Huisman – A Swede in 2007 too?

Duncan Huisman was one of the revelations of the 2006 STCC season. Despite missing one race due to a clash with WTCC he finished third in the championship and recorded some of the year’s most memorable drives through the field – at Anderstorp and Gelleråsen. TouringCarTimes had a chat with the flying Dutchman.

A second year with the BMW Dealer Team/WeastCoast Racing in STCC looked set, but when the team presented its drivers and new sponsor for next season, Duncan didn’t figure in the line-up.
– I really wanted to stay but in the end it was based on money, Huisman says. The team got Tools as the main sponsor who provides 70% of the budget, and they wanted two Swedish drivers. I could learn Swedish but still not be Swedish, so that was that.

Though Duncan feels that he is not finished with STCC and it is still very much in his plans for the coming season. He will not even write off a drive at WestCoastRacing.
– No, they have bought three cars and I have already talked to Dick (Jönsson-Wigroth, WestCoastRacing team boss) about driving a third car, but of course that depends on finding a budget for it.
But Duncan doesn’t exclude other teams or even other makes.
– I’m open for negotiations, he says. I know there are other good teams looking for drivers and if I get a good deal I’ll take it. I haven’t talked to any other teams yet, but they know who I am. At the moment I think everyone is waiting to see if Richard Göransson and Thed Björk leave or not. But if for instance Tommy (Audi team boss) or Jan (Flash Engineering team boss) would call, I’d talk for sure. I learned a lot this year about the tracks, the other teams and drivers and about racing in Sweden. It would be a shame not to use that.

There is no hiding the fact that Duncan really enjoyed his season in STCC. Looking back, he thinks the championship is at a high level.
– It’s definitely one of the best championships. You just have to look at how the Swedish drivers performed in the ETC-cup. Robin was one of the fastest despite an old car, and even if Tomas Engström had an advantage in the rain, he was still very fast in the Honda. STCC is one of the best championships around, and they need to market that more to the foreign press. For example, I really think the official website needs to be in English as well, like TouringCarTimes.
Duncan also has some good memories from his first STCC-season.
– In many ways it felt like I was racing in my own country. I think I made quite a few new fans and all the people were really nice, so it would be a shame not to return. At the post-season awards show a lot of people told me they wanted to see me back in the championship next year.
He also liked most of the tracks.
– Falkenberg was my favourite, but I liked most of the tracks. Knutstorp is good if you have a good car, it is a bit twisty but you have to work all the time around the lap which is fun. Mantorp was good, it’s just a shame we can’t run the long old track there. I think the only track I didn’t like was Gelleråsen.

Apart from looking at options in STCC, Duncan is also looking at finding something in WTCC, and talks have already begun with some teams.
– Yes, we are focused on finding something in WTCC and talks are going in the right direction. But I really want a works car and as you know the Schnitzer team is already full. But there are some teams out there I’m sure you know about that are interesting. The main thing is that there are many clashes next year between WTCC and STCC races so it would most likely have to be one or the other.

With the news this week that Richard Göransson has been offered a BMW-drive in WTCC, it is possible that Duncan and Richard are chasing the same seat.
– Yes, we might be, Duncan said with a smile. But I think Richard must bring a budget for his drive and I don’t know if he can do that or not. But many seats require a budget so that’s nothing new.

There have been discussions about the rising costs for the S2000-cars that have made it more difficult for the teams. Duncan doesn’t feel the problem is bigger than it used to be.
– Motor racing has always been expensive. The cars and especially the parts are expensive, but that has always been the case in high-level championships. I don’t think more drivers have to bring budgets to teams now than before. I don’t know though, I haven’t paid for a drive for the last four or five years. But if teams can race the cars for two or three years they can cut their costs a lot.