Team Tidö got a strong start to the 2014 STCC season when Richard Göransson took to the podium at this weekend's concluding heats at the premiere races at Knutstorp.

Göransson took possession of third place in Friday's qualifying, where he also got the season's first 15 points. The result meant that the driver from Örebro secured a spot in the second row for Saturday's final race - but also that he, according to the new STCC regulations, had to start the first race from the eighth spot on the grid.

Just as expected, the new rules with reverse grid resulted in a dramatic first race, which for Göransson's part resulted in a final ninth place after a drive-through penalty for a collision with the Kia driver Linus Ohlsson. The four-time title winner, however, showed that the pace was there by recording the race's fastest lap at the wheel of his SAAB 9-3.

In the subsequent second race start Göransson on the third grid spot he had qualified in, held his position all the way to the finish. The podium is the first ever for Team Tidö in STCC.

Roger Samuelsson finished eight and tenth in the two heats, and thus contributed with five points, which combined with Göransson's 32 gives Team Tidö an overall third place in the team standings. Göransson holds the same position in the drivers' championship . The season's second STCC race takes place on Frihamnspiren in Gothenburg on 6-7 June.

Rallycross

Over the weekend at Knutstorp Göransson also participated in rally class RallyX Supercar Lites. After having advanced from the preliminary heats, he was forced to break with a broken tie rod in the semis.

RICHARD GÖRANSSON: "A very good start for us! We came here with the goal to be among the top three point earners in total, and we have achieved just that. We have come very far in our new partnership in a very short time - I get along really well with the team. It was especially fun that the speed was there to qualify as third in both Q1 and Q2. The first race was just as predicted quite chaotic, and in retrospect I might have taken it a bit easier in the situation with Linus. The second heat was much less dramatic, but not easy in any way. A small mistake had been enough to miss the podium, but the car felt good and I had good control of the situation. Starting the cooperation with Team Tidö in this way feels great, and now we have to continue to work like this for the rest of the season."

DAVID VON SCHINKEL (Team Manager): " A fantastic start to the season - this is Team Tidö's first podium in the STCC, and we are of course very happy. Richard - and everyone else in the team - has done a great job. Additionally, we are pleased with Roger's effort; he has run maturely and secure, and his five points scored may be crucial at the end. We leave the premiere with a strong foundation to build on, and we look forward to the next race in Gothenburg with great confidence."