The big day had arrived. Krantz Challenge was in place. Gällivare would like northernmost city in the nation-wide contest appoint its contribution to the Super Final in Classic Car Week and the struggle of Norrland’s most popular car.
Midnight Sun Meet in Gällivare in 2015 was sharpened by Sweden’s by geography and number the biggest car show, Krantz Challenge.
No magazine, no organization, no individual has previously set up NINE shows in a row on a nationwide tour where car enthusiasts compete for trophies in the local finals where the winner goes to a national Super Final. Krantz holds drivers info.
Click the pics for broader wiew
Now Gällivare had the initiative and cars came. In some scarce 38 F and persistently windy weather, hundreds of cars arrived to Midnight Sun Meet Gällivare. The elusive sun teased between the clouds and gave seconds of the summer hope but the zippers were drawn up to the neck
Notification line coiled around the Challenge bus. 26 entered in a flash. The competition can take 32 competitors
Six places still available and the one who would become second had not signed up yet. We just wanted to check out the competition but was persuaded at the last moment, said the surprised runner up after words
We got a royal reception with the mountain Dundrets midnight sun experience .
Local trophy girls, counters and parkers signed up for duty. These important people who makes the show work were on their toes eager to get started.
-You Did a fantastic job. Without you, it’s good night. Now the competition was a success. Thank’s Nadja Enberg, Henrietta Jakobsson and Ronja Sundqvist and all helpers.
All local public is here. The rescue pulled out when the generator on the site broke down. Niklas Östman and Kjell Pettersson, Gällivare. Yes, but our duty is to assist the public and now the entire public’s here
As of this writing, there are two days until we go to Hällefors, another new place in the tour. Who will win there we do not know but we know who Norrbotten sends to the Super Final in Rättvik!
Norrbotten comes with a six-meter colour cracker and Vännäs has chosed Patrik Mellinder in a glittering cruel big block hotrod.
– Good Luck Hällefors and other descendants. Now the bar is set.
Who won in Gällivare?
Let the fun begin – ding ding.
Mercury Parklane conv. 1968 was an unusual and enjoyable car to see. Owner Krister Backman who let the girl drive.
In the other lane a experienced Krantz Challenge competitor Peter Ölveb came, this year in new wheels. A Ford Skyliner 1959.
Henrietta Jakobsson came with pain relief from Turtle Wax and Mekonomen in Härnösand. Sturdy bags filled with shampo, WD40, Armor All, Toolshack catalog, today decals, etc., etc.
Michael Grönborg Gällivare 1953 Series 60 Fleetwod special. Third summer with the car. Bought from a friend in town. Been 4-5 year in Sweden. A California car. Have only been driving. Only restored is power hydraulics to the windows.
-This is a keeper, says Michael who like the car’s attitude. Chev 350 and 350 box makes it reliable and inexpensive to repare. Competed in Haparanda last year. As nervous now. Have a customized Buick -54 too.
Voted blue. Jeanette Lavring from Kiruna came with the guy in the red shirt who wanted to remain anonymous, slightly tricky in cowboy hat though. They go Jeep J20 to Gällivare annually. – It’s easy to vote, both said.
Exclusive Excalibur on Corvette chassis with Kjell Lorentzen from Norway behind the wheel graced the runway. There were many people from the neighboring country, which we welcome. Ola Larsson showed off a sleek 1966 Impala.
ASA Custom Ride who makes the new fantastic lowering kits were in place and were playing. Thomas Johansson overturned the Impala on three wheels. Hans Airijoki Ford Victoria 1956 took it easy. Today it was his turn to go further in the competition.
Petri Kuivila had pestered former owner to buy the car for several years. When the moment came, he stood for his words and dough up the Buick Invicta convertible from 1960. Here, in a match against a 1958 Cadillac Coupe owned out Anders Isaksson. Buick survived.
The cliffhanger
The Camaro was a 2SS RS Synergy from 2011. Very unusual high-performance Camaro with 440 horses in addition to the styling package RS. The only one in Sweden right now. Jan-Erik Pettersson go to many meetings with it. Opel Rekord owned by Gunnar Karlsson. Called for recount. Yepp. The crowd split into two equal camps. Close call and new voting and The Rekord took it but a single vote. Jeeez!
The family that won everything. First a book, then a T-shird. Congratulations!
Tindra Rosenberg eight years Malmberget won a book. Bonus mom Ing-Lill Lindfors won a t-shirt. Came in a 65 Cutlass.
