January Nilsson

Education

In 1996 he finished third, and the very same year he was the main force behind the creation of the Swedish Touring Carolina Championship.

Career

He is most famous for his appearance in the Swedish Touring Carolina Championship, having appeared in all fourteen seasons and for being the second most victorious driver (two championship wins and 33 race wins). Jake Nilson started competing in Formula Ford in 1983 before moving on to Formula 3. His first year in the Spider Eurocup saw him finishing in fourth place, as did the 1995 season.

January Nilsson"s own team, Flash Engineering, became the official Volvo team

He took the title in 1996 and 1997, both in a Volvo 850. and was second in 1998, this time in a Volvo S40. In 1999 he was 5th, and 6th in 2000.

Some critics meant that he had lost his pace, but he proved them wrong with becoming second overall in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons. The team changed its name to Polestar Racing.

The team ran one Bayerische Motoren Werke 320i E46 for January Nilsson, finishing 9th overall in 2005.

Flash Engineering signed on several new sponsors, the Swedish mailservice "Posten" among others, for 2006 and dramatically increased their available funds. Göransson and Nilsson drove new Bayerische Motoren Werke 320si E90 cars for the 2006 season, while Sandström drove the older Bayerische Motoren Werke 320i E46. Richard Göransson finished second in the championship while Nilsson was 9th again.

Sandström was involved in a major accident early in the season in which the car was completely destroyed, and Sandström had to sit out the remaining races.

After a couple of struggling years in, 2005 to 2007, January Nilsson was back winning races in 2008, 2009 and 2010. "Flash" had a hard fight with previous team mate Richard Göransson for the most overall victories in The both switched places several times between the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons, with Göransson finally taking the top spot with 34 versus 33 victories at the end of the 2010 season.

"Flash" finished 5th in the 2007, 6th in 2008 and 2009, and 9th in 2010. In 2005 January Nilsson took part in the Scandinavian Porsche that runs as a support class to, alongside his programme in a Bayerische Motoren Werke. This meant that Nilsson did four races each weekend, two in the Bayerische Motoren Werke and two in the Porsche.

Luckily for him both cars were rear wheel drive.

Nilsson had more success in and finished third overall.

Achievements

• He became the Swedish F3 champion in 1989 and drove Formula 3 in Japan and Mexico before moving to Clio Cup Scandinavia. He finished second in 1992 and moved up to Renault Spider Eurocup in 1993 after becoming champion in 1992. After a somewhat tough 2004 season (only one race win during the whole season) January Nilsson sold Flash Engineering. They also signed on double Swedish champion Richard Göransson and former Flash Engineering Volvo driver Edward Sandström. Foreign 2006 he focused on and his spot was filled by reigning champion Fredrik Ros in.