Make time. "Accidentaly" miss your flight back .

 

Photos added to my first post... enjoy!

 

So John, questions, questions, questions:

How does the real Karussel compare to BSR's copy?

Do you have to get off the track at the end of every lap?

So you did 15 laps? Did you time yourself at all?

How long did you spend at the track altogether? Did your friend ride with you the whole time?

Did you bring your own helmet? If you hadn't, could you have rented a helmet there?

Was that a typo in post #12? It's the 'Ring (not Frankfurt) that's 1.5 hours from the airport, right? If not, how far is the 'Ring from Frankfurt?

US$775 for a day on the track.... Not totally insane, I guess.

Nice coincidence: on last week's edition of Top Gear on Discovery Channel, Jeremy took a diesel Mercedes around the 'Ring, with a challenge of doing a lap in less than 10 minutes. Sabine (I think it was her--a hot young blonde, right?) rode with him on one lap and said he wasn't completely untalented--only about 80% untalented. (He just managed to put in a 9:59 lap.)

BTW, I highly recommend Top Gear if you're not doing anything else at 10 pm on Wednesdays. Three British automotive journalists doing fun, interesting, and sometimes crazy things with amazing cars.

 

Was a Jaguar , and after trying for a day and a half he got that 9:59 lap and then she did it in the same car her first time around almost a second faster.

 

damn thats awsome

 

You're right, it was a Jag, but she did it in 9:29, 30 seconds faster. Of course, she's done 15,000 laps around that track!!!

 

Bill Scott f'd it up - period. The real deal has the same concrete pitch, but at the real Karussel, the concrete tapes off to a 10 degree asphalt at the top.

Yes, you have to get off at each lap. As a result, I didn't time myself as you really don't do a full lap at speed (since you have to slow down to pit in, etc).

We were there for about 5 hours - from 8AM until 1:30PM. I drove 15 laps, and rode along for 2 additional ones.

I brought my helmet, and I didn't see any place to rent them. Most people didn't wear helmets...

The airport is south of the city, but right on the Autobahn - so it's the same distance.

Divide that by two, that's how much I paid.

 

What kind of presence does Stoptech have over there?

I am very envious of you, John

 

Damn that looks fun. That video is intense.

 

The "official" timing is done from the first arch you cross after merging on the track and the first one you hit on the start/finish straight.

The 9:59 that Jeremy did was timed with these landmarks.


Funny thing about Top Gear. James with noticed Jeremy wnet offtrack at some point ? I did the same thing at the exact same place on my first lap... hehe

We should organize an Ultimate Road Trimp event and go there !

 

.. Glad to hear you had fun your first time... you are a ringer now! (you should join)

You know the turns well for your first time, most people remember things like "ummm... that big turn that goes up, and then down, and then left.. i can't remember what the sign said..." .. hehe.

It is good to take schwedenkreuz slow, that is one of the most dangerous turns. My third time driving I took a 996 up to about 140mph before backing off, hitting the brakes, and going through at about 100mph. I normally coast through there slower.

In fox-hole, did you experience zero-gravity for a second? It depends on how the car is sprung and how fast you are going.. but it is fun

In Adenau Forest... better to drift through the tight turns, then to go straight into the field... and likely get your picture taken by the ring bunny (if it is a crowded day), and then get laughed at by people all over.

Sabine is known to do funky and crazy things. Next ring-taxi I go on, I am going on a wet day. All the drivers will go all-out in the wet if you want them to. Haven't been on the E60 M5 yet either, that should be fun.. Ring-Taxi is sold out for 05, booking fast for 06 already.. sheesh.

Glad you had safe fun John! No sense in being silly at the ring. BTW.. was there any construction going on?

Also... some of those silly towns-folk might be photographers!.. And, you did get permission to film that lap right? Videos are banned at the ring without permission... legality stuff.

And when you rented your car... I hope you made sure the rental agreement didn't say no driving at the ring... otherwise they get real pissy... esp. if you bang up the car... just info for your next trip... winter is coming up soon, see you out there next spring

phil

 

nevermind on the video thing, i just watched it... (thought it was really a video of you lapping... hehe)

that is 'fascination with the ring'

featuring ruf ctr yellow bird... that video is like 10+ years old.. although it still kicks a..

go to...

www.renn.tv

24 hour coverage and videos.

