Once you consider road racing in 2024, Discovery’s Road Outlaws is probably going the very first thing that involves thoughts for a lot of. Regardless of the present’s semi-scripted drama and city-permitted, closed-road drag strips, it presents an affordable glimpse into the world of actual road racing. However a decade in the past, we took a deep dive into an underground scene in Stockholm, Sweden, one which was far from scripted.
The Stockholm High 10 road drag racing league was as genuine as they arrive. Is it nonetheless taking place 10 years later? That’s a query that may be price exploring. For now, although, let’s revisit Peter Kelly’s 2014 characteristic for this week’s throwback submit…
2014 Function
It’s simply earlier than midnight, and I’m heading south on one among Stockholm’s busiest highways at effectively over 200km/h. Volvo and Saab-shaped streaks of sunshine are whipping previous the Lexan window to my proper within the unusual, never-quite-dark environment that you simply solely discover this far north at the moment of yr.
With its seemingly limitless days and luxurious inexperienced environment, Sweden is a ravishing place in mid-summer. Proper now, although, all my consideration is targeted on half-hour in the past, when a smiling, sandy-haired man named Johan had provided me a pair of fluro-green earmuffs as I awkwardly scrambled previous the roll cage and into the naked alloy Kirkey passenger seat of Magnus’s [surname omitted] nitrous-fed, 491ci huge block V8 Chevrolet Monte Carlo drag automotive. I politely declined. He had raised an eyebrow, shrugged his shoulders and smiled earlier than merely saying “okay” and chuckling as he walked away with a typical Scandinavian nonchalance.
Now, as the warmth, the vibrations and the thunderous noise from open headers dumping straight beneath my Nikes journey up by means of my legs and rattle no matter is left of my mind, I perceive. I ought to have listened to Johan. On the similar time, Johan most likely ought to have insisted… That is like sticking your head inside a kick drum whereas somebody with highly effective calf muscle mass hammers the double kick 20,000 occasions a minute.
After slowing again right down to freeway speeds following our fast on-the-fly testing session, we’re rejoined by a fleet of help autos that had adopted us from Group Insane Racing’s residence base in an industrial space south of the central metropolis. The vehicles shortly kind again into a good bunch, surrounding the utterly unregistered and extremely unlawful G-body drag automotive to create a protecting cocoon of metal, glass and rubber.
We’re on our strategy to an empty parking zone to fulfill up with Magnus’s challenger in what is called the Stockholm High 10 – an underground road racing league that is part of this metropolis’s long-running automotive tradition. An enormous crowd of spectators and their vehicles are already sitting on the spot after we arrive, and the opponent, driving a ’68 Camaro, turns up a couple of minutes later, saying his arrival with a wholesome stab of the throttle.
Phrases are exchanged between drivers, and the Monte Carlo will get one final examine over. The phrase then spreads by means of the gang, and each GMs splutter, then howl into life. Each machines run huge block Chevs and loads of nitrous, though the Camaro has been constructed as extra of a road automotive and nonetheless makes use of largely metal panels and full glass, giving it a weight drawback.
I had no intention of being contained in the Monte Carlo for no matter would unfold within the subsequent 10 minutes. As a substitute, I jumped behind one among Group Insane’s ‘blocker’ staff vehicles (extra on that later) and adopted the Monte out of the parking zone and out in direction of the on-ramp to the freeway.
Marcus, the top of Group Insane Racing and the motive force of our automobile weaves by means of the hordes of spectator vehicles that had managed to get out in entrance. It was, at occasions, mere millimetres away from a demolition derby, nevertheless it was essential that the staff autos be in the beginning line, not caught behind 50 vehicles and lots of of individuals all clamouring for a spot wherein to view the race. After what will need to have solely been a minute of freeway driving, the Chevs instantly hit the picks up forward, coming to a cease simply earlier than an overpass.
Everybody poured out of their vehicles and ran to the impromptu begin line. I couldn’t assist however marvel what number of ‘regular’ individuals had inadvertently discovered themselves caught up in the course of all this and are actually sitting stationary on a significant freeway, questioning what the hell is happening.
The 2 groups shortly surrounded their vehicles, and with a thumbs up, Magnus and his opponent let rip – firing up the rear Mickey Thompson slicks whereas the groups held the vehicles in a stationary place earlier than stepping again and permitting the drivers to ease off the brakes and depart two pairs of thick, arrow-straight strains down the freeway.
This serves to not simply heat the tyres but additionally clears any dust and particles off the highway floor and lays down a pleasant coating of sizzling rubber that offers one thing for the slicks to seize come launch time.
The vehicles are then backed as much as the beginning line by the groups, and the official starter saunters out in entrance of the 2 Chevs. After checking each drivers are prepared, the starter swings his arms downwards, and the 2 machines violently nostril up and twist off the road.
