Test Days Touring Car Legends: A legendary gnome as a guest at the BILSTER BERG

The “Touring Car Legends” racing series was founded in January 2019 by Oldenburg businessman and DSK Fairness Award winner Jörg Hatscher.

The racing series is characterised above all by fair motorsport in a family environment. As far as possible, only cars from the period of the former DTM up to the ITC era are to take part. To round off the range of vehicles, the fast and technically demanding cars of the super touring car era are also permitted.

“Racing with friends” is not just an advertising slogan, it is the leitmotif of the race series. A lean organisation, professional handling and being close to the athletes are the mantra of the organisational team of only four!

Norbert Heisterkamp, an actor in professional life, has been taking part in the series as a guest rider since this year. We spoke to him during the Test Days of the Touring Car Legends, which took place on a weekend last March at the BILSTER BERG.

Mr Heisterkamp, how did you first get the idea to take part in the Touring Car Legends?

Last year I accepted the invitation of a friend who invited me to a Volkswagen racing event in Oschersleben. While he was telling me about the event, I immediately thought of the old days and wanted to take part again. When I was younger, I drove a racing taxi in hill climbs for 10 years, but then I needed a break. But something was missing in my life, so I was very happy about the invitation to Oschersleben. When I walked through the starting grid there, I got goose bumps. Seeing the cars there made me incredibly happy. At Thorsten Stadler, one of the competitors, I stopped for a moment and asked him what I had to do so that he would get out of the car and I could get in. That was my first real contact with the touring car legends.

What do you like about the BILSTER BERG?

I think the route has been excellently integrated into the landscape. And I like the meticulous cleanliness; I myself am the same way at home. Besides, the people are very nice and the atmosphere is good: “I love that when I’m here.”

Have you driven here yourself?

Yes, I have. The first time I drove here, I did a Porsche GT3 test with Altfried Heger. In my mind, I always have that feeling when you drive down the Mausefalle and get a slight gasp. All indications of a great race track.

If you have also driven on other tracks, what is the difference between these and the BILSTER BERG?

I’ve already driven the Nordschleife, and I think that’s also very demanding. But the BILSTER BERG is in no way inferior to it, except in length.

What attracts you to motorsport? Will we see you more often on the track now?

I really hope that we will see more of each other now! Even as a little boy, I was very keen on motorsport. In my youth, the cars that are now racing with the touring car legends were cult, a great feeling. I inherited my motorsport affinity from my grandpa, who could never get enough of racing.

In my childhood room, the walls were covered with posters of Toni Mang. My father always said: “We don’t have to wallpaper anything with that boy, he covers everything with motorsport posters anyway. Later I learned to be a locksmith and an electrician. At some point I took the step to become a stuntman and pursued the profession. In the beginning I worked a lot for the traffic programme ‘Der 7. Sinn’, where we filmed a lot of car accidents and rollovers. So I always had an affinity for cars and I’m very happy that I now have the opportunity to get a closer look at the subject.

What other projects or goals do you have in this area?

I would like to drive with the Touring Car Legends for a whole season in order to get to know as many race tracks as possible. Thorsten Stadler is actively supporting me in this project! I’ve only driven myself at the Hockenheimring, Nürburgring, Oschersleben and the BILSTER BERG.

Will we soon see you again at the BILSTER BERG?

I am very much assuming so!

https://www.norbertheisterkamp.de/

He is also one of the guests on the BILSTER BERG “Cars ‘n’ Faces” talk show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW_ZpSC_1mI&t=66s

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