Seriously thinking about doing Nurburgring 24h instead of Le Mans this year...

[ewan]

<Herecy alert>

I happened into going to Le Mans about 12 years ago and have been every year since, now organising a party of 30 people every year. The general chav factor, Gendermerie clamping down on fun stuff, faffing about with campsites from the ACO etc, is getting so tiresome, I'm tempted to skip the 24h this year and maybe try something else - the Classic appeals somewhat (but then the Silverstone Classic the following weekend is said to be very good indeed) and I'm wondering about the ADAC 24h at the Nurburgring. I note a few CAers went last year and seemed to have a blast - is anyone else thinking of doing it *instead of* Le Mans, this year?

If not going instead of, are other CA teams planning on making it to the 'Ring this year?

cheers
Ewan

[Brad Zarse]

Ewan,  You're right.  Some of us did go to Nurburgring last year - partially because I was getting married a couple of weeks later, and couldn't get to Le-Mans (bad planning, but genius in the long run, trust me!)

Anyway.  Nurburgring.  Perhaps the best weekend of my life.  Beware though - It's absolutely flaming brutal.  It was hot when we went, reasonably warm at night, and the germans thought I, and most of the people I was with, were absolutely nuts (perhaps due to the expletives written on my back, as I was stripped naked and left 2 miles from the campsite with nothing but a shoe and a pack of fags to cover my dignity - just as the last car crossed the line and 200,000 people started to head for the  same campsite!).

I can't honestly comment on the racing - my only exposure was the last 30 mins of the race, and for 5 of those minutes I was pinned to the floor with Andy Zarse ripping my clothes off me - literally (Team Zarse is a very close group - apparently!).

But it is a fantastic weekend - as with any of these events, the people you go with make it, but the general atmosphere was far more chilled out - and believe it or not, the germans do really know how to party (until 6am it would seem too).   

However, perhaps the ultimate part of the trip, especially if you drive something reasonably fun, is the drive down, especially the last hour.  Once you get off the autobahn (yes, unrestricted fun), you then have the most INCREDIBLE roads to and from the circuit.  Not only are they fantastically twisty, technical, and smooth, they also open up, so you can see about 2 miles ahead (handy if you fancy wanging around, at warp speed, knowing nothing is coming in the other direction).  I would recommend a Sat Nav with European Maps though - two reasons for this, mainly the fact that its not the easiest place in theworld to get to, but also, if you have said fun car, and said sat nav, and a passenger, he or she can read pace notes to you as you make rapid progress towatrds the circuit.

All in all, If I couldnt, or didn't want to do Le-Mans, Nurburgring would be my next option - it's truly a superb weekend away - sadly I can't do both, so chose Le-Mans - but have a great weekend - and look out for the Team Zarse stickers and branding everywhere - It's definately clear we've been there

Enjoy.

Brad

[Matt Harper]

One word - Sebring.

All the best for 2010.

[ewan]

thanks Brad! I stopped off at the 'Ring on the way back from a pan European gran turismo last year, and when walking around on the banking by the track, though "hmmm, this could be a pretty cool place to watch the 24h race...".

Maybe what I need by way of preparation is a "Club Adenau Guide" or something like that

cheers & happy New Year all,
Ewan

[Brad Zarse]

Ewan - Matt is right though - I'm told Sebring is everything we want LM to be - laid back, no pikeys, no chavs, etc etc.  It's a long way to go, but its not actually hugely expensive (although currently out of reach for me owing to new job etc).

I'm also told the hospitality of the Turn 10 crew is legendary - having met Matt a few years back, I wouldn't doubt that for a single moment

[Andy Zarse]

Have to agree with all Brad said. Idid both events last year. The Ring was a great weekend, but you need to bear in mind it's only GT2's with a host of clapped out Max Power type saloon cars driven by rank amateurs. Sebring is full-on prototypes, GT1 etc, and you can get to some fantastic corners to watch close up and meet the drivers. The Ring is blighted with the dreaded catch fencing like Le Mans. Great fun, but what with all social side and all our USA based pals too, for my money Sebring is the one to go to. It can be done as a "cheeky weekend" too.

[Boorish Grobian]

Without doubt a trip to the Nordschleife for a race is must for any serious racing enthusiast, it is, above all other circuits, the cathedral of speed.  Places like Le Mans, Monza, Indianapolis, Spa, Sebring, etc, are all legendary circuits, with rich histories, but then there is simply THE RING. My advice...do them all eventually! That's my plan.  I was watching the July DTM round from Zandvoort today on Speed TV, would love to see a race at the historic circuit in the dunes, perhaps I can talk the Mrs into a trip to Amsterdam and Zandvoort...
Sebring is great though, the place absolutely oozes racing history from the moment you drive in and see the plaque with the winners names on it.  While the press and race control facilities are all modern and top notch, the rest of the place is kind of old and crumbly, the circuit largely unchanged, with little or no fencing to have to squint though, and unlike Le Mans, there's no ten foot high cement walls topped by razor wire to have to deal with, its all friendly and laid back.  Buildings that were there when it was a Eighth Air Force bomber training base are still sitting around, with the ghost's of young men preparing to rain bad news on the Third Reich, still walking the grounds.
And yes, the Turn 10 guys have elevated hospitality and good old fashioned fun to a new standard.
Fax

[Pilgrim]

The Ring was a great weekend, but you need to bear in mind it's only GT2's with a host of clapped out Max Power type saloon cars driven by rank amateurs.

