STCC & DTC: Mantorp Race Weekend - 38 cars

[JMeissner]

Mantorp Friday Practice
STCC 16/05/03

1 Tomas Engström Honda Civic 1.23.984
2 Calle Rosenblad BMW 320i 1.24.075
3 Jan Nilsson Volvo S60 1.24.149
4 Tommy Kristoffersson Audi A4 1.24.178
5 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4 1.24.519
6 Jens Edman Peugeot 307 1.24.526
7 Richard Göransson BMW 320i 1.24.642
8 Nicklas Karlsson Alfa Romeo 156 1.24.651
9 Mattias Andersson BMW 320i 1.24.691
10 Tobias Johansson Audi A4 1.24.724
11 Tommy Rustad Opel Astra 1.24.730
12 Jan Magnussen Peugeot 307 1.24.953
13 Patrik Ernstsson BMW 320i 1.25.083
14 Johan Sturesson SEAT Leon 1.25.255
15 Jason Watt Peugeot 307 1.25.273
16 Henrik Lundgaard Toyota Corolla 1.25.304
17 Martin Jensen Honda Civic 1.25.587
18 John Nielsen BMW 320 E46 1.25.618
19 Magnus Krokström Volvo S60 1.25.629
20 Jacob Sund Toyota Corolla 1.25.729
21 Robin Rudholm SEAT Leon 1.25.866
22 Philip Andersen Honda Civic 1.26.101
23 Pontus Mörth Volvo S40 1.26.226
24 Kurt Thim Renault Megane 1.26.269
25 Casper Elgaard BMW 320 E46 1.26.640
26 Henrik Larsen Citroën Xsara 1.26.732
27 Michael Carlsen Peugeot 307 1.26.775
28 Jan Brunstedt BMW 320 i 1.26.828
29 Michel Nyklaer SEAT Toledo 1.27.256
30 Jesper Sylvest Citroën Xsara 1.27.344
31 Jens Reno Möller Peugeot 307 1.27.497
32 Carsten Leveau Peugeot 406 1.27.633
33 Pierre Legarth BMW 320 E46 1.27.634
34 Torkel Tyrring Peugeot 306 1.28.076
35 Carsten Mikkelsen Toyota Corolla 1.29.804
36 Martin Pederson Peugeot 307 1.29.804
37 Mike Legarth BMW 320 E30 1.30.283
38 Gunnar Kristensen Peugeot 406 1.52.298


Johan Meissner
johan@meissner.se

[rustyfan]

That the STCC drivers would be on top of the listing were to be expected, but I have to say that the differences between the STCC and DTC cars aren't as big as I perhaps would have thought. This should be a great show

Also, kind of ironic that Engström, who whined about Audi, tops the practice..

[JMeissner]

Mantorp Qualifying
STCC 17/05/03

"This has got every chance to become the best race in the history of STCC," Janne "Flash" Nilsson said today after taking pole position. Janne was followed by first race of the season winner Fredrik Ekblom in his Audi and with Tommy Rustad in his STCC Vauxhall third. Pole man for the DTC, Jens Edman, will start from sixteenth position on the grid. Despite that Edman set a quicker time, his time would have given him ninth place on the total grid; he will have to start behind the slowest STCC car.

All according to decision of the STCC organisation. Despite this, Edman is faster than a number of cars in front of him and will climb though the field. Magnussen took second place with Jason Watt third. All Peugeot 1-2-3 at the top. Martin Jensen was the fastest non-Peugeot in fourth place. Stay tuned for the two races tomorrow!


Mantorp STCC Super Pole & Qualifying


1 Jan Nilsson Volvo S60 1:23.393
2 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4 1:23.479
3 Tommy Rustad Opel Astra 1:23.807
4 Tomas Engström Honda Civic 1.23.845
5 Nicklas Karlsson Alfa Romeo 156 1.23.853
6 Tommy Kristoffersson Audi A4 1:23.863
7 Richard Göransson BMW 320i 1:23.898
8 Tobias Johansson Audi A4 1:24.118
9 Carl Rosenblad BMW 320i 1:24.313
10 Mattias Andersson BMW 320i 1:24.544
11 Johan Stureson Seat Leon 1:24.595
12 Magnus Krokström Volvo S60 1:24.912
13 Robin Rudholm Seat Leon 1:25.017
14 Patrik Ernstson BMW 320i 1:25.023
15 Jan Brunstedt BMW 320i 1:26.241



Mantorp DTC Super Pole


1 Jens Edman Peugeot 307 1:24.208
2 Jan Magnussen Peugeot 307 1:24.354
3 Jason Watt Peugeot 307 1:25.180
4 Martin Jensen Honda Civic 1:25.242
5 Casper Elgaard BMW 320i 1:25.583
6 Michel Nykjær Seat Toledo 1:25.664
7 Jakob Sund Toyota Corolla 1:25.714
8 Philip Andersen Honda Civic 1:25.984
9 Pontus Mörth Volvo S40 1:26.540
10 John Nielsen BMW 320i 1:26.842


Johan Meissner
johan@meissner.se

[Craig]

What happened to Roger Moen who I thought was taking one of the VLR 406 Coupes to the STCC?

[rustyfan]

Not sure, he was supposed to be ready for the race at Mantorp, but I haven't heard anything more since he announced just that.

Perhaps Johan can chip in with some more info?

