GreenBkk.com Monster World Rally Team | WRC SWEDEN: BLOCK AND GELSOMINO UP THE PACE AS THE ROADS AND WEATHER IMPROVE.

WRC SWEDEN: BLOCK AND GELSOMINO UP THE PACE AS THE ROADS AND WEATHER IMPROVE.

With the weather conspiring against the racers at WRC Sweden on the first leg, Monster World Rally Team driver Ken Block and co-driver Alex Gelsomino started day 2 sitting 18th overall, and well off their normal WRC pace. However, just as the weather would change, so would Block and Gelsomino’s fortunes on the second day of racing. And, despite starting temperatures in the -22 degree Celsius range, surface conditions were much improved compared to day one, allowing the duo to improve their pace. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the luck of some of the competition, with multiple drivers suffering tire punctures, Henning Solberg rolling on the opening stage, and Mikko Hirvonen spinning out on the second.

“The conditions today were slightly improved, which, along with a few more miles in the Fiesta from yesterday, raised my confidence levels and allowed me to find a bit more speed through the stages,” says Block. “So basically I sucked a bit less today. Seriously though, I am rather happy with where my pace is now after only two days of racing in the new car, at a new rally, on a surface very foreign to me—you know I didn’t see much snow growing up in Southern California.”

Starting on stage 8 in the morning, Block and Gelsomino steadily worked their way up through the rankings as the day progressed, focusing on finding speed and improved times by staying clean through the stages. The combination of another day of racing on studded tires under his belt and slightly more consistent conditions allowed Block to improve his pace off the lead drivers. While he started Leg 1 four seconds per kilometer off the lead, by the end of Leg 2 of Rally Sweden, Block was at a very respectable sub two seconds per kilometer off. This improved pace paid off with a jump in overall placing from 18th in the morning to 14th at the finish of the Karlstad horse track Super Special, where Block lined up with Dennis Kuipers, beating him by 1.1 seconds. Block also beat Matthew Wilson by .1 second, netting him an 11th overall finish on the Super Special.

With one day of racing left, Block and Gelsomino aim to continue improving their pace and working on finding speed where they can on the Swedish ice. Follow them throughout the remainder of Rally Sweden here, on Twitter and on Facebook.

Credit: Monster World Rally Team (www.monsterworldrallyteam.com)