# Per Eklund

Per Torsten Eklund (born 21 June 1946) is a Swedish Rally and Rallycross driver. His nickname is "Pekka". In rallying he never made it to the very top but he has been very successful in his later rallycross career.

## Biography
### Saab works drive

After his education as a driving instructor, together with later teammate Stig Blomqvist at the Kvinnersta Folkhögskola outside of Örebro, Eklund was a Saab factory driver from 1970 till 1979. In 1982, however, the year after Saab discontinued its official rallying involvement, he achieved the brand's last top position in a World Championship event, finishing fourth in the Swedish Rally driving a privately entered, Clarion-sponsored Saab 99 Turbo. He was always proud of that result, since the competition consisted mostly of four-wheel-drive cars, and the event was run in snow. This signified the end of the rally era at Saab, even though Eklund went on to drive an officially-entered Saab 900 Turbo in the British round of the 1997 World Rally Championship. He was Swedish Champion in 1978, beating his team mate Stig Blomqvist. In 1982 Eklund finished 5th overall of the FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers.

### Rallycross

In 1971, Eklund started driving Rallycross at Valkenswaard in The Netherlands, and some months later he won the first ever Swedish Rallycross event at Hedemora, on 17 October 1971. He first drove a Saab 96 V4, in the early years of the Embassy/ERA European Rallycross Championship as teammate to his compatriot Stig Blomqvist. He was always prominent, became 7th overall respectively 4th overall in the first and second European Championship series of 1973 and 1974, but his greatest successes have been in later times. From the early 1990s till 2009, his last full season, he was one of the fastest competitors of the FIA European Championship for Rallycross Drivers. In 1999, Eklund claimed his first and only European title for Drivers of the Division 1, nowadays known as the SuperCars category.

### Toyota

Eklund joined Toyota Team Europe in 1980, and gave the 2nd generation Celica's one of its best WRC result by finished second in the 1981 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire. He drove the Group B Celica Twincam Turbo TA64 in selected 1983 and 1984 World Rally Championship events. Eklund also rallied Group A Corolla AE86 and Celica Supra 2800 GT in the British Rally Championship.

#### Accomplishments

* FIA European Rallycross Champion 1999 with Saab 9-3 T16 4x4
* 2nd overall in the 1998, 2002 and 2003 FIA European Rallycross Championships
* 3rd overall in the 2000 and 2001 FIA European Rallycross Championships
* Swedish Rallycross Champion 2004

## Best international rally results (top three results only)
### 1969

* Norwegian Winter Rally (N), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?

### 1971

* Norwegian Winter Rally (N), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?

### 1972

* Firestone Rally (E), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?
* Dutch Texaco Rally (NL), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver ?
* Österreichische Alpenfahrt (A), 3rd, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Bo Reinicke

### 1973

* Swedish Rally (S), 2nd, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Rolf Carlsson
* Österreichische Alpenfahrt (A), 3rd, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Bo Reinicke

### 1976

* Swedish Rally (S), 1st, Saab 96 V4, co-driver Björn Cederberg

### 1980

* 1000 Lakes Rally (FIN), 3rd, Triumph TR7 V8, co-driver Hans Sylvan

### 1981

* Ivory Coast Rally (CI), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT, co-driver Ragnar Spjuth

### 1982

* Portugal Rally (P), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT (RA45), co-driver Ragnar Spjuth
* Rally of New Zealand (NZ), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT (RA64), co-driver Ragnar Spjuth
* Ivory Coast Rally (CI), 2nd, Toyota Celica 2000GT (RA64), co-driver Ragnar Spjuth

### 1983

* Ivory Coast Rally (CI), 3rd, Toyota Celica TCT, co-driver Ragnar Spjuth

### 1984

* Swedish Rally (S), 3rd, Audi quattro A2, co-driver Dave Whittock
* RAC Rally (GB), 3rd, Toyota Celica TCT, co-driver Dave Whittock