The Nordschleife and rank amateurs doesn't sound the safest of combinations, I have to say. And the thought of driving the Nordschleife in the dark is a pretty scary one as well, thinking about it.

Still, it is my all-time favourite racing circuit and I'm certainly considering visiting the 'Ring next year and then possibly heading for Le Mans as well. As 'safer' as the 'Ring has been made, I don't doubt that it still provides an awesome challenge for both drivers and cars alike, and it's one of the very few of the circuits from the glory days of racing that hasn't been either abandoned or so watered down that it's a shadow of its former self like Spa, Reims and others.

[Dobbo]

The drivers aren't rank amateurs! The entry requirements are quite strict. For example, drivers must compete in at least 2 rounds of the VLN champ on the NS. It is true that the majority of the field are privateers but they are what the race was built around.

[termietermite]

. My advice...do them all
Fax

That's the one.  Now that I'm an old f*rtess and now a bit f*ck*d to boot, I know well that this is the best advice in this thread.  I'm determined to do the 'Ring before I pop 'em, plus several other circuits.   I still love LM for all its faults - the combination of entrant and atmosphere is still second to none imo, but then I may well change my mind when I get more events under my belt. Do the 'Ring, do Spa, do Ricard...  Petit, Bathurst....  Where did I put the credit card?...

[Boorish Grobian]

I'm a bit old school when it comes to where I go to watch a race.  For me its not so much about the type of racing going on there, as the venue.  I would rather go watch a shopping kart race at the Nordschleife, than sit at one of the cookie cutter Tilke F1 circuits at watch Bernie's kiddies.  My list of still must see's include the Ring, Brands Hatch (a race on the full GP circuit), Monza, Spa, Ricard, Zandvoort, Mosport, and Bathurst.  Doesn't matter whats there, cars or bikes.
Fax

[termietermite]

F1 - seen my last one of those - only good for passing  a couple of hours in front of the telly in the summer if I've got nothing else to do - there it ends. But when I was living near Brands I'd rather have nipped out and watched a club meeting there than stay in for F1.  Likewise now I still (when I get) catch the clubman's meetings on the Bugatti when I can.  I may try Valle de Vienne this year for the first time as I have an open invitation to go to stay nearby which I'll take up if things go well in the legs department.

Oulton Park was great back in the day (may well still be but haven't been for 30 years), and Dony ain't bad either.  In fact the UK has some great circuits when you think about it - and the "home" of motor racing is Silverstone.  Would you bloomin' credit it?

[ewan]

thanks for all the advice, folks

I've a feeling we might give the Ring 24h a miss, too. Talking it over with The Boys, we might just end up going for a big drive for a weekend - since the exercising of fast cars is kind of the point of going to LM anyway (ie it's the whole experience rather than just the racing that I go for), and that effectively rules out Sebring too.

Hell's Bells. I'll probably end up in some arse end campsite nearer Arnage than the village, but will be there all the same in June...

[Doris]

... for my money Sebring is the one to go to. It can be done as a "cheeky weekend" too.

I've been looking at doing Sebring as a "cheeky weekend" this year but even if I leave asap on Sunday (ie: dept MCO Sunday evening) I won't get home until Tuesday.  Bloody time zones!  

Dx

PS:  Ewan, go to The Ring.  It's such a brilliant circuit that you'll kick yourself forever more if you don't.

[Lord Pig-Pen]

... for my money Sebring is the one to go to. It can be done as a "cheeky weekend" too.

I've been looking at doing Sebring as a "cheeky weekend" this year but even if I leave asap on Sunday (ie: dept MCO Sunday evening) I won't get home until Tuesday.  Bloody time zones!  

Dx

PS:  Ewan, go to The Ring.  It's such a brilliant circuit that you'll kick yourself forever more if you don't.

In reply to our darling Doris... I want to do Sebring if I can get a fooking job in time... and in reply to Ewan, I was one of the 11 nutters that did the NBR 24 last year and it was a belter of a 4 day weekend.
We were lucky enough to camp on the best site and have some tolerant neighbours who I think thought we were all mental.... Lovely atmosphere and superb food and facilities. T  Highly reccomended! Do the 'ring and Lm... its a cracking month!!