Stig Blomqvist -- oldest pro rally driver?
Discussion
I just stumbled across this:
www.swerally.se/resources/documents/entry_list_approved_by_fia.pdf
The Number 40 car, is driven by none other than 1984 World Rally Champion, Stig Blomqvist (who piloted the Audi Quattro with help of co-driver, Björn Cederberg). After some research, I found that the "real Stig" has continued to compete at professional level, winning the Swedish Rally Champion, Swedish Touring Car Champion, and Swedish Hill Climb championships, Race of Champions, Roger Albert Clarke Rally, Lodon to Sydney Marathon along the way. Very recently, he had been among the top drivers in the Rally America series, finishing 5th in 2001, and 3rd in 2003. He competed in the P-WRC in 2001, placing 5th in the Group-N category.
This year's Rally of Sweden will be his 40th appearance in the event (hence his car number). He will be co-driven by Ana Goni in a Group-N Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Despite being 60 years old he managed:
2005: 20th outright
2004: 21st outright
2003: 27th outright
2002: 15th outright
2001: 18th outright
I hope he does well this year too.
Who other retirement-age drivers are still competing professionally -- with success?
>> Edited by Jungles on Wednesday 25th January 00:16
www.swerally.se/resources/documents/entry_list_approved_by_fia.pdf
The Number 40 car, is driven by none other than 1984 World Rally Champion, Stig Blomqvist (who piloted the Audi Quattro with help of co-driver, Björn Cederberg). After some research, I found that the "real Stig" has continued to compete at professional level, winning the Swedish Rally Champion, Swedish Touring Car Champion, and Swedish Hill Climb championships, Race of Champions, Roger Albert Clarke Rally, Lodon to Sydney Marathon along the way. Very recently, he had been among the top drivers in the Rally America series, finishing 5th in 2001, and 3rd in 2003. He competed in the P-WRC in 2001, placing 5th in the Group-N category.
This year's Rally of Sweden will be his 40th appearance in the event (hence his car number). He will be co-driven by Ana Goni in a Group-N Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Despite being 60 years old he managed:
2005: 20th outright
2004: 21st outright
2003: 27th outright
2002: 15th outright
2001: 18th outright
I hope he does well this year too.
Who other retirement-age drivers are still competing professionally -- with success?
>> Edited by Jungles on Wednesday 25th January 00:16
russell brookes and jimmy mcrae still compete and their both 60 odd, derek bell still races he's 65, but blomqvist is a legend, i can't think of anyone else who has competed for so long, and he must still love doing it, or why else would you rally grp n when you rallied grp b quattros. he almost never crashes as well, last time i can remember was the 1997 welsh rally when he rolled a skoda, and before that it was some time in 1984. so that's two crashes in 22 years... are you listening colin ??????
not as fast as he used to be though.
not as fast as he used to be though.
A true star, made even better because in civvies he looks like some kind of Arkwright corner shop owner - you can imagine him in a little brown coat selling fruit and veg.
Last January he took a load of journos up the Col de Turini in an S1 as part of Audi's quattro celebrations and still amazed them with his abilities.
Got his autograph when I was a nipper, too.
Last January he took a load of journos up the Col de Turini in an S1 as part of Audi's quattro celebrations and still amazed them with his abilities.
Got his autograph when I was a nipper, too.
Absolute star - I liked the description about him in Arkwright's fits him perfectly, except he doesn't talk enough to be a good cornershop person - he makes Kimi look like Churchill in the oratorial stakes.
Anyway, a tip for the future - look out for his two sons, Tom and Paul - they are unlikely to follow their Dad into rallying, but are pretty hot at Karting in New Zealand, as I hope to discover first hand in November this year - I wouldn't bet against them being in FBMW within the next 5 years or so
Anyway, a tip for the future - look out for his two sons, Tom and Paul - they are unlikely to follow their Dad into rallying, but are pretty hot at Karting in New Zealand, as I hope to discover first hand in November this year - I wouldn't bet against them being in FBMW within the next 5 years or so
stockhatcher said:
he almost never crashes as well, last time i can remember was the 1997 welsh rally when he rolled a skoda, and before that it was some time in 1984. so that's two crashes in 22 years... are you listening colin ??????
Short memories, RAC in 197-mumbles the REAL Stig used to bend every panel on his Saab and carry on to finish. I remember spectating on the last day of the 1974 event in Broxa forest after retiring with the half shaft nightmare that accompanied any Ford driver those days
and seeing Stiggy getting more than 90 degrees sideways on a fast right over brow on sheet ice. He kept his welly in and recovered. All the panels were bent from previous offs, everything new was bolted on by the finish. stockhatcher said:
not as fast as he used to be though.
And there go all of us!
The comment about looking like Arkwright in civvies made me laugh as it is so true.
Cripes if I could have been a quarter as good as Stig I'd have been a very happy bunny.
Flat in Fifth said:
he almost never crashes as well, last time i can remember was the 1997 welsh rally when he rolled a skoda, and before that it was some time in 1984. so that's two crashes in 22 years... are you listening colin ??????
Short memories, RAC in 197-mumbles the REAL Stig used to bend every panel on his Saab and carry on to finish. I remember spectating on the last day of the 1974 event in Broxa forest after retiring with the half shaft nightmare that accompanied any Ford driver those daysstockhatcher said:
not as fast as he used to be though.
And there go all of us!
The comment about looking like Arkwright in civvies made me laugh as it is so true.
Cripes if I could have been a quarter as good as Stig I'd have been a very happy bunny.
i was 11 months old at the time of the 1974 RAC.....
>> Edited by stockhatcher on Wednesday 25th January 15:19
rubystone said:
Absolute star - I liked the description about him in Arkwright's fits him perfectly, except he doesn't talk enough to be a good cornershop person - he makes Kimi look like Churchill in the oratorial stakes.
Anyway, a tip for the future - look out for his two sons, Tom and Paul - they are unlikely to follow their Dad into rallying, but are pretty hot at Karting in New Zealand, as I hope to discover first hand in November this year - I wouldn't bet against them being in FBMW within the next 5 years or so
are his sons driving down here? I hadn't heard anything about it. mind you, karting doesn't really get any headlines here, despite the fact that the current world champ (Wade Cunningham) is a kiwi. If its not rugby.....
Fantastic to watch GravelBen said:
are his sons driving down here? I hadn't heard anything about it. mind you, karting doesn't really get any headlines here, despite the fact that the current world champ (Wade Cunningham) is a kiwi. If its not rugby.....
Yep - they live in Auckland and race Toni Karts IIRC
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