Debate on 2012 regulations continues for STCC
The debate on the new rules for 2012 between the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship organisation and TTA, Touring Car Teams Associated, continues.
“We have had a good connection with the teams historically, but that has changed when they [TTA] want to start a new series,” said STCC MD Bob Huzell to Dalademokraten.
TTA representative Jan “Flash” Nilsson, team owner of Flash Engineering, says the TTA does not want to start a new series, but rather that it all is about which regulations to choose for 2012.
“That statement stands for Bob Huzell, we [TTA] have never spoken about starting a competing series. What we do want is another type of regulations,” said Jan “Flash” Nilsson to TouringCarTimes.
During the autumn of 2010, STCC AB announced the new BTCC regulations NGTC to be introduced for STCC in 2012.
“We have done thorough interviews with the major teams and the result of those interviews resulted in the selection of NGTC for STCC. Our car [NGTC] has got lower running costs and is more of a real touring car compared to what the teams want. We believe that it is easier to get importers and manufacturers interested in such a car,” said Bob Huzell.
TTA on the other hand has suggested the French regulations Solution-F, used by the BTCS and in the Race of Champions.
“Our belief is that Solution-F suits Scandinavia better, it is like a light version of DTM. Due to the current situation of the touring car regulations in Europe, the economical situation of the world and the fact that NGTC is an unproven quantity, our conclusion is that Solution-F is a better option for STCC,” said Jan “Flash” Nilsson.
NGTC is based on the original shell of the production car, with common rear and front subframes, as well as common gearbox, engine and more. Solution-F is as DTM based on silhouette type of cars where all parts in the cars are common, except for the carbonfibre/glassfibre body shell.
The STCC AB and TTA is currently negotiating surrounding which regulations to choose and Bob Huzell is optimistic that a solution is going to be found.
“I hope that we are going to come to an agreement. It is important for us to create a good set of regulations together. Previously we have had great support from the teams, they have brought us a lot of suggestions and created ideas. Now though we have been on opposite sides and put energy on this discussion and it is a strange discussion. It would have been better if we could have put that energy on other things than trench wars,” said Huzell.
TTA representative Dick Jönsson-Wigroth, team owner of WestCoast Racing, says that the situation STCC and TTA is in regarding the regulations is due to FIA and the state of the S2000 regulations.
“The touring car world is in chaos, virtually all major countries are creating their own regulations. FIA has completely failed with the S2000 regulations, the cars are expensive, slow and unexciting. Of course it is nothing positive about the different championships going with their own regulations, but for our part, going with Solution-F is the best solution,” said Jönsson-Wigroth.
“We cannot take the costs that starting from scratch with NGTC in Scandinavia would mean. Solution-F is a well proven concept that works, is cost effective compared to NGTC, easy to maintain, powerful and spectacular on the tracks. For the moment we cannot see a better solution for STCC, perhaps for the future when things settle down in the world, but not now,” said Jönsson-Wigroth.
The original plan for STCC was to confirm the new regulations for STCC 2012 in august/september 2010. The most recent word from STCC is that the new regulations should be ready within a month.
TTA consists of five STCC teams: Biogas.se, Flash Engineering, Mattias Ekström Junior Team, Polestar Racing and WestCoast Racing.
