The First Go i Sweden

[COPO_Anders]

The first dragracing-event in Sweden was held here in Anderstorp back in 1968. Yesterday when I was looking in some old magazines, I stumbled across this little article. For some reason they call this event "The First Go".

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[COPO_Anders]

Another pic.

May I also say that Anders "Bostic" Envall this fall drove his 2-ton 1995 Impala to Santa Pod in England. Made some passes, the best was a 9.84, and then he got into the car and drove it back to Sweden again. That´s a real grocery getter ! Check it out at www.blackout.nu (http://www.blackout.nu)

Take care
Anders

[Seattle Sam]

Anders,
The old drag racers call the US Nationals drag race at Indy "The Big Go"
-Sam

[COPO_Anders]

Thank´s for your reply Sam. That could be the reason why the call it "The First Go".

[COPO_Anders]

Here are some pics taken by Hasse Biörk, who worked as a tech-inspector for SHRA Lidköping. These were taken at "The First Go"

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/AnderstorpTheFirstGo10-11aug1968.jpg

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/AnderstorpTheFirstGo1968.jpg


http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/AnderstorpTheFirstGo10-11aug1968008.jpg

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/AnderstorpTheFirstGo10-11aug1968007.jpg

[COPO_Anders]

And here are some pics taken by Start & Speed magazine and published in 1983 at the 15 year anniversary of "The First Go".

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/StartSpeed1983nr5TheFirstGo002.jpg

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/StartSpeed1983nr5TheFirstGo001.jpg

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/StartSpeed1983nr5TheFirstGo.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Cool shots. Looks like hemis were popular.

[olredalert]

----The strip looks very nice. Really wide and thats a good thing!!!.....Bill S

[COPO_Anders]

Bill, the track was built for Formula 1 racing and as a small airport combined, so the runway is 33 yards wide.

Here is a link to some more pics from 1968: http://pellefotograf.se/Bildspel/Anderstorp_68/index.php

[jannes_z-28]

Those two english fuelers were a great inspiration for the coming dragracers in Sweden.

One fun notice of the First Go event:
The third fastest car was a 1966 Hemi Charger, bought new in New York by a Swedish enthusiast. He was even quicker than the two Swedish built top fuelers that were at the event too.

Here is some info on Clive Skilton, running the pink dragster http://www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk/members/clive-skilton

and Dennis Priddle in the blue one: http://www.britishdragracinghof.co.uk/members/dennis-priddle

Jan

[COPO_Anders]

Hi Janne !
I started searching for pics from "the First Go" and used other combinations of words, and found this website:
http://www.aspesbilder.se/sida7.html

Asbjörn who has this website used to race a chopped 34 Tudor.
Lots of pics from Santa Pod and Mantorp Park in the early seventies also.

[jannes_z-28]

Good site you found Anders!

Yes I knew about him we were racing at the same time, we were also partnering in a car for a short while with his garagebuddy Håkan Malmborg.

I found this great picture of Paula Murphy when she was at Santa Pod. Look at the girly touch on the firesuite! I once met her in LA in 1981, we were a gang of people that went for a dinner after Winternationals. She sat on the opposite side of the table and she had very fond memories of the trip to Europe.

http://www.aspesbilder.se/IMG_0015-1305576881.jpg

Jan

[Erik_Lindholm]

Would anyone know how to contact Hasse Biörk? I was looking at those old pictures
and realized I was in some of them. I would love to get better scans.

Consider it a challenge to figure out why I was there. The old-timers would know.
I added an arrow to myself. I was quite young.


Thanks,
Erik

[Erik_Lindholm]

Here is another (part of) picture I've found on the net. The lady to the left is my mom and
my brother after that. In the first picture, our younger sister is to my left. Dad was really
busy running the event.

[Erik_Lindholm]

Here I am with my brother, by dad's Studebaker Avanti (1963 Supercharged R2).
About 1966/1967, Uppland.

[AnthonyS]

^ Uppland! Hah, we're in (the Other) Upland.

[Erik_Lindholm]

Back to the First Go. Here is dad at the starting line with the Studebaker Avanti.

[Erik_Lindholm]

Since dad was really busy at the event, my mom got to drive the Avanti as well. Here she is driving against her brother (uncle Örjan). He's been active in the Swedish hot rod scene for over 50 years.

There is 8mm video from Anderstorp 1968:
"SHRA The First Go 1968 Anderstorp", Foto och redigering: Björn Ramsten.

[Erik_Lindholm]

And finally here is dad himself, in the Avanti. Rune was a founder of the SHRA and its
first chairman.

The picture is from:
Nostalgia Nr. 7/8 Juni 1998.