Then came Norway!! Tobias Lorenzen, son to Kjell with the Excalibur roared om first gear speed shifted into second and a thousand people were cold-smoked.
– Do you know that it is forbidden to do burnout in Krantz Challenge.
– Ahh, Ohh me not understand Swedish comprende . (They do, he was just kidding)
-Tobias was a nice guy
( We are all car guys and car girls and love rubber. Meanwhile, we have a responsibility. The crowd stands unprotected). So no burn outs in Krantz Challenge please.
Opel in the second turn. Wrestled down a Camaro 2SS in a recount. Now a sharp pickis in the other track. Can you make a burn ot with this, asked Krantz. Yes in reverse, said Gunnar Karlsson. CHEERS. It is the contestants and the audience that make this show. Different each time. Always entertaining. Burnout with 60 hp in reverse or not. Norway on to the next round.
A regular judging can muster ten cars standing still on the hour. Do you see many pictures from meetings judgments in the magazines ? Nah. What can be the reason? – Booring!
Here the first 32 cars rocked in front of the audience and then 16 in a second screening everything in 55 minutes. Remaining eight now, when all of a sudden all come in together and the audience gets a broadside of today’s winners circle.
Eight trophies will be awarded with the text Eight Outstanding and short interviews given before the race rushes on. NOW FINAL GAME and the audience judging course.
The Corvette from 1958 with Niklas Jonsson has gone on twice today but now a shiny Skyliner is in the other track flexing its metal roof. And winner iiiis …the Coooorvette. BANG the little Chevy bends great Ford to the ground..
Andreas Enberg has seen it all and becomes exalted in his Corvette. The 69 sits on the split rear axle and . . .
The audience vote RED.
Ford badges in the middle. Lars-Gösta Öhman and Britt-Marie Kourkkio Gällivare drove T-Bird 64. Crazy Much T-Birds in Gällivare, by the way. T-Bird strong area. Fun to vote but not always easy, said the whole bundle.
-You can of course like the model but if it has an unfortunate choice of color of the car then it does not help. Really fun that so different classes meet all together. .
Corvette stands and hums idling. A Young guy like that and vote blue. The others. . .
…… put their votes on a quiet, heavy Oldsmobile 1958 with a deep varnish as the sun lights it up just in time to vote. Not many cars left now.
WHO SHOULD YOU HAVE IN FINAL folks? Buick Roadmaster 1955 cleaned first out the Corvette …
….and gave Norway a travel back in two fast runs. Kent Bergström is in the final.
What has happened in the second part of the ladder? We can not reproduce everything that happens.
One car took the main power cord with him , and there was silence for 90 seconds. Sometimes they run into the bags as wax splashes in all directions, sometimes they do not start and gets pushed out.
Go and see a Krantz Challenge thrills !!To the Finals ONE MORE Buick. Petri’s 60 convertible
Time for Final
But first raffled the unique Krantz Challenge car out. Cristelle Jakobsson gave work buddy a hug added.
I have no great interest in cars but went from Boden anyway. Had heard that there was going to be something exciting. This was great fun.
Then the Peoples Choice was cheered . The audience could vote among all the cars during the day and. . . ..
Norway is back !!!! Peoples Choice Voting for Norway and the horny pickup
Tobias Lorentzen, Tromsö. 383 Blueprint engine TH 700 trans . The father was the Excalibur.
-In Norway, it’s more a muscle car thing. In Sweden more fifties sleds.
Chevrolet 3100 pickup 1951 he had bought from a workmate. The car coming from Estonia. Mate painted and fixed the interior. Tobias took care of the machine with manual data- injection. The chassis has 4 link with coilovers and in the front subframe. The construction took a winter but finished ..?
-No, it never gets done.
Finally, we have to elect the winner of Krantz Challenge.
And wins the final of the Krantz Challenge Gällivare 2015, with 3000 SEK great value bucket, double overnight stays for two people in Rättvik and a place in the Super Final with a chance to win the title Norrland popular car in 2015 and SEK 10,000 … doeees . . . . .
PETRI KUIVILA BUICK 1960 INVICTA CONVERTIBLE MILD CUSTOM.
Waow! We came in second! We, who were not thought to be involved! We would just check out the new competition but were persuaded when there was only single place left.
– Wow, what a trip, said Kent Bergström and his wife.
I’ll be damned !!! The Buick convertible won the whole thing and now I’m in the Super Final in front of grandstand in Rättvik. Surreal! Petri Kuivila coming out of the car two seconds after the announcement.
