Photo: Mediaempire.se

Rydell beats championship leader Ekblom to pole

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Rickard Rydell beat championship leader Fredrik Ekblom by just nine thousands of a second in the qualifying session for the penultimate Scandinavian Touring Car Championship round of 2011 at Knutstorp.

Robert Dahlgren, who is back in the STCC for the two final races of the season, claimed third on the grid, with the top three separated by just 0.048 seconds.

Johan Kristoffersson was best of the title candidates’ team mates in fourth, 0.134 seconds behind, right ahead of Rydell’s new team mate Michel Nykjær in fifth, a further 0.038 seconds behind.

Tommy Rustad did not get the qualifying session he wanted and lines up as sixth for the race tomorrow and the worst position of the main title candidates.

Colin Turkington was best BMW driver in seventh, just over three tenths ahead of Johan Stureson in eighth.

Mattias Andersson was first driver to miss Q2, by just 0.006 seconds, in ninth ahead of Jan “Flash” Nilsson. Richard Göransson, who won both races at Karlskoga, only managed 12th behind SEAT driver Roger Eriksson.

The session was halted once due to a gravel trap visit by Danish racer Jason Watt, who is doing his final race ever this weekend.