The STCC 2008 starts this weekend!
The first race of the Swedish Touring Car Championship 2008 takes place at Knutstorp in the south of Sweden on sunday. The entry list features 22 cars divided on ten different manufacturers. Double champion Richard Göransson is eager to start the season.
“I’m hot like a stove! This season I’m going to take the title, it has been two years since last time and I am very hungry for a new one,” said Göransson.
But there are many drivers out there to stop him. One of them is Fredrik Ekblom who comfortably took the title last year.
“We had an amazing season last year and the pre-season tests this year have gone extremely well. But I have no illusions other than that it is going to be very tough again,” said Ekblom.
Thed Björk is once again a championship contender, but not with Audi like the previous years – but with Honda.
“I would say advantage Björk for the premiere weekend. I most definitely think that we can fight in the top,” said Björk.
The Volvo-team are going to want a piece of the action. For this year they make debut with their all new Volvo C30 S2000. The two experienced and quick drivers Robert Dahlgren and Tommy Rustad will be behind the wheel.
“We have had some problems during the pre-season testing. But I think this car will be really good and very fast,” said Dahlgren.
Strengthened by the strong pace of Chevrolet in the World Touring Car Championship, the Norwegian Thomas Schie is looking for good results in the STCC this year.
“There are many drivers that will be very quick this year, especially BMW. But have a good feeling and I am very happy to race in the STCC,” said Schie.
The Peugeot-team have confirmed that they will be ready for the STCC-premiere. The team have build a completely new Peugeot 308 S2000 for Johan Stureson.
“We will test the car for the first time on friday. It will of course be difficult to be in the top during the premiere, but I would be surprised if we cannot notch up a win this year,” said Stureson.
Another man with an eye on winning a STCC race is Mattias Andersson. The faithful Alfa Romeo-man has for this year bought James Thompson’s Alfa Romeo 156 that the Brit ran last year to third place in the drivers championship.
– We lost two test days last week due to technical problems and me being sick. But we will be back at Knutstorp and the championship looks extremely tough this year,” said Andersson.
The first practice session starts at 09.30 on Sunday, followed by the qualifying session and super pole at 12.25. The first race of STCC 2008 starts at 15.00 CET on sunday!
Entry List STCC 2008
1 Fredrik Ekblom West Coast Racing BMW 320si
2 Robert Dahlgren Volvo Original Racing Volvo C30
3 Richard Göransson Flash Engineering BMW 320si
4 Thed Björk Honda Racing Honda Accord Euro R
5 Jan Nilsson Flash Engineering BMW 320si
6 Robin Rudholm West Coast Racing BMW 320si
7 Tomas Engström Honda Racing Honda Accord Euro R
8 Roger Eriksson Nordic Fine Art Seat Leon
9 Tommy Rustad Volvo Original Racing Volvo C30
14 Tommy Kristoffersson KMS Audi A4
17 Andrey Smetsky Artman Racing Honda Accord
20 Mattias Andersson MA:GP Alfa Romeo 156
21 Johan Stureson IPS Motorsport Peugeot 308
22 Thomas Schie Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden Chevrolet Lacetti
28 Carl Rosenblad Elgh Motorsport BMW 320si
90 Tobias Johansson Brovallen Motorsport Mercedes C200
93 Dick Sahlén Team Caliber BMW 320i
95 Tobias Tegelby Brovallen Motorsport BMW 320i
96 Viktor Huggare Huggare Racing BMW 320i
97 Joakim Ahlberg Brovallen Motorsport Jr. BMW 320i
98 Joakim Frid TBA
99 Ronnie Brandt Mälarpower Motorsport Volvo S60