### 1988

* Safari Rally (EAK), 3rd, Nissan 200SX, co-driver Dave Whittock

### 1989

* Swedish Rally (S), 2nd, Lancia Delta HF integrale, co-driver Dave Whittock

### 1991

* Hunsrück-Rallye (D), 3rd, Lancia Delta HF integrale 16V, co-driver Jan-Olof Bohlin

## Pikes Peak

* Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (USA): In 2000, Per Eklund achieved a record time of 11:21.58 in his Saab 9-3 Viggen 4x4 while racing the Pikes Peak Open category that was valid until being bettered in 2012 by Frenchman Romain Dumas.
* In 2002, Per Eklund took the Unlimited Class Victory. Eklund and his Saab's performance defeated the second place Unlimited Class entry and long-time Swedish rival Stig Blomqvist by over 34 seconds with a time of 11:13.20.

## Trivia

En får ente ge sej (Värmland dialect for "One must not give up") is Eklund's motto and the title of his biography. By Per Eklund & Anders Tunberg, 210 pages, Sportförlaget 1998, ISBN 91-88540-95-2

## Racing record
### Complete WRC results

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | WDC | Pts |
| 1973 | Saab-Scania | Saab 96 V4 | MON | SWE 2 | POR | KEN | MOR | GRE | POL | FIN Ret | AUT 3 | ITA | USA | GBR Ret | FRA | | N/A | N/A |
| 1974 | Saab-Scania | Saab 96 V4 | MON C | SWE C | POR | KEN | GRE C | FIN Ret | ITA | CAN | USA | GBR Ret | FRA | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1975 | Saab-Scania | Saab 96 V4 | MON | SWE 4 | KEN | GRE | MOR | POR | FIN 4 | ITA | FRA | GBR Ret | | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1976 | Saab-Scania | Saab 96 V4 | MON | SWE 1 | POR | KEN | GRE | MOR | | | | | | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1976 | Saab-Scania | Saab 99 EMS | | | | | | | FIN Ret | ITA | FRA | GBR Ret | | | | | N/A | N/A |
| 1977 | Saab-Scania | Saab 99 EMS | MON | SWE Ret | POR | KEN | NZL | GRE | FIN Ret | CAN | ITA | FRA | GBR 9 | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1978 | Saab-Scania | Saab 99 EMS | MON | SWE Ret | KEN | POR | GRE | | | | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1978 | Per Eklund | Porsche Carrera | | | | | | FIN 4 | CAN | ITA | CIV | FRA | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1978 | Saab-Scania | Saab 99 Turbo | | | | | | | | | | | GBR Ret | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1979 | Fiat Alitalia | Fiat Ritmo 75 | MON Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 54th | 3 |
| 1979 | Saab-Scania | Saab 99 Turbo | | SWE Ret | POR | KEN | GRE | NZL | | | | | | | | | 54th | 3 |
| 1979 | British Leyland Cars | Triumph TR7 V8 | | | | | | | FIN 8 | CAN | ITA Ret | FRA | GBR 13 | CIV | | | 54th | 3 |
| 1980 | Pierburg | Volkswagen Golf GTi | MON 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11th | 27 |
| 1980 | Team Datsun Sweden | Datsun 160J | | SWE 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11th | 27 |
| 1980 | British Leyland Cars | Triumph TR7 V8 | | | POR Ret | KEN | GRE | ARG | FIN 3 | NZL | ITA | FRA | GBR 7 | | | | 11th | 27 |
| 1980 | Premoto Toyota | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | | | | | | | | | | CIV Ret | | | 11th | 27 |
| 1981 | Pierburg | Volkswagen Golf GTi | MON Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | 29 |
| 1981 | Publimo Racing / Clarion | Porsche 911 SC | | SWE 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | 29 |
| 1981 | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | POR Ret | KEN | FRA 6 | GRE Ret | ARG | BRA | | | | | | | 10th | 29 |
| 1981 | Rallysport News Team | Porsche 911 SC | | | | | | | | | FIN Ret | ITA | | | | | 10th | 29 |
| 1981 | Premoto Toyota | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | | | | | | | | | CIV 2 | | | | 10th | 29 |
| 1981 | Toyota Team Great Britain | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR 6 | | | 10th | 29 |
| 1982 | Saab Sport | Saab 99 Turbo | MON | SWE 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 57 |
| 1982 | Toyota Team Europe | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | POR 2 | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL 2 | BRA | | | | | | | 5th | 57 |
