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| Nurburgring trip report | |
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| Topic Started: Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:57 pm (227 Views) | |
| dnrc | Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:57 pm Post #1 |
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Well that's a proper big tick in one of life's boxes - lap the nordschliefe in under 10 minutes - DONE It could also be the start of an addiction, i just have to go back.... This may have turned out a bit long, it just kept coming out, but here goes. We left the blur of amsterdam friday about midday headed for the ring. I spent most of the journey essentially passed out in the passenger seat while Rick drove. I was absolutely wasted (the aftermath of the magic truffles) We got to nurburg around 7-8 ish and drove around aimlessly until we found the camping am nurburgring campsite where we checked in and set our tents etc up. had a few beers and a bit of smoke and went to sleep. Saturday came and we woke, me and rick felt rubbish, the previous few days catching us up. Ash was ok as he had been taking it easy. The weather wasn't good, it was fairly foggy. We made the decision that we felt too crap to do anything that day. We would just sort out a hire car for Ash and Rick and take it easy ready for the sunday. Thankfully as it turned out the ring was closed practically all day which made us feel a fair bit better about feeling too crap. We mooched about the area, scoped out one rental place who said they would have a golf gti, got some food a a couple of pints and got an early one. saw these during the day:  M3 CSL  Aston   and the utterly gorgeous GT40 Sunday comes, we woke feeling pretty good, it was still misty but the sun was out so things were looking good. We went back to the rental place about 11 to find that because everything was closed the previous day there was no car.....maybe something about 3......crap. We went back to the ring parked up and walked up to RSR nurburg the rental place having a bit of a **insert swear word here**y argument on the way. Got there to find one spare car and one bloke in the queue before us. Not good, found there may be something available about 3 again.....crap. We were then leaving and were off down the road when one of the guys came over and said there was a cancellation and a megane r26.r had become available. fully race prepped 220 brake. Rick and Ash hired it, and all inc package for about 600 euros including lap tickets and petrol for 6 laps. Thank christ for that. I went to get the merc and we were off. I can barely remember the first lap, I followed Rick for most of it but when we got to the Karrussell he went round the top so I chucked it in and overtook him and went ahead to finish off. the lap came in at a sedate 13 mins or so. There were a fair few accidents around the lap, a constant reminder that this isn't a place to be messed with. We finished the first lap to find the ring was closed while they cleared up one of the accidents. That gave the cars half an hour or so to cool.. Onto the second lap, Ash was driving the megane, he has only been driving about 18 months so i got ahead of him as soon as possible and took the lap on my own. I followed an english guy in an astra for a while as he seemed to know the track slightly but then decided he was too slow so went past. Rick took a few photos on this lap and again there were several accidents. this lap came in about 11:40  me going past   Skyline  Backwards Porsche  Another  Crashed bike Some of the sweeping corners are wonderful though  We parked up at the gates on the grass for a bit of a photo shoot. then up rolls a beautiful mosler so we had a little look until we got moved on by security (aparrently you can't just park up there!)  Me looking goofy  Ash and the megane  Rick looking like he's about to eat someone  The Mosler Third lap and Ash sat out so it was just Rick and Me in the two cars. I overtook him after a few corners and stayed ahead the whole lap. I have to admit to making a mess of adnauer forst though, you come through several fast sweeping corners up a hill until you come over a blind crest to find a left right s bend and a 90 or whatever you just can't slow down so I went straight over the grass with loads of german spectators laughing at me! I had been following people the first two laps which had obviously helped me, thankfully it's one of the only places on the track where there is a proper run-off. This lap again had a whole load of yellow flags but i came in at around 10:35 A few cars from the paddock:      Then off for a fourth lap, Ash in the megane again so i didn't bother waiting. Made another mess of adnauer forst but turned in a 9:50. I'd been aiming for a 10 min lap so this was a good moment for me. I didn't find that out till later though because I had clocked it at 10:05. I had just got back to the car park when a couple of guys in a K plate M3 came over to say they were friends with steve off here and they recognised the forum stickers on the car. One of them aparrently was in the car when steve crashed it on his first lap of the ring. I also then found out that i had been timing my laps from the wrong place. (i was going from the cones rather than the bridge)  Blurry M3  Cooling down  the settings great as well Next I had a passenger lap with Rick which was good as well. I got some photos and a good bit of video. It was nice to go round without the pressure of driving, although you need to be a good passenger and trust your driver. I also timed how long from the cones to the bridge which in the 220bhp megane came in around 15 seconds. This was good as I had met my target, the previous two laps were 10:20 and 9:50. Rick did this one in about 10:35. It seems slow but he wasn't really pushing it, I think it was something to do with the £18000 excess on the car!!!   Golf GTI, one of the quickest guys there  Then there was about an hours closure of the track, My previous lap in the merc i had seen a biker laid flat out on his back getting help and we watched the ambulance taking him away and then a recovery truck with two bikes on it came past. Another reminder and a slightly dark moment as this sort of thing is a spectator sport here.  Then onto our final lap, ash again in the megane so i went for it. Got adnauer forst right and got a fairly clear lap only had two slght yellow flags on this one (the previous couple about the last 5k were under flags) Came in that time with a 9:20. Well pleased with myself. I don't know if that's actually good or not but I really don't care.  Me seen through a rollcage, the first corner was in use by the F1 circuit so we essentially had to go through roadworks.    