In one video, Artur Deutgen keeps up with the Falken R34 GT-R 24H ADAC car for most of a lap, in an E30 BMW!

Also is Jurgen Alzen's Porsche, which holds some records. Notice the rediculous understeer from 4wd and a damp surface, still blazingly fast though..

The V8Star Video is of a Jaguar S-Type racecar used by Zakspeed for le-mans endurance type training. Zakspeed.de.. I think it is on their site, orange Jaguar, HUGE wing... I think you can sign up for this, with the right amount of $... hmmmm... who needs a house..?

** Note that most the videos start on the new course then go to the old course.

 

Referring to the Ringers listserv full of the British and Dutch? If so, then yes, I subscribe. It was Steve with the Boxster that gave me a ride.

That bump before the apex of Schwedenkreuz is a bit disconcerning. I was going through there in 5th gear though...

The same goes for Fuchsrohre - that bump is a bit hairy, but you just need to stay on the throttle. Lots of good memories!

I did enough research on which companies to avoid. It was interesting that they checked the Nav system when I returned the car - perhaps they were looking for Nurburg?

If all goes well, then I'll probably try and plan a trip out there next year for the same weekend. The weather is usually pretty good that time of year (usually dry and mild), and I can hit the LMES race as well.

 

Not to be too pissy, but StopTech has no presence as far as I've seen, in Europe, or Asia. StopTech was founded in 1999. The North Loop was built in 1927.

On any one trip, I wouldn't be able to count with 2 hands the # of cars with brembos or ap racing. I'll gladly find some 993's next spring and take pics of the ST-40. BTW ap racing just celebrated their 250'th grand prix win.. not ******* on stoptech, i have their stuff too

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Nuerburgring GmbH officially released details of the northloop, to polyphony digital, the writer's of forza, GPL, etc etc. Every simulation is exactly the same, they are all off of Nuerburgring GMBH's model.

Also, John... now that you have driven the ring (in real life)... its time to start calling the simulations: virtual ring!.. driving the ring (xbox pc ps2 blah blah).... is virtual driving the ring... NOT driving the ring

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Sabine Schmitz is not a young hot blonde. Depending on how much you like people (esp women) who can drive the tires off a car... you'll like her. She is 50+... grew up in Adenau... she LIVES the ring... has lived their since its inception, and lived through all the track changes.

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Kohl-Bonn airport is much closer to the ring then frankfurt. Although, Hockenheimring is directly on the way from Frankfurt airport to the ring, almost 1/2 way between.

Kohl-Bonn is within an hour with no traffic, although you usually have to take a connecting flight from europe or germany.

Helmets? The RING IS A PUBLIC ROAD! Use at own preference... hehe


Also, timing is generally a really bad idea. For one, Dottinger Hohe (endless straight), is not open for all out speed. You won't get an ideal lap time. It is restricted on open lapping days. The entry/exit is at the end of the straight before tiergarten..
-- If it was open... I can imagine someone one day driving out... going down tiergarten going 30-40mph in an MK1 GTI... and getting slammed in the rear by a racecar doing 170+mph...

Also, if you are timing, you are technically RACING. you will have NO INSURANCE FOR ANYTHING. Nuerburgring GMBH once found a running stopwatch on a biker. He was consequently denied insurance/medical coverage. He was RACING. Remember: public road.

If you want to time... pretend you did a 6:12s lap.. Bellof would be proud

(Also, average kph is much more meaningful if you MUST time... the track has changed so many times... only comparing to 1980+ newer times will make sense.)

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As for the diesel, that is awesome!.. Many race leagues... teams... FIA.. etc etc, are actually contemplating the use of hybrid and/or diesel technology. F1 estimates hybrid tech by 2008. AWESOME!

I actually really wouldn't mind starting or instigating an inter-manufacturer war on making the first full electric car, to lap in under 9 minutes. Then, raise the bar to 8 minutes. It'll happen one day..

 

haha i'm down! there is actually a ringer who has a 350z track.. never seen him out there tho.

most common japanese car are subarus by far...

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both these pics are of a 350z track lapping the ring (sorry site won't allow a direct link)






wish i was there.. 350 wheeeeeeeeee.. north loop baby!