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Interview with Risto Virtala, Virtala Racing

This interview is with Risto Virtala. He is the owner of Virtala Racing and Professional Motor in Finland (New window is opened).

Where in earth is Finland, you ask?

                                                        

Can you list your racing achievements?  

I'm a 7 time Finnish Street B Class Drag Racing Champion (Turboed Street cars, below 4 litres) and few 2nd and 3rd positions between 1992 - 2004.

  
   
What is your current record?  

New Comp D/TA record is 7,529s, 290 kmh (180mph). It is currently the best time in Europe and the fastest time driven with a 4 or 6 cyl BMW engine and chassis.

  
   
Can you give some details about the engine, transmission etc….  

Chassis is a Pro Stock style SFI 2,5E and body is BMW M3 E36. Transmission is Liberty Extreme 5 speed with a pneumatic shifter. Clutch is a 2 disc 8” RAM clutch. So, what comes to transmission, body and clutch, pretty much a basic Pro stock setup.

  
   
Your goals for the next season?  

Goal is of course to drive faster. Target was 7.4sec but due to mechanical engine issues we were unable to achieve it. What comes to next season, we’ll try to get 7,3sec and win some Nordic and Finnish championship races. Our current package is quite competitive; we’ll do small tweaks here and there for next season.

 
   
Drag Racing looks quite simple. Is it really that simple and what is your motivation?  

It is true it looks easy, but if it would be easy everybody would be doing it.

It is really difficult to get everything right and do it consistently, every time. Nothing can go wrong.
What is also interesting and motivating is the development of the car since we do almost everything ourselves. It would be easier to buy a readymade car, but again, it would be too easy. My team has now 5 really knowledgeable guys and we are still learning something new every day.

  
   
If you look back years to your first championship, what is the biggest difference compared to those days and now?  

Difference is huge and the biggest difference is that now everything is professional. Back in the day it was all about consistency and we weren’t the fastest.
That time 2-liter Turbo BMW M10 engine produced 400hp. In those days it was a lot, now it is fairly easy to make 1100hp from a S14 and is still quite durable. But, now we are almost professional engine builders and with the in house dyno, engine development is easy. As an example, during the last 3 years we have developed 6 different turbo setups.
In house dyno is essential for engine development, but it doesn’t guarantee that it works when fitted into the car. Dyno can’t replicate the vibrations etc…

  
 
   
Season 2011 is behind, what are the good and bad memories?  

Overall 2011 season was a disappointment since it started very well with 7,605 run on a bad track. Trip to Sweden felt almost like a tourist trip, result wasn’t that good but 290kmh (180mph) top speed was promising.

European Championship race was a big disappointment due to engine problems. Later it was traced to a broken crankshaft and engine block.

Engine was rebuilt and Finnish Championship races went well, times were consistent 7,6-7,7sec and we were able to take the Outlaw class win. (Biggest and fastest class in Finland).

Since this was only 2 weeks before the most important race of the season, we saved the engine for the finals and run the record then.
Unfortunately the rains came and we were able to run only 3 races. Times were 7,7. 7,6 and finally the 7,52s record run improving the European D/TA time by 0,18s. Unfortunately several good cars broke during the races and I was able to take an easy victory.

After the races we tried to improve the record but traction was lost on 2nd gear and we weren’t able to improve.

  
   
Just wondering, why such a small and old BMW S14 engine? Why not a modern, big BMW M engine with big twin turbos?  

It would be interesting to try out how big BMW M engine would work. But, in my opinion it would be too easy. It is really challenging to work with an old 2,2l S14, get 1100hp from it and make it last. We have done so much work with it and we know it very well.

  
   
What is your ultimate plan what comes to S14?  

Next step is to reduce the displacement to 2l and run methanol. Head will be solid without water cooling channels. Also block will be solid made from billet aluminum, of course with a big turbo but without intercooler. Plan is to run 5bar boost pressures, power about 1300-1500hp.

