Stcc

[Speedworx]

has anyone esle read the article about the STCC in this weeks Autosport?

What rules should they adopt to secure their future?

[Michael H]

haven't read the article yet, sorry, don't get Autosport til next Wednesday here in Oz.

but what I can tell you is that the STCC should keep Super Touring for season 2002, and mix Super Touring with 'new' Super 2000 in 2003 and equalise thru weight handicapping.

Then have all Super 2000 in 2004.

What should be the STCC future?? Keep the STCC bame, but rename it the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship. Otherwise call it the NTCC, or Nordic Touring Car Championship. Regardless, the series must branch out to Norway and Finland, plus Denmark.
I hear a lot about the drivers complain that new tracks need building in Sweden. We have the same problem in Australia. Good tracks are closing, such as Lakeside, and dumb ones remian, like Winton, and dumber ones are built, like Ipswich Raceway.

The STCC should bring back the Helsinki street race, and the Oslo street race from 2000 should be part of the series. Feature events are crucial. Australia's V8Supercar has Bathurst and Adelaide, the DTM has Norisring. Asia has Macau. France has Pau.

[Michael H]

I've read the article now - good to see Autosport taking an interest at last in the Swedish Touring car Championship!!!!!!!!!!
I thought it was a good article, but it could have looked at the series more deeply. I'm sure that the STCC has a huge future. It just needs international TV coverage, and to implement Super 2000 in 2003.

[rustyfan]

Wow, I never knew there were people outside of Sweden actually interested in the STCC - cool

The new support class for this year, Volvo S60 Challenge, should be real interesting as well. Not sure if I get that one on TV (along with the STCC), but I think so.

[AdamED]

I love the stcc because i love sweden and volvos i wish they would put it on tv here in britain i think they should go for the same regulations as the btcc

[Speedworx]

No way!!!!

They should take the DTM rules. They are great looking cars and it is the best touring cars series.

[Radisichrox]

I did happen to read that article- made me a bit sad as I saw regulations that more or less failed in the long run in the BTCC flourishing in Sweden. It also made me sad as I saw cars that I really miss (Volvo S40, Audi A4, ect.) driving bumper to bumper. Pity I can't see any of this stuff on TV...

[rustyfan]

In the long run I think the BTCC-type rules are the better, since it allows more manufacturers to get involved without spending too much money. The STCC would never, ever work using DTM-type rules - it's not exactly like the teams in the STCC have a sh*tload of money to throw around as it is already, and there is a reason the STCC is a couple of years behind the rest of Europe, using used equipment from other series'. Honda in this years STCC season, for example, will be using the equipment used in the ETCC last year... And that's one of the better funded teams.

Getting the picture?

Personally I can't say I have seen any racing using the BTCC-type rules, since we don't get BTCC here in Sweden. So it'll be real interesting to see the ETCC this year, considering its rules are quite close to the BTCC in 2002, if I'm not mistaken. I do think, however, that the DTM more resembles a sports-car series than a touring-car series.

To top this post off; Radisichrox, I've been thinking of making highlight vids of the STCC races this year, and since I sense an interest, I'll probably go ahead and do it.

[touringlegend]

Keep me posted on that review as well rustyfan!

I think it's a really good setup the STCC has got, that all cars muts be one year old. That's what limits the costs. It proves Super Touring can be succesful if controlled in the right way, ahh if Alfa hadn't winged it in 1994 BTCC.

ETCC/BTCC Rules are the way to go, perhaps even allow both cars in for the immedeiate future until they eventually even out both rules and make them the same?

[rustyfan]

The ETCC this year will have both the Super 2000 (rather close to the old Super Touring package of last year I think) and the Super Production cars on the same grid, so the fields should be quite large

As for the STCC, it's not a rule that the cars has to be a year old - Volvo, for example, has had a full works 2-car team with the latest equipment for a couple of years now. Perhaps not that surprising considering Sweden - despite Volvo being American these days - is Volvo's home-soil

But, as mentioned earlier, considering racing isn't exactly as big domestically here in Sweden as it is in, for example, Germany, it's quite natural there is a lot of 'older' equipment used, although it is upgraded to the current spec of course, to save some money.

The STCC has made some major gains over the last few years though, so I see nothing but good things for it in the future. Not sure if it's a good sign that Colciago can come in and win the championship while doing just a part-time support-schedule for the Audi team though heh

On the other hand, his presence probably made the STCC a bit more known outside of Sweden. Not to mention he seemed to enjoy himself a lot, and really got some of the regular STCC drivers fired up

[touringlegend]

Autosport must have got mixed up because they said all machinery must be 1 year old, or 'used'. I'm sure they also said the Volvo's were the old BTCC cars, updated to current spec.

[rustyfan]

Well, Autosport also called this years Daytona 500 historic because "it's the first time two rookies have claimed the top two spots in qualifying" (Jimmie Johnson & Kevin Harvick).

Only problem is that Kevin Harvick did 35 of the 36 races last year (winning two), and isn't exactly a rookie anymore

So just because Autosport says one thing, doesn't mean they're 100% accurate.

