Nurburgring - Cherry Popped

[DazBlackCSL]

Originally Posted by Johnnywb

There are some plans afoot, but will let you know if they fall through and will get the card to you!

Did some tourist laps on the Sunday afternoon. Fooking scary. Spent more time looking in my mirrors than looking where i was going. Got to the end of the first lap and thought, hmm, don't remember much of that!

Monday was a Destination Nurburgring Trackday and was a lot better, fewer cars, no bikes, no pickups, or buses. There was a London Taxi though who spun on the sighting lap and wasn't seen on track again! The only disconcerting bit was some of the race cars (Cup CSLs, Aston N24, Porsche 908, Corvette) who were flying but generally pretty good.

Would certainly go on more trackdays there, not sure whether i would do more TF laps (but clearly i will!)

You could always join us on Oct 1st, few of us going

Rather be out with Race cars who know what there doing than the great unwashed, that's what has spoilt it certainly have noticed it more in the last two years as it's got more of a destination for the 'Maccy D crew'

Must of been Stevie out there in one of those, awesome car that, made my cup car last year look pretty basic by comparison

Going to sort the dates for the private track days for 2011 over the coming months so once I know the options will post up to see who is interested

[DazBlackCSL]

Originally Posted by Dan

I think I need more than practice to get round there quickly!



Is that like the 'Destination Nurburgring' trips that I've seen BHP (Buckingham High Performance) arranging?

They look really good, not sure on value for money but closed track to public and open lapping has got to be good!

Actually they are good value, when you think about it, 25 Lap pass is now more or less €400 , for that you are at the mercy of all, and if some numpty has a moment it closes , for min 15 mins or at worse (like it did when we were out in May) the rest of the day depending on severity of the accident.

Have done 25 (well 35) in day, but we were lucky and pretty much on it back to back, with Rob / Ade / Alex etc was a rare but very good day.

Private Days are yes a little more, say €100 ish, but for that, you have no bikes, vans , buses etc, unlimited lapping, with no need to pull off unless you need fuel or a break, so quite easily put in 40+ laps , giving some time for breaks to let the car cool down, so your actually quids in, add to that the fact you can insure your car ' as it is a track day ' and you also avoid that element of risk and big expense should something happen.

Makes far more sense if you intend to put in many laps

[Johnnywb]

As Daz said, it actually worked out pretty good value.

The weather was pretty rubbish, rain in the morning, period of dry weather from mid morning to mid afternoon and then the heavens opened about half an hour before the track closed.

Sighting laps for 1 hour from 0830 (no overtaking) then the track was open until 1700. (last laps leaving at 1640). No lunch break.

I managed 17 laps (i think going on fuel) which breaks back to £29 a lap. I wasn't really going for it what with it being my first time. Generally i was doing two laps and then coming in. We had three cars and were doing a lot of filming and swapping around which nesseciated coming in.

If it had been dry i would have likely done more laps. The track was only closed twice, once whilst a car was on fire and another time after an Evo had a big shunt and was sitting in the middle of the track. Apparently some cars weren't slowing properly, so they decided to close the track but are already saying this will be looked at more closely next time.

The Monday was by far the more enjoyable day other than the rain.

[mattCSLnut]

Originally Posted by DazBlackCSL

Actually they are good value, when you think about it, 25 Lap pass is now more or less €400 , for that you are at the mercy of all, and if some numpty has a moment it closes , for min 15 mins or at worse (like it did when we were out in May) the rest of the day depending on severity of the accident.

Have done 25 (well 35) in day, but we were lucky and pretty much on it back to back, with Rob / Ade / Alex etc was a rare but very good day.

Private Days are yes a little more, say €100 ish, but for that, you have no bikes, vans , buses etc, unlimited lapping, with no need to pull off unless you need fuel or a break, so quite easily put in 40+ laps , giving some time for breaks to let the car cool down, so your actually quids in, add to that the fact you can insure your car ' as it is a track day ' and you also avoid that element of risk and big expense should something happen.