  
   
   
   
   

 

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Interview with Ari Vatanen

 

Interview with Ari Vatanen

 

This interview is with Ari Vatanen, 1981 World Rally Champion and a Finnish Rally Legend and the last person to win a Rally Championship for Ford. 30 years ago.

It all started with a simple email to him and to be perfectly honest, I didn't expect an answer since I know how busy he is. How wrong I was...

Without mentioning any names, a similar request was sent to a current Finnish F1 driver, who was born in the same small, 9000 person municipality as I was born in.  All I got was a response from his relations person with an answer that requests that messages outside of Finland must be sent to the team.

I don't know Ari from anything else than a few emails we have exchanged, but I have to say he has impressed me by his humblesness and he truly considers himself to be equal with others without any superiority complexes. Ari, You just got a life time fan and you have restored my faith to humanitarianism.  THANKS AGAIN!

Links:

arivatanenrally.com

Arivatanen.com

 

 

 

 

So, here are the questions, translated from Finnish by me. Exact Finnish answers are also below and please leave a comment if you enjoyed this.

 

In your opinion, what is your best achievement?  

Definitely getting married and the birth of my children, but I can’t take much credit for those things.


When it comes to rallying, 1985 Monte Carlo rally is the most memorable; it was a emotional roller coaster. During the practice, my first co-driver Martti Simonen passed away and I spent a week in the hospital during the practice due to back pains. Nowadays practice is only 2 to 3 days…


At that time, Walter Rohl was regarded as the King of the Monte and it felt great to take the lead after such a difficult start. But then my co-driver stamped my time card four minutes too early and we were rewarded with a eight minute time penalty! Then we started driving…

That rally was like a life in a miniature scale; it had all the colors from the darkest to the brightest.
 

1987 Paris-Dakar feels like a divider in my life. A year and a half before I was close to losing my life in Argentina and physical recovery was very difficult. But mental recovery proved to be even more difficult. There were times when I felt like I was at the bottom of the well; everything is over and this is the End.
 

From that time to the start of Paris-Dakar felt like a light year. At the start I pinched myself and wondered, “Is it really me?”
My new life started and the resulted win after three weeks of driving was a great bonus.

 

  
   
If you look back 1970’s, what is the biggest difference to modern racing?  

Cars have vastly improved, but pushing the boundaries further and further will never change.

There is no progression without risk taking. As a young amateur, everything is new and interesting, every second is like an adventure in the wonderland. Practicing motorsports with a limited budget is like trying to plug the holes of a leaking boat – power of ingenuity is limitless when you have to stay afloat.
 

This is something I miss from my days of youth and I wish I will never lose this skill to try and experience new things.
Let’s listen our hearts and do (in your neighbor's opinion) mindless things.

  
   
Is modern racing too easy, should old fashioned clutch be brought back so that driving would be more challenging?  

Racing is never easy if there is enough speed!

When clutch is not used, the left leg is free and can be used for braking. This way all the controls are available simultaneously. I learned left foot breaking when I drove for Mitsubishi in later 1980’s, before that we had to use clutch.
 

Driving becomes more enjoyable with left foot braking!

  
   
Were you ever afraid, for example, in the Manx 1983 rally where Terry said the famous words “Dear God”?  

Watch this video before reading the answer, note 1:38sec…

  

At those speeds, situations happen very quickly and driver acts by instinct. After the car is straightened out, cold shivers go through the body.
When it comes to that situation, there was actually more drama than what can be seen from the footage. I touched the stonewall before the “Cattle grid,” left wheel punctured and emptied immediately. Broken slick-tire was pulling the steering wheel to the left, I had a really hard time trying to keep the steering wheel under control and finish the stage. Hitting a cement pillar at that speed sideways…

  
   
How many races did you drive with M3 and when did you drive it last?  

Jean-Pierre Lamy has been compiling my rally statistics and it is available here: link to Arivatanenrally.com. By the way, he has done about 100 different model cars from the cars I drove, a few are still missing.

I have been driving several different M3’s in Trophe Andros series, but the only rally I drove with E30 M3 was the 1988 Rally of the Thousand Lakes. Sadly, I had to retire after the steering linkage broke in Leustu. Last winter, I drove with tube chassis prototype BMW in the Trophy Andros series.

