11.5.2013 - Kari Hytönen scored international class win at South Swedish Rally

Senior rally driver Kari Hytönen, 46, opened his 29th rally season with an international class win.

The South Swedish Rally was driven on roads near Tingsryd in southern Sweden. Ford Fiesta R2 driver Hytönen and his German co-driver Heidi Koppe were the fastest of the NEZ class during the two days and 160 special stages long rally. The winning marginal was more than two minutes.

Hytönen took the lead already on the second stage despite his high starting position (86) and kept it to the finish line.

- The previous 85 cars had broken the gravel surface of the road quite badly and therefore at some spots our driving was just finding a way around the rocks. Of course we drove fast on many stages, but we kept our heads cool, explained Hytönen.

- The whole rally was again an exceptional experience. Unusually fine summer weather, the professional work of my German co-driver Heidi and the effort of my team was above my already high expectations. This rally remains in my mind as one of the best in my almost 30 years long career, continues Hytönen.

Final results South Swedish Rally 2013, NEZ-group:
1. Kari Hytönen & Heidi Koppe, Ford Fiesta R2, 1.41.54,0
2. Karl Friedrich Beck & Stefanie Fritzensmeier, Volvo 940, 1.44.03,3
3. Ignas Taletavicius & Donatas Palepsaitis, Renault Clio, 1.49.53,0
4. Axel Schütt & Klaus Finke, Ford Escort RS 2000, 1.54.58,7
5. Uwe Henne & Frank Krummacker, Ford Fiesta ST, 2.04.17,7