Magnus’s response time is ideal, and he will get a transparent soar on the Camaro, surging out in entrance as cheers erupt from the staff. However it wasn’t to final. The Camaro begins to quickly achieve on the 150-metre mark. It was exhausting to inform from our vantage level, however phrase shortly got here by means of from the end line – Magnus had misplaced the race. There was no time to attend round and congratulate the opposite staff, although. Judging by the result of the race, Magnus may very well be in actual bother additional down the freeway. It was a mad dash again to our autos, and I’d barely lifted my foot off the pavement and into the help automotive earlier than we have been sitting on the limiter, ripping down the freeway at most velocity. Time was of the essence: if there was one thing unsuitable, the Monte Carlo wanted to get off the freeway and quick.
Certain sufficient, we rounded the bend, and there was the boxy G-body stranded in the course of the off-ramp. The fleet of Group Insane vehicles arrived and headed to encompass the automotive, however simply as we opened our doorways, the 491 coughed, groaned after which thundered into life. Magnus was in no temper to waste his luck, slamming the closely modified THM400 transmission into gear and lurching off the ramp earlier than rumbling by means of the native backstreets in direction of a quiet IKEA parking zone. Though I couldn’t perceive what the staff have been saying on the time, it later transpired that the alternator had given up, and the Chev’s nitrous solenoids couldn’t draw sufficient energy to open, leaving the Monte Carlo 400 horse down on the Camaro. A severe misfire had additionally developed, inflicting one of many rocker arms to snap in half. Whether or not or not Magnus gained or misplaced, or whether or not his automotive may very well be shortly mounted or would want to return to the store, was irrelevant; this complete night was only for one race. No apply, no qualifying, no eliminations – only one eighth-mile race.
That is the underground world of Stockholm’s road racing scene, an extremely well-organised, semi-professional and most clearly highly-illegal sub tradition that has thrived on this a part of the world for the final 30-odd years. It most likely doesn’t have to be stated, however simply in case; please know that Speedhunters doesn’t counsel readers ought to take part in unlawful road racing, and we all the time encourage you to discover a protected and authorized strategy to race. Nonetheless, when somebody presents you a tiny glimpse into their fascinating, secretive and adrenalin-filled automotive world; you possibly can’t simply say no…
Magnus first turned concerned in road racing as an adolescent, when the attract of staying out all evening and chasing secretive racing leagues across the metropolis with your folks looks like probably the most grownup factor you may think about. However it wasn’t till he purchased his authentic dream automotive, an Audi S2, that he began racing himself. Quickly sufficient the Audi went from utterly inventory to 500hp AWD launch machine, all while he was nonetheless driving it to work every single day.
An improve to a full-blown drag automotive was by no means on the playing cards, however that each one modified when a buddy informed him a few explicit 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo rolling shell that had come up on the market within the northern metropolis of Malmö. The automotive, which was initially constructed within the States, had come into the nation a number of years earlier and had spent the previous few seasons racing with a easy small block arrange.
After testing some pictures, Magnus was in love with the powerful, angular machine, and rang the proprietor on impulse, telling him he would come get the automotive the very subsequent weekend.
Whereas the primary physique remains to be Chevy metal, the two-piece entrance finish, doorways, boot and rear bumper are all VFN fibreglass objects, and the glass has all been changed with plastic.
A peak below the rear finish of the automotive reveals Aerospace Elements brakes, QA1 coilovers and a ladder bar arrange flanking a Moser drag rear finish.
With the aluminium Kirkey seats and weight pulled out of all over the place attainable, the automotive is extraordinarily gentle at 1,105kg – particularly contemplating its dimension. All that was wanted was the proper motor and trans arrange. Magnus didn’t need some weak small block although, and started pulling collectively no matter cash he may to get his dream nitrous-fed huge block Chev arrange, even when it meant promoting the Audi and subsisting on bread and water for the subsequent yr.
Primarily based on a Chev 454, the large block has been bored and stroked to 491 cubic inches, or 8,046cc. It has been constructed particularly to take massive doses of nitrous oxide, and makes use of an Eagle 4130 crank with JE solid pistons and rods, all sitting under a pair of CNC-ported Brodix Large Brodie 395 heads.
The heads run Jesel Professional Sequence shaft rockers, twin comp cams springs, 4130 chromoly 5/16-inch pushrods from Manley Efficiency and mechanical lifters from Comp Cams. The dents within the rocker cowl seen above are testomony to the truth that Magnus’s race in opposition to the Camaro wasn’t the primary time he’d damaged a rocker arm…
A customized nitrous-specific camshaft permits the engine to profit from a 400-shot of NOS, pushing energy from 900hp in its pure kind to upwards of 1,300hp as soon as the Professional Shot fogger system is activated.
Induction is dealt with by a QFI 1250 high-flow carburetor, bolted to a match-ported Edelbrock 454-R Victor consumption manifold.
The carb accepts gasoline from one among two techniques within the boot, changeable with the toggle swap on the rear of the automotive. This permits Magnus to drive to his races on pump gasoline, which might generally take hours, then change to race gasoline as soon as he’s prepared.
Lastly, the exhaust system, which had precipitated my ears a lot bother, is basically much less of a system and extra of a set of hand-built headers, dumping right into a pair of mufflers that exit beneath the automotive.
As Magnus fortunately admits, you both love the Monte Carlo’s brutish seems, otherwise you hate them. He can’t get sufficient, clearly, and personally, neither can I. I like this automotive’s sq., unforgiving strains and the best way the rear quarters sit once they’re attempting to envelope a 33×16.5-inch drag slick. It’s definitely not what I’d name attractive, nevertheless it’s offended, purposeful and totally American.
The Group Insane Racing Chev is way from being the primary Monte Carlo drag racer, neither is it the quickest and even the tidiest. This automotive is particular as a result of it sees a full season of aggressive racing, and but it lives its life solely on the road. The query is: how do these guys get away with it?
After my first evening out with the Group Insane Racing crew, the blokes (and women) have been adequate to ask me out once more a number of weeks later to tag alongside for one more race. Magnus was to be paired up in opposition to a ’69 Camaro as soon as once more, however this time the opponent’s automotive was pushing extra energy and fewer weight. This could be the proper alternative to be taught extra about this fascinating sub tradition and precisely how it’s they do what they do.
Stockholm’s road racing scene has been round for a very long time, nevertheless it was in 1982 that drivers started to get severe, creating the Stockholm Open, an annual road racing occasion that may pit the quickest vehicles from round Northern Europe in opposition to each other in a single-night elimination event. The Stockholm Open grew larger and larger till it lastly went legit in 1993, transferring to Malmby Airstrip in Strängnäs, however this wasn’t to final.
Within the early 2000s, the federal government put a cease to the racing, closing down the authentic occasion at Malmby as a result of the vehicles weren’t ‘inexperienced’ sufficient. Racers protested, saying they might merely head again to the streets in the event that they weren’t allowed to race legally. The federal government wouldn’t budge, in order that’s precisely what they did. Immediately the Stockholm Open remains to be the one greatest racing occasion of the yr within the metropolis, however there are actually additionally different tournaments happening all through summer season, together with the Stockholm High 10, which is one among Magnus’s fundamental competitions.
The High 10 is just not constrained to 1 night, however is a continuously altering checklist of the ten quickest vehicles in Stockholm that runs over the racing season. At anybody time, there are 16 vehicles competing for a spot on the highest 10, and so as to advance up that checklist (which is continually up to date on-line), you need to problem the automotive and driver within the spot above you. The motive force then has a fortnight to reply, or routinely forfeits their place on the checklist (even when their automotive is just not race-ready). The motive force who’s challenged might select the spot to race, which is all the time on a piece of freeway, because of the good visibility, huge roads, no probability of on-coming site visitors and no quick run-offs.
It’s not all American muscle and manner an excessive amount of nitrous, both. In case your automotive and your driving is quick, then that’s all that issues.
So how is it that is all attainable? This complete scene’s existence comes right down to maybe one main level in Swedish legislation. Put merely, for a driver to be arrested or charged with any offense, after witnessing an unlawful act an officer should not lose sight of the automotive in query. The police should then pull the automobile over and catch the motive force nonetheless sitting behind the wheel.
Primarily, which means that if a police automotive someway manages to get previous the hordes of spectactors and vehicles which have jammed up the motorway to observe the race, then the staff’s blocker vehicles whose particular job it’s to cease a police automotive within the occasion of a chase, after which catch as much as a one-tonne drag automotive pushing 1,300hp, all the motive force would want to do is get off the motorway, swing round a nook, park up and get out his automotive. Even when he’s standing proper subsequent to it, the officer can’t show it was he who was driving.
In fact, issues like this are by no means foolproof, and Magnus admits that he’s definitely had a number of shut calls with each the police and the centre barrier – it’s not all enjoyable and video games in any case. These are severe vehicles that go severely fast and carry severe penalties ought to one thing go unsuitable.
To date, there have been no severe incidents, so for now, Magnus, his staff and all his fellow racers are glad to go out till the early hours of the morning in quest of these illusive wins. Magnus additionally says he’d be very happy to take it again to the air strip ought to it as soon as once more be allowed, however till then, it’s a lifetime of robust espresso, busted ear drums and massive wheel stands on the freeway.
And what in regards to the race in opposition to the attractive black Camaro? Sadly, extra technical points precipitated a giant miss proper off the beginning line and continued, accompanied by big blue flames belching from beneath the automotive, proper by means of the run, leading to one other loss. Maybe that’s the final time Group Insane Racing invitations a Speedhunter to a race, we appear to be nothing however dangerous luck…
That stated, with the season now at an finish, the Monte Carlo has clawed its manner as much as second spot, with solely a monster Ford Mustang standing in the best way of first place. Regardless of the nice consequence, Magnus has had sufficient of the technical issues and says that he has huge plans for the Monte Carlo, and it is going to be again, far larger and higher for the beginning of Sweden’s subsequent racing season.
An enormous thank-you to Magnus and the staff for displaying us their fascinating a part of the world, and please, if this story has impressed you to get racing, there’s loads of locations on the market to go and do it safely and legally, use them!
The Speedhunters
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Peter Kelly
Instagram: pedeykelly
Extra Images by Taryn Kelly
Instagram: taryncroucher
