The Volvo Classic Racing Team will not only start 2021 as one of the largest teams in the TWC, but is also a sponsor of the well-known classic motorsport series.
In the coming weeks and months, the well-known crew will be relying on a combination that is unique in racing history: both the saloon and the estate version - the latter twice - of the Group A Volvo 850 Turbo will be at the start. They are returning to the racetracks as Team Volvo Classic-Racing after a decade-long break - the premiere was a guest appearance at the 2020 OGP.
Collaboration with old acquaintances
Behind this is the close cooperation of well-known names: Gerhard Hinkelmann's GEMEC Solutions GmbH (Kelberg), HSO Hütter Sport Orga GmbH (Adenau) and Baumann Logistik GmbH (Bonn). Together they are responsible for the Touring Car Classic (TWC). This is a link to the now legendary appearances of the cars in the 24-hour races on the Nordschleife in the mid-1990s.
Based on the importer's decision at the time, two vehicles in Group A trim were built by the specialists at HEICO Motorsport in 1994 under the project management of Gerhard Hinkelmann. The 2.3-liter 5-cylinder turbo engine thus prepared produced approx. 243 kW/330 hp. In preparation for the twice-around-the-clock marathon, they used the races of the then Veedol Endurance Cup.
Successful entries in the endurance classic through the Green Hell in the years 1995 to 1997 followed and caused quite a stir.
"In 1994, Volvo achieved a coup in the racing scene that had never been seen before or since: station wagons in racing! Now we are writing a new chapter in this history in the classic car series," says Gerhard Hinkelmann, summing up his own sporting history with the present in a single sentence.
Helmut Baumann, team spokesperson for the partners Niesen System Logistik (Leverkusen), Tapella Hören + Sehen (Rheinbach), Tapella Zahnimplantate (Bonn) as well as Baumann Logistik GmbH and Baumann Container Raumsysteme (Bonn), focused on further key points: "From our successful debut with the TWC at last year's OGP, enthusiasm grew among us all. We wanted and want more. Accordingly, we are competing with three cars. But that's not all. We also want to play an official role in promoting the great series and the attractive media base that has grown steadily over the past year through our involvement as a series partner. We feel very much at home in the TWC family and love to mix up the extremely broad starting field with its brand diversity with our power cars."
