Höljesbanan, also known as Höljes Motorstadion, is a rallycross circuit situated in the village of Höljes, in the Finnskogen ('Finnwoods') of the Swedish county Värmland, beside the river Klarälven and close to the Norwegian border. The circuit opened in February 1976 and is one of the most famous rallycross circuits in the world. Traditionally held over the first weekend of July the venue plays host to the so-called 'Magic Weekend' of rallycross when it runs the Swedish round of the European and World Rallycross championships.
History
The circuit was originally part of a go-kart centre opened in 1972 by the Finnskoga Motorklubb following the influx of Swedish drivers into Formula One, but quickly fell into disuse and it was decided the nearby gravel pit was to be turned into a rallycross circuit in October 1974. On February 1, 1976, the circuit held its first event in front of 3,500 people on a bitterly cold winters' day, and was won by Per Eklund.
The circuit was successful locally and the Finnskoga Masters was created as a marquee event for Scandinavian drivers. The circuit saw very little national action as the Swedish ASN were not on good terms with the Finnskoga Motorklubb, and despite having a suitable venue the Svenska Bilsportförbundet (SBF) did not straight away recommend the circuits' addition to the FIA European Rallycross Championship due to the conflict. However, the circuit did eventually make its international debut for the Swedish round of the 1991 European Rallycross Championship. The event was held on July 7 in front of 15,000 people and quickly gained approval from drivers and fans alike. The Swedish round rotated through various circuits in the 1990s but the Höljesbanan became a permanent fixture in 1999 and is now a marquee event within it and the newly formed World Championship.
Event history
European rallycross European Championship winners Year Division Driver Car 1991 Division 1 Kenneth Hansen Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Division 2 Will Gollop MG Metro 6R4 BiTurbo 1992 Not Held 1993 Division 1 Eivind Opland Nissan Sunny GTI-R Division 2 Kenneth Hansen Citroën ZX T16 4x4 1400cc Cup Björn Ohlsson Citroën AX Sport 1994 Not Held 1995 1996 1997 Division 1 Ludvig Hunsbedt Ford Escort RS 2000 T16 4x4 Division 2 Eivind Opland Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III 1400cc Cup Roger Lagergren Peugeot 205 Rallye 1998 Not Held 1999 Division 1 Ludvig Hunsbedt Ford Escort RS 2000 T16 4x4 Division 2 Gert Vestergaard Peugeot 306 S16 1400cc Cup Peter Nielsen Rover Metro GTi 2000 Division 1 Kenneth Hansen Citroën Xsara WRC Division 2 Magnus Hansen Citroën Xsara VTS 1400cc Cup Sven Seeliger Citroën AX GTi 2001 Division 1 Kenneth Hansen Citroën Xsara WRC Division 2 Magnus Hansen Citroën Xsara VTS Division 2A Sven Seeliger Citroën AX GTi 2002 Division 1 Kenneth Hansen Citroën Xsara WRC Division 2 Jouko Kallio Honda Civic Type R Division 2A Aleš Zázvorka Volkswagen Polo 1.4 16V 2003 Division 1 Kenneth Hansen Citroën Xsara T16 4x4 Division 1A Jaroslav Kalný Peugeot 206 Division 2 Guttorm Lindefjell Opel Astra OPC 2004 Division 1 Sverre Isachsen