Biggest STCC field of 2014 heads to tight Solvalla
Trotting track Solvalla in the Swedish capital Stockholm has been transformed to a racing circuit this weekend for the penultimate Scandinavian Touring Car Championship race of 2014. The circuit is the shortest and tightest of the calendar at the same time as the championship gets the biggest field of the season.
”The first race is always a bit of a lottery with the reversed grid and Solvalla is going to be even tougher as it is so tight. But my goal is to take as much points as possible. No one was able to beat me here last year, so I feel confident,” said championship leader Thed Björk.
BMW driver Fredrik Larsson lost the championship lead in the previous race at Knutstorp, but is just three points behind Björk.
”This is the most important race weekend of the year. It is all about positioning your self well ahead of the season finale at Mantorp and I am going to give it everything. We are driving for the championship win and I feel comfortable ahead of the season end,” said Larsson.
Another Fredrik who lost out in the previous race at Knutstorp was Volvo driver Fredrik Ekblom who was involved in the big crash of the first race and had to sit out the second race. This dropped the triple STCC champion to third in the championship, 28 points behind team mate Björk.
”Knutstorp is just a weekend to forget, one of my worst ever. But I am still driving to win the championship and in order to do that, I need to score more or less maximum. I feel confident ahead of Solvalla and especially Mantorp after that. I hope that the luck will turn for me, because the speed is no doubt there and has been all season,” said Ekblom.
The STCC field has increased to 16 cars this weekend as Matte Karlsson, Daniel Haglöf and Jan ”Flash” Nilsson has joined the championship. There has been a lot of focus on double champion ”Flash” ahead of the weekend who tries to keep expectations down.
”Something would be wrong if someone in my age could just join the championship and win. My mindset however is always on victory when I take part in a race, but if my reflexes are there to be in the top is a completely different thing. But if I get a good opportunity in either of the races, they are going to have to fight hard for it. I know that some of the drivers are scared that I am going to hit them and they should be,” said ”Flash” with a laugh.
A heated championship battle and a couple of new drivers for the tightest circuit of the season promises for an exciting STCC weekend which starts tomorrow with testing and qualifying, followed by two races of 25 minutes each on Saturday.
2014 STCC Solvalla Entry List
No – Driver – Team Name – Car
1 – Thed Björk – Volvo Polestar Racing – Volvo S60
3 – Richard Göransson – Team Tidö – Saab 9-3
4 – Fredrik Larsson – WestCoast Racing – BMW SR
6 – Erik Jonsson – WestCoast Racing – BMW SR
7 – Philip Forsman – WestCoast Racing – BMW SR
8 – Roger Samuelsson – Team Tidö – Saab 9-3
9 – Mattias Lindberg – Team Kia – Kia Optima
10 – Andreas Wernersson – Team Kia – Kia Optima
11 – Fredrik Ekblom – Volvo Polestar Racing – Volvo S60
13 – Carl Philip Bernadotte – Volvo Polestar Racing – Volvo S60
20 – Mattias Andersson – Dacia Dealer Team – Dacia SE
93 – Emma Kimiläinen – PWR Racing – Saab 9-3
95 – Linus Ohlsson – Team Kia – Kia Optima
## – Jan Nilsson – Team Tidö – Saab 9-3
## – Daniel Haglöf – PWR Racing – Saab 9-3
## – Matte Karlsson – WestCoast Racing – BMW SR
2014 STCC Solvalla Timetable (CET)
Friday 5th September
11:15 – Test 1 (30 min)
12:00 – Test 2 (30 min)
15:05 – Q1 (15 min)
15:25 – Q2 (20 min)
Saturday 6th September
12:05 – Race 1 (25 min)
14:00 – Race 2 (25 min)
