STCC 2008 Off-season: News & Rumours

[JMeissner]

Colciago back to STCC?

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=1609

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

Colciago back to STCC?

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=1609

Now that would be interesting! Have you heard anything about Stipplers 'to be or not to be' in STCC?

[JRM]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

Now that would be interesting! Have you heard anything about Stipplers 'to be or not to be' in STCC?

The car that Stipplers was driving this year is already sold. Not saying that Stippler will drive some other car.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by JRM

The car that Stipplers was driving this year is already sold. Not saying that Stippler will drive some other car.

Cool, who bought it? So this means KMS have no cars at all now? So running this years A4s next year is out of the question?

[JRM]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

Cool, who bought it? So this means KMS have no cars at all now? So running this years A4s next year is out of the question?

They still have two cars left, but for now i think nobody now what happends with KMS for next year.

[Alex K]

What is Kristoffersson's plan B if Audi defuncs?

[Jimmy Magnusson]

As I have said earlier, I find it hard to believe that he won't just wait for the new cars for one more season. It was the same thing in 2005 - an uncompetitive year, but they got through it and won the title in 06 with the new cars. Tommy's a life long Audi ally and it would be foolish to throw that away.

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

As I have said earlier, I find it hard to believe that he won't just wait for the new cars for one more season. It was the same thing in 2005 - an uncompetitive year, but they got through it and won the title in 06 with the new cars. Tommy's a life long Audi ally and it would be foolish to throw that away.

I can only agree, its just as easy for them to start with the old cars next season and start running the new cars when they get there.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Team Sturup Raceway that last season drove 2 SEATs in DTC is looking at entering STCC next season with its 2 drivers Carsten Leveau and Gunnar Kristensen.

//STCC.se

Now this is interesting!

[Alex K]

I discussed this topic with Meissner months ago, and didn't receive clear message. Why DTC and STCC didn't join forces, are there any plans to do that in near future?

Pardon my ignorance, but IMHO, and I think not only IMO, S(D)TCC would be better spectacle than WTCC and could stand in the same row with WTCC. Great perfectly manufactured cars, good teams, drivers, backers...

[Ellmau]

Originally Posted by Alex K

I discussed this topic with Meissner months ago, and didn't receive clear message. Why DTC and STCC didn't join forces, are there any plans to do that in near future?

Pardon my ignorance, but IMHO, and I think not only IMO, S(D)TCC would be better spectacle than WTCC and could stand in the same row with WTCC. Great perfectly manufactured cars, good teams, drivers, backers...

I get the feeling DTC is going to die slowly like this because the big teams and drivers are moving on to STCC.

[Bramzel]

I actually agree on Alex that a merger between DTC and STCC wouldn't be bad for either of them.

[JMeissner]

From what I have understood there has been such discussions in the past but it has not become anything of it yet, reasons for me unknown. But I know that there are interest from for example Volvo to do like this as they have strong importers in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, etc.

[werner]

Could be a great championship. When you also organise a race in Finland and the Baltic states, and maybe in St. Petersburg, you can have a international top-serie, with a very diverse calendar. You can race in Padborg park, Jyllandsringen, Sturup, Knutstorp, Gothenburg, Anderstorp, Mantorp, Falkenberg, Valer, Ahvenisto, St. Petersburg and Parnu. And if the best drivers from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Baltic States and Russia compete together, it would be a great spectacle.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Realistically it would be a Danish/Swedish championship (5 rounds in each country?) and one round in Norway. Only problem is that the combined fields would draw some 45-50 cars, which is really too much. On the other hand some might disappear or not to the full season if it became a scandinavian championship. I don't believe they would go to Finland, Russia or the Baltics; they've never been terribly interested by that area, and it is really too far away for most teams.

[JMeissner]

5 rounds in Denmark that has 2 tracks suitable for racing?

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

5 rounds in Denmark that has 2 tracks suitable for racing?

Equality Let's call Sturup a Danish track. After all, they called the F1 race at Nürburgring for the Luxembourg Grand Prix for a couple of years.

[Ellmau]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Equality Let's call Sturup a Danish track. After all, they called the F1 race at Nürburgring for the Luxembourg Grand Prix for a couple of years.

Why would STCC agree with equality when already so many are coming from DTC to STCC?

[PorscheFanNo1]

There was talks about this around 2001 I belive, to create the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship when STCC was going down at the end of the ST days and Norway had its own little ST serie and DTC was still very small. This was at the same time as the Oslo city race was held, only one race was ever run but the race wasnt a part of STCC as first planned. I belive they wanted to race in only Oslo, Mo I Rana and Jyllandsring outside Sweden (Jyllandsring was a round in STCC in 2002), and then all other rounds on the regular STCC tracks.
This also had something to do with that its only allowed by FIA to be named as a national serie if there where no more then 2 races outside the nation (or was it only one), so for 3 races outside Sweden it would have been needed a new name, hench the name Scandinavian Touring Car Championship. This is the same reason why STW Cup was named just STW Cup and not GTCC as they wanted, they had too many races outside Germany when they started in 94.

Combining DTC with STCC now would be a good idea I think, just dont make too many races in Danmark, our Swedish tracks are by far better, especially if they race in Gothenburg, Kinnekulle and Gotlandring too.

[Frederich]

I will never happen!
DTC had in 2007 an average of 27 cars per event, why should it merge with anyone??? It is more popular than ever with live television coverage. And on top of that races in Sweden would not be interesting for the national sponsors, and will mean that cost will rise... Nobody is interested in any aditional costs.

Yes I know that Team Essex are pulling out and focusing their efforts on the LMS, and the Team Sturup Raceway are considering a move to STCC, but Sturup is in Sweden, so why shoyld they not? On the other hand the Chevy team just bought the 2007 RML cars, a Mercedes are in the build and the Honda team is considering new Civics.

There have been talks between DTC and STCC to do a Nordic end of season finale. But they could not agree on the financial side of things. And now we got the ETC cup so there is no need for a Nordic finale.

So whats the point???

[JMeissner]

Perhaps wanting to drive on more than 3 circuits, make the championship bigger and more prestigeous?

[Frederich]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

Perhaps wanting to drive on more than 3 circuits, make the championship bigger and more prestigeous?

Hmmm... prestigeous.... Like the Royal League???

I just dont believe that it will ever happen, the thing is, that the budgets will very soon be as high as in the WTCC.

The great thing about a national series is that most mechanichs can go to their daily job Friday before a race and be back on Monday. If teams are to travel 1000km or more that would not be possible, i my mind, it is just to expensive!

Not a single STCC or DTC team/driver have competed in the other series. That sort of tells me that the team arent interested either.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

You're also likely to loose your SEAT team, or so it seems. Swedish Volvo tried to enter the final round of the Danish championship several times, but were shot down by the organizers each year. Danish Peugeot has raced atleast twice in Sweden with Edman and Mangnussen. DTC and STCC combined forces for a one-off race at Mantorp, 40+ grid. So it has indeed been done before.

[JMeissner]

The team personel in Sweden travel far between the different races and seem to manage it somehow.

[Frederich]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

The team personel in Sweden travel far between the different races and seem to manage it somehow.

Yes, but to my knowlege budgets are higher than i Denmark. And again they are only traveling "national" (Except from Våler, all tracks are rather close)