Colin Turkington will race in the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship (STCC) in 2011, it has been announced. The 2009 British Touring Car Champion will race a BMW for the Flash Engineering team.
Budgetary struggles have left Northern Irishman Turkington without a full-time drive since winning the BTCC title at the end of 2009. He was able to do a part-time programme in the World Touring Car Championship with WSR, which yielded podium results and a victory at Okayama.
Although his target was to do a full season at world level in 2011, Turkington has now settled for the STCC by signing for Flash Engineering, run by driver Jan 'Flash' Nilsson.
“I feel very pleased and motivated to race for Flash Engineering in the STCC,” said Turkington. “I've proven that I can win in both the BTCC and WTCC. To race for Flash Engineering in the STCC gives me a new lease of life and motivates me heavily, especially as Flash Engineering is one of the strongest teams in Europe and the STCC has grown to become one of the strongest touring car championships around.”
The STCC is attracting a high calibre of drivers, with Turkington's fellow ex-BTCC champions James Thompson and Rickard Rydell lining up for Volvo and Chevrolet respectively.
“It will be a tough challenge, not only in the form of very hard opposition drivers, but also that I will have to learn all of the tracks,” added Turkington. “But I have no doubt that we will have a strong package this year; we will be there and challenge for both victories and the title.”
Nilsson, who will be Turkington's teammate, added: “We are very proud to welcome such a fast and successful driver as Colin to Flash Engineering. His experience of BMW combined with our experience of the BMW is going to give us a very strong concept for STCC 2011.”
