Car # 1 is back winning again. Richard Göransson broke records when he returned after his injury to take an impressive victory. He only needed one heat to find his winning ways and the victory in Gothenburg City Race also means Richard once again has the record for number of STCC-victories. The victory also means he is the only driver having won twice in Gothenburg.
”Absolutely amazing, I’m so happy to be back and winning again. I honestly didn’t expect this, it felt like a victory just being able to be here and race.”

Richard won the race in tricky rainy conditions that is one of his strenghts. It started raining before the heat and the city track was very slippery the whole race. Göransson admitted it was a mentally tough race to drive.
”I’m perfectly fine physically but mentally it was hard. I was very disapointed after qualifying where I pushed too much when it was dry. It was very slippery in the race and I started thinking exactly what you’re not supposed to think in those circumstances – to avoid mistakes and of course that is when you start making them. I didn’t drive very well then and Tomas Engström fought hard but I really wanted to win this one. I’m going for more victories now,” said a happy Göransson.

Richard Göransson had a great weekend in Gothenburg but for Martin Öhlin this was a weekend to forget. He finished the second race in 13th position despite usually being strong in rainy conditions. He leaves Gothenburg without any points and dissapointed.
”I’m extremely dissapointed and angry with myself, there’s nothing more to say. Richard drove a fantastic race and I congratulated him immediately afterwards. He impressed in his comeback. I could say a lot of things about my race but in the end I just wasn’t good enough this weekend. Now I just want to go home, forget this weekend and start thinking about the next race instead,” Martin said.

Team manager Dick Jönsson Wigroth felt this was one of the races he felt most nervous about.
”We have won a lot of race but I was more nervous than usually today. This victory means a lot to us and it feels fair we won. We have finally completed that last lap in Denmark. We never pushed Richard to return, we just told him we were ready when he was and we would give him the best possible conditions for his return. I’m happy we lived up to that today. Martin had a tough weekend and I know he is the first one to be dissapointed about that. We know he can much more than this and that he will return to the form he showed in the previous races. We look forward to our home race in Falkenberg now” he said.

Result, topp eight Göteborg City Race heat 2:
1: Richard Göransson, BWM 24 laps
2: Tomas Engström, Honda + 0,387
3: Fredrik Ekblom, Volkswagen + 4,827
4: Tommy Rustad, Volvo + 6,803
5: Rickard Rydell, Chevrolet + 7,506
6: James Thompson, Volvo + 13,988
7: Patrik Olsson, Volkswagen + 24,155
8: Jan Nilsson, BMW + 32,018

13: Martin Öhlin, BMW + 37,197

Resultat, race 2 Göteborg

Richard Göransson followed his game plan and took eight place in the first heat in Gothenburg, thus securing pole position for the second race later this afternoon.
”It was  a tactical race, I could have tried and gain a couple of spots more but now we have a really good starting point for the next race instead,” Richard said.

The start was eventful where Richard Göransson was stuck in the middle of a very tight pack. He managed to get himself out of that situation but lost a place doing so and finished the first lap in tenth place. He started the chase for the cars in front and could quickly overtake twice at the end of the back straight showing he is back in good old form.
”The start was a bit chaotic and the car got hit a couple of times but it’s only cosmetic. It worked really well and I could quickly gain on the guys in front of me. We have the speed and the car to win here and now it’s time to recharge for the next race.”

Martin Öhlin had an even tougher race than Richard and hade problems advancing from his 15th starting position. He gained a place early on but was relatively alone from then on until he late in the race could gain another position. He finished in 13th place.
”Boring is the word of my race. It got very tight in the middle of the pack in the start and after that I ended up driving along alone in 14th place. It wasn’t very fun and the only fun I had was chasing my own laptimes. I just didn’t drive faster than this in this race. The car worked well and now I have to look at the next race. I aim to get myself into top 10 and get a point or two from this weekend.”

Result Göteborg City Race:
1: Rickard Rydell, Chevrolet 24 laps
2: Fredrik Ekblom, Volkswagen + 0,985
3: James Thompson, Volvo + 3,964
4: Tomas Engström, Honda + 5,046
5: Johan Stureson, BMW + 5,873
6: Viktor Hallrup, Chevrolet + 14,220
7: Tommy Rustad, Volvo + 14,727
8: Richard Göransson, BMW + 15,761

13: Martin Öhlin, BMW + 21,832

Result, race 1

Qualifying did not go as expected for WestCoast Racing in Gothenburg. Both drivers missed the cut to Q2 with Richard Göransson ending up in ninth place just outside Q2. Martin Öhlin finished 15th after having hit the barriers early in qualifying and damaging the car.
”We know this is a tough track for rear wheel drive cars in qualifying and I’äve missed Q2 once before here,” Richard says. ”The grip in the track is different and we didn’t managed to handle that this time. We know we are strong in the races however and it’s reasonable to aim for eight place and pole position for the second race. I can’t be too disapointed with this, I’m very happy to be here and we’ll see what we can do for the race.”

