Season finale – Ekblom vs. Rydell vs. Rustad

The Scandinavian Touring Car Championship heads in to the final race of 2011 this weekend with a fierce title battle between Fredrik Ekblom, Rickard Rydell and Tommy Rustad.

Ekblom heads the table with just two points over Rydell while Rustad lures in third, 26 points behind with 50 points left to fight for.

Both Ekblom and Rydell has performed extra testing at Mantorp Park ahead of the finale.

“We have prepared us in the best possible way within the limitations of the resources we have got, but it is going to be really tough. Team Biogas.se is going to have four cars on the line and they are also testing here, so we are well aware that we have to perform on the very top of our capability to secure the title,” said Rydell.

Ekblom and his four team mates Patrik Olsson, Johan Kristoffersson and newly signed Thed Björk tested at Mantorp Park the day after Chevrolet.

“I am convinced that this day is going to be very important for us next weekend. And we had a really good day. The guys noted strong times,” said Team Biogas.se team boss Tommy Kristoffersson.

Ekblom and Rydell has followed each other throughout the season with Rydell and Rustad taking the lead at first, with Ekblom catching up and getting past at mid-point of the season.

The last couple of races has seen Rydell closing the gap right up and Rustad keeping him self within title hope, although with a point gap that more or less requires Ekblom and Rydell to have some kind of problems in one of the Mantorp races.

The last race at Mantorp Park in may saw Ekblom claiming pole position and winning the first race, with Rydell right behind. Rydell replied in the second race by finishing fourth while Ekblom finished sixth.

The Mantorp Park track with it long straights should favor the turbo charged Volkswagen Scirocco of Ekblom.

The weights have changed compared to the last race at Knutstorp with Rydell’s Chevrolet Cruze gaining 20 kilos, as well as the older specification Volkwagen Scirocco of Kristoffersson and Björk while Ekblom’s Scirocco remains on maximum weight.

The top two teams are far from going to be alone in the top at Mantorp Park. BMW driver Jan “Flash” Nilsson won the last race at the track in May and should, together with his manufacturer colleagues of Johan Stureson, Colin Turkington, Richard Göransson and Martin Öhlin, be right up in the top.

There is no doubt that the stewards are going to have a busy weekend with the tight title fight, the extra drivers of the top teams and the other hungry drivers with nothing to lose.

Official weight list for Mantorp Park

+40 kilo = 1225 kilo – BMW 320si E90 [6 speed SQ-box]
+40 kilo = 1210 kilo – BMW 320si E90 [5 speed H-box]
+40 kilo = 1210 kilo – Volkswagen Scirocco
+40 kilo = 1210 kilo – Volkswagen Scirocco [Kristoffersson]
+40 kilo = 1210 kilo – Chevrolet Cruze
+40 kilo = 1199 kilo – Volvo C30
-10 kilo = 1155 kilo – Honda Accord [Giovanardi, Elgaard]
+-0 kilo = 1150 kilo – Alfa Romeo 156
-10 kilo = 1140 kilo – Honda Accord
-20 kilo = 1130 kilo – SEAT León TFSi
-20 kilo = 1120 kilo – BMW 320i E46
-20 kilo = 1110 kilo – SEAT León TFSi [Jason Watt]

Time differences at Knutstorp

+0.000 sec – Chevrolet Cruze
+0.142 sec – Volvo C30
+0.148 sec – Volkswagen Scirocco [Kristoffersson]
+0.424 sec – Volkswagen Scirocco
+0.432 sec – BMW 320si E90
+1.017 sec – SEAT León TFSi
+1.327 sec – Alfa Romeo 156
+3.099 sec – BMW 320i E46
N/A sec – Honda Accord

Total time differences

+0.000 sec – BMW 320si E90
+0.103 sec – Volvo C30
+0.233 sec – Volkswagen Scirocco [Kristoffersson]
+0.332 sec – Volkswagen Scirocco
+0.278 sec – Chevrolet Cruze
+0.740 sec – Alfa Romeo 156
+0.780 sec – Honda Accord
+0.869 sec – SEAT León TFSi
+2.632 sec – BMW 320i E46

Mantorp Park one year ago

Race 1:
1 Mattias Andersson
2 Robert Dahlgren
3 Fredrik Ekblom

Race 2:
1 Tommy Rustad
2 Viktor Hallrup
3 Richard Göransson

Fastest lap:
Tommy Rustad 1:21.762

Pole position:
Mattias Andersson 1:20.766