[JMeissner]

STCC 18/05/03


Mantorp Race One

It was Janne "Flash" Nilsson who took his first win of the year today at Mantorp Park. He won the race 0.4 seconds ahead of Ekblom in the Audi A4. Engström was third. Though all compettitors never got the chance to compete fully for the race. Richard Göransson never made it out of the pit lane after transmission problems. Nicklas Karlsson made a jumpstart with the reason that he had severe transmission problems.

Nicklas was with in the race for a couple of laps before retiring. After only one lap the safety car was brought out. Rosenblad and Kristoffersson had gone of the track and had to be removed. When the cars were released again the order was Nilsson-Ekblom-Engström-Rustad. Ekblom was hard on the back of Nilsson, continuosly getting a better exit on to the long straight. Despite the hard effort by Ekblom he never got past.


Mantorp Race One


1 Jan Nilsson Volvo S60 11 laps
2 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4 +0.432
3 Tomas Engström Honda Civic +0.730
4 Tommy Rustad Opel Astra +3.074
5 Tobias Johansson Audi A4 +3.570
6 Mattias Andersson BMW 320 i +11.448
7 Johan Sturesson SEAT Leon +12.295
8 Patrik Ernstsson BMW 320i +16.481
9 Jan Brunstedt BMW 320i +25.964
10 Magnus Krokström Volvo S60 +32.832
11 Robin Rudholm SEAT Leon +41.109



Mantorp Race Two

Brunstedt was now in pole due to the reversed grid rule. The BMW man easily took advantage of his rearwheel drift at the start and roared in to the lead. But just as the previous race the safety car was due to make an early debute. Two DTC cars collided and went off the track in the first corner. Göransson got a big slide and banged in to Ernstsson. Göransson went briefly off the track but could continue, but only for a lap before he retired. After a unusual long time, eight laps, and the two DTC cars were cleared the field was released again.

But once again a car went off the track. The DTC Peugeot of Möller went off the track at the very same place as the two other cars, though this time the safety car was not brought out. At the front thigs really started to get hot. Ekblom and Flash was cutting through the field swiftly. Ekblom was after only one lap in the lead. Flash was following close behind and made an impressive move in to the first corner. He managed to get from fourth position in to second behind Ekblom.

Flash was really chasing Ekblom now, weaving all over the back of the Audi A4. But as the race progressed Ekblom seemed to be able to preserv his tyres better than Flash as he pulled away from the Volvo. Behind the two leaders Johansson and Kristoffersson was pushing hard, passing car after car. Tommy Rustad was third during a long time of the race, but at the closing stages of the race both Johansson and Kristoffersson had past him. And the luck continued for the Audi drivers. On the very last lap Janne "Flash" Nilsson's Volvo S60 broke and he had to let past the whole field. This made it an Audi 1-2-3, very impressive for the KMS team and Audi.


Mantorp Race Two


1 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4 18 laps
2 Tobias Johansson Audi A4 +10.254
3 Tommy Kristoffersson Audi A4 +12.936
4 Tommy Rustad Opel Astra +14.117
5 Johan Stureson Seat Leon +24.011
6 Carl Rosenblad BMW 320i +29.229
7 Magnus Krokström Volvo S60 +29.462
8 Robin Rudholm Seat Leon +35.597
9 Jan Brunstedt BMW 320i +1:15.313
10 Jan Nilsson Volvo S60 +1 lap
11 Patrik Ernstson BMW 320i +1 lap

Johan Meissner
johan@meissner.se

[JMeissner]

About Moen, latest thing I've heard is that the work is still in progress but when he will make his STCC debute is uncertain. Ither the coming race or the next.

[JMeissner]

Stop Press - Changes

It looked like Janne "Flash" Nilsson's good weekend was destroyed only four corners before the finish line as something broke on his S60. But the STCC organisers counted the laps wrong when the safetycar was out; one lap too much was included. That means that the race should've ended one lap earlier and promoted "Flash" back up in to second place between all the Audi's. "Already during the race I screamed in the radio to the team that something was wrong with the lap counting," Flash said. "It was sad for Janne when he retired and this championship is build on excitement. In some way it feels right that he got the second place," Janne's competitor Tommy Kristoffersson said after loosing his third place.


Mantorp Race Two


1 Fredrik Ekblom Audi A4 18 laps
2 Jan Nilsson Volvo S60 +3.842
3 Tobias Johansson Audi A4 +9.797
4 Tommy Kristoffersson Audi A4 +13.056
5 Tommy Rustad Opel Astra +13.701
6 Johan Stureson Seat Leon +22.555
7 Carl Rosenblad BMW 320i +25.251
8 Magnus Krokström Volvo S60 +26.408
9 Robin Rudholm Seat Leon +33.419
10 Jan Brunstedt BMW 320i +1:04.644
11 Patrik Ernstson BMW 320i +1 lap

[kmchow]

It is nice to hear that the STCC S60s are making some progress and taking some wins. The ETCC S60s seem to be totally outclassed.

[touringlegend]

What are the championship points like then?

As for counting the laps wrong - how do they manage that. The STCC, IMO is beginning to look like a brilliant championship - they don't need to be making errors like that one.

[JMeissner]

STCC 2003 points

1. Ekblom 72 p.
2. Nilsson 69 p.
3. Johansson 49 p.
4. Engström 37 p.
5. Sturesson 36 p.
6. Rustad 33 p.
7. Göransson 27 p.
8. Karlsson 20 p.
9. Brunstedt 19 p.
10. Kristoffersson 18 p.