Me disappearing   Last bit of cooling down before leaving for the day. Just as well it was the last one as I had boiled the brake fluid and probably ruined both pads and discs, the front wheels were absolutely covered with brake dust and at times the pedal went to the floor. Overall the car was great though, it uses a bit of oil but the temp and oil pressure stayed solid all trip and that was carrying 3 large guys (14, 15 and 18 stone) and a bootful of stuff a real long way. All the things that are bad about it on the road are great on a track. On the way home though one of the tyres gave up in dunkirk (the inner edge was ruined, probably due to me screeching round corners and all the weight changing the camber, the car was so low when fully loaded it was untrue!) so we put the spare on. We dropped Rick off at dartford and was at snetterton (20 miles from home) when the bloody spare tyre went and shredded itself too. So unfortunately i ended up arriving home on that back of a recovery truck. Not a good look!  ash with his rubbish bling displaying the tyre damage  and with the fisher price tent he had to buy because he forgot the poles to his proper one! But the Ring is awesome, one of the best and most intense experiences of my life. Its fast and scary and brilliant. there's so much to think about when you're going through blind bends at 90-100 with M3's porches and lambo's going past you while you're both trying to stay on the track and learn the lines on the huge amount of similar looking corners all the while dealing with gradient and camber changes and different levels of grip. Even things like the graffiti on the track and the gantries of people watching you add extra things to notice and think about. and all this while going past accidents just to bring home how dangerous this all is. And there's absolutely nothing quite like (when you know it a bit) hammering through a few sweeping corners, changing down through the gears, sticking it into second diving right in and giving it full throttle through the Karussel It's a fantastic experience and I recommend it to anyone. If anyone's made it this far, thanks for reading.. Also have to say thanks to the guys at RSR Nurburgring http://www.rsrnurburg.com/ they came through for us at very late notice and were very friendly and helpful. They even lent me a lid and i wasn't hiring. gave us some good advice too. Edited by dnrc, Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:02 pm.
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| dnrc | Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:04 pm Post #2 |
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   A few pro photos i got of the interweb, the first of which is now my wallpaper. |
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| CrysAk | Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:33 pm Post #3 |
Moar Bass!
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great write up m8!, looks a blast, i must go next year! |
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| Henger | Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:18 pm Post #4 |
Member
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Good report about a real trip into the Eifel. Regards Fränk |
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| dave_irl | Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:17 pm Post #5 |
I love offset.
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cool report, nice read 
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| NEIL | Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:18 am Post #6 |
Fewer Posts than Kenny
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Superb fella, brilliant report  Glad you got back in one piece, I hear TF is getting busier than ever this summer.Dying to go, just got to get me a proper car
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| Uk Merc Man | Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:32 am Post #7 |
190e Leg-End, 'V' Hater, Man Lover
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hi there, looks like a great trip - the guys in the M3 are mates of mine, they mentioned they saw you - the owner of the M3 has just spent an obscene amount of money prepping it specifically for the ring, he's been going for years and is seriously quick (and safe!) round there - try to blag a lap if you see him again! |
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| Martrider | Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:07 am Post #8 |
Longest build time in history?
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Very very nice mate, it is the most awesome place in the world! I think the guy you met who knows Steve is probably they guy who came over with us in an Escort Cossie, very quick guy, no fear apparently! Even with a sore neck! (Sorry Steve! :lol:) I'll be back soon-ish. lol |
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| JM Motorsport | Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:21 am Post #9 |
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Nice reading, sounds like you had good time. Next time you go i can recommend staying at Pension Daniels, 50 € euros for a double room with toilet and shower, breakfest included.(25€ per person and night), its only a 5 min walk to the famous Pistenklause resturant/bar.
Edited by JM Motorsport, Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:22 am.
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| Uk Merc Man | Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:26 am Post #10 |
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190e Leg-End, 'V' Hater, Man Lover
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yep, thats him, Eddie. he still has the cossie but it leads a quiter life now, M3 is the track weapon! you know, he still moans at me about his neck!! |
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| Benzsc1 | Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:40 am Post #11 |
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Wowser looks very cool wanted to go when I had the old valver but alas so as per Niels comment I just need to get the right car now!! Is there a restriction to what you can actually take round? Ie: would they object to a 50cc scooter or a Big rig to qoute boths ends of the scale? |
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| dnrc | Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:03 pm Post #12 |
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Cheers guys, it was definitely an amazing experience and like i said i want to go back asap. It's not cheap though. And if i were to do it again i would change round the order and do the dam afterwards! Neil, it was incredibly busy, especially as it was closed on the saturday as everyone shifted to the sunday, It's all part of the fun though, there's so much to think about at all times with everything whizzing past you Benzsc1, I don't think there are any restrictions to what you can take, they don't seem to care, there were campervans and buses etc going round. One thing I noticed was the complete lack of safety b/s. Last year i went for a trackday at rockingham, it was on a fairly short track and i was only in an elise with an instructor sitting beside me. Before this there was about an hour of safety briefing and instruction about how weight shifts the car and all sorts of other rubbish. I then had to get suited up and had to wear a lid. At the Ring, which is considered the most dangerous car track in the world, you just turn up in whatever, buy a ticket and go. Its brilliant that it's allowed. Anyone who is thinking of going, just do it, you really won't be disappointed. |
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| jeremy | Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:08 am Post #13 |
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Brilliant write-up , really enjoyed reading it . We were going to do the ring after Hockenheim this year , but were just too bu66ered . Next year......? Jeremy |
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| Lewis 190E 2.5 16 | Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:59 pm Post #14 |
I love speedbumps
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How did I miss this! Nice to see my old valver on track, well done mate, glad your looking after it and using it for what it was built for. Still looks stunning as ever, miss that valver a lot! |
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