  
   
M3 was very successful as a track car, but not as well as a rally car. Why do you think it didn’t work in rallying?  

M3 was better on the asphalt than on the gravel and for example, in France, it had several rally wins.

For some reason, M3 was little “stiff” for rallying. But, we have to remember it really wasn’t designed for the rally world. I guess we will never know.

  
   

Ari flying at 1988 Rally of Thousand Lakes:

  
   
Do you still work with BMW at some level?  

My daily driver is a BMW 730d, a great car with a great engine, but the seat is too low! My favorite is the BMW X6 equipped with the biggest diesel engine; it is an ideal car for a daily use.

As a weekend car, I could try out some M-models too…

  
   
What was the best car you ever drove and why?  

Peugeot 205 T16. It fit like a glove in my hand and it followed my thoughts. A car like that lifts the confidence to new heights and at that point ,normal rules don’t apply anymore.

 
   
We, Finns, are known to be good rally drivers; what is our secret? Or is there one?

 

Fast driver needs to be equipped with a heavy foot and light head. We have many of those in Finland!

  
   
Last, what is your next goal?  

I wish I could have many days as possible with the people I love.

  
   

 

Suomenkieliset vastaukset:

Mikä on mielestäsi paras saavutuksesi?  

Avioitumiseni ja lastemme syntymät, ilman omaa ansiotani!

Monte Carlo-ralli 1985 on urheilullisesti mieleenjäävin, se oli tunteiden vuoristorataa. Harjoitusten aikaan ensimmäinen kartanlukijani Martti Simonen kuoli ja itse olin viikon sairaalassa kesken harjoituksia selkäkipujen takia.
Nykyisin harjoitellaan vain 2-3 päivää...

Vaikean alun jälkeen pääsimme johtoon Monten valtiasta Walther Röhliä vastaan ajaessamme, mutta kartanlukijani leimasi aikakorttimme neljä minuuttia liian aikaisin ja saimme kahdeksan minuutin sakon! Sitten alkoikin varsinainen kilvanajo...
Kyseinen ralli oli kuin elämä pienoiskoossa, siinä olivat kaikki värit tummimmasta kirkkaimpaan.

1987 vuoden Paris-Dakarin startti oli kuin vedenjakaja elämässäni. Puolitoista vuotta aikaisemmin olin hyvin lähellä menettää henkeni Argentiinassa ja toipumiseni oli fyysisesti ja ennenkaikkea henkisesti
hyvin vaikea. Olin välillä kuin pimeässä kaivossa ja luulin kaiken olevan mennyttä, loppu oli edessäni.

Siitä syvyydestä Paris-Dakarin starttiin on matkaa valovuosi. Nipistin itseäni ja ihmettelin "onko se todella minä joka olen tässä". Uusi elämä alkoi.  Voitto kolmea viikkoa myöhemmin oli bonus.

  
   
Kun katsot taaksepäin esimerkiksi 1970 lukua, mikä on suurin ero nykyiseen ralliajoon ja mikä on paras muistosi siltä ajalta?  

Autot ovat parantuneet huimasti, mutta omien rajojen "puskeminen" ei muutu koskaan. Ilman riskinottoa ei ole kehitystä!
Nuorena amatöörina kaikessa on uutuudenviehätystä, joka hetki on seikkailua ihmemaassa. Moottoriurheilun harrastaminen pienillä resursseilla on kuin joka puolelta vuotavan veneen paikkausta - kekseliäläisyys pinnalla pysymiseen on rajaton!
Tätä ilmapiiriä kaipaan nuoruudestani ja toivon, etten menettäisi herkkyyttäni uuden kokemiseen.

Kuunnelkaamme vain sydäntämme ja tehkäämme (naapurin mielestä) järjettömiä asioita!

  
   
Onko modernin ralli auton ajaminen liian helppoa, pitäisikö manuaali kytkin tuoda takaisin jotta ajamisesta tulisi haastavampaa?  

