The Rally

The Midnight Sun Rally (Midnattssolsrally in Swedish) had its first run in 1950 and continued in its original form until 1964. From 1965 onwards it was known as the Swedish Rally and continued on to become part of the World Rally Championship.

Saabs were consistent podium finishers in the rally. The first Saab victory came in 1959 at the hands of Mr Saab himself, Erik Carlsson, in a Saab 93. Saabs also led the field in the following years:

1960 and 1961 – Carl Magnus Skogh
1966 – Åke Andersson
1971 to 1973 – Stig Blomqvist (Saab 96)
1976 – Per Eklund (Saab 96)
1977 – Stig Blomqvist (Saab 99EMS)
1979 – Stig Blomqvist (Saab 99 Turbo)

In many of the years in between, when Saabs didn’t win, they finished on the podium. In fact, the only years in the 1970s where there wasn’t a Saab on the podium was 1978 (Ford Escort, Ford Escort, Fiat Abarth) and in 1974, when the rally was cancelled.

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Whilst the Swedish Rally continues as part of the World Rally Championship, the Midnight Sun Rally was revived in 2006 as an historical rally. Only cars built prior to 1981 can enter.

The SaabsUnited Historic Rally Team drivers, Jörgen Trued and Bo Janzon, have participated in the last three Midnight Sun Rallies, competing in the regularity section of the event and finishing 6th out of 22 competitors in their class in 2009. Sixth is good, but it’s even better when you consider fourth place was only half a second away!

In that race, the drove Jörgen’s own Saab 96 Monte Carlo V4 – the first car he ever owned.

For the 2010 event, a new car will be built as a replica of Stig Blomqvist’s first Saab 99 Turbo rally car, as raced at the Lombard RAC Rally in 1978.

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