| 1982 | Rallysport News Team | Porsche 911 SC | | | | | | | | | FIN Ret | | | | | | 5th | 57 |
| 1982 | Volkswagen Motorsport | Volkswagen Golf GTi 16S | | | | | | | | | | ITA Ret | | | | | 5th | 57 |
| 1982 | Premoto Toyota | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | | | | | | | | | CIV 2 | | | | 5th | 57 |
| 1982 | Toyota Team Great Britain | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR 9 | | | 5th | 57 |
| 1983 | Saab Sport | Saab 99 Turbo | MON | SWE Ret | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | | | | | | | 10th | 22 |
| 1983 | Sesab Service | Audi Quattro A2 | | | | | | | | | FIN 4 | ITA | | | | | 10th | 22 |
| 1983 | Premoto Toyota | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | | | | | | | | | CIV 3 | | | | 10th | 22 |
| 1983 | Toyota Team Great Britain | Toyota Celica 2000 GT | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR Ret | | | 10th | 22 |
| 1984 | Clarion | Audi Quattro A2 | MON | SWE 3 | POR | | | | | | FIN 6 | ITA | CIV | | | | 7th | 30 |
| 1984 | Westlands Motors | Toyota Celica Twincam Turbo | | | | KEN Ret | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | | | | | | | 7th | 30 |
| 1984 | Toyota Team Great Britain | Toyota Celica Twincam Turbo | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR 3 | | | 7th | 30 |
| 1985 | Clarion Svenska | Audi Quattro A2 | MON | SWE 5 | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | FIN 6 | ITA | CIV | GBR 4 | | | 10th | 24 |
| 1986 | Austin Rover WRT | MG Metro 6R4 | MON | SWE Ret | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | | | | GBR 7 | USA | | 34th | 8 |
| 1986 | Clarion Team Europe | MG Metro 6R4 | | | | | | | | | FIN 7 | CIV | ITA | | | | 34th | 8 |
| 1987 | Subaru Deutschland | Subaru RX Turbo | MON 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12th | 25 |
| 1987 | Clarion Team Europe | Audi Coupé Quattro | | SWE 7 | POR | | | | | | | FIN 4 | CIV | ITA | GBR EX | | 12th | 25 |
| 1987 | Fuji Heavy Industries | Subaru RX Turbo | | | | KEN 5 | FRA | GRE | | | | | | | | | 12th | 25 |
| 1987 | Nissan Motorsports International | Nissan 200SX | | | | | | | USA 9 | NZL | ARG | | | | | | 12th | 25 |
| 1988 | Clarion Team Europe | Lancia Delta HF 4WD | MON | SWE Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 12 |
| 1988 | Nissan Motorsports International | Nissan 200SX | | | KEN 3 | FRA | GRE | USA | NZL | ARG | FIN | CIV | ITA | | | | 20th | 12 |
| 1988 | Clarion Team Europe | Nissan March Turbo | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR 21 | | | 20th | 12 |
| 1989 | Clarion Team Europe | Lancia Delta Integrale | SWE 2 | | | | | | | | FIN Ret | AUS | ITA | CIV | GBR Ret | | 19th | 16 |
| 1989 | Clarion Team Europe | Nissan March Turbo | | MON Ret | POR | | | GRE 10 | NZL | ARG | | | | | | | 19th | 16 |
| 1989 | Nissan Motorsports International | Nissan 200SX | | | | KEN Ret | FRA | | | | | | | | | | 19th | 16 |
| 1990 | Clarion Team Europe | Lancia Delta Integrale 16V | MON | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | FIN Ret | AUS | ITA | CIV | GBR 12 | | | NC | 0 |
| 1991 | Clarion Team Europe | Lancia Delta Integrale 16V | MON | SWE 8 | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | FIN | AUS | ITA | CIV | ESP | GBR Ret | 49th | 3 |
| 1992 | Clarion Team Europe | Subaru Legacy RS | MON | SWE 6 | POR | | | | | | | | | | | | 32nd | 8 |
| 1992 | Noriyuki Koseki | Subaru Legacy 4WD Turbo | | | | KEN 9 | FRA | GRE | NZL | ARG | FIN | AUS | ITA | CIV | ESP | | 32nd | 8 |
| 1992 | Per Eklund | Subaru Legacy RS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | GBR 12 | 32nd | 8 |
| 1993 | Eklund Team Europe | Subaru Legacy RS | MON | SWE 6 | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | ARG | NZL | FIN | AUS | ITA | ESP | | | 31st | 6 |
| 1996 | Clarion Team Europe | Subaru Legacy RS | SWE 17 | KEN | IDN | GRE | ARG | FIN | AUS | ITA | ESP | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1997 | Per Eklund | Saab 900 Turbo | MON | SWE | KEN | POR | ESP | FRA | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | IDN | ITA | AUS | GBR Ret | NC | 0 |

