Mantorp Qualifying Races

The final STCC race began in a spectacular way at Mantorp today. Göransson held pole position for the first qualifying race, a position that he lost directly. Thed Björk and Robert Dahlgren passed Göransson coming in to the first corner. Behind these two the chaos broke loose, as so often at the final STCC race of the year.

Engström seemed to carry too much speed and went in to Göransson. With the car going sideways Göransson thought it was all over.

“I thought, this is the end”, Göransson said. “I had full lock on the steering wheel but somehow I managed to sort it out.”

In the chaos Göransson pushed off Dahlgren who was right ahead of him and Stureson was able to nip past on the inside with Ekblom right behind.

Though the Audi-driver could not get past as Stureson and got caught by Engströms spinning Honda. Ekblom went up on two wheels, two on the asphalt and two on Engströms Honda. Dahlgren mean while went out on the grass and touched the barriers. The Volvo-man had to change a tyre because of this, as did Ekblom. Engström went off and got stuck in the gravel trap, he was stranded there for the remaining part of the race.

Thed Björk made the most of the chaos behind him. He pulled up a gap directly which he maintained until the finish. Behind him it was really close. Sandström took over second place from Stureson on lap number two. Behind them Göransson was steaming up trough the field after the incident on the opening lap. Despite a crooked steering rod Göransson managed to pass both Stureson and Sandström, one by one.

Björk won the race, Göransson was second, Sandström third, Stureson fourth with Tommy Kristoffersson fifth. The second qualifying race started only a couple of minutes after the finish of the first with reversed grid order.

Qualifying Race Two

The Norwegian Tommy Rustad lined up in pole position in the second qualifying heat. Rustad kept the lead into the first bend but behind him, Richard Goransson made a fantastic start which catapulted him up to second place after having started sixth. The start of the second heat was calmer than the first but it wasn´t free of incidents. Tommy Kristoffersson was pushed and entered the bend sideways but through luck or skill, or maybe a combination of both, he managed to stay on the track.

Göransson was immediately looking to threat Rustad in the lead and a few laps later, he passed Rustads black Opel on pure speed down the long straight. Göransson then kept the lead all the way to the checkered flag. Stureson and Sandström continued their battle from the first heat, swapping places several times in the early laps of the race, before Stureson finally was able to pass Sandström and keep the third place across the finish line. Behind Stureson and Sandström, Thed Björk was steadily climbing through the field. Into the last lap, Björk was close behind Sandström but the BMW-driver had to settle for fifth.

“I had to take it easy. I was up to third but had to back off. It is more important to have a good starting position”, says Björk who didn´t want to take any unecessary risks.

The grid for the final is almost identical to the result from the Super Pole. Göransson is on pole, due to his first and second place in the qualifying races. Björk lines up second with Sandström and Stureson sharing second row.

Edward Sandström was satisfied with his result but said that the there was more to come if the team could cure the understeer tendencies. And even if Edward believes that it´s going to be hard to do anything about the two BMW´s, he has his goal set to a podium finish in the championship.

“It would feel nice to finish third, says Sandström. That is something I can achieve by my own means.”

The number of candidates for the title has diminished drastically after the qualifying heats. The STCC title will go to a BMW no matter the result. Only Göransson and Björk have the points enough to win the title. The final race which decides it all starts at 15.30 CET.