RE: Track it at the 'Ring
Discussion
forecast looks great, of course "tomorrow" is considered a long term forecast in Germany 
www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-bin/regframe?3&PRG=citybild&LANG=en&WMO=10506&PROVIDER=anwendung
would certainly love to do a "closed" day, the problem is I don't own a car (company rents one for me), so driving something interesting on the Ring takes a bit of work, and then I've still got to get 700km to be there. The main straight would be a hoot in your Chimera, in a Smart Roadster or even Opel Speedster it'd take FOREVER :/
have fun - looking forward to pics after the trip!!
Kurt
www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-bin/regframe?3&PRG=citybild&LANG=en&WMO=10506&PROVIDER=anwendung
would certainly love to do a "closed" day, the problem is I don't own a car (company rents one for me), so driving something interesting on the Ring takes a bit of work, and then I've still got to get 700km to be there. The main straight would be a hoot in your Chimera, in a Smart Roadster or even Opel Speedster it'd take FOREVER :/
have fun - looking forward to pics after the trip!!
Kurt
55jnj said:
So who's going with RMA then on Friday ? (I am).
& Kedelbach/other locals - what's the weather forecast please ?
To you guys who've never driven the 'ring as a "closed" circuit, only on public days - you don't know what you're missing. Flying laps of the WHOLE circuit (therefore not missing out on the 2 mile straight), not partial BTG laps, medics, marshals, flags, no bikes/buses/coaches/japanese tourists out of their car taking photos etc etc. Decent track disciplines, driver briefings etc. Filming certainly wasn't a problem last November (having been banned on public days for some time), not sure what current thinking is though. Timing is strictly a no, no.
I've done both public & "closed" days & IMHO "closed" circuit laps are MUCH better.
As far as this trip is concerned, when you consider £445 included unlimited laps, return crossing & 5 star hotel, this is an absolute bargain. Worth going on RMA days just to see some of the machinery that usually turns up.
Cheers Kurt - Thanks for the link,
Weather's looking great - 28' makes a change from trying to create a dry line through the icy conditions we had in November.
Added bonus of doing the 'Ring this Friday is that the F1 cars will be practicing in 2 sessions on the GP circuit & I think we've got access to the pit lane.
The Chim handles just great round the Nordschleife, upgraded brakes, suspension & sticky rubber made a world of difference - I rarely belt it down the straight though, preferring to let things cool down a bit before the next onslaught. Could always do with more power, hence the Tuscan race car purchase.
See you there one day.
Weather's looking great - 28' makes a change from trying to create a dry line through the icy conditions we had in November.
Added bonus of doing the 'Ring this Friday is that the F1 cars will be practicing in 2 sessions on the GP circuit & I think we've got access to the pit lane.
The Chim handles just great round the Nordschleife, upgraded brakes, suspension & sticky rubber made a world of difference - I rarely belt it down the straight though, preferring to let things cool down a bit before the next onslaught. Could always do with more power, hence the Tuscan race car purchase.
See you there one day.
this weekend should be an especially awesome time to be at the 'ring!!!
BTW - guy over on the Ringers list just posted his updated 2005 Nordschleife schedule (official one is a hassle to use)
http://julesperry.com/ring-2005-jp.htm
Would love a lap in a TVR - friend in Jersey has a beautiful Griffith, but he's been wasting money on frivolous things like a house instead of getting it prepped for the NS.
I'm tossing around the idea of doing a midnight bike lap in September, should start training now for the climb up Hohe Acht...
cheers
Kurt
BTW - guy over on the Ringers list just posted his updated 2005 Nordschleife schedule (official one is a hassle to use)
http://julesperry.com/ring-2005-jp.htm
Would love a lap in a TVR - friend in Jersey has a beautiful Griffith, but he's been wasting money on frivolous things like a house instead of getting it prepped for the NS.
