Prince Carl Philip and Tony Ring driving the E20 at the new Gelleråsen Arena kart track
The new karting track at Gelleråsen Arena has now been inaugurated, where the final of the Prince Carl Philips Racing Pokal will be decided on October 7-8. The official circuit opening took place last Saturday in the middle of the classic Kanonloppet (”the cannon race”).
Prince Carl Philip, who made a comeback in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia in connection with the competition, cut the ribbon [in the Swedish colours] together with Tony Ring, chairman of the municipal board in Karlskoga municipality. The duo did it in a different and spectacular way – behind the wheel of their own electric kart, the Rotax E20. Ribbon holders were the racing trophy's promoter Thomas Johansson and Gelleråsen Arena's track owner Richard Göransson.
Prince Carl Philip, who was smiling with approval after his first laps on the new circuit, where turn seven actually bears his name, "The Prince's Curve", said this: ”The track felt very good, fast and with many different kinds of corners that offer plenty of overtaking opportunities. I think the guys and girls who do a lot of karting will like it.”
Tony Ring and Jo Anna Axelsson, chairman of the Swedish Motorsport Federation's karting committee, also praised the new track. Together with Prince Carl Philip and Richard Göransson, they were interviewed in connection with the inauguration, during which the builder, Jörgen Ljungdahl from Ljungdahls Entreprenad AB, also participated. Another driver also tested the track, young Wilmer Skyllkvist from Karlskoga.
Many of the circuit's future racing drivers were present at Gelleråsen Arena on the opening day. Invited by Prins Carl Philips Racing Pokal, Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, Gelleråsen Arena and Radne Motor, a total of about 50 people took the chance to visit the facility. In addition to watching the competition itself, they followed the inauguration, visited the Rotax and Radnes joint exhibition and were offered guided tours with the Porsche Carrera Cup teams Porsche Experience Racing and Micke Kågered Racing.
The Swedish Rotax competitors had the exciting opportunity to see the Rotax E20 at full speed on the long straight of the new karting circuit, driven by the well-known motorsport personalities. This created lots of interest as well from the thousands of race fans and teams who were attending the famous annual Karlskoga event, which dates back to 1950, at the oldest permanent race track in Sweden. The Rotax E20 has already been a highlight in Sweden, having featured on the program the last two seasons at the Prince Carl Philips Racing Pokal, where the royal himself was immediately impressed when he got behind the wheel of the new generation E-Kart from BRP-Rotax in Austria.
Copyright for pictures: © 2023 Armin Hadzic
