2006 STCC News & Rumours

[DPRacing]

Who is Justin Law??
Hmmm...Tegelby, I recognise that name. He raced in STCC before if I remember right.

[JMeissner]

Testing today at Knutstorp:

01 Engström Honda Accord 1:01.135
02 Rudholm BMW 320i 1:01.225
03 Ekblom Audi A4 1:01.289
04 Kristoffersson Audi A4 1:01.329
05 T.Björk Audi A4 1:01.390
06 Dahlgren Volvo S60 1:01.490
07 Huisman BMW 320i 1:01.652
08 Andersson Alfa Romeo 156 1:01.715
09 Rosenblad BMW 320si 1:01.822
10 Karlsson Opel Astra 1:01.962

Huisman and Stureson managed to crash in to each other during a photoshoot. They were not happy with each other afterwards:

- What the hell are you doing, Sturesson yelled.

- What I'm doing?! I was hit, Huisman replied.

As the dust settled and the drivers got back in to the pitlane both had different views.

- I was going to pass, I got hit and spun, Huisman said.

- I don't want to blaim anyone, but it's crap when it ruins my test day, but I don't want to speculate in whose fault it was, Huisman continued.

- Idiotic, this make you rethink. It isn't that fun to compete in a series with these idiots, Peugeot team manager Per Stureson said.

[Bezzen]

Always nice with some good old fashioned racing trash talk before (and during) the season. Since Colciago and Flash can't do it anymore it's good that some of the others deliver.

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by Bezzen

Always nice with some good old fashioned racing trash talk before (and during) the season. Since Colciago and Flash can't do it anymore it's good that some of the others deliver.

I'm surprised to see Huisman involved in the trashtalk though as I know him as a very nice person.

[JMeissner]

Flash Engineering finally made their track debut. A shake-down at Kinnekulle and the team will be present at Mantorp on friday with two cars. Göransson's E90 and Sandströms E46.

[Bezzen]

It's a bit old, but for anyone who missed it here are the results from the test at Mantorp:

1) Carl Rosenblad, BMW, 1.20,361
2) Tommy Kristoffersson, Audi, 1.20,932
3) Richard Göransson, BMW, 1.20,980
4) Tomas Engström, Honda, 1.20,998
5) Robin Rudholm, BMW, 1.21,313
6) Edward Sandström, BMW, 1.21,374
7) David Björk, BMW, 1.21,621
8) Nicklas Karlsson, Opel, 1.21,841
9) Robert Dahlgren, Volvo, 1.21,912
10) Johan Stureson, Peugeot, 1.22,059
11) Mattias Andersson, Alfa Romeo, 1.22,132
12) Stefan Söderberg, Peugeot, 1.22,452
13) Jan ”Flash” Nilsson, BMW, 1.22,658
14) Alexander Storckenfeldt, Volvo, 1.22,804
15) Hans Simonsson, Mercedes, 1.22,833
16) Joakim Frid, 1.29,083

[E46]

Wasn´t Mercedes C-Class developed during the winter?

[kmchow]

Originally Posted by E46

Wasn´t Mercedes C-Class developed during the winter?

Yeah, most of the development went into engine development to make it more powerful and reliable. They're going to have a hard time competing against the Works or semi works teams or previously engineered cars.

But I still wish them well!

[E46]

Ok thanks. It seems that they yet have a lot of work ahead.

[rustyfan]

Remember that the Mercedes-team will be in just their second year, and that they will more or less be back to zero when it comes to the engines after switching engine builder for this season - the company that built the engines last year was obviously not up to the task, evident by all the engine problems the team had last year.

[FIRE]

Here's a season preview at www.touringcartimes.com.

Round 1 - Knutstorp
Qualifying
1 Thed Björk Audi A4 1:00.923
2 Duncan Huisman BMW 320i 1:01.175
3 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4 1:01.230
4 Robin Rudholm BMW 320i 1:01.290
5 Johan Stureson Peugeot 407 1:01.304
6 Tommy Kristoffersson Audi A4 1:01.318
7 Tomas Engström Honda Accord 1:01.364
8 Richard Göransson BMW 320si 1:01.417
9 Robert Dahlgren Volvo S60 1:01.443
10 Edward Sandström BMW 320i 1:01.497
11 Carl Rosenblad BMW 320si 1:01.497
12 Jan Nilsson BMW 320si 1:01.672
13 Niklas Karlsson Opel Astra 1:01.897
14 Stefan Söderberg Peugeot 407 1:02.000
15 Alex Storckenfeldt Volvo S60 1:02.022
16 David Björk BMW 320i 1:02.069
17 Hans Simonsson Mercedes C-Class 1:02.308
18 Tobias Johansson Mercedes C-Class 1:02.432
19 Christer Gellerstedt BMW 320i 1:04.439
20 Tobias Tegelby BMW 320i 1:05.063
21 Mattias Andersson Alfa Romeo 156 -:-:-
22 Joakim Frid BMW 320i -:-:-

Super Pole
1 Engström Honda Accord 1:01.314
2 Stureson Peugeot 407 1:01.440
3 Björk Audi A4 1:01.521
4 Kristoffersson Audi A4 1:01.613
5 Rudholm BMW 320i 1:01.690
6 Göransson BMW 320si 1:01.813
7 Huisman BMW 320i 1:01.816
8 Ekblom Audi A4 1:02.055

Source: www.touringcartimes.com

[FIRE]

Race
1 Thed Björk Audi A4
2 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4
3 Tomas Engström Honda Accord Euro R
4 Duncan Huisman BMW 320
5 Richard Göransson BMW 320 Si
6 David Björk BMW 320i
7 Johan Stureson Peugeot 407
8 Jan Nilsson BMW E90 320Si
9 Carl Rosenblad BMW E90 320 si
10 Edward Sandström BMW E46 320i
11 Stefan Söderberg Peugeot 407
12 Alexander Storckenfeldt Volvo S60
13 Mattias Andersson Alfa Romeo 156
14 Robin Rudholm BMW 320
15 Tobias Johansson Mercedes Benz C200
16 Christer Gellerstedt BMW 320i SP
17 Tobias Tegelby BMW 320R
18 Robert Dahlgren Volvo S60

Source: www.stcc.se

[JMeissner]

Just got back from the race, and it was awesome!