I'm tossing around the idea of doing a midnight bike lap in September, should start training now for the climb up Hohe Acht...
cheers
Kurt
55jnj said:
Cheers Kurt - Thanks for the link,
Weather's looking great - 28' makes a change from trying to create a dry line through the icy conditions we had in November.
Added bonus of doing the 'Ring this Friday is that the F1 cars will be practicing in 2 sessions on the GP circuit & I think we've got access to the pit lane.
The Chim handles just great round the Nordschleife, upgraded brakes, suspension & sticky rubber made a world of difference - I rarely belt it down the straight though, preferring to let things cool down a bit before the next onslaught. Could always do with more power, hence the Tuscan race car purchase.
See you there one day.
Well Kurt I can say it was an awesome couple of days. The weather was sooooooo hot, the paddock atmosphere superb, partly because of the noise from the F1 cars "next door", the hotel (Steigenberger at Bad Neuenhahr) excellent (if somewhat further away than we normally prefer due to the F1 bookings etc, free tickets to the F1 practice sessions, & a total of only 50 or so cars on a closed circuit (.e. it was not a public day so thankfully no bikes, coaches etc to get in your way. Also fully marshalled/flagged etc).
The Nordschleife was closed at GP T13 due to public access to the Coca Cola Curve Grandstand on the GP circuit, so no flying laps. Re-joined at the top of Hatzenbach.
I had the only TVR there, which is sadly quite often the case on these overseas events. Never understand why more TVRs don't do the closed days at the 'Ring. Perhaps they prefer the "comfort" of the UK TVRCC days.
We had the usual clutch of GT3s & GT3RSs, as well as quite a few "ordinary" (!) 996s (in fact maybe a quarter of all the cars there were Porsches), a handful of race cars, a Mosler 900 (looked & sounded magnificent), couple of M3CSLs, few R500s & Superlight Rs, Exiges, a rather unusual loking Alfa Romeo Zagato (never seen one before, but it certainly drew lots of attention in the paddock), Skylines etc.
The Chim performs relatively well at the 'Ring (upgraded brakes & stiffer suspension settings made a big difference) & is fitted with roll bar & harnesses, although could always do with more power. Never had it dyno'ed but there's no way it has the claimed 283 bhp (4.5 ltr).
I'd be glad to take you out & get some tips. Although I've done about 5,000 miles round the 'Ring I only just feel I know it. I think you've always got something to learn, particularly from you guys who know it like the back of your hand !
The Tuscan race car is only a single seater so obviously no passenger rides in that.
I don't do the public days for a variety of reasons, so my next trip will be dependent upon RMA's negotiating skills with the Ring management. At the moment, their next trip will be the usual November outing & likely to be members only. RMA have built a lot of credibility, with extremely well run 'Ring events, after the Wheeltorque debacle which effectively banned UK track day companies from hiring the 'Ring.
Graham Clarke (the owner & ex racer himself) doesn't suffer fools gladly though & demands high standards of track discipline. For that reason, we were allowed for the first time on a closed event, overtaking on EITHER side. It worked well with no incidents to my knowledge & made for quicker progress generally. Having said that, with only 50 or so cars there, perhaps half in the paddock at any point in time & the other half divided into a 14 mile lap, you hardly saw anyone else anyway.
The Nordschleife was closed at GP T13 due to public access to the Coca Cola Curve Grandstand on the GP circuit, so no flying laps. Re-joined at the top of Hatzenbach.
I had the only TVR there, which is sadly quite often the case on these overseas events. Never understand why more TVRs don't do the closed days at the 'Ring. Perhaps they prefer the "comfort" of the UK TVRCC days.
We had the usual clutch of GT3s & GT3RSs, as well as quite a few "ordinary" (!) 996s (in fact maybe a quarter of all the cars there were Porsches), a handful of race cars, a Mosler 900 (looked & sounded magnificent), couple of M3CSLs, few R500s & Superlight Rs, Exiges, a rather unusual loking Alfa Romeo Zagato (never seen one before, but it certainly drew lots of attention in the paddock), Skylines etc.
