Top left: Kimmo Rautama, Anders Gustafson, Juha Yli-Sipola
EPUA from Seinäjoki hosted the 1999 European Championship for wing cars. Seinäjoki is situated approx. 400 km. north of the capitol Helsinki.
Most of the races stayed at the same hotel, which also was one of the more popular disco and bar's in town which some racers seemed to like.
The hotel was also used for the ESROC meeting.
The race was well organised and just to give an example.
When I asked if they have some of the results on paper that I could take before I left they looked at me and said, -Like this?
They handed me a set of results from qualifying and all heats.
All participants got one of those sets.
Really great. I have been on races where you never knew anything about the people that came outside top 8 and where the organisers even threw away the papers after the race
Timo Mylläri from the City council opened the meeting.
G-27 saw a hard battle between Kimmo Rautama and Vladimir Horky. At the end Kimmo raced to victory one lap ahead of Vladimir.
In G-7 Kimmo, as often, won the qualifying, picture on the right.
His time was 1,829.
He was the last qualifier when he turned his time. I, at that time, had high hopes since I was the leader, 1,835, up to that moment.
The track, which I consider slower than Mönsterås, I might have to change my mind, saw a close top three in qualifying. Vladimir Horky was third on 1,839.
Semi-final B looked to be the tough one. Only Kimmo and Vlado were missing, they drove in Semi-final A.
The system we use says that the 1,2,3 from each semi move up to the main and then two drivers with the top laps.
The pace was fast and at the end, when both semi-finals had been raced, five drivers from semi-B moved to the main and the top three from semi-final A moved up. This isn't normal since semi-A can race with the knowledge what they have to achieve.
G-7 Main, from left to right:
Juha Yli-Sipola Finland, Vlado Okali Slovakia, Lasse Åberg Sweden, Vladimir Horky Chech Rep., Heikki Pohjola Finland, Anders Gustafson Sweden, Pekka Sippola Finland, Kimmo Rautama Finland.
In the first heat Anders Gustafson took a lead in front of Vladimir Horky and Lasse Åberg.
In the second heat Anders had some trouble and Lasse 241 was now in the lead followed by Kimmo 239 and Anders 235.
In the third heat Juha drove fast and Lasse had some tire problem.
Kimmo was now in the lead 359, Anders was second 351, Lasse 350 and Juha 349.
Fourth heat saw good driving from all drivers. Kimmo is still in the lead 480. Anders is still in second place 471 close followed by Juha 470 and Lasse 465.
In the fifth heat Kimmo is on red. Kimmo and Anders share the lead 591. Three laps behind is Juha and three laps after Juha is Lasse. The top four is now separated by less than six laps.
Heat six. Kimmo and Anders are now tied for the lead 712. Juha and Lasse have both 705.
In the seventh heat Kimmo put in a fresh, but slow motor which he replaces with his semi-motor for the eight heat.
Anders is now in the lead 835. Juha 829. Lasse 827 and Kimmo 826.
Anders ends on black lane and Lasse on red so the race is still wide open between the four of them.
Juha starts with some crashes. Anders and Kimmo chase each other side by side on purple and black.
Lasse motor runs hot early and finally stops in smokes.
Kimmo is fastest with 121 but Anders drives 119 and wins the race.
Final results
Top left: Kimmo Rautama, Anders Gustafson, Juha Yli-Sipola
Bottom left: Heikki Pohjola, Pekka Sippola, Vladimir Horky, Vlado Okali, Lasse Åberg.
How did the racers travel to Finland?
You could go by aeroplane like the Czechs and Slovakians did or you could go by boat like many Swede's did.
Normally we try to travel budget but on the way back we were the second from last to get tickets on the boat and had to settle with some of the rather better cabins or what do you think about this one?
Mikael Landrud and in the chair the new European Champion in G-7 Anders Gustafson, Sweden
The results below are scanned (images) from the official results.
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1999 Lasse Åberg