Jos vauhtia on riittävästi, niin ajaminen ei ole koskaan helppoa!
Ilman kytkintä ajaminen vapauttaa vasemman jalan jarrulle ja silloin ovat kaikki hallintalaitteet yhtäaikaa käytössä. Itse opettelin vasenjalkajarrutuksen Mitsubishilla 80-luvun lopussa, sitä edeltävillä vaihdelaatikoilla oli pakko käyttää kytkintä.

Kun vasenjalkajarrutuksen oppii, niin ajaminen on nautittavaa!

  
   
Pelkäsitkö koskaan ajaessasi, esimerkiksi Manx 1983 ralli jossa Terry sanoi kuuluisat "Dear God" sanat?  

Ennenkuin luet vastauksen, katso tämä ja erityisesti1:38sec:

  

Tilanteet tapahtuvat niin yllätäen ja niihin reagoi vaistomaisesti, mutta "kylmä väristys" käy kehon läpi heti auton suoristuttua.
Kyseisessä tilanteessa oli enemmän dramatiikkaa kuin filmistä voi päätellä. "Cattle grid'iä" edeltävässä mutkassa vasen etupyörä hipaisi kivimuuria ja tyhjeni välittömästi. Rikkoontunut slick-rengas kampesi autoa kovasti vasemmalle ja ratti oli "karkaamaisillaan" käsistäni.
Siinä vauhdissa kylki edellä edellä törmääminen paksuun sementtipilariin...

  
   
Kuinka monta kisaa ajoit M3:lla ja milloin ajoit sillä viimeksi?  

Kilpailuistani on Jean-Pierre Lamy tehnyt täydellisen tilaston, se lienee rallisivuillani? Hän on muuten tehnyt noin 100 erilaista pienoismallia ajamistani autoista ja vielä muutamia kuulemma uupuu.
M3:n eri versioilla olen ajanut Trophe Andros jääratasarjaa, mutta muistaakseni vain 1988 Suurajot, jolloin matka jäi kesken ohjausvarren katkeamisen takia Leustuun. Viime talvena ajoin putkirunkoisella
prototyyppi-Bemarilla k.o. jääratasarjaa.

  
   
M3 oli menestyksekkäämpi rata kuin ralli autona, miksi mielestäsi M3 ei menestynyt ralleissa?  

M3 oli parempi asfaltilla kuin soralla ja esim. Ranskassa sillä ajettiin menestyksekkäästi. Auto oli jotenkin "kankea" rallinajoon, mutta eihän sitä tehdas koskaan kehittänytkään rallimaailmaan.
Lopullista vastausta M3:n sopivuudesta ralliin emme saa koskaan tietää.

  
   

Ari vauhdissa Bemarilla, vuosi 1988:

 
   
Oletko vielä yhteistyössä BMW:n kanssa jollain tasolla?  

Ajan siviilissä Ranskan maahantuojalta saamallani BMW 730d-autolla.
Upea auto loistavalla moottorilla, mutta istun siinä liian alhaalla!
Suosikkini on X6 suurimmalla dieselmoottorilla varustettuna, se on ideaali auto arkiajoon. Voisihan M-mallejakin viikonloppuisin kokeilla...

  
   
Mikä oli paras ralli auto jolla ajoit ja mikä teki sen sinulle parhaaksi?  

Peugeot 205 T16. Se oli kuin hanska kädessäni ja se seurasi ajatuksiani. Sellainen auto siivittää kuljettajan itseluottamuksen uusiin korkeuksiin ja silloin normaalit lainalaisuudet eivät päde enää!

  
   
Miksi Suomesta tulee niin hyviä ralli auton kuljettajia, onko meillä joku salaisuus?  

Nopealla ajajalla on oltava raskas jalka ja kevyt pää - meitä on paljon Suomessa!

  
   
Viimeiseksi, mikä on seuraava tavoitteesi?  

Toivon, että minulle suotaisiin vielä paljon yhteisiä päiviä rakkaitteni kanssa.

  
   

 

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