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Göransson tops first test day of the year

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Reigning champion Richard Göransson topped the overall times of the test session at Mantorp Park today. The WestCoast Racing driver was closely followed by his team mate Robin Rudholm, only 0.054 seconds separated the both.
“We are going to be hot this year! We have done two days here now and tested almost everything. I am pleased,” said Göransson to STCC.se.

Rival team Flash Engineering claimed third fastest time of the day. Double Swedish Touring Car Championship champion Jan “Flash” Nilsson was third and pleased with the day.

“This was one of my best test days ever! We tested a lot of different settings that the car responded well to,” said “Flash”.

The times were really close during the day. Three tenths covered top seven and only two thousands of a second separated “Flash” and fourth placed Thomas Schie of Chevrolet Team Sweden.

“We have got a lot of laps done! I thought that we were going to get better times out of the new tyres but I am sure that we are going to be right in the top this year,” said Schie.

Robert Dahlgren was fifth fastest in the Volvo C30 with new the DRIVe aero kit, 0.331 seconds behind Göransson’s time.

“I gave it all that I had. We ran with proper weight of the car and we are not sand bagging. But we did not focus on setting hot laps only. I am looking forward to the test tomorrow,” said Dahlgren.

Mantorp Park home boy Mattias Andersson was sixth fastest ahead of Flash Engineering new boy Thed Björk.

“We have run a very intense test schedule today! But that is the way to go, hard work pays off and I am pleased with our progress,” said Björk.

Peugeot man Johan Stureson was eight fastest ahead of the best privateer driver Johan Kristoffersson in the white Audi A4 of Kristoffersson Motorsport. Johan is replacing his father Tommy for this season.

Tommy Rustad rounded off top ten ahead of the all new bio gas powered Volkswagen Scirocco of Fredrik Ekblom.

“I was fastest here last year at the test. Today I am 1.3 seconds behind, that is light years in STCC. But I am still optimistic, the car is an unpolished diamond but we have a long way to go,” said Ekblom.

Testing continues tomorrow at Gelleråsen, stay tuned for complete coverage of that day plus a picture and video special from the day at Mantorp.