What a ride to Rostock. We had some traffic jams in Holland, but as soon as we passed the German border, the old Beemers did easily 200 kmpu. 90 kilometers before Rostock the gearbox of Joep's 323i exploded. What a smoke! We had good fun and we left the car in Germany and Joep jumped into Berends touring and together the drove to Rostock. Offourse the others were waiting and we were in time at the ferry. We went to the bar and at 5.30 we went to the cabin, very tired and very happy.
Day 2
Friday 2nd of FebruarWe arrived around noon at the hotel. The first roundabout we saw was really fantastic, six Beemers sideways, lap after lap. The Alexandra Hotel is really very nice and luxury. After we all checked in, we drove to the local tyrecentre for the special spike tyres. We went back to the hotel, but then we decided to explore the city. The first parkingplace was great fun. There was an old women walking with her dog and Kees Kok decided to drift around her. She really liked it, because all the people here are drifting. Even grandma is using the handbrake to park in front of the bakery. Drifting is here well accepted. Anyway, the next closed parkingplace was very very big and the first compentition was there! Who was able to drift 3 laps and win? Well, the answer was Eelco Walig and Berend decided to buy new spikes......We decided to leave town and we went to the hills. One moment Berend and Joep lost the others, but they found Tim Tatje and Rene de Regt, so we drove to the hotel. Later Joep received an telephonecall from Bas Plugge; two cars went of the road, so they all come to the hotel and with the whole group we decided to pick up the cars, after a really great meal. It was so funny, but after hard working all the cars were back on the track. So we decided to do this very difficult hillroad again and Paul Vlasblom showed his extreme carcontrole. Around 23.30 we went back to the hotel; some decided to go to an disco, others stayed in the hotelbar.
Day 3
Today we drove to the testtrack of TommY Makinen. What a fantastic track is that! It's 1.2 km long and about 12 meters wide. After a long briefing, we entered the track. The people from the track were laughing about our roadcars, but the stopped laughing after we all started with drifting. The level was so high (great jobs by Pieter van Hoorick, WJ Withagen, Richard Klimmert, Jan Nieuwpoort)and we had so much fun, really unbelieveble. Joep had no car, but the track owner found something really completly covered under the snow: a RWD Corollo 1.3 DX. We putted a new battery in the car and after 5 seconds the car was running. Joep called Vernon Zwanenveld, Vernon gave Joep permission the drift a Corolla :) Later the car was fixed by Richard Klimmert after some carburetor problems. One moment Joep lost the car with 120kmpu and the car was stucked into the snow. The Land Rover from Bas Plugge tried to pull the Corolla out, but took both hooks out of the chassis. Kees had a smart idea, but then the rear was gone, so 2morrow Joep has to drift with a very short Corolla.At 5pm we drove back to the hotel and in 1 hour we go to a nice restaurant for a nice meal. Speak to you soon!
Day 4
we went to a rally with more then 90 cars in competition. Some of us had some pain in the head, because of the drinks last night. All kind of very rare car such as a BMW e30 with a Volvo rearaxle and engine, lot of AE86's, Evo's etc. We were looking at one of the fastests part of the track and it was very nice to see, but to be honest, we were not impressed. The entry speed was ok, but with the tires they used we all know much more was possible. After 2 hours we saw enough and we drove to a ski-resort where Tim and Armanda, Bas, Joep and Berend rented ski's for some snowfun. Again it was good fun, so we skied till 5pm. In the mean time the others went back to the track in the forrest and offcourse at 6pm we received a telephonecall from Paul Vlasblom, because he was stucked into the snow. At the hotel we took the Land Rover and it was an easy job to put the car back on the track. This evening we going out for a nice meal downtown and a good chance, that we have a look in some bars/discotheques. Ok, have to run now, speak to you 2 morrow.
