[STCC] STCC 2012 News & Rumors

[PorscheFanNo1]

So while TTA has been dead quiet for the past weeks, STCC has not stoped with the newsflow.

STCC secures new four-year TV deal which means STCC will be shown live in "Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland with start in 2012 to 2015."

So, 4 years with live coverage in the whole scandinavia, should have come 15 years ago! Oh well, better late then never. Should encurage new teams to come in!

VW commits to 2012 with same car and team. Earlier this week SEAT also expressed their wiches to continue in STCC, meaning DMS will likely get further support from SEAT.

So TTA has still 4 teams confirmed, STCC has now 3 + a TV package. If you where a team that wanted to race in Sweden for 2012, where would you go?

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Where I would go would depend entirely on who I am. Stureson is selling his car is taking a good long look at TTA. He was, to me, the last one to make up his mind, with a small reservation for Ebbesson. Confirmed or not it looks something like this at the moment:

TTA - Flash, WCR, Volvo, BMS, Stureson

STCC - Chevrolet, VW, DMS, Engström, Mattias

Any additional entries will have to come from the support package - Bilteknik, PTR, Xlander and such - or from Denmark. Bilteknik in TTA I see as a given. Let's just hope Canal+ means TV coverage that actually has some elements of professionalism in it.

[Andrew Abbott]

And this is exactly why the whole split is so ridiculous. If new teams don't step up to either the TTA or STCC then both series will have weakened grids and both will have poor seasons.

May the STCC prevail.

[rustyfan]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Let's just hope Canal+ means TV coverage that actually has some elements of professionalism in it.

While they've treated the Speedway coverage quite nicely, we are, after all, talking about the network that dropped BTCC and DTM for this year to make room for other sports (while also raising their prices... again - a subscription to Viasat Motor is cheap in comparison to Canal+ Sport) . Also, since SVT still is involved in this deal I wouldn't be surprised if some elements in regards to the current production tags along to Canal+...

As for Viasat, I get the feeling they'll soon announce a deal with the TTA... (If they haven't already, that is, and if so I apologise for my ignorance as I haven't bothered following the newsflow about the STCC/TAA split train wreck as of late.)

[Camaro67]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

So while TTA has been dead quiet for the past weeks, STCC has not stoped with the newsflow.

STCC secures new four-year TV deal which means STCC will be shown live in "Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland with start in 2012 to 2015."

So, 4 years with live coverage in the whole scandinavia, should have come 15 years ago! Oh well, better late then never. Should encurage new teams to come in!

VW commits to 2012 with same car and team. Earlier this week SEAT also expressed their wiches to continue in STCC, meaning DMS will likely get further support from SEAT.

So TTA has still 4 teams confirmed, STCC has now 3 + a TV package. If you where a team that wanted to race in Sweden for 2012, where would you go?

The last STCC race for 2011 are 23-24 september.

Tv package för SRL/TTA and 9 race was presented 17 aug. for 2012 at Grand Hotel Stockholm. More from SRL/TTA are to come!!!!

Wait and see, what happens!

Links;
TTA= www.ttagroup.se
SRL= www.swedishracingleage.se

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by Camaro67

The last STCC race for 2011 are 23-24 september.

Tv package för SRL/TTA and 9 race was presented 17 aug. for 2012 at Grand Hotel Stockholm. More from SRL/TTA are to come!!!!

Wait and see, what happens!

Links;
TTA= www.ttagroup.se
SRL= www.swedishracingleage.se

What would that TV package be, pray tell? Because they've said themselves on their forum that the deal is still under negotiation.

Moreover, TTA has got to start thinking about putting some real news out. A TV package is real news, as is a complete calendar, or new teams/drivers joining. They better have some serios news in the next few days, because the only ones they've given since the press conference is Volvo switching along with Göransson and Flash. That's not news, we already knew that.

[kurski]

http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6786

Ekblom to leave Volkswagen and STCC for Volvo and TTA

Ekblom to leave Volkswagen and STCC for Volvo and TTA Volkswagen driver Fredrik Ekblom is going to leave STCC for next season and join Volvo in TTA according to SVT.se.

The 40-year-old has raced for Volkswagen in the STCC for the past three seasons and came extremely close to taking the title this season.

Ekblom finished second, just two points behind Rickard Rydell, but could become champion as the Volkswagen team has filed a protest against Rydell for overtaking fourth driver Thed Björk under yellow flags.

Volvo confirmed three weeks ago that they are leaving STCC for TTA in 2012 with a four-year programme and four cars.

So far no drivers has been confirmed officially by Volvo, but Volvo Polestar Racing tweeted a link to the SVT article, reading: "Article from SVT: Ekblom, STCC runner up, leaves Volkswagen for Volvo and TTA."

[FIRE]

I have missed Volvo's 4-year / 4-car announcement.

[kurski]

STCC entry list? link next year.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by kurski

STCC entry list? link next year.

Well so far VW has announced they plan to enter 2 to 4 cars, likely with Kristoffersson as one of the drivers.

Chevy has committed to the serie, unknown with how many cars and what drivers.

DMS will run 2 SEAT's with NGTC engines.

