Posted: Sep 23 2013
by: Rudi Minelle

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Gatebil 2013

Gatebil should be on any car enthusiasts' calendar! Seriously I have been to many car shows but this was true perfection. There was everything you could ask for from balls to the wall drifting to super fast grip driving, but the best thing about Gatebil is just the cool fun atmosphere that Aussie shows just do not have. There is no competitive nature or people trying to one up another, everyone is there for one reason... cars.

I am lucky enough to travel to Norway once a year thanks to my amazing fiancé who is from Tønsberg, just one hour south of Oslo. When we planned our dates to travel to Norway this year I was fully committed to go to Gatebil. I had always wanted to go and I knew that this year would be epic. The festival actually goes for 4 days from Thursday to Sunday with action the whole time.

We left early on Friday morning from Oslo with my partner Ingunn and her best friend Linn. The drive like any other drive in Norway is absolutely amazing. We ended up taking a long way as our GPS was set to "scenic route" without us knowing. In any other case this would have been fine, but I was sure as hell not going to miss out on any of the action!

The Rudskogen track is situated right amongst some amazing scenery and is in the middle of a forest not far from the town of Rakkestad. 


The Girls and I making our way to the track... all we had to do was follow the sound of screaming tires!


There has been a new extension of over 3200 meters of almost new track with perfect corners, 40 meters of height difference and a main straight where the fastest cars can reach 270 km/h. It is one of the nicest tracks you will ever see that really does blend in with the environment around it. What amazed me the most is that anyone can compete or drive on the track during Gatebil. If you have a car and a license you can drive on the track.






This year was the second year of the powersliding comp after Mike “Mad Mike” Whiddett from New Zealand won last year. Drivers from all over the world came to attend including local legend Fredric Aasbø and American Vaugh Gittin Jr.



As soon as the powersliding comp began I knew that these guys were serious. Massive amounts of smoke, insane angles and super close drifting was the only way to stand out. Plus the fact that you will see a wide variety of cars drifting here. Of course there are the usual S-chassis cars out there, but I had to rub my eyes and check I was not dreaming when a Volvo 240 wagon with roof racks drifted the whole corner and then went lock to lock up the main straight. There was a Volvo 740 with a 1JZ that was one hell of a beast at each corner and maybe my favourite car of the event. The other thing that surprised me was the amount of Supras out drifting, not the most popular chassis but somehow the Europeans know something we don't. What I thought would be a little sluggish and unresponsive, chassis proved me otherwise. There were at least 6 different Supras at the event, all with huge power and shredding tires all weekend.





The powersliding comp was won by Fredric Aasbø in his 2JZ 86 on the Sunday. I got to have a close look at this car and was amazed at the amount of the work that has gone into it. It can be described as the perfect drift car, this thing is now putting out some big power now. Featuring a Brian Crower stroked 3.4l 2JZ engine it has over 700hp which is more than enough to slay tires all day long.

This video wil give you some idea of how violent and powerfull this car is when pushed by Aasbø.


Was amazing to get up and close to this car to see how much work and engineering has gone into it. 


I guess Mr Aasbø asked for more lock??


A new turbo setup now sees this beast push out over 700hp


Something that surprised me was that the 86 uses a full rear radiator setup. I guess at a pro level this is a must have for a drifter.




Only saw this out for a few runs and boy was it an absolute animal of a car!! I heard that the track officials told him to take it off the track due to the noise it made, after they changed a few things to reduce the noise it changed the tune and the motor died. Mike still got out in some of the crazy s-chassis over the weekend.




Another honourable mention was the black smoke racing w203 Merc wagon powered by a OM606 turbo diesel... Did not see this thing out for long either as the engine only lasted the first day. A turbo diesel drift car one of the craziest sites you will see.


Toyota 1JZ Powered RX7


Kenneth Moens 1JZ Silvia


How they cary cars off the track Gatebil style


Always heaps of excitement in the pit area


I will always have a spot spot for the MX83 Toyotas... This one came all the way from the UK for Gatebil


Another one of my favourite drivers from the day was Olle Olsson in the BMW E46. This was was not short on power and would easily go lock to lock up the huge straight at Rudskogen.


Turbo V8 in this highly modified BMW


Never have you seen more Supras drifting then at Gatebil.


And the amount of crazy conversions in Supras blew me away... Like this V8 powered Supra with just a little more lock than factory


Or maybe a BMW M series powered Supra with a massive Supercharger hanging off the side?


Not everyone especially the S-Chassis purists but this thing was a monster on the track with huge tire killing torque... What we love here at 101!!




Team Yellow AE86


Very clean 20 valve AE86


I really wish volvos were as popular to modify here as they are in Northern Europe, with not much at all they can look very tough.


Another fav of mine on the day was this Volvo 960 powered by a 1JZ. This thing was out at every drift session on the day always on full opposite lock.


New Toyota 86s are proving to be very popular in the European drift scene. This guy was very serious about getting High Def footage..


Another 2J swapped 86




There was plenty of action in the time attack series also with some very fast Evos.



Overall the event was amazing, the best car festival I have ever been too. I have promised the missus that I will travel back to Norway every year if Gatebil can be included in the trip! Next year I hope to do the whole experience and camp at the event all weekend and go to the live music and parties held each night, I dont think there is a chance my fiancé will want to camp at Gatebil so if any Norwegian Ronere want to chauffeur me for 2014 Gatebil get in touch!!

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