARG GRE NZL FIN IDN ITA AUS GBR
Ret 		NC 0

Complete FIA European Rallycross Cup results

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ERC Points
1976 Saab Saab 96 V4 Turbo AUT1
4 		GER1
6 		FIN
9 		SWE
 BEL
6 		AUT2
 NED
 GBR1
 GER2
 GBR2
 10th 24
1977 Saab Saab 96 V4 Turbo AUT1
 NED1
6 		ITA
 SWE1
 FIN
 BEL1
 SWE2
 NED2
 BEL2
 GER
 AUT2
 24th 6
1978 Per Eklund Porsche Carrera 3.0 AUT
 ITA
 SWE
9 		FIN
3 		BEL
 NED
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 27th 14

Complete FIA European Rallycross Championship results

Division 2

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ERX Points
1990 Clarion Team Europe MG Metro 6R4 AUT
 SWE
6 		FIN
 IRE
 FRA
 BEL
 NED
 NOR
 GER
 GBR
 21st 11
1991 Clarion Team Europe MG Metro 6R4 POR
 AUT
 FIN
 FRA
 IRE
 SWE
2 		BEL
 NED
 NOR
NC 		GBR
 GER
 20th 17
1993 Clarion Team Europe Subaru Legacy Turbo AUT
(6) 		POR
4 		FRA
4 		IRE
(6) 		SWE
4 		FIN
2 		BEL
3 		NED
(NC) 		NOR
3 		GER
1 		4th 106
1994 Clarion Team Europe Subaru Impreza AUT
2 		POR
7 		FRA
3 		IRE
5 		GBR
4 		SWE
(NC) 		FIN
3 		BEL
7 		NED
(NC) 		NOR
(7) 		GER
6 		6th 93
1995 Clarion Team Europe Subaru Impreza AUT
2 		POR
(NC) 		FRA
5 		SWE
3 		GBR
(7) 		IRE
(8) 		BEL
4 		NED
5 		NOR
2 		FIN
(6) 		CZE
2 		GER
3 		4th 118
1996 Clarion Team Europe Subaru Impreza AUT
1 		POR
(9) 		FRA
4 		SWE
(6) 		IRE
(7) 		GBR
2 		BEL
3 		NED
5 		NOR
(6) 		CZE
3 		GER
(6) 		5th 104

Division 1

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ERX Points
1997 Clarion Team Europe Saab 900 Turbo AUT
3 		FRA
(6) 		POR
(6) 		GBR
3 		SWE
4 		FIN
(9) 		BEL
5 		NOR
4 		CZE
2 		GER
5 		6th 97
1998 Clarion Team Europe Saab 900 Turbo AUT
2 		POR
1 		FRA
(6) 		SWE
(4) 		GBR
1 		FIN
3 		BEL
(8) 		NOR
2 		GER
3 		CZE
3 		2nd 119
1999 Clarion Team Europe Saab 9-3 T16 CZE
1 		FRA
3 		POR
2 		SWE
(3) 		FIN
2 		BEL
2 		NED
2 		NOR
1 		GER
(NC) 		1st 123
2000 Clarion Team Europe Saab 9-3 T16 POR
1 		FRA
3 		CZE
1 		SWE
DNS 		BEL
3 		NED
3 		NOR
7 		POL
(DSQ) 		GER
2 		3rd 102
2001 Clarion Team Europe Saab 9-3 T16 FRA
(11) 		POR
3 		AUT
2 		CZE
2 		SWE
DNS 		BEL
4 		NED
(9) 		NOR
(6) 		POL
2 		GER
1 		3rd 99
2002 Clarion Team Europe Saab 9-3 T16 POR
(5) 		FRA
4 		AUT
1 		CZE
4 		SWE
4 		BEL
1 		NED
(7) 		NOR
3 		POL
5 		GER
1 		2nd 126
2003 Clarion Team Europe Saab 9-3 T16 POR
3 		FRA
(5) 		AUT
2 		CZE
1 		SWE
2 		BEL
2 		NED
7 		NOR
5 		POL
(7) 		GER
2 		2nd 125
2004 Clarion Team Europe Saab 9-3 T16 POR
6 		FRA
1 		CZE
5 		AUT
4 		NOR
(8) 		SWE
7 		BEL
7 		NED
(10) 		POL
3 		GER
8 		5th 100
2005 Clarion Team Europe Saab 9-3 T16 FRA
(9) 		POR
7 		AUT
7 		CZE
5 		NOR
8 		SWE
3 		BEL
4 		NED
(12) 		POL
4 		GER
7 		6th 92
2006 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 T16 POR
8 		FRA
(12) 		CZE
12 		AUT
12 		SWE
7 		HUN
7 		BEL
7 		NED
8 		NOR
8 		POL
11 		GER
(NC) 		9th 73
2007 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 T16 POR
4 		FRA
4 		HUN
6 		AUT
9 		SWE
(11) 		NOR
(14) 		BEL
14 		NED
14 		POL
4 		CZE
6 		8th 75
2008 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 T16 POR
6 		FRA
14 		HUN
(15) 		AUT
9 		NOR
13 		SWE
9 		BEL
12 		NED
(NC) 		CZE
10 		POL
NC 		GER
6 		10th 57
2009 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 T16 GBR
10 		POR
12 		FRA
(NC) 		HUN
10 		AUT
NC 		SWE
13 		BEL
DNS 		GER
12 		POL
14 		CZE
NC 		14th 31
2010 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 T16 POR
 FRA
 GBR
 HUN
 SWE
14 		FIN
15 		BEL
 GER
 POL
10 		CZE
15 		22nd 14

Division 2 was rebranded as Division 1 in 1997.

Supercar

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ERX Points
2011 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 GBR
 POR
 FRA
 NOR
 SWE
24 		BEL
 NED
 AUT
 POL
 CZE
7 		22nd 10
2013 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 GBR
 POR
 HUN
 FIN
 NOR
 SWE
 FRA
 AUT
 GER
22 		45th 0
2014 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 GBR NOR BEL GER
22 		ITA 37th 0

Complete FIA World Rallycross Championship results

Supercar

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 WRX Points
2014 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 POR
 GBR
 NOR
 FIN
 SWE
 BEL
 CAN
 FRA
 GER
30 		ITA
 TUR
 ARG
 57th 0
2015 Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 POR
 HOC
 BEL
 GBR
 GER
 SWE
24 		CAN
 NOR
 FRA
 ESP
 TUR
 ITA
 ARG
 35th 0

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded byKenneth Hansen European Rallycross Division 1 Champion
1999 		Succeeded byKenneth Hansen
European Rallycross Champions
Fourteen-times
Four-times
Three-times
Two-times
One-time
Categories: