Once you consider avenue racing in 2024, Discovery’s Avenue 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 avenue 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 avenue drag racing league was as genuine as they arrive. Is it nonetheless occurring 10 years later? That’s a query that could be value exploring. For now, although, let’s revisit Peter Kelly’s 2014 function for this week’s throwback publish…
2014 Function
It’s simply earlier than midnight, and I’m heading south on considered one of 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 right now of 12 months.
With its seemingly infinite days and luxurious inexperienced environment, Sweden is an attractive place in mid-summer. Proper now, although, all my consideration is concentrated on half-hour in the past, when a smiling, sandy-haired man named Johan had supplied 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 automobile. 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 immediately 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 identical time, Johan in all probability ought to have insisted… That is like sticking your head inside a kick drum whereas somebody with highly effective calf muscular tissues 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 assist autos that had adopted us from Group Insane Racing’s dwelling base in an industrial space south of the central metropolis. The vehicles shortly type again into a good bunch, surrounding the fully unregistered and extremely unlawful G-body drag automobile to create a protecting cocoon of metal, glass and rubber.
We’re on our method to an empty parking zone to satisfy up with Magnus’s challenger in what is named the Stockholm High 10 – an underground avenue 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 once we arrive, and the opponent, driving a ’68 Camaro, turns up a couple of minutes later, asserting 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 avenue automobile and nonetheless makes use of principally 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 an alternative, I jumped at the back of considered one of Group Insane’s ‘blocker’ group vehicles (extra on that later) and adopted the Monte out of the parking zone and out in the direction of the on-ramp to the freeway.
Marcus, the top of Group Insane Racing and the driving 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 group autos be initially line, not caught behind 50 vehicles and a whole bunch of individuals all clamouring for a spot during which to view the race. After what should have solely been a minute of freeway driving, the Chevs out of the blue 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 surprise what number of ‘regular’ folks had inadvertently discovered themselves caught up in the midst of all this and at the moment are sitting stationary on a serious 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 traces down the freeway.
This serves to not simply heat the tyres but in addition clears any dust and particles off the highway floor and lays down a pleasant coating of scorching rubber that provides 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 bounce on the Camaro, surging out in entrance as cheers erupt from the group. However it wasn’t to final. The Camaro begins to quickly achieve on the 150-metre mark. It was arduous 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 group, although. Judging by the result of the race, Magnus could possibly 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 assist automobile earlier than we had been sitting on the limiter, ripping down the freeway at most velocity. Time was of the essence: if there was one thing improper, 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 midst of the off-ramp. The fleet of Group Insane vehicles arrived and headed to encompass the automobile, 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 the direction of a quiet IKEA parking zone. Though I couldn’t perceive what the group had 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 received or misplaced, or whether or not his automobile could possibly be shortly fastened or would want to return to the store, was irrelevant; this complete night was only for one race. No observe, no qualifying, no eliminations – only one eighth-mile race.
That is the underground world of Stockholm’s avenue 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 in all probability doesn’t have to be stated, however simply in case; please know that Speedhunters doesn’t counsel readers ought to take part in unlawful avenue racing, and we all the time encourage you to discover a secure and authorized method 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 grew to become concerned in avenue racing as a young person, when the attract of staying out all evening and chasing secretive racing leagues across the metropolis with your pals looks as if probably the most grownup factor you could possibly think about. However it wasn’t till he purchased his unique dream automobile, an Audi S2, that he began racing himself. Quickly sufficient the Audi went from fully inventory to 500hp AWD launch machine, all while he was nonetheless driving it to work each day.
An improve to a full-blown drag automobile was by no means on the playing cards, however that every one modified when a pal instructed him a couple of specific 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo rolling shell that had come up on the market within the northern metropolis of Malmö. The automobile, which was initially constructed within the States, had come into the nation a couple of years earlier and had spent the previous couple of seasons racing with a easy small block arrange.
After testing some photographs, Magnus was in love with the powerful, angular machine, and rang the proprietor on impulse, telling him he would come get the automobile the very subsequent weekend.
Whereas the principle physique continues 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 beneath the rear finish of the automobile 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 automobile is extraordinarily mild at 1,105kg – particularly contemplating its dimension. All that was wanted was the correct motor and trans arrange. Magnus didn’t need some weak small block although, and commenced 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 12 months.
Based mostly 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 cast pistons and rods, all sitting beneath a pair of CNC-ported Brodix Massive Brodie 395 heads.
The heads run Jesel Professional Collection 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 towards 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 type 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 considered one of two programs within the boot, changeable with the toggle swap on the rear of the automobile. This permits Magnus to drive to his races on pump fuel, which might generally take hours, then change to race fuel as soon as he’s prepared.
Lastly, the exhaust system, which had induced my ears a lot bother, is admittedly 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 automobile.
As Magnus fortunately admits, you both love the Monte Carlo’s brutish appears to be like, otherwise you hate them. He can’t get sufficient, clearly, and personally, neither can I. I really like this automobile’s sq., unforgiving traces and the best way the rear quarters sit once they’re attempting to envelope a 33×16.5-inch drag slick. It’s actually not what I’d name attractive, nevertheless it’s offended, purposeful and completely 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 automobile 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 fellows (and ladies) had been ok to ask me out once more a couple of weeks later to tag alongside for one more race. Magnus was to be paired up towards a ’69 Camaro as soon as once more, however this time the opponent’s automobile was pushing extra energy and fewer weight. This could be the right alternative to study extra about this fascinating sub tradition and precisely how it’s they do what they do.
Stockholm’s avenue 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 avenue racing occasion that may pit the quickest vehicles from round Northern Europe towards each other in a single-night elimination event. The Stockholm Open grew larger and greater 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 professional occasion at Malmby as a result of the vehicles weren’t ‘inexperienced’ sufficient. Racers protested, saying they’d 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. As we speak the Stockholm Open continues to be the one largest racing occasion of the 12 months within the metropolis, however there at the moment are additionally different tournaments going down all through summer time, together with the Stockholm High 10, which is considered one of Magnus’s essential competitions.
The High 10 just isn’t constrained to at least one night, however is a consistently altering listing of the ten quickest vehicles in Stockholm that runs over the racing season. At anyone time, there are 16 vehicles competing for a spot on the highest 10, and with a purpose to advance up that listing (which is consistently up to date on-line), you could problem the automobile and driver within the spot above you. The driving force then has a fortnight to reply, or robotically forfeits their place on the listing (even when their automobile just isn’t race-ready). The driving force who’s challenged could select the spot to race, which is all the time on a piece of freeway, as a result of good visibility, extensive 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 automobile and your driving is quick, then that’s all that issues.
So how is it that is all attainable? This whole 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 automobile in query. The police should then pull the automobile over and catch the driving force nonetheless sitting behind the wheel.
Primarily, which means that if a police automobile someway manages to get previous the hordes of spectactors and vehicles which have jammed up the motorway to observe the race, then the group’s blocker vehicles whose particular job it’s to cease a police automobile within the occasion of a chase, after which catch as much as a one-tonne drag automobile pushing 1,300hp, all the driving force would want to do is get off the motorway, swing round a nook, park up and get out his automobile. Even when he’s standing proper subsequent to it, the officer can not show it was he who was driving.
In fact, issues like this are by no means foolproof, and Magnus admits that he’s actually had a couple 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 critically fast and carry severe penalties ought to one thing go improper.
Up to now, there have been no severe incidents, so for now, Magnus, his group and all his fellow racers are glad to move out till the early hours of the morning searching for these illusive wins. Magnus additionally says he’d be more than pleased 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 sturdy espresso, busted ear drums and large wheel stands on the freeway.
And what concerning the race towards the gorgeous black Camaro? Sadly, extra technical points induced a giant miss proper off the beginning line and continued, accompanied by big blue flames belching from beneath the automobile, 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 will likely be again, far larger and higher for the beginning of Sweden’s subsequent racing season.
An enormous thank-you to Magnus and the group 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 Pictures by Taryn Kelly
Instagram: taryncroucher