### Complete FIA European Rallycross Cup results

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ERC | Points |
| 1976 | Saab | Saab 96 V4 Turbo | AUT1 4 | GER1 6 | FIN 9 | SWE | BEL 6 | AUT2 | NED | GBR1 | GER2 | GBR2 | | 10th | 24 |
| 1977 | Saab | Saab 96 V4 Turbo | AUT1 | NED1 6 | ITA | SWE1 | FIN | BEL1 | SWE2 | NED2 | BEL2 | GER | AUT2 | 24th | 6 |
| 1978 | Per Eklund | Porsche Carrera 3.0 | AUT | ITA | SWE 9 | FIN 3 | BEL | NED | FRA | GBR | GER | | | 27th | 14 |

### Complete FIA European Rallycross Championship results
#### Division 2

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ERX | Points |
| 1990 | Clarion Team Europe | MG Metro 6R4 | AUT | SWE 6 | FIN | IRE | FRA | BEL | NED | NOR | GER | GBR | | | 21st | 11 |
| 1991 | Clarion Team Europe | MG Metro 6R4 | POR | AUT | FIN | FRA | IRE | SWE 2 | BEL | NED | NOR NC | GBR | GER | | 20th | 17 |
| 1993 | Clarion Team Europe | Subaru Legacy Turbo | AUT (6) | POR 4 | FRA 4 | IRE (6) | SWE 4 | FIN 2 | BEL 3 | NED (NC) | NOR 3 | GER 1 | | | 4th | 106 |
| 1994 | Clarion Team Europe | Subaru Impreza | AUT 2 | POR 7 | FRA 3 | IRE 5 | GBR 4 | SWE (NC) | FIN 3 | BEL 7 | NED (NC) | NOR (7) | GER 6 | | 6th | 93 |
| 1995 | Clarion Team Europe | Subaru Impreza | AUT 2 | POR (NC) | FRA 5 | SWE 3 | GBR (7) | IRE (8) | BEL 4 | NED 5 | NOR 2 | FIN (6) | CZE 2 | GER 3 | 4th | 118 |
| 1996 | Clarion Team Europe | Subaru Impreza | AUT 1 | POR (9) | FRA 4 | SWE (6) | IRE (7) | GBR 2 | BEL 3 | NED 5 | NOR (6) | CZE 3 | GER (6) | | 5th | 104 |

