Photo: STCC - Daniel Ahlgren

Östersund Airport Race in financial trouble again

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The Östersund Airport Race has been struck by financial trouble again as the event made a loss of 1.9 million SEK after this year’s STCC race weekend.
”We thought STCC would have a bigger attraction power. At the same time, our costs are overall very big to host a race for two days. We brought the costs down a lot compared to 2012, but it still wasn’t enough,” said Olle Martinelle of the Airport Race board to op.se.

The event had 15 000 spectators in 2012, with a loss of 5.6 million SEK, and 8 500 spectators this year with a loss of 1.9 million SEK.
”It is of course a major setback to be in this situation again. We thought we could get things better with a new setup, but it isn’t easy with all costs,” said Martinelle.

The company has applied for reconstruction at the district court, just as last year, and they are hoping to get it approved in order to try again for 2014.
”We are hoping to get it approved. We think it is an exciting event, we have got a lot of feedback from the teams, spectators and sponsors,” said Martinelle.

There are further Swedish racing tracks in trouble as Tierp Arena has gone bankrupt, Anderstorp has cancelled all racing for 2014 due to a noice limitation dispute and Karlskoga has announced to not be a part of the 2014 STCC calendar.