Racing driver Richard Göransson will face the challenge of his professional life this winter. He will take on the world’s best rally drivers on their own territory – in the top class!

After last years success where Richard Göransson finished second overall in the PWRC class in Rally Sweden he is now ready for an even greater challenge, to compete in the WRC-class. A challenge he hasn’t fully understood himself yet.
”This is the greatest challenge in my career and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous”, Richard says. ”It is after all just over a year ago that I drove my very first rally and now I will compete in WRC.”

Richard will be driving a MINI John Cooper Works WRC in Rally Sweden, a car entered by the british factory team Prodrive. Richard says a big reason for his WRC-drive in Rally Sweden is to become an even better racing driver.
”I’ve been on top in racing for several years and for me it’s important to continue develop as a driver and doing rallying is a way of achieving this. I learn how to improvise, to face different conditions in a much better way and quicker make the right decisions when behind the wheel. Rally is still something completely new for me and WRC is the biggest thing you can do as a rally driver, it’s the Formula 1 of rally,” Richard explains.

Richard will continue his cooperation with Fredrik Eljas and Eljas Motorsport with whom he worked together in Rally Sweden last year. Fredrik Eljas will be involved as an advisor to Richard and responsible for events. He will also handle the test and competion programme Richard is planning in order to prepare for Rally Sweden.
”Last winter Richard shoved us he has an extraordinary speed in a rally car despite few preparations before hand,” Fredrik says. ”The cooperation with Richard developed us as a team as well and this will be the first time Eljas Motorsport is involved in a WRC-programme in Rally Sweden.”

Rally Sweden is held between February 9th and February 12th and Fredrik Eljas has a clear goal.
”First of all we will make sure we have fun and enjoy the moment. Last year we set a the target of finishing top 5 in PWRC, a goal we surpassed with great margin with a second place. If we could get into the points this time around, meaning finishing tenth overall or better, it would be an extraordinary effort,” Fredrik Eljas concludes.

Experienced and succesful world championship rally team Prodrive develops and builds the MINI WRC factory cars. They look forward to the challenge of guiding Richard Göransson against the worlds best rally drivers in WRC.
” Prodrive are delighted to be working with a driver of Richard’s talent”, Richard Taylor of Prodrive says. ”Although he is more used to dry tarmac Richard does have previous snow rally experience and  we know that the MINI WRC car is very easy to drive and are sure he will have no trouble adapting to it. Our aim is to help Richard to achieve his best ever finish in Rally Sweden.”

WestCoast Racing BMW Dealer Team, one of Sweden’s most qualified and victorious racing teams, is looking to expand for the 2012 season. In 2012, WestCoast Racing will race in the new TTA championship as well as internationally in GT cars.
“Our mechanics are the heart of our business, and one of the reasons we have been so successful for the past 20 years is that we have some of the best and keenest racing mechanics working for us,” says team manager Dick Jönsson-Wigroth. “Our will to win permeates our entire organization, and now that we will be expanding and taking on two championship programs to race both the TTA and GT cars in Europe, we need to bring in more winners as reinforcements.”

WestCoast Racing is looking for mechanics for full-time as well as part-time positions. We are primarily looking for someone between the ages of 20 and 35 who is interested in an exciting challenge as a racing mechanic. Experience from motorsports is of course a plus.

We are offering both part-time positions for work during the race weekends as well as full-time positions. If you apply for a full-time position, you must be able to relocate and live close to the team headquarters in Halmstad, Sweden.´

If this has caught your attention and you’re interested in working with one of Sweden’s fastest racing teams, please send your resume and personal letter to info@westcoastracing.se.

Click here for the information in Swedish

WestCoast Racing’s penultimate STCC race turned out to be an unexciting affair. Martin Öhlin was pushed off at the start and Richard Göransson crossed the finish line in 9th place after having lost ground on the long straight at Mantorp Park fighting for 8th with Mattias Andersson. He was disappointed not to have held on to 8th and secured pole position for the last STCC race.
“This was my most boring STCC race ever,” Richard complained. “I was very fast across the lap, but that means nothing when you lose four to six car lengths on every straight. There was nothing I could do, we’re fighting against turbo cars and very light cars, and it easily becomes frustrating. However, it is what it is, and what will be will be in the last STCC race.”

Martin Öhlin’s race was over almost as quickly as it began. Heading into the second corner he was hit by Tomas Engström who had gone off and upon re-entering the track ran straight into Martin.
“I made a mistake at the start which I have to take the blame for. I thought I saw a red light and eased up on the accelerator and so I lost a couple of positions. After that I saw Engström going off at the first corner and then he just went straight into me on his way back onto the track. There was nothing to do about it, the tie rod broke and I had no choice but to park the car.”

Richard Göransson will be 9th and Martin Öhlin next to last at the start of the last STCC race which begins at 3.35 pm.