Engström plans to enter a NGTC car.

Thats about it.

And confirmed is that Flash Engineering, WCR, Polestar/Volvo, Brovallen and IPS is leaving. I'm guessing MA:GP will leave too, unknown what Ebbesson will do.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Hasn't Mattias said he'd like to keep his Alfa going for one more season? He doesn't strike me as someone who take big financial risks and I haven't seen the car for sale anywhere yet.

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Hasn't Mattias said he'd like to keep his Alfa going for one more season? He doesn't strike me as someone who take big financial risks and I haven't seen the car for sale anywhere yet.

I think it was something along the lines: if he stays in STCC it will be with the same car but he is looking at other options (read TTA)?

I could be wrong tho, but as you say, the car hasnt been up for sale anywhere and nothing new has been said from him.

Kinda same story with Ebbesson, he said they are looking at TTA but has not decided anything, and same there I havent seen the car up for sale anywhere.

[Pettersson]

Ebbesson's car is for sale, or at least was. Can't find the ad now.

Flash Engineerings BMW's are not visible in their garage, by looking at their online webcam. Only a bunch of Porsches. Maybe the E90s are sold?

Chevrolet (NIKA Racing) hade their cars up for sale. Those are now being owned by Exclusive cars (they import and sell cars not sold through official dealers, like new Ford Mustang's etc.) according to my information.

Will be interesting to see what, and how many, cars that will show up during 2012. At the moment we have about 8 entries that are likely to show up (4x Scirocco, 1 for Engström, maybe 2 for DMS/SEAT, 1 Alfa with Andersson). But not much about the rest so far. Add 2-3 BMW's of some kind, as there are so many of them around just in Sweden (as well as in Denmark etc.). I think Engström might be the only one showing up in a full NGTC spec car, if he doesn't use one of his own S2000 Accord's.

But you never know, the winter is long in Scandinavia

[PorscheFanNo1]

Do we take that as Ebbessons car is sold = he'll race TTA, or has he decided to keep the car and race in STCC...?

I think your count on 8 cars + 2 more or so is quite spot on what we can expect right now. Bob Huzell was quoted the other week that they will have atleast 16 cars on the grid... That I will belive when I see!

[Bezzen]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

Bob Huzell was quoted the other week that they will have atleast 16 cars on the grid... That I will belive when I see!

Perhaps JTCC will run as Class B.

[Valker]

Originally Posted by Bezzen

Perhaps JTCC will run as Class B.

Clio Cup (new "JTCC") is quite a bit faster than JTCC cars, so it's not so bad idea to put them in same grid with STCC.

[Pettersson]

The Chevy team seems to be all set for 2012: http://kkuriren.se/sport/lokalsport/1.1282454 (in Swedish )

It says that 2 drivers are signed, new engineers with F1 experience, the teams budget is in place and everything will be revealed very soon. No hints at all on drivers or cars.

Another bit of news in the article is that the Gothenburg City Race will be held as a night race.

[Pettersson]

Today there's been a pressrelease on the S2000 SAAB 9-3 (again...). Now the team says there are interested drivers and they are looking at putting an NGTC engine in the car. I've lost count on how many times they've said they'll be on the grid (or at least try to get there).

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by Pettersson

Today there's been a pressrelease on the S2000 SAAB 9-3 (again...). Now the team says there are interested drivers and they are looking at putting an NGTC engine in the car. I've lost count on how many times they've said they'll be on the grid (or at least try to get there).

It's three years since they showed the car for the first time, and three seasons of it not racing. And it's pretty clear from the comments they've made that it's been done on the cheap, too.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by Valker

Clio Cup (new "JTCC") is quite a bit faster than JTCC cars, so it's not so bad idea to put them in same grid with STCC.

Also, what about SEAT Leon Cup cars? There must be some lying around from the old British championship at least, surely.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Also, what about SEAT Leon Cup cars? There must be some lying around from the old British championship at least, surely.

The European and German series got killed off as well, so there should be quite a lot of those around by now.

Also, the German Mini-Challenge got axed. If they were to go for a multi-class format there'd be plenty of cars around.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

The DTC had a few Leon's as grid fillers a few years back, followed by DTC Light (off the top of my head it was Clio Cup, but Denmark has god knows how many spec series so it might as well have been the Pugs). Neither worked particularly well if you ask me and I would rather have done without them. Having a B-class to field does not work well in sprint racing as many of the tracks will be short enough for them to become a factor as lapped traffic. Unless you go for the Leons, but I'd be surprised to see even one appear. I would preferably have seven cars (as DTC had in its last year) and no B-fillers than a run what you brung to make the numbers look good. I have yet to see a last-minute field filling act like this work out and look professional. Lord, they're even in the way in ETCC!

[FIRE]

Gené driving for VW in 2012:
http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7090

I would say there are better drivers around, but maybe this is part of SEAT's return in WTCC in 2013.

[Bramzel]

Hmph, would somebody send that man to retirement?

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Gené driving for VW in 2012:
http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=7090

Agreed not the best driver out there but still a big name and quite a show of support from VW considering the TTA/STCC feud and predictions that only one series will survive.