We love sharing news on the spread of our favourite sport around the world, so it was great to hear from May-Helen Dahl (below) who wanted to tell us all about the Bånn Gass Festival.
This year was the fifth year of the Flat Out Festival or Bånn Gass Festival as they say in Norway. It all started as small talk one day at the Speedway track in Kristiansand, when Morten came driving by.
Stian Hansen and Ronny Moen were both practicing on their speedway bikes, and right away they sent Morten out on the track with his 1944 BSA M20 so he could get the racing feeling. And he was amazed about what the bike could do with dirt under the wheels.
They spoke about Dirt Quake, flat track and old speedway bikes as a plan came together. Then they had to make the dream come true. They wanted the festival to be all about veteran, flat track bikes and speedway bikes hopefully to get the boys from good old days to clean the dust off there bikes and get the same race feeling that they once had.
Two months later September 2017, 15 drivers arrived at Bånn Gass festival ready to race. Saturday was the day for veteran bikes and flat track only and Sunday was for veteran speedway with some speedway show from the Start marshal. The festival didn't only attract riders, it also drew 300-400 spectators came to watch good old bikes turn left this first event.
Stian Hansen showing off (Photo: Lars Erik Nes)
Since then the Bånn Gass Festival has been held every first weekend in September, every time with good weather and with great joy for both riders and visitors. Since then there have been about 2000 visitors at the festival before Corona came and made us have the festival without visitors.
In 2018 Jonathan Falkman (below) from Sweden came with his Indian Scout built by Krazy Horse in England. He even got to try some of the old HD and had a great time. He said the best thing about the festival was all the different bikes and levels at the track. Now he drives a FTR1200 and hope to participate at Bånn Hass 2022.
Jonathan Falkman (Photo: Lars Erik Nes)
This year 40 drivers was ready to race and they didn't let the throttle go before the finish line. The oldest bike a Harley Davidson 1000cc from 1927 ridden by Sverre Gerber (below), the kind of a bike that could be at a museum.
Sverre Gerber (Photo May-Helen Dahl)
The youngest rider so far has been 14-year-old Ole Friis-Kløvfjell with his 1982 Honda CB100 fitted with a 250cc engine. The oldest is 80-year-old Kjell Gimre driving his Speedway 500cc bike. He started riding at 16 and recently started a Speedway veteran club with some of his friends.
Ole Friis-Kløvfjell (Photo: Lars Erik Nes)
Not only guys has brought great show on the track for the festival. Girls has been on the startline giving their best and having fun with their bikes, including me (May-Helen Dahl) on a KTM EXC 525 and 500 speedway bike, Cecilia Bergsø on a Honda CB100/250cc, and Mia Kristoffersson on Triumph Tiger.
Cecilia Bergsø (Photo: Ronny Moen)
May-Helen Dahl (Photo: Stian Hansen)
The festival has given memories that never will be forgotten and special friendship have been made. Visitors from Denmark and Sweden have taking their long way not only to race but for small talk, to see all the different bike builds and enjoy the party.
Before the event we make posters for the year's festival, that will hopefully will be found again by great grandchildren when our time has passed by and the stories will be told and Bånn Gass will live forever.
Photo: Hans-Tore Tangerud
Photo: Hans-Tore Tangerud
Photo: Hans-Tore Tangerud
Photo: Hans-Tore Tangerud
Photo: May-Helen Dahl
Photo: May-Helen Dahl
Photo: May-Helen Dahl
Photo: Lars Erik Nes
Photo: May-Helen Dahl
