Gator_86_951

So, I have a very short window for a vacation, finally. It is between 23-April and 2-May. There are two days in this time that are open for all-day (don't have the german word for cut and paste). I still need to email regarding renting a car etc.., advice here would also be welcome. As background, I am a solo PCA type with miles mostly at Sebring.

My question is whether I will be disappointed with the traffic there if I were to decide to do this at the end or beginning of my vacation. There are two days open, one the sunday I get there and another on saturday when I would be leaving. My concern is there being a huge amount of traffic. If anybody has been during this time, I would like to hear from you.

This would be a sort of centerpiece to the whole thing, and I would do the factory etc.. If it is going to be lame, I will go to another part of europe, asia, or some such.

I am not that concerned about the cost, but if I reading something wrong, advice here would also be good.

I posted this in off topic as well, so if you can comment there it would help collect the comments.

fhp911

GO FOR IT!!!

How many people get the experience of driving the Ring??

So what if you find a bus closing the door on you?

This is sacred ground!

PLUS ... there's a famous experssion in German:

"lieber Nurburgring als Ehering"
(which translates to "rather Nurburgring than a wedding ring")

How can you let that opportunity pass you by?

fuenfer

I did a couple of tourist laps in April '08, and wanted more, so I went back the next year to this school:

http://bmwccaringschool.com/

It's in early August, and costs can be much higher than simply going on your own as a tourist, but I will say that I knew all of the corner names and where the turns were going by the end of day 1 with this school. Feel free to PM me if you'd like any further information about this school.

mobonic

Im going during that same time!!!

I have arranged 2 track days.

April 29th @ SPA
April 30th 6 laps at the Ring

Im renting a track car, with cage and harnesses and purchased extra travel insurance... just to be safe

TeamDrugMoney

There will be more traffic on the weekend days, but who cares. You will get yourself on the Nordschleife and you will be AMAZED at the experience! In some sense seeing all the diverse traffic on the weekend is a part of the whole scene that makes it so unique. I called it the Wild West of track experiences because you will see everything out there from motorcycles to actual buses to a minivan to a GT2.

If you need more info on how to plan your trip pm me and I can send to you a whole bunch of info. I was over there for about 15 days last summer picking up a car at the factory.

I will leave you with this thought...

If you go there for those 2 days you will certianily wish you had more time to spend there!

HJK

As long as you don't go in the 24h weekend, 13th to 16th of May. Email Oliver at http://www.fahrer-training.de/

Henk

Kein_Ersatz

Go early, stay late. Sunday late will probably be the least traffic. Wait 20 min (2 laps) after track reopens (if closed down), as the surge of wait-ers when reopens can be some of the most congested.

For car rental check out rent-racecar.de, ask for Heide, or RSR Nurburg ask for Ron. Depending of car rented half or full day, deductible can be 7.5K, 10K Euro, or higher. So be prepared (credit card limit). Bring your helmet (not required), but they do offer rental / loaners.

Get PS2 GT4 or PS3 Need for Speed - Shirt and learn the track as much as possible before you go.

I have liked staying at "am Tiergarten" by the track, part of the experience.

If you want to waste 12-mins of your life Here is my lap last Oct

Enjoy, there isn't anything like it.

PM if you want more details.

TheOtherEric

Do it!! Warning - you won't have nearly as much fun unless you learn the track beforehand. Do 70-80 laps on GT4 and you're set for an amazing time.

We rented a stock euro-Mini (smaller engine) and my three-day goal was to simply break 10 mins. Met that goal by the 2nd lap since I had done so many GT4 laps.

TeamDrugMoney

How did you get a camera out on the Ring on a public day?

cgomez

Here's my lap from last year's trip:

http://vimeo.com/4969424

The Nordschleife, even on Touristenfahren, is the only trackday other than RACE weekends that I do every year (2-3 days).
If you are familiar with open passing track days (and the law of common sense) you will be fine. You should only (mostly..) pass on the left, and slower traffic expects you to do that.

Just remember not to try to go all out 10/10 too soon, and maybe, only, start pushing harder on the slower stuff but leave some room for error on the really fast sections (you will naturally do that from self-preservation instincts).

These are the 2 places I recommend to rent cars from:

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

http://rsrnurburg.com/index.php?opti...d=53&Itemid=96

More details on our prior trips to the NRing here:

http://axisofoversteer.blogspot.com/...=Axis+Ringball

kingleh

if you are worried about being bored.. then you are in for a nice surprise!!

I was just there last weekend with a rental car (hertz, enterprize, budget.. ect)... not a rent a racecar thing...

They dont like rental cars to be out there but its easy to do.. just lay a little low... and peal the company's stickers off.. also we put black tape over the barcodes on the back windows...


it is very much WORTH it... I wouldn't mind doing the rent a racecar thing next.. Seems like the best thing to do.. safest also...

M758

About 10 years ago my did 3 lap in 3 cylinder opel rental. He had a blast even in a slow POS. First laps should probably be a scenry lap 5 or 6/10ths just to get a feel for the place. Then after that push it if you like. Just remember don't wreck. From what I been told and have scene it appears quite easy given the number blind corners and limited run off.

cgomez

If after racing this there:



...you still went out and enjoyed a ride in a bare rental! there's not much else to say! The place is awesome! Leh, are you racing the 24H too?

Jon Moeller

Weekends are definitely crowded, there, but not terrible. The worst part for me was waiting to get off the track (I think it was ten minutes). If you can get there on a weekday evening, it's totally worth it. I managed to get 1 lap on a Sunday and 4 laps on a Wednesday evening.

I'd highly recommend getting a car from SIXT. They have no Ring exclusion policy, and the 318d that we rented was plenty fun enough. 4 laps was enough for me to get a feel for the track (it flows amazingly well), and was honestly enough that I felt like I was running speeds that required safety gear. If you're running solo, and can pick up new tracks, quickly, I imagine you'll have a similar experience.

The recommendations to play video games are spot on. All my time playing GT4 definitely paid off.

Have a blast, it's awesome!

DrJupeman

It is an amazing experience. It was not overly crowded when I was there in '05.