Results, finale race 1 Mantorp Park:

1: Rickard Rydell, Chevrolet 14 laps
2: Fredrik Ekblom, Volkswagen + 3,147
3: Johan Kristoffersson, Volkswagen + 4,776
4: Patrik Olsson, Volkswagen + 5,776
5: Michel Nykjær, Chevrolet + 6,503
6: Robert Dahlgren, Volvo + 7,089
7: Thed Björk, Volkswagen + 7,470
8: Mattias Andersson, Alfa Romeo + 8,012
9: Richard Göransson, BMW + 9,770
10: Jan Nilsson, BMW + 11,315
11: Viktor Hallrup, Chevrolet + 11,315
12: Colin Turkington, BMW + 12,831
13: Johan Stureson, BMW + 18,071
14: Tomas Engström, Honda +19,182
15: Alx Danielsson, SEAT+ 19,995
16: Tobias Johansson, SEAT +21,238
17: Daniel Roos, BMW +21,461
18: Joakim Ahlberg, BMW +22,641
19: Andreas Ebbesson, BMW +24,086
20: Robin Appelqvist, SEAT +30,113
21: Claes Hoffsten, Alfa Romeo +1:09,657
22: Roger Eriksson, SEAT + 1 lap

DNF:
Martin Öhlin

DNS:
Tommy Rustad

Richard Göransson and Martin Öhlin qualified 8th and 9th respectively in the last STCC qualifying at Mantorp Park. Both made two very good qualifying runs and were happy with their laps afterwards.
“A job well done, I think,” said Richard Göransson. “There wasn’t much more to give, maybe a tenth or so but nothing that could have changed our position. We knew it would be hard to challenge the cars in front of us during qualifying, but we have a good car for the race. My goal is still to finish my career in STCC with a victory and there are different possible scenarios.”

Martin Öhlin missed Q2 by a tiny margin, only half a tenth from the important 8th position. He will now start the race from the 9th spot on the grid and is gearing up for the race.
“It was close, but I’m happy with my lap,” said Martin. “I couldn’t have done much better and it’s a very tight margin, but of course it’s annoying to miss out on Q2 by so little. The good thing is that I will be starting on the inside tomorrow and that we have a good car for the race. We’ll be pushing the others!”

Tomorrow there will be a warm-up at 9.20 am followed by the first race at 1.05 pm.

Results, qualifying Mantorp Park top nine:
1: Rickard Rydell, Chevrolet 1:20.778
2: Johan Kristofersson, Volkswagen + 0,384
3: Fredrik Ekblom, Volkswagen + 0,540
4: Patrik Olsson, Volkswagen + 0,573
5: Michael Nykjaer, Chevrolet + 0,613
6: Robert Dahlgren, Volvo + 0,650
7: Thed Björk, Volkswagen + 0,764
8: Richard Göransson, BMW + 0,896
9: Martin Öhlin, BMW

It’s time for the final weekend in STCC held at Mantorp Park and WestCoast Racing goes there looking for victories. Team manager Dick Jönsson Wigroth wants to finish a season that has been tough for the team with injuries and unplanned events by scoring top results in their final STCC-weekend. WestCoast Racing is despite all this joint first in number of race victories this season.
“Despite the fact Richard Göransson got injured at the first race and we were forced to race with just one car for several races we have managed to win three races this year. We want to increase that at Mantorp and finish the season in style. There’s no doubt we have had the speed to yet again challenge for the championship this year but nothing has gone our way and that’s the way it is. Mantorp might not be the best track for us trying to compete with the more powerful cars on the long straight but it’s the final weekend which always has surprises for all of us. Our target is to win races.”

Martin Öhlin has had a tough rookie season in STCC but he has shown the speed is there. He’s been the fastest BMW both in qualifying and races several times. He qualified sixth at Mantorp in May but got pushed off at the start. He is seeking revenge.
“There’s no reason to think about that now, I will go all in for this weekend. I have no reason to go safe so the target is to finish in style. A godo qualifying and two good races is the only thing I have planned.”

A year ago Richard Göransson took his fourth STCC-title in style at Mantorp Park thus becoming historic. This year he’s made more history as he is now the most winning driver in the history of the championship. He is out of contention for the title but he wants to increase his tally of victories.
“It’s quite funny Chevrolet feels they need three cars to win this championship and the Volkswagenteam needs four cars. We did fine last year with just one car when we took the championship. I’m not able to defend my title this year after my injury in the first race this year but I will give it my all to fight about the victories this final weekend. Anyone wanting to win this on Saturday will have to count with me and be prepared to work hard for it.”

Time schedule – Mantorp Park

Friday
14.15 – Test
16.20 – Qualifying

Saturday
09.20 – Warm up
11.55 – Gridshow
13.05 – Race 1
15.35 – Race 2

Weights – Mantorp

1225 kilo – BMW 320si E90 [6 speed SQ-box] 1210 kilo – BMW 320si E90 [5 speed H-box] 1210 kilo – Volkswagen Scirocco
1210 kilo – Volkswagen Scirocco [Kristoffersson, Björk] 1210 kilo – Chevrolet Cruze
1199 kilo – Volvo C30
1150 kilo – Alfa Romeo 156
1140 kilo – Honda Accord
1130 kilo – SEAT León TFSi
1120 kilo – BMW 320i E46