A thrilling race and the pitstop really added to the excitment!

Just as predicted, alot of hot emotions.

The battle for the win was decided on the very last lap with an accident. Rudholm (BMW) was leading the race for long, pitted on the next to last lap. Got out on cold tyres and was quickly caught up by Björk (Audi). The collided with three corners to go leaving Rudholm in the gravel.

"He has got him self to blame", Thed Björk said after the race.

"He pushed me out to the gravel and left me no room. I didn't want this but he turned in and spun. I'm so happy with this result, I started last season in the same way and I hope this will continue", a very happy Björk said during the pressconference.

A protest was filed from WestCoastRacing against Thed Björk. About 40 minutes after the finish the STCC stewards decided not to do anything with the protest. The incident is judged as a racing incident. Björk keeps his win.

"Awesome! The team made such a good job. I had quite a calm race. The pitstop went fine and I could focus on the driving after that", Björk said.

Rudholm on the other hand wasn't as happy, understandably.

"I'm gutted. I was doing the race of my life and then this happends and I roll backwards in to the gravel trap. There was no chance that Björk was going to make the corner even if I would have steered to the left. But I have done too many races to be disapointed. I know now how to act next time with him," Rudholm said.

[JMeissner]

30 high res pictures from Knutstorp is avalible here.

[Bezzen]

Nice pictures.

I wanted to be there but had to make do with Race on SVT yesterday.

[FIRE]

Round 2 - Gelleråsen
Race
1 Dahlgren Volvo S60 33 laps
2 Engström Honda Accord +2.697
3 T.Björk Audi A4 +3.105
4 Stureson Peugeot 407 +5.844
5 Rudholm BMW 320i +6.250
6 D.Björk BMW 320i +7.516
7 Nilsson BMW 320si +13.385
8 Karlsson Opel Astra +15.849
9 Storckenfeldt Volvo S60 +19.689
10 Ekblom Audi A4 +19.928

5 Different manufacturers in top 5.

Standings after round 2
1 Thed Björk Audi A4 16
2 Tomas Engström Honda Accord 14
3 Robert Dahlgren Volvo S60 10
4 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4 8
5 Johan Sturesson Peugeot 407 7
6 David Björk BMW 320i 6
7 Duncan Huisman BMW 320i 5
8 Robin Rudholm BMW 320i 4
9 Richard Göransson BMW 320si 4
10 Jan Nilsson BMW 320si 3

Source: www.touringcartimes.com

[Bezzen]

Just watched it on tv. Less car crashing havoc than the first round thankfully. I do feel sorry for Rudholm though, in a perfect world he would have had two wins now. But in the first race he got pushed into the gravel by Thed Björk while in the lead. And in this race his pit stop crew failed to remove the marking on one side of the car that shows the crowd that the pitstop has been made, so he had to pit again to get it removed. While in the lead, off course. Did manage to score some points though.

Nice to have a Volvo back in a winning spot, they had a tough time last year.

And Göransson is having a pretty rotten start. Now he spun his car when going into the pits smashing the back of the car. He then got flagged and had to pit to remove some bodywork that was hanging from the back of the car as a result of his embarrassing tyre-wall encounter. It's looking like a mighty challenge for him to make it three championships in a row.

And Huisman's car broke down and couldn't make it to the start-line.

[rustyfan]

Old news by now, but Mikael Mårthens is looking at entering the Caran Cup, either in one of Engström Motorsports old Honda Civics or the Alfa Romeo that Niklas Karlsson drove in 2003.

If Mårthens gets a deal together they hope to take to the track starting with the race at Mantorp Park on June 18th.

[PorscheFanNo1]

I have tickets for both Mantorp and Falkenberg, anyone else in here going?

[JMeissner]

I will be at all races except for Gelleråsen this year

[Bezzen]

STCC at Mantorp this weekend. The second free practice is complete and Rudholm is looking strong. I'm hoping things will go his way this weekend.

1. Rudholm BMW 320i 1:20.945
2. Rosenblad BMW 320si 1:21.528
3. Kristoffersson Audi A4 1:21.573
4. Ekblom Audi A4 1:21.630
5. Huisman BMW 320i 1:21.657
6. Göransson BMW 320si 1:21.779
7. Engström Honda Accord 1:21.850
8. Sandström BMW 320i 1:22.025
9. Dahlgren Volvo S60 1:22.255
10. D. Björk 1:22.307 BMW 320i

[JMeissner]

Rudholm quickest in the first qualifying, soon time for super pole.

[JMeissner]

Göransson won a thrilling race with many incidents. Only nine cars finished the race, Sandström rolled his car, etc.

[rustyfan]

Sounds like a crazy race, I have to remember to watch the broadcast tonight.

[JMeissner]

Crazy is the word...