STCC MD Pålsson looks back on 2006

Rickard Pålsson took over the Swedish Touring Car Championship on the 1:st of October last year. Now he can put his first year behind him and evaluate the situation.
“I would say that we are happy but far from satisfied,” Pålsson said.

Since 2002 Rickard Pålsson has followed STCC closely. Firstly via the MC-class that he via his company Veidec had a part of. The interest and commitment increased and he became main owner of STCC AB last year.

“I have always been driven by taking on new and exciting challenges. And the heart I have for Swedish Motorsport make me wanting to be right in the action and affect and develop the championship to the place in the sun that it deserves,” Pålsson said and continued:
“STCC is today a touring car championship of world class. We have 23 really good drivers, teams that work very hard in the hunt for the championship points. They switch two wheels with five bolts each under eights seconds. It is really fantastic.”

During the year many things have happened. Things were prepared during the winter and spring where a new TV-deal was negotiated, new partners joined and guarantees a stable and long term financial plan. STCC chose a format which is being used by the racing elite world, with one race and a mandatory pitstop.
“STCC this season is really close and good. The drivers are fighting for thousands of a second during the qualifying sessions and drive with bumpers and mirrors flying at over 200 km/h. I get goose bumps when I see what we have in Sweden.”

How has the year been for Rickard Pålsson and STCC?
“It has been a good year. We reached one of our goals earlier than expected and it was to break the visitor record. It feels like warm winds are blowing in our direction for the championship and we can be very pleased with our first season. But we are not satisfied. Far from it. There is a lot to develop and I want to see Swedish Motorsport and STCC to get the position it deserves: As an elite sport in Sweden along side football, hockey and track/field.

How do you get there?
“With patience and hard work. If we look at what we have today, it is very strong already and I see an infinite potential in STCC. This year we had the strongest field of STCC ever, sports at its best. We have no spectator violence or doping. Now we are working on making STCC even more access able for the spectators and to reach out on a wider span. It is not easy, but if the man can go to the moon we can make STCC to an even bigger success. I see no end destination for STCC; if we can go further than the moon we will do it.”