If 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 inexpensive 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 Prime 10 avenue drag racing league was as genuine as they arrive. Is it nonetheless occurring 10 years later? That’s a query that may be value exploring. For now, although, let’s revisit Peter Kelly’s 2014 characteristic for this week’s throwback put up…
2014 Characteristic
It’s simply earlier than midnight, and I’m heading south on one in every of Stockholm’s busiest highways at nicely 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 ambiance that you simply solely discover this far north right now of yr.
With its seemingly infinite days and plush inexperienced environment, Sweden is an exquisite 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 massive 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 immediately beneath my Nikes journey up via 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 in all probability ought to have insisted… That is like sticking your head inside a kick drum whereas somebody with highly effective calf muscle 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 help autos that had adopted us from Workforce Insane Racing’s house base in an industrial space south of the central metropolis. The automobiles shortly kind again into a decent 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 option to an empty car parking zone to fulfill up with Magnus’s challenger in what is called the Stockholm Prime 10 – an underground avenue racing league that is part of this metropolis’s long-running automotive tradition. An enormous crowd of spectators and their automobiles 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 via the group, and each GMs splutter, then howl into life. Each machines run massive block Chevs and loads of nitrous, though the Camaro has been constructed as extra of a avenue 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 in every of Workforce Insane’s ‘blocker’ workforce automobiles (extra on that later) and adopted the Monte out of the car parking zone and out in the direction of the on-ramp to the freeway.
Marcus, the pinnacle of Workforce Insane Racing and the driving force of our automobile weaves via the hordes of spectator automobiles that had managed to get out in entrance. It was, at occasions, mere millimetres away from a demolition derby, however it was essential that the workforce autos be initially line, not caught behind 50 automobiles and a whole lot of individuals all clamouring for a spot through which to view the race. After what will need to have solely been a minute of freeway driving, the Chevs abruptly hit the picks up forward, coming to a cease simply earlier than an overpass.
Everybody poured out of their automobiles and ran to the impromptu begin line. I couldn’t assist however surprise what number of ‘regular’ individuals had inadvertently discovered themselves caught up in the course of all this and at the moment are sitting stationary on a significant freeway, questioning what the hell is occurring.
The 2 groups shortly surrounded their automobiles, and with a thumbs up, Magnus and his opponent let rip – firing up the rear Mickey Thompson slicks whereas the groups held the automobiles in a stationary place earlier than stepping again and permitting the drivers to ease off the brakes and go away two pairs of thick, arrow-straight traces down the freeway.
This serves to not simply heat the tyres but in addition clears any grime and particles off the street floor and lays down a pleasant coating of sizzling rubber that offers one thing for the slicks to seize come launch time.
The automobiles 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 leap on the Camaro, surging out in entrance as cheers erupt from the workforce. Nevertheless it wasn’t to final. The Camaro begins to quickly acquire on the 150-metre mark. It was exhausting to inform from our vantage level, however phrase shortly got here via from the end line – Magnus had misplaced the race. There was no time to attend round and congratulate the opposite workforce, 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 help automotive earlier than we have been sitting on the limiter, ripping down the freeway at most pace. Time was of the essence: if there was one thing incorrect, 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 Workforce Insane automobiles 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 via the native backstreets in the direction of a quiet IKEA car parking zone. Though I couldn’t perceive what the workforce 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 could possibly be shortly mounted or would wish to return to the store, was irrelevant; this whole night was only for one race. No follow, 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 should be stated, however simply in case; please know that Speedhunters doesn’t recommend readers ought to take part in unlawful avenue racing, and we all the time encourage you to discover a protected and authorized option to race. Nonetheless, when somebody presents you a tiny glimpse into their fascinating, secretive and adrenalin-filled automotive world; you may’t simply say no…
Magnus first turned concerned in avenue racing as a teen, when the attract of staying out all night time and chasing secretive racing leagues across the metropolis with your pals looks as if probably the most grownup factor you possibly can think about. Nevertheless it wasn’t till he purchased his unique 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 daily.
An improve to a full-blown drag automotive was by no means on the playing cards, however that each one modified when a buddy advised 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 automotive, 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 trying out 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 gadgets, 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 in all places potential, 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 massive block Chev arrange, even when it meant promoting the Audi and subsisting on bread and water for the following 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 cast pistons and rods, all sitting under a pair of CNC-ported Brodix Huge 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 take advantage of 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 gas from one in every of two methods within the boot, changeable with the toggle swap on the rear of the automotive. This permits Magnus to drive to his races on pump fuel, which might typically take hours, then change to race fuel as soon as he’s prepared.
Lastly, the exhaust system, which had brought on my ears a lot bother, is actually 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 to be, otherwise you hate them. He can’t get sufficient, clearly, and personally, neither can I. I really like this automotive’s sq., unforgiving traces and the way in which the rear quarters sit after they’re attempting to envelope a 33×16.5-inch drag slick. It’s actually not what I’d name horny, however it’s indignant, purposeful and totally American.
The Workforce Insane Racing Chev is much 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 totally on the road. The query is: how do these guys get away with it?
After my first night time out with the Workforce Insane Racing crew, the blokes (and ladies) have been adequate to ask me out once more a couple of weeks later to tag alongside for an additional race. Magnus was to be paired up towards a ’69 Camaro as soon as once more, however this time the opponent’s automotive was pushing extra energy and fewer weight. This is able to 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, however it was in 1982 that drivers started to get severe, creating the Stockholm Open, an annual avenue racing occasion that may pit the quickest automobiles from round Northern Europe towards each other in a single-night elimination match. The Stockholm Open grew larger and larger till it lastly went legit in 1993, shifting 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 official occasion at Malmby as a result of the automobiles 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. At the moment the Stockholm Open remains to be the only greatest racing occasion of the yr within the metropolis, however there at the moment are additionally different tournaments going down all through summer season, together with the Stockholm Prime 10, which is one in every of Magnus’s most important competitions.
The Prime 10 shouldn’t be constrained to 1 night, however is a continually altering record of the ten quickest automobiles in Stockholm that runs over the racing season. At anyone time, there are 16 automobiles competing for a spot on the highest 10, and with a purpose to advance up that record (which is continually up to date on-line), you should problem the automotive and driver within the spot above you. The motive force then has a fortnight to reply, or robotically forfeits their place on the record (even when their automotive shouldn’t be race-ready). The motive 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, vast roads, no probability of on-coming visitors and no brief 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 potential? This whole scene’s existence comes right down to maybe one main level in Swedish regulation. 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 driving force nonetheless sitting behind the wheel.
Basically, because of this if a police automotive someway manages to get previous the hordes of spectactors and automobiles which have jammed up the motorway to look at the race, then the workforce’s blocker automobiles 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 driving force would wish 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 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 spite of everything. These are severe automobiles that go significantly fast and carry severe penalties ought to one thing go incorrect.
To this point, there have been no severe incidents, so for now, Magnus, his workforce and all his fellow racers are pleased to move out till the early hours of the morning looking 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 in regards to the race towards the attractive black Camaro? Sadly, extra technical points brought on a giant miss proper off the beginning line and continued, accompanied by large blue flames belching from beneath the automotive, proper via the run, leading to one other loss. Maybe that’s the final time Workforce 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 way in which of first place. Regardless of the nice outcome, Magnus has had sufficient of the technical issues and says that he has massive plans for the Monte Carlo, and will probably be again, far larger and higher for the beginning of Sweden’s subsequent racing season.
An enormous thank-you to Magnus and the workforce 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
Instagram: thespeedhunters
Peter Kelly
Instagram: pedeykelly
Further Photographs by Taryn Kelly
Instagram: taryncroucher
