Per Eklund

For the Swedish fighter with the same name, see Per Eklund (fighter) and Per Eklund (ice hockey).
Per Torsten Eklund
Personal information
Nationality Sweden Swedish
Born June 21, 1946
Skönnerud (Koppom), Sweden
World Rally Championship record
Active years 1973–1997
Teams Saab, Toyota, Nissan, Austin Rover, Subaru
Rallies 83
Championships 0
Rally wins 1
Podiums 13
Stage wins 73
Total points 270
First rally 1973 Swedish Rally
First win 1976 Swedish Rally
Last rally 1997 RAC Rally

Per Torsten Eklund, born on June 21, 1946 in Skönnerud (Koppom), Eda Municipality of Värmland in Sweden, is a Rally and Rallycross driver who lives in Arvika. His nickname is "Pekka". In rallying he never made it to the very top but he has been very successful in his later rallycross career.

Biography

Saab works drive

Eklund was a Saab factory driver from 1970 to 1979. In 1982, however, the year after Saab discontinued its official rallying involvement, he achieved the brand's last top position in a World Championship event, finishing fourth in the Swedish Rally driving a privately entered, Clarion-sponsored Saab 99 Turbo. He was always proud of that result, since the competition consisted mostly of four-wheel-drive cars, and the event was run in snow. This signified the end of the rally era at Saab, even though Eklund went on to drive an officially-entered Saab 900 Turbo in the British round of the 1997 World Rally Championship. He was Swedish Champion in 1978, beating his team mate Stig Blomqvist. In 1982 Eklund finished 5th overall of the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers.

Rallycross

Eklund started driving in Rallycross by winning the first ever Swedish Rallycross event at Hedemora, on 17 October 1971. He first drove a Saab 96 V4, then a Saab 99 in its various sporting evolutions. He was always prominent, became 7th overall respectively 4th overall in the first and second European Championship series of 1973 and 1974, but his greatest successes have been in more modern times. Nowadays he is one of the fastest competitors of the FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers.

Per Eklund (Saab 9-3) in 2006

Toyota

Eklund joined Toyota Team Europe in 1980, and gave the 2nd generation Celica's one of its best WRC result by finished second in the 1981 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire. He drove the Group B Celica Twincam Turbo TA64 in selected 1983 and 1984 World Rally Championship events. Eklund also rallied Group A Corolla AE86 and Celica Supra 2800 GT in the British Rally Championship.

Accomplishments

Best international rally results (top three results only)

1969

1971

1972

1973

1976

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1988

1989

1991

Pikes Peak

Trivia

En får ente ge sej ("One mustn't give up") is Per Eklund's motto and also the title of his biography (co-written by Anders Tunberg) which was published in 1998. ISBN 91-88540-95-2

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Per Eklund.