It was a special weekend for two-time DTM champion and local hero Marco Wittmann. For the first time, his brother Nico and his father Herbert were also taking part in a DTM weekend. They competed at the Norisring in the popular Touring Car Classics series, which returned to the supporting program after Zolder, as the "Wittmann Motorsport" team in a 1989 BMW M3 E30, in which Austrian Dieter Quester once celebrated success for BMW.
For Marco, the anticipation of the race weekend from July 4 to 7, 2019 was huge. "Having three Wittmanns on the grid was a great thing. What's more, both they and I were driving with start number 11."
The pair had actually been scheduled to start at Zolder, "....but there were a few minor difficulties there, so they are now making their first start at the Norisring," explained the current fourth-placed driver in the DTM standings.
"My father used to race himself and my brother has always been fully involved in motorsport. They have now both received their racing licenses," added the proud BMW driver.
Could the DTM driver imagine being the third man in the team with his father Herbert and brother Nico as "Wittmann Motorsport" in the future? "Who knows?" he says, not wanting to rule it out - and adds: "When I retire or reach a certain age ..."
A look back into the past
In addition to spectacular racing cars from the DRM/DTM/ITC and STW eras, the "coachmen" of yesteryear were also back at the wheel. The series has done really well in the last two years - with many vehicles and many good ex-drivers from the past, including Harald Grohs, Kris Nissen & Co.
The teams gave each other absolutely nothing and all marked their territory on the famous street circuit in Nuremberg. Of course, this took its toll in places - but it only resulted in a few worn wing mirrors.
"Just like the old days," commented one enthusiastic fan.
Almost 150,000 spectators remained in their seats after the DTM race to experience this spectacle. Tens of thousands watched the race live on their screens at home via live stream. Commentary was provided by Rainer Braun and Oli Sittler.
The newcomers lose out to the old in the race
There was no way around the Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI in Martini livery from the 1996 ITC season in the third round of the Touring Car Classics at the Norisring. The fastest driver in practice, Stefan Rupp, in Nicola Larini's former company car, lost the starting sprint to Ronny Scheer in the Opel Astra V8 (2000). But in the Grundig bend, the driver from Landshut overtook on the outside of the bend and sped away from the field in the 500 hp four-wheel drive car.
Only Ronny Scheer was able to keep the outcome of the race open. However, the Dresden native lost several positions on the starting lap. His orange gullwing, which was driven by Joachim Winkelhock in the 2000 DTM season, is the first new-generation DTM car to be used in historic races. The car with gullwing doors even has Norisring history: Winkelhock won a race on the circuit, which is only 2.3 kilometers long, back then.
Scheer bravely fought his way back to second place in the successful car of yesteryear and even set the fastest race lap two laps before the end. But Rupp took the win with a 9.6-second lead. Richard Weber was the fastest BMW M3 driver to cross the finish line in third place. The driver from Rosenheim and his ex-Diebels M3 were among the highlights of the field.
Many disqualifications
Gerhard Füller finished fourth in the Opel Vectra STW as the fastest two-liter driver but, like many other teams, was disqualified after the race because he had mistakenly made his mandatory pit stop too early. This also included TWC championship leaders Marc Hessel / Frank Schmickler, Ralph Bahr / Harald Grohs and 5 other teams.
BMW M3 colleague Kris Nissen was again unlucky at the Norisring. In practice, the engine on the Signal BMW, the former DTM car of Prince Leopold of Bavaria, burst. His friends at Team Automotive 2.0 helped out with a replacement engine, which was brought in overnight from Düsseldorf. During the race, the fuse for the fuel pump went on strike. The disappointment of the former VW Motorsport boss was clear to see.
Popular autograph session
Kris Nissen was just one of many former DTM drivers in the TWC paddock. In addition to Kris, Harald Grohs, Armin Hahne, Marc Hessel, Patrick Huisman, Olaf Manthey, Frank Schmickler, Volker Schneider and Altfrid Heger delighted the spectators not only on the track but also at the autograph session on the show stage in the paddock.
Armin Dellkamm, TWC Champion 2016, made a spectacular return after a long break. He delivered a fabulous race in his blue 1988 Kalaschek M3.
Unfortunately, not all teams were lucky enough to make it the distance. In the end, the Tourenwagen Classics family celebrated its winners together in the evening sun at the Dutzendteich.