Martin Öhlin hit the barriers early in the session and damaged the left front. The team had a struggle to fix the car during the 20 minute long session but with two minutes left Martin could go out again and have a second run. The car was still damaged though and he couldn’t improve on his first time.
”I tried to make the track here wider again but apparently the barriers are very firm,” Martin says with a smile. ”We have to mount a comeback run in the race now, I have seven spots up to eight place and pole for the second race and that have to be the target now. We have a strong car in the races and with some action ahead of me it shouldn’t be impossible to climb through the field.”

Result, Q1

Result, Q2

The first heat starts 13:05.

The first day in Gothenburg is over. Two tests were run during Friday afternoon in preperation for Gothenburg City Race and WestCoast Racing is happy with the test day. Richard Göransson was second fastest in the second test after having had the seventh best time during the first one hour long test.
”A good day at work, this is what I’ve missed. It’s been a lot of fun and this is a very good start. It’s been completely normal to be back, it’s another day at my office and I think we will have an exciting day tomorrow,” Richard said.

Martin Öhlin drove his first two tests on the city track in a STCC-car today and spent the first test working on the set up on his BMW. He set the 12th best time in the second test.
”We worked a lot on the set up in the first test and now it felt like we’ve found the right way to go. Of course I would have liked to finish higher up but it’s more important we are going in the right direction. It feels good for tomorrow,” Martin said.

Saturday is race day in Gothenburg with qualifying starting at 10:20 and with the two heats starting 13:05 and 15:35.

Result, test 1

Result, test 2

Time schedule, Göteborg City Race STCC June 18th:

10.20 – Q1 – STCC
10.45 – Q2 – STCC
11.55 – Gridshow
13.05 – Race 2 – STCC
15.35 – Race 2 – STCC

Weight list – Gothenburg City Race

1225 kilo – BMW 320si E90 [6 speed SQ-box] 1210 kilo – BMW 320si E90 [5 speed H-box] 1200 kilo – Volkswagen Scirocco
1205 kilo – Chevrolet Cruze
1199 kilo – Volvo C30
1180 kilo – Alfa Romeo 156
1180 kilo – SEAT León TFSi
1160 kilo – SEAT León TFSi [Jason Watt] 1150 kilo – Honda Accord
1120 kilo – BMW 320i E46

Martin Öhlin looks forward to the city race in Gothenburg this weekend, his first taste of city race in the STCC-car and he already has a gameplan.
”It seems to be a trend this year that drivers from the area where we race are driving into me. So this weekend I will avoid such drivers which means avoiding the Volvo-drivers. The best way is to be in front of them,” he says.

He’s had a mixed start to his first season in STCC. He’s been showing he has the speed and has been the fastest BMW-driver so far but has not the results to show for that. Something he hopes can be changed this weekend.
”It’s about time for that and why not in Gothenburg which is a bit like the race of the year. I enjoy it there, the atmosphere with racing in the city and with a lot of specatators is good for you as a driver. It’s also a fun track to drive, being close to the walls gives you the same kind of extra focus you have racing at a track like Nordschleife and a single mistake can be very costly. You have a extra level of focus and that is a graet feeling.”

After having been the sole driver in the team the last few race weekends Martin Öhlin once again has a team mate. Richard Göransson returns to STCC after his violent crash in Denmark in April and the injuries he got there. Martin is happy to have a team mate again.
”It’s great to have Richard back. It especially benefits me to be able to compare my data with his and having two cars in the team to try things on. It’s a big thing for the whole team and I have great expectations for this weekend. It will be fun and the goal is of course to head back home with two great results with me. It’s about time!”

An optimism for the weekend is also shared by team manager Dick Jönsson Wigroth, happy to have Richard back in the team and see WestCoast Racing as a two-car team again. Something he thinks is positive for the whole team.
”Gothenburg track is difficult race track but we always have a nice weekend racing there. This will be an extra nice weekend for us since Richard is back which motivates the whole team. Martin has been really quick so far and he has shown we have a great car and proved he is capable of using that. Unfortunately he doesn’t have the results to show for that but we know that will come. Now we have two cars again and can share data between them which is an advantage for both us and the drivers. We have a victory here from last year to defend and WestCoast Racing are looking forward to this weekend!”

Extra tests and free practice will be held tomorrow Friday and a time schedule for the weekend will be published here tomorrow.