The Chim performs relatively well at the 'Ring (upgraded brakes & stiffer suspension settings made a big difference) & is fitted with roll bar & harnesses, although could always do with more power. Never had it dyno'ed but there's no way it has the claimed 283 bhp (4.5 ltr).
I'd be glad to take you out & get some tips. Although I've done about 5,000 miles round the 'Ring I only just feel I know it. I think you've always got something to learn, particularly from you guys who know it like the back of your hand !
The Tuscan race car is only a single seater so obviously no passenger rides in that.
I don't do the public days for a variety of reasons, so my next trip will be dependent upon RMA's negotiating skills with the Ring management. At the moment, their next trip will be the usual November outing & likely to be members only. RMA have built a lot of credibility, with extremely well run 'Ring events, after the Wheeltorque debacle which effectively banned UK track day companies from hiring the 'Ring.
Graham Clarke (the owner & ex racer himself) doesn't suffer fools gladly though & demands high standards of track discipline. For that reason, we were allowed for the first time on a closed event, overtaking on EITHER side. It worked well with no incidents to my knowledge & made for quicker progress generally. Having said that, with only 50 or so cars there, perhaps half in the paddock at any point in time & the other half divided into a 14 mile lap, you hardly saw anyone else anyway.
mmmmmmmm 50 cars with the NS all to yourselves... 2 weekends ago there surely were 10 times as many cars, plus about a hundred bikes :/
You've got about twice as many NS laps as me! Not sure what I could do as a far as tips, but still wouldn't turn down a pax in a well driven TVR
I know more or less where MY car should be on the track at any given time, but then again its quite a different track when you're doing a >9 minute BTG vs. a <8:30. Even with 'only' 250odd hp, your Chim has got a HUGE P/W advantage over anything I've driven there - must be huge fun!!
Sadly by November I'll have been shipped out of Germany... probably will make my "last" Ring trip in September, started training last night for our midnight bike ride around the NS
cheers
Kurt
You've got about twice as many NS laps as me! Not sure what I could do as a far as tips, but still wouldn't turn down a pax in a well driven TVR
I know more or less where MY car should be on the track at any given time, but then again its quite a different track when you're doing a >9 minute BTG vs. a <8:30. Even with 'only' 250odd hp, your Chim has got a HUGE P/W advantage over anything I've driven there - must be huge fun!!
Sadly by November I'll have been shipped out of Germany... probably will make my "last" Ring trip in September, started training last night for our midnight bike ride around the NS
cheers
Kurt
55jnj said:
Well Kurt I can say it was an awesome couple of days.
I'd be glad to take you out & get some tips. Although I've done about 5,000 miles round the 'Ring I only just feel I know it. I think you've always got something to learn, particularly from you guys who know it like the back of your hand !
8.52 in my 130bhp 205gti
8.32 in my scoob
The pug is by far the most fun to drive. Your just not expected to be quick, so when you are people want to talk to you about it. You can almost see the double takes in the rear view mirror when you catch and pass porsches / rari's etc. They may not have done as many laps as me but hey it makes me feel good.
The other big plus about the ring IMHO is the fact that people in porkers etc will come and talk to you, ask for pax laps the whole nine yards. That just doesn't happen in the UK.
Got to love the place
Oh and the beer isnt half bad either.
Gary
8.32 in my scoob
The pug is by far the most fun to drive. Your just not expected to be quick, so when you are people want to talk to you about it. You can almost see the double takes in the rear view mirror when you catch and pass porsches / rari's etc. They may not have done as many laps as me but hey it makes me feel good.
The other big plus about the ring IMHO is the fact that people in porkers etc will come and talk to you, ask for pax laps the whole nine yards. That just doesn't happen in the UK.
Got to love the place
Oh and the beer isnt half bad either.
Gary
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