Makes far more sense if you intend to put in many laps

Having done the one in April, after three days of the regular Ring Tourist weekend I have to agree that this is the way to enjoy the Ring if you're only planning to do one or two Ring trips a year.
It's also a very good & safe way of introducing yourself to the Ring for the first time.

Yep I was out there on Monday in my e46 Team Schirmer car; did some laps on wets in the morning, then shredded them by going out for one more lap after it had dried up. The afternoon was spent on slicks, but the it decided to rain after 4 and did 2 laps with slicks in the wet which was interesting - teaches you fast to be very gentle with both the throttle and steering wheel!

Russ was also there in his CSL Cup car, we did a couple of laps together but felt it wasn't the cleverest thing in the world 2 racecars chasing each other round so we gave up and did laps on our own instead.

[glendog74]

Originally Posted by DazBlackCSL

Actually they are good value, when you think about it, 25 Lap pass is now more or less €400 , for that you are at the mercy of all, and if some numpty has a moment it closes , for min 15 mins or at worse (like it did when we were out in May) the rest of the day depending on severity of the accident.

Have done 25 (well 35) in day, but we were lucky and pretty much on it back to back, with Rob / Ade / Alex etc was a rare but very good day.

Private Days are yes a little more, say €100 ish, but for that, you have no bikes, vans , buses etc, unlimited lapping, with no need to pull off unless you need fuel or a break, so quite easily put in 40+ laps , giving some time for breaks to let the car cool down, so your actually quids in, add to that the fact you can insure your car ' as it is a track day ' and you also avoid that element of risk and big expense should something happen.

Makes far more sense if you intend to put in many laps

Agree 100% - it's how i'll be doing the Ring from now on as the TF is getting rather silly these days full of numpties and is closed more often than open at times...

Being able to drive the full Ring lap with other drivers who have Ring experience is a real boon - as is being able to insure the car easier than it is for a TF day. It would also make coordinating CSL Register Ring trips easier too! Gets my vote!

[Johnnywb]

Originally Posted by Steve Gill

Yep I was out there on Monday in my e46 Team Schirmer car; did some laps on wets in the morning, then shredded them by going out for one more lap after it had dried up. The afternoon was spent on slicks, but the it decided to rain after 4 and did 2 laps with slicks in the wet which was interesting - teaches you fast to be very gentle with both the throttle and steering wheel!

Russ was also there in his CSL Cup car, we did a couple of laps together but felt it wasn't the cleverest thing in the world 2 racecars chasing each other round so we gave up and did laps on our own instead.

Ah good craic, i would have come over and said hello if i'd known. You probably came past me a good few times, think i was the slowest CSL there other than Mark when he went out on slicks in the wet!

There was a CSL there with Luxembourg plates who was seriously fast, but Jochen from Frozenspeed said it was 'a long way from standard', anyone know it?

There was also a black british CSL (AU 04 maybe?) which was stripped out with harnesses, but didn't manage to chat to the driver.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by glendog74

Agree 100% - it's how i'll be doing the Ring from now on as the TF is getting rather silly these days full of numpties and is closed more often than open at times...

Being able to drive the full Ring lap with other drivers who have Ring experience is a real boon - as is being able to insure the car easier than it is for a TF day. It would also make coordinating CSL Register Ring trips easier too! Gets my vote!

I'd be inclined to agree I think Rob/Daz, seems everyone would benefit tbh!

I did keep an email received from BHP as it looked interesting, glad I did now

[glendog74]

Certainly looked like you had changeable weather

Pics by Jochen

[DuncanR]

Originally Posted by Johnnywb

Leuven's also the home of Stella, which is obviously why we went!

Does she do rooms as Im looking for somewhere to stop off on my way to Spa for the TD on the 4th October ! I will need just the one night on the Sunday 3rd, as I will not be leaving UK until late on after a fookin Christening !