Photo: Mediaempire.se

Fastest track in Sweden next up for STCC

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The Scandinavian Touring Car Championship heads to Falkenberg – the fastest track in Sweden – for the fifth race weekend of 2011. Chevrolet driver Rickard Rydell heads the standings ahead of the race, but has got Volkswagen driver Fredrik Ekblom just two points behind.

The 1843 meter Falkenberg track is fast and flowing, similar to high speed tracks like Thruxton. The fast and short character of the track often provides close racing, making predictions ahead of this weekend extra tricky.

Volvo has claimed three of four victories in the past two years while BMWs occupy the top three lap times at Falkenberg.

Volvo man Tommy Rustad is closest to the top duo of the championship in third. The Norwegian had an alright weekend last time around in Gothenburg but should be right in the top in Falkenberg, being the last man to win there in 2010.

The BMW mafia, consisting of WestCoast Racing’s Richard Görannsson and Martin Öhlin, Flash Engineering’s Colin Turkington and Jan Nilsson and IPS Motorsport’s Johan Stureson, is expected to be right in the top at Falkenberg. All BMW drivers, except for the returning Göransson, struggled in Gothenburg and are in dire need of gaining points on the top. Best placed BMW driver currently is Stureson, fourth in the championship, 35 points from the lead.

And the top trio of the championship, Rydell, Ekblom and Rustad, are starting to pull away in the lead. If the gap continues to increase after Falkenberg, things are going to be difficult for the drivers behind to catch up with less than half of the season remaining.

The STCC field meets for an official test on thursday ahead of the race weekend, giving us a first glimpse of what is to come.

Official weight list for Falkenberg

+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 = 1205 kilo – Chevrolet Cruze
+40 kilo = 1199 kilo – Volvo C30
+20 kilo = 1170 kilo – Honda Accord
+10 kilo = 1160 kilo – Alfa Romeo 156
-10 kilo = 1140 kilo – SEAT León TFSi
-10 kilo = 1120 kilo – SEAT León TFSi [Jason Watt]
-20 kilo = 1120 kilo – BMW 320i E46

Falkenberg one year ago

Race 1:
1 Robert Dahlgren
2 Thed Björk
3 Richard Göransson

Race 2:
1 Tommy Rustad
2 Richard Göransson
3 Dick Sahlén

Fastest lap:
Robert Dahlgren – 45.804

Pole position:
Robert Dahlgren – 45.628