Ford Focus T16 4x4 Division 1A Ron Snoeck SEAT Ibiza Division 2 Jussi Pinomäki Renault Clio RSR 2005 Division 1 Michael Jernberg Ford Focus T16 4x4 Division 1A Zdeněk Čermák Škoda Fabia Division 2 Niklas Hagström Honda Civic Type R 2006 Division 1 Sverre Isachsen Ford Focus T16 4x4 Division 1A Jaroslav Kalný Peugeot 206 Division 2 Niklas Hagström Honda Civic Type R 2007 Division 1 Lars Larsson Škoda Fabia 6Y T16 4x4 Division 1A Michaël de Keersmaecker Opel Corsa C Division 2 Niklas Hagström Honda Civic Type R RX Cup Jos Sterkens Ford Fiesta RWD 2008 Division 1 Marcus Grönholm Ford Fiesta ST Division 1A Jussi Pinomäki Renault Clio Division 2 Tomáš Kotek Honda Civic Type R RX Cup Per Niklas Lööv Citroën Xsara RWD 2009 Division 1 Stig-Olov Walfridsson Renault Clio T16 4x4 Division 1A Timur Timerzyanov Renault Clio Mk2 Division 2 Knut Ove Børseth Ford Fiesta ST RWD 2010 Division 1 Sverre Isachsen Ford Focus ST Division 1A Timur Timerzyanov Renault Clio Mk2 Division 2 Lars Øivind Enerberg Ford Fiesta ST RWD 2011 Supercars Tanner Foust Ford Fiesta T16 4x4 Super1600 Krzysztof Skorupski Volkswagen Polo 9N3 TouringCar Lars Øivind Enerberg Ford Fiesta ST RWD 2012 Supercars Timur Timerzyanov Citroën DS3 T16 4x4 Super1600 Ulrik Linnemann Peugeot 207 TouringCar Robin Larsson Škoda Fabia 6Y RWD Junior Cup Kevin Hansen "Citroën DS3" JRX 2013 Supercars Andreas Bakkerud Citroën DS3 Super1600 Ulrik Linnemann Peugeot 207 TouringCar Derek Tohill Ford Fiesta RWD Junior Cup Kevin Hansen "Citroën DS3" JRX 2014 Super1600 Sergey Zagumennov Škoda Fabia 5J TouringCar Tom Daniel Tånevik Mazda RX-8 2015 Super1600 Jānis Baumanis Renault Twingo Mk2 TouringCar Fredrik Salsten Citroën DS3 RWD 2016 Supercars Kevin Hansen Peugeot 208 Super1600 Ulrik Linnemann Peugeot 208 TouringCar Ben-Philip Gundersen Ford Fiesta ST RWD 2017 Supercar Anton Marklund Volkswagen Polo R Mk5 Super1600 Artis Baumanis Škoda Fabia 2018 Supercar Reinis Nitišs Ford Fiesta TouringCar Fredrik Rolid Magnussen Ford Fiesta 2019 Supercar Robin Larsson Audi S1 Super1600 Marius Bermingrud Škoda Fabia 2020 Supercar Oliver Eriksson Ford Fiesta 2021 RX1 Thomas Bryntesson Volkswagen Polo RX3 Yury Belevskiy Audi A1 2022 RX1 Anton Marklund Hyundai i20 RX3 Marius Solberg Hansen Škoda Fabia 2023 RX1 Patrick O'Donovan Peugeot 208 RX2e Ole Henry Steinsholt ZEROID X1 RX3 Espen Isaksætre Audi A1
World Rallycross Year Division Driver Car 2014 Supercars Mattias Ekström Audi S1 2015 Supercars Mattias Ekström Audi S1RX Lites Thomas Bryntesson"Ford Fiesta" RX2 2016 Supercars Andreas Bakkerud Ford Focus RS RX Lites Simon Olofsson "Ford Fiesta" RX2 2017 Supercars Johan Kristoffersson Volkswagen Polo GTI RX2 Dan Rooke "Ford Fiesta" RX22018Supercars Johan KristofferssonVolkswagen Polo GTIRX2 Guillaume De Ridder"Ford Fiesta" RX22019Supercars Sebastian ErikssonFord Fiesta Mk8RX2 Ben-Philip Gundersen"Ford Fiesta" RX22020Supercars Round 1 Johan KristofferssonVolkswagen Polo GTISupercars Round 2 Mattias EkströmAudi S12021RX1 Timmy HansenPeugeot 208RX2e Jesse KallioOMSE QEV RX2e2023RX1e Johan KristofferssonVolkswagen Polo RX1e
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