GO_BLUE_VETTES

Well, I'll be doing a short term stint in Germany for 8 months.

Besides attending Le Mans 2011 and a couple of F1 races, driving the Ring and Spa are high on my list of things to do. I will only be 150 km from the Ring!

So, who has driven the Ring or Spa, what kind of car arrangements did you make? I don't so much want to take a tiny Hertz Rental car (they don't let you do that), but would rather rent a prepped car or do a track day where they provide a car.

Who's done this? I found this outfit below. Pricing doesn't seem to bad for the Renault Clio!


http://www.rsrnurburg.com/

GO_BLUE_VETTES

Nobody else has done this?

Solofast

Send a PM to Z06trackman, he has done a bunch of laps at the ring and has it down to a science. There was a thread on this subject not long ago so you should be able to find it using the search function.

gmccreary

I did 2 laps on the ring in 2008 with a rental Audi A4. 21 euro per lap. It's everything you've heard about and more. There are many places to rent cars to drive on the ring. One is call "RentRaceCar"

http://www.rent-racecar.de/english/v...ices/index.htm

RaleighSS

I did the rental car thing also .... be sure to check their page for open days. Since it is not a track day like we are used to here at HPDE there is no helmets or extra safety stuff needed. Just did not push the car at all. The day I was there there were not many "race cars" but quite a few running faster laps. On those open track days its "normal road rules" I never was in anyone way and actually was faster then a few. Just kept an eye on the mirrors and kept looking far ahead as i could.

Now there are a few rental car companies ... very near track is a place that rents race prepped stock Swifts.... almost got one of those but just did not ....

l8_apexer

I've been there twice this year. do NOT take your rental car there-- the rental car companies have cameras around the track and if they see one of their cars out there you will be BANNED FOR LIFE from renting from them. About a month ago, I rented a car from www.rentracecar.de and it was great. I got a 2010 VW Scirrocco, with cage, harnesses, track-ready brakes and tires and it was WONDERFUL. Not cheap-- about $400 euros for about 4 hours. You need to make sure you are there on a day when the track is open-- check the 'Ring's website. The hours for public use are actually fairly limited. You will be put out on the track with literally anybody and everybody. From guys with Porsche GT3RS to clunky old diesel station wagons and everything in between.

BE CAREFUL. Learning where the road goes is 90% of the key to staying out of trouble-- and you have to watch out for the guys who come every weekend and know the track well. You're not going to learn a 14 km course with 78 turns in an afternoon. So don't bother trying. You can use Gran Turismo 3 on your playstation to somewhat learn the track before you go.

It's 22 Euros a lap. The track is frequently closed due to crashes which require police investigations. That's what plagued me the day I was there-- track shut down for an hour at a time. Then you'd get 2 or three laps, and some other idiot would stuff his crotch rocket into a guardrail and it's closed again. Get used to the idea that there may be 100-200 cars on the track at the same time.

Allow lots of time to go over to the pavillion and take in all the exhibits, museums, shops, etc. Ferrari has a store there. If you have even advance planning, booking a ride in the Ringtaxi is the best. Take a ride with a factory BMW pro driver around the Ring at speed in an M5. They are INSANELY FAST. CHeck out youtube for in-car sample videos.

Have a great time. THe roads in the area around the ring are fabulous if like spending an afternoon in the twisties in a mountainous , forested region.


THen if you have an extra day, drive down to Stuttgart and see the Porsche museum. That's a wonderful day- plus you'll get several hours on the autobahn on the way!

PeOR

The ring is an awesome place. I have done a 4 day training there (BMW Fahrerlergang) and visit it once just for touristfarhten. Being a Swede there are a bunch of us hanging around the track most every weekend. If you want to hook up with someone, I am sure I can find a few that would help you around.

About the track, it takes 10 laps before you start to understand it and 50 before you are starting to become really familiar. Given that each lap costs a bit, and that you usually only can do about 4-8 laps in a day, it takes some time. My recommendation is that you go 10 laps yourself and then go with someone that knows the track. Then drive after him. That would speed up your learning.

You should rent a race car just as suggested. The Suzuki Swift is the cheapest one but I assure you, you will have a blast. And if you know the track, you will be faster than lots of 911's. It is all about knowing where to carry speed.

Use Xbox 360 to learn the track. I had 100 laps as my target before going there the first place. It helps a lot but is not representing the altitude differences on track. Don't drive too fast cars, but stay with NSX or similar cars.

