Drivecenter Arena Explained

Drivecenter Arena
Former Names:Skellefteå Drive Center
Time:CET (UTC+1)
CEST (DST)
Location:Fällfors, Sweden
Coordinates:65.1075°N 20.7611°W
Operator:Jan Marklund
Construction Cost:SEK 45 million
Architect:TTI GmbH
Events:Former:
PSC Scandinavia (2019–2020, 2022–2023)
GT4 Scandinavia (2019, 2021–2022)
STCC (2019–2022)
Layout1:Full Circuit (2019–present)
Length Km:4.270
Length Mi:2.653
Turns:16
Record Time:1:45.570
Record Driver: Hampus Ericsson
Record Car:Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Record Year:2023
Record Class:Carrera Cup
Layout2:Sprint Circuit (2019–present)
Length Km2:3.339
Length Mi2:2.075
Turns2:13

Drivecenter Arena, previously known as Skellefteå Drive Center, is a motorsport race track in Fällfors (Västerbotten County), Sweden. The circuit opened in 2019 having been converted from a retired Swedish Air Force base, Fällfors Air Base .

History

Fällfors Air Base had been a modernised Swedish Air Force base with three runways and a reinforced section of adjoining highway to act as a spare runway. The base was built in the 1950s. The base operated Saab 29 Tunnan, Saab 32 Lansen, Saab 35 Draken and Saab 37 Viggen fighter-bombers over the years. One of its features was a mountain hangar built in rock in the dispersal area to the north of the runways.[1] The base closed in 2006. The base was sold off and the Skellefteå Drive Center opened in 2008 and operated as a driver training and vehicle testing facility, with the former runways used occasionally for drag racing. After an ownership change in 2017 the anticipated motor racing circuit was completed and the held their first race on 14 June 2019.[2] The circuit is 4.27km (02.65miles) long, the longest circuit in Sweden, approximately longer than Anderstorp Raceway.

At the opening Midnattsolsloppet meeting the circuit hosted both domestic and international motor racing with TCR Scandinavia, Formula Nordic, both the Swedish and North European Zone championships, Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia and GT4 Scandinavia racing series.

Lap records

As of July 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Drivecenter Arena are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Full Circuit: 4.270 km (2019–present)
1:45.570[3] 2023 Skellefteå Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
1:49.158[4] 2021 Skellefteå Radical Cup Scandinavia round
1:53.197[5] 2023 Skellefteå Formula Nordic round
1:53.488[6] 2021 Skellefteå TCR STCC round
1:53.494[7] 2021 Skellefteå GT4 Scandinavia round

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Fällfors. Abandoned Forgotten & Little Known Airfields in Europe. 19 December 2011.
  2. News: Om Oss. Drivercenter Arena. Swedish.
  3. Web site: Porsche Carrera Cup Fällfors 2023 >> Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, Heat 4, 17 varv . 1 July 2023 . 2 July 2023.
  4. Web site: Midnattssolsloppet Skellefteå 2021 >> Radical, Heat 1, 10 laps . 19 June 2021 . 25 December 2022.
  5. Web site: Porsche Carrera Cup Fällfors 2023 >> Formula Nordic, Heat 3, 9 varv . 1 July 2023 . 2 July 2023.
  6. Web site: TCR Scandinavia Touring Car Championship 2021 » Skellefteå Round 5 Results . 19 June 2021 . 5 May 2022.
  7. Web site: Midnattssolsloppet 2021 Result of GT4 Scandinavia - Race 2 Result of Race 2 . 19 June 2021 . 11 June 2022.