Photo: STCC/Anders Helgesson

Andreas Ahlberg wins final Gelleråsen race from reversed grid pole

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Andreas Ahlberg won the final STCC TCR Scandinavia race of the season opener weekend at Gelleråsen Arena from the reversed grid pole position.

The Kågered Racing driver took command early on and won the race by three seconds ahead of Honda Racing Sweden driver Mattias Andersson.

Andersson was once again very quick off the line and climbed from fourth to second before the first corner.

Brink Motorsport driver Hannes Morin had a tough first part of the race from second on the grid, being passed by Andersson on the first lap, Emil Persson on the second lap and Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Rob Huff on lap three.

A tough four-way fight for fourth position developed on lap seven between Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Huff, Oliver Söderström and Robert Dahlgren.

The Lestrup Racing Team duo of Huff and Söderström managed to make their way past the Cupra driver for fourth and fifth position on lap eight, with her team-mate Dahlgren following past two corners later.

Huff and Söderström then quickly closed the gap to Honda driver Andersson and Volkswagen driver Persson in the fight for second place.

Persson made a mistake on lap 15, braking too late, allowing both Lestrup cars to pass him.

2012 WTCC champion Huff then tried to get past Andersson on the very last lap, but had to settle for third position behind the Honda Racing Sweden driver.

Söderström crossed the line in fourth position to claim the championship lead, with Persson and Dahlgren finishing fifth and sixth.

Brink Motorsport driver Tobias Brink, who lost the Race 2 win after a jump-start penalty, finished seventh ahead of team-mate Morin.

Mikael Karlsson and Åhlin-Kottulinsky rounded off the top ten.

Söderström heads a Lestrup Racing Team 1-2 in the standings, with the Swede on 52 points and Huff on 48. Dahlgren is third, just one point behind Huff, with Ahlberg climbing to fourth thanks to the Race 3 victory.

Lestrup Racing Team also heads the team standings on 100 points, with Kågered Racing second on 69 points and PWR Racing third on 62 points.

The STCC TCR Scandinavia season continues on August 28-29 at Skellefteå Drivecenter Arena.