[touringlegend]

Don't get me wrong, weren't saying that was true or that.

[rustyfan]

I know - I just wanted to give you my take on Autosport (which remains one of my favorite sites when it comes to racing-news)

[kmchow]

rustyfan wrote:

>I've been thinking of making highlight vids of the STCC >races this year, and since I sense an interest, I'll >probably go ahead and do it.
>
What format will those tapes be in? Any chance they can be recorded using NTSC? If so, I would love to get my hands on a copy!!

[kmchow]

rustyfan wrote:

>it's quite natural there is a lot of 'older' equipment >used, although it is upgraded to the current spec of >course, to save some money.
>
From what I recall, the STCC cars haven't been that old? Only during the first year or two of the STCC's existence were the cars leftover Class 2 or converted DTM cars? For the last 3-4, the cars' have been very new? But I'm wondering how long it would take before enough SP or ETCC cars become available? Do you think there are enough STCC teams capable of building cars on their own? Perhaps, the STCC has to run ST cars for a few more years?

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by kmchow
rustyfan wrote:

>I've been thinking of making highlight vids of the STCC >races this year, and since I sense an interest, I'll >probably go ahead and do it.
>
What format will those tapes be in? Any chance they can be recorded using NTSC? If so, I would love to get my hands on a copy!!

Actually, they would be in MPEG

I dump the material directly to MPEG using capture-hardware, and then put the movies together on the computer. Late last year I released a Race of Champions 2001 highlights vid - it's still available on-line (although you have to enter my FTP to get it - check my www-site for details on how to access it) in case you want to get an idea of the quality of my work. Others seemed to have liked it though

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by kmchow
rustyfan wrote:

>it's quite natural there is a lot of 'older' equipment >used, although it is upgraded to the current spec of >course, to save some money.
>
From what I recall, the STCC cars haven't been that old? Only during the first year or two of the STCC's existence were the cars leftover Class 2 or converted DTM cars? For the last 3-4, the cars' have been very new? But I'm wondering how long it would take before enough SP or ETCC cars become available? Do you think there are enough STCC teams capable of building cars on their own? Perhaps, the STCC has to run ST cars for a few more years?

If we take 2001 as an example, I can't recall if there were any team with 2001-material (possibly Volvo, but that's the only team I could even imagine having the absolutely latest material). The championship winning Audi team, for example, were using Abt-racing Audi's, previously used in the STW series.

The official STCC rulebook states that all cars entered in the STCC must meet the specifications stated in the FIA Super Touring Technical Regulations set for year 2000, alternatively the FIA Super Touring Technical Regulations set for year 1997 with Bulletin 326 included. Cars that meet the FIA Super Production+ specifications for 2002 are also allowed.

Cars entered in the Privateer Cup only needs to heed to the 1997 FIA regulations, as mentioned above.

There is no rules for how old - or new - a car can be - it just has to be upgraded to meet some various specifications if it's an older car (like the FIA Super Touring noise-regulations for 2000, just to make an example). Newer cars should meet most of the regulations already, obviously.

The rules for 2002, as seen above, also allows for Super Production+ cars (as the ones that will be used in the ETCC) to be entered into the STCC, and Svenska BilsportForbundet did, at least in my opinion, a really smart thing when they designed the 2002 STCC schedule to not clash with any of the ETCC, DTM or BTCC races, to let those in the STCC (drivers and/or teams) who wishes to take part in any of other championships to do so (and vice versa, letting teams from Europe to take part in the STCC).

I hope you find this information useful - I sure learned some new stuff while checking through the rules

[Owy's No1 Fan!]

Originally posted by rustyfan
Well, Autosport also called this years Daytona 500 historic because "it's the first time two rookies have claimed the top two spots in qualifying" (Jimmie Johnson & Kevin Harvick).

Only problem is that Kevin Harvick did 35 of the 36 races last year (winning two), and isn't exactly a rookie anymore

So just because Autosport says one thing, doesn't mean they're 100% accurate.

He is a Daytona rookie though. That's what they meant.

The article should have been more in depth yes, but what do you expect from Toby Donuts?

[rustyfan]

Well, he did race in the Pepsi 400 @ Daytona

[kmchow]

Rustyfan wrote:

>If we take 2001 as an example, I can't recall if there >were any team with 2001-material (possibly Volvo, but >that's the only team I could even imagine having the >absolutely latest material). The championship winning Audi >team, for example, were using Abt-racing Audi's, >previously used in the STW series.
>
Expecting one year old cars is quite a lot. I think the Vectras may have been a year old as well. However, it shouldn't be the age that matters, but the quality of racing. I am under the impression that the races were quite close? If so, who cars if the cars are '01 or '94?
OTOH, maybe the reason why I'm so forgiving is b/c I reall miss the ST cars!!!

[rustyfan]

The action was quite close last year, although Colciago really was in a class of his own, winning the championship even though he did less races than everyone else.

I don't think he'll be able to run away with the championship this year though, as I expect the other teams and drivers to have stepped up their program for 2002.