Swedish Rally: Stages 1, 2, & 3

The International Swedish Rally 1998 Official Site: http://www.swerally.se Timetable/Stage Information

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Friday February 6,1998 LEG 1 : KARLSTAD-KARLSTAD (491,99 km)

08:30 Start from Karlstad

SS1 Malta 11,88 km Kenneth Bäcklund, Mitsubishi, group N: "In the final area the skill of the driver is really put to the test - here there will be some sorting amongst the drivers. It’s possible to go full speed, but few dare. I do!"

SS2 Sunnemo 30,87 km Thomas Rådström, Toyota, WRC: "A stage containing the most of things. Tough final section from a construction site 4-5 kilometers from the finish and up to the finish. Here it’s good to have a Wermlandian (Lars Bäckman) in the right seat."

SS3 Hamra 35,42 km Thomas Rådström, Toyota, WRC: "Here you need a real "braindamage" in the middle of the stage to dare. It is incredibly fast. Here you can make good time by using the width of the road."

SS4 Vassjoen 4,00 km Jonas Kruse, Renault, F2: "A (super special) stage where you can only loose time. Tricky and twisty."

SS5 Bjaelverud 21,58 km Bruno Berglunds comments / tips: Here last years rally was decided. The final section, through a pineforest, from 18,37 to finish is incredibly fast (over 200 km/h for WRC). Good views. Stand well clear!"

SS6 Mangen 22,09 km Jonas Kruse, Renault, F2: "In the beginning it’s hard to find your way and to see. A lot of pace-changes. Allways hard driving and slippery along Borrsjön. Here you can usually smell hotdogs. God it makes me hungry!"

SS7 Langjohanstorp 19,44 km Per Eklund, TV-commentator: "Very tough stage. Here many rallies have been decided. Terrible beginning. Jumpy and skipping. I’ve rolled five turns here once. Very fast from the middle to the finish. If you dare you can go very fast."

SS8 Inre Hamn 2,00 km A short Super special stage.

19:53 Arrival in Karlstad

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Saturday February 7,1998 2nd LEG : KARLSTAD-BORLANGE (532,39 km)

08:00 Start from Karlstad

SS9 Sagen 11 4,76 km Thomas Rådström, Toyota, WRC: "No winner driving the Celica on. No rythm. But with the new Corolla there is chance for good speed."

SS 10 Fredriksberg 24,80 km Jörgen Jonasson, Seat, F2: "A very fast stage. Incredibly nice finish on tha public road. In the last kilometers the trick is to really find the right track over the crests."

SS11 Nyhammar 27,79 km Bruno Berglunds comments / tips: Good section at 21,62 km, Laxsjön. Incredibly fast "Finnish-road" from 23,75 to finish. At 23,90 km is th famous stump from last year. About 500 m from the finish is a bridge offering a good jump.

SS12 Jutbo 47,65 km Mats Jonsson, Ford, group A: "A deciding stage due to it’s length. If your tyres are up to it you can easily get some 30 seconds ahead. Through it’s length and variation the stage is very demanding."

SS13 Skog 22,82 km Bruno Berglunds comments / tips: A new stage. Good start up to 9,37 km. After that some 2 km through marshes. From 19,76 kn , Skog City, to finish the road is narrow with many cool bends.

SS14 Lugnet 2,00 km Bruno Berglunds comments / tips: A really spectator-friendly superspecial, where the cars drive on parallell tracks.

22:07 Arrival in Borlange In

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Sunday February 8,1998 3rd LEG : BORLANGE-KARLSTAD (415,77 km)

07:00 Start from Borlange

SS15 Raemmen 1 23,81 km Thomas Rådström, Toyota, WRC: "A real winner, even though they’ve changed the direction from last year. Fast as hell. But partly with tricky passages. You have to have strenght left for the tough finish. It’s driving a car at it’s most fun."

SS16 Sagen 2 14,76 km Bruno Berglunds comments / tips: Soon a classic. From the start up to 3 km a very crocked uphill. Worth seing! Many spectacular curves at high speed at 7 km

SS17 Raemmen 2 23,81 km same as SS15

SS18 Mangstorp 22,49 km Bruno Berglunds comments / tips: Here the rally will be decided, if it hasn’t been earlier. The cooperation between driver and codriver is put to the test. Starts on a forest road. The last kilometer public road is very interesting and spectacular. It will be *very* fast!

SS19 IZ 9,37 km Mats Jonsson, Ford, grupp A: "No deciding stage. Short and easy. Some tricky angles, but not much more. Spectator-friendly."

15:40 Arrival of the Rally in Karlstad

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