Day 5 and 6
Last night we went to the local karoake bar. The level of singing was horrible, but we had good fun instead! The next morning around 9 a.m we had breakfast and at 9.45 we drove to the testtrack of Tommy Makinen. The track was very well prepared last night. Today it was battle time. Can you imagine what happens when 8 drifters in old cars start to battle on a very slippery surface? Contact was quit normal, really door to door and more. This was really the max, all technics and tactics were higly recommeded. It was good to see how the non competition drifters were making progress. Kees Kok decided to sent Joep in his Corollo into the snowall, by pushing him with over 100km.ph. Paul Vlasblom was pushing everybody out of his way, Berend and Tim had a lot of fantastic battles, but the most exiting was the battles with 6 or 7 cars in the dark. And when somobody was stucked into the snow, we all stopped to help eachother. Joep's Corolla did not have any lights, so in the dark Joep was very happy when he could tail a BMW, so he had some sight at the track. Bas Plugge had this time the crash of the day. At 7 pm we drove back to the hotel, while it was minus 20 degrees. We had a nice meal and while I'm writing this dayreport, the others are in the bar, so I better join them. Speak to you 2morrow.
Day 7
We went back to the testtrack of Tommy. The whole track was ice. The Toyata slept outside and was frozen! The engine, the breaks, everything. We pussed the Toyo inside with the back of Berend's touring and 2 hours laters the engine was running again. Good car!The battles were harder and harder and after 2 good accidents we all decided to calm down, because most of us have to drive the car home.Rene de Regt is going better and better. We were at the track around 10 am and at 7pm we drove back the the hotel. Non stop drifting, only stopping for some fuel and a quick hamburger. We know for sure, that this holiday is the perfect trainingexperience and we are really looking forward to check the improvemenent on the tarmac. Jari and his wide (he booked all the tracks for us) come over for an nice meal. It was good fun again. Some of us went out, others jumped in bed and I was one of the last group and that's the reason I really kick some ass today :))
Speak to you 2morrow for the last report of Finland 2007.
Speak to you 2morrow for the last report of Finland 2007.
Day 8
we went to Ratapirti for snowscooters and the Husky Dogs Ride. Kees + Erica, Wendy + Rene and Armanda and Tim had a nice experience with the dogs. Finland is such a beautifull country! All the others rented a 500cc Yahama snowscooter. The balance:stuck into the snow: Joep (not enough speed, due to damaged sparkplugs)flipped upside down: Pieter (hit a rock under the snow)broken gearbox: Paul (nobody knows, just technical failure)broken ski: Eelco + also flipped over.It was a great jourey, highest speed 110kmph and that with minus 35 degrees. The people here think we are crazy, but it was not so cold, although.........the owner owns an official WRC stage......and he opened it for us. What a difficult track, the speed and the trees are so closed. We had a big suprise with another 3 hours tracktime. Near the track was a small house and we fired up the fireplace. All the tracktimes were written down on the walls and Marcus Gronholm did it in 1.37 min. Kees Kok was flying and was 1 minute later......We eat there as well, had a good laugh again and around 8 pm we drove back to the hotel. We all went to Kees Kok's room and it is amazing howmany Heineken beer was there.....
Day 9 and 10
The last day! It was still minus 30 degrees and all cars started perfect. The track was so slippery, but the battles were hard but fair. Joep in his Corolla and Paul were fighting for every meter and with mutual respect the were battling for the last centimeter. One moment was very funy when Joep decided to take the forrestroad and Paul decided to take the wide high speed road.....BANG! but no problem and both carried on. With Richard as filmer, but also Tim, Bas and Berend started to get involved in the Battle of the Ego's. No winner offcourse, the 2 cars suffered and the only thing of the car which was not damaged was the left door and then Paul decided to hit that part with his rearbumper and again we had good fun. We all learned so much about handling at high speed with no grip, the e-brake entry's and putting pressure on the car in front of you.Aroud 3 pm Joep broke his finger, while he tried to put the snow away from the radiator and he hit with his finger probably the alternator. Joep tried the put the figer back in position, but unfortunatly he had to go to the hospital. The want to put the hand in the plaster, but that had to last for 6 weeks, so Joep requested no plaster, so he is able to drive and more important....to use the e-brake at next Sunday.Eelco used (or abused) the Toyota for the last hours and it is amazing how strong such a car is, because technically the car was still in good shape.We had a fanastic week all together, a special thank to Jari Schuurman. Next year we will be back, probably with a autotransporter with 8 cars and then we take the plane. Finland, we will be back!
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