Larry Cable

have you got the autoweek ring lines document????

fbroen

Larry, I thought I did, but turns out the link I was going to jump off is dead. As are a bunch of others. If you wouldn't mind PM:ing it, that would be great.

4forme

Definitely go after picking up your car and taking the museum tour. You will have a blast. It is Mecca for track people. The drive to Nurburg is a great time as well. Last time I was there in late '10 I did 4 laps and saw too many crashes to count including two GT3s side swipe each other and end up in the wall. Just pay attention and don't overdrive the new car. You will have a great time.

SSST

I'd love to take my car there and drive it. Enjoy, and be sure to take video and pics.

jerry joseph

When I bought my 997tts cab, i had very little time to travel,nevertheless I chose European delivery just so I could drive it on that track
Though the Nurburgring is actually the 3 mile GP track(quite technical)
The 12 mile track is known as the Nordschleife(Northloop) or also the Green Hell,cause you drive up and down through the forest
I had a private instructor that drove me in my car to describe the Northloop to me and point out the apexes and whatnot...
After a few laps(where he blew by EVERYONE on the track )...I felt like trying it!
I was apprehensive at first,but by easing into it,I gradually got the feel for it
You just have to pay close attention to your side and rear view mirror!
Some drivers practically live there,so they will be faster and very quickly coming up behind you
Just pace yourself at the speed you feel comfortable at
If the other drivers seem much faster than you,just keep to the right with your right side blinker on(which lets drivers behind you know you are letting them pass you,with,of course,passing only done on the left)
There are some some serious downhill straits where you can expect a steeply banked turn at the bottom,so take that into account
Of course you can do it,the only thing you need is to approach the track with humility
Enjoy,it will be one of your best driving experiences
The parking lot is also where it's at:you will see quite a few locals,but mainly peeps from all over Europe and beyond:with cars that are anywhere from 5K$ to 500K$:fascinating
You buy a card and load up as many rides as you want( my modest average being about 10 mins)
Video recording is no longer allowed(enforced at the track entry gate)
You could contact Zuffenhausen and ask them to check track availability
One last thing:I would highly recommend staying at the Dorint am Nurburgring,which overlooks the GP track(check out the downstairs pub/bar with all its groovy racing memorabilia
Enjoy the Autobahn as well!

Larry Cable

done that ... if anyone else wants it PM me your email ...

I would also recommend going to youtube, find some full lap videos download to you ipod/ipad/iphone/pc and watch the laps to visually learn the track ...

the difference this made between my 1st and 2nd visits to the ring was HUGE; many recommend learning the track using a video game, I'm not really a fan, as I think the game misleads you in terms of the basic physics of the real track...

being able to visualise the track in your mind will make you experience much much better...

if you do no homework, you will be reduced to driving the track as you would a public road, if you do some homework you can begin to drive it as you would a track.

jerry joseph

+1 on the homework!!!!

Larry Cable

its really a must, given that the track is 5-6x longer than most tracks most of us are experienced to, with commensurate increases in the number of turns etc ... combine that with significantly more traffic (during tourist days) at differing levels of speed and skill around you ... knowing where you are and where the line goes is crucial ... most of the accidents that occur are due to a lack of this knowledge!

fbroen

WOW! THAT WAS FUN!

Thank you all again for all the inside info and encouragement.

Ran Monday AM. Slightly damp track in parts from the rains the night before. 42 degrees and overcast.

And oh so empty! Did not get passed, and only passed a track worker car -- so couldn't have asked for a better first time outing for a novice.

So overall, what a great experience. To be able to drive on such a storied track and just seeing it all... I hope to be back someday.

Some pics:

Larry Cable

pictures and car look great!!! glad you had fun!

Kelderek

Thanks for the pics, beautiful car!

Mike in CA

Glad it was a good experience for you. Beautiful car!

Monetthecat

I was debating ED for my order.... I think you've sold me

fbroen

Thx for compliments on car. Was super stoked on how it turned out. Loving the GT Silver.

While I wasn't timing laps per se, of course I had to see just how impressive a good driver skills are, so took a glance at the clock. It seems like I took the go slow advice very litterally, he he. 14 mins first lap; shaved a minute for second lap. Some track work and 30 kph zones, but man does it make me respect the fast lap times people put down!

Kelderek

Porsche claims to have recorded a 7.37 lap with a 991 S pre-production car, so there's something to aim for!

Seriously, it's very hard to do fast lap times on Nürgburgring without very good knowledge of the track! When driving your own car, it's a bit scary to launch towards a blind corner without knowing exactly what's behind it. Better safe than sorry...