Once there, you are hooked for life. But build speed slowly. I don't actually understand how they can have it open. And when you are passing a car, carrying 100 mph more speed than him, you will probably share my opinion. It is awesome.

PeO.

Z06Norway

Agree with PeO, take it slow the first laps, get a race prepped car, even Suzuki swift with R tire will give you more than most expensive GT cars.

PeO, When did you do the fahrerlehrgang? I have been in August since 2007, in my Black 2007 Z06

Try to go when there is VLN race, actually hook up with us next august?
6 hour VLN and historic racing normally happens before or after the 3 day training on Nurburgring, 12 hours a day
I am normally coach on the Norwegian group, you may join us, i teach you Norwegian in no time :-)


Rune

Z06Norway

BTW,
PeO, i set my personal fastest speed last august, i got 193 MPH, right before bridge on döttinge Höe
But the most scary or should i say thrilling was in Fuchsröhe, 155 MPH, underside car toucht ground from front to rear. suspension, Penske 8760 3 way bottomed out, with lowered spindels, my rear wheels grinded 1/2 inch material of my lower A-arms

Video logging failed me, as did my stage3 dry sump on my Katech engine, so i have to try another time to go faster than ZR1.
but gut feeling tells me i was close, 7.48 is the fastest i have with video.

Track and surroundings are addictive, i LOVE it


Rune

PeOR

Rune, then we did Fahrerlehrgang together! I have my Swedish blog here (in Swedish) http://rejsa.nu/forum/viewtopic.php?...=asc&start=110
As you might see, it was a learning curve for me where I am still have a long way to go.

PeO.

RaleighSS

strike my comments never been there with a rental car :-) honestly listen to others ... some may have gotten lucky but not worth the risk rent a track car with proper inc ... Take it slow and have a good time..

Z06Norway

Actually, rent from Sixt in Dusseldorf or some place far from the ring, the rumors are that they dont have anything regarding the ring

Disclaimer etc

Rune

Z06Norway

I am also on a loooooong learning curve, i dont think you ever going to be fully experienced, unless you do VLN race for a decade
My first VLN race was so fun and sooooooo scary.
I was running in V2, second slowest of the 18 groups of race cars at the track simultanious.
Think ALMS is fun to watch, 4 maybe 5 classes, try 18 classes, 180 cars on track, fastest car do Northsleife + 3/4 F1 track in 7.15 min, slowest cars 11.30 min.
I must have been the most polite guy on track, going off race line all the time, picking up so much rubber, car was heavier when i was finished with my 1 hour 20 min stint
Next time was in V6 car, a Beemer M3, much better, got to pass cars, but still mile of the pace to top classes, lap times in the low 10's.

I have been to Petit LeMans, Sebring, Daytona 24, SPA, LeMans etc, VLN nurburgring is Amazing espesially when historic race is on the same weekend.
I highly recommend it!

Www.fahrerlehrgang.net is also recommended, good instructors, ALOT of track time on worlds most famous track.
Learn track in a safe manner, there is always a group of American BMW enthusiasts present, why not a Corvette group ?

Rune

Z06Norway

What group did you go with?
I had to to my exam in a borrowed M3 CLS, as my dry sump pump failed on tuesday and put me on fire for 10 sek
What a completely different car the M3 was, it is race prepped with super hard suspension, atleast compared to my setup, no power but a super nice tranny with steering paddle shifter.
Boy i sure hope we can get this on Corvette
I ended up with 34 points, down from last year 28, so i was not happy with myself
But there is always a new year........

Z06Norway

I just read your swedish blog, 2007 was my first year and what i think the worst Fahrerlehrgang, due to weather and agenda. They canged the agenda completely. No more skidpads for a whole day, 3 days with track time, 2009, i got close to 50 free laps !
I did 9 laps in the one hour 10 minute window, averaging sub 8 btg, with best 7.48 it was a BLAST , best a man can do, go flat out, well 90% in your Corvette ;-).
The Corvette really shines on Nurburgring.
BTW with 9 laps my 600 hp old push rod gave better mpg than the new M3 V8.
There was a guy in a new M3 giving me a hard time sunday before we started, he was more quiet after tuesday session
Go Vette

BondurantHPD

Sounds like a blast! Have a great time, and lets see some pics after you drive it.

-Eric

PeOR

You don't blog about the activities on Fahrerlehrgang or the VLN races. It would be really fun to read about!

PeO.

rustyguns

I did the same thing and same car! It was a blast!

rustyguns

YAY!!!!!! Another BMW Kill lol