#### Division 1$^*$

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ERX | Points |
| 1997 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 900 Turbo | AUT 3 | FRA (6) | POR (6) | GBR 3 | SWE 4 | FIN (9) | BEL 5 | NOR 4 | CZE 2 | GER 5 | | 6th | 97 |
| 1998 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 900 Turbo | AUT 2 | POR 1 | FRA (6) | SWE (4) | GBR 1 | FIN 3 | BEL (8) | NOR 2 | GER 3 | CZE 3 | | 2nd | 119 |
| 1999 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 9-3 T16 | CZE 1 | FRA 3 | POR 2 | SWE (3) | FIN 2 | BEL 2 | NED 2 | NOR 1 | GER (NC) | | | 1st | 123 |
| 2000 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR 1 | FRA 3 | CZE 1 | SWE DNS | BEL 3 | NED 3 | NOR 7 | POL (DSQ) | GER 2 | | | 3rd | 102 |
| 2001 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 9-3 T16 | FRA (11) | POR 3 | AUT 2 | CZE 2 | SWE DNS | BEL 4 | NED (9) | NOR (6) | POL 2 | GER 1 | | 3rd | 99 |
| 2002 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR (5) | FRA 4 | AUT 1 | CZE 4 | SWE 4 | BEL 1 | NED (7) | NOR 3 | POL 5 | GER 1 | | 2nd | 126 |
| 2003 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR 3 | FRA (5) | AUT 2 | CZE 1 | SWE 2 | BEL 2 | NED 7 | NOR 5 | POL (7) | GER 2 | | 2nd | 125 |
| 2004 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR 6 | FRA 1 | CZE 5 | AUT 4 | NOR (8) | SWE 7 | BEL 7 | NED (10) | POL 3 | GER 8 | | 5th | 100 |
| 2005 | Clarion Team Europe | Saab 9-3 T16 | FRA (9) | POR 7 | AUT 7 | CZE 5 | NOR 8 | SWE 3 | BEL 4 | NED (12) | POL 4 | GER 7 | | 6th | 92 |
| 2006 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR 8 | FRA (12) | CZE 12 | AUT 12 | SWE 7 | HUN 7 | BEL 7 | NED 8 | NOR 8 | POL 11 | GER (NC) | 9th | 73 |
| 2007 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR 4 | FRA 4 | HUN 6 | AUT 9 | SWE (11) | NOR (14) | BEL 14 | NED 14 | POL 4 | CZE 6 | | 8th | 75 |
| 2008 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR 6 | FRA 14 | HUN (15) | AUT 9 | NOR 13 | SWE 9 | BEL 12 | NED (NC) | CZE 10 | POL NC | GER 6 | 10th | 57 |
| 2009 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 T16 | GBR 10 | POR 12 | FRA (NC) | HUN 10 | AUT NC | SWE 13 | BEL DNS | GER 12 | POL 14 | CZE NC | | 14th | 31 |
| 2010 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 T16 | POR | FRA | GBR | HUN | SWE 14 | FIN 15 | BEL | GER | POL 10 | CZE 15 | | 22nd | 14 |
$^*$ Division 2 was rebranded as Division 1 in 1997.

#### Supercar

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ERX | Points |
| 2011 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 | GBR | POR | FRA | NOR | SWE 24 | BEL | NED | AUT | POL | CZE 7 | 22nd | 10 |
| 2013 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 | GBR | POR | HUN | FIN | NOR | SWE | FRA | AUT | GER 22 | | 45th | 0 |
| 2014 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 | GBR | NOR | BEL | GER 22 | ITA | | | | | | 37th | 0 |

### Complete FIA World Rallycross Championship results
#### Supercar

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | WRX | Points |
| 2014 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 | POR | GBR | NOR | FIN | SWE | BEL | CAN | FRA | GER 30 | ITA | TUR | ARG | | 57th | 0 |
| 2015 | Eklund Motorsport | Saab 9-3 | POR | HOC | BEL | GBR | GER | SWE 24 | CAN | NOR | FRA | ESP | TUR | ITA | ARG | 35th | 0 |