pj748r

Just got back from my first visit to the legendary 'Ring!

F*@k me,what an amazing experience.

There where 8 of us in total(including my 13 yr old son,Josh).

4 bikes and 2 cars.('06 Fireblade,1200 Bandit,Honda SP2,Ducati 749 Dark,my old one which did a lap of 9.24mins and my '05 Wrx and a tweaked '89 5 series)

Stayed in the An der Nordschliefe hotel b&b,
http://www.hotel-an-der-nordschleife...h/index_e.html
what a stunning view from my room!Coz I organized the trip and booked the rooms,Eddie the owner gave ma and Josh the best room in the hotel complete with balcony!

We got there Sat afternoon about 2pm and the 'Ring opened at 5.30pm,so we all shot up about 5.15pm to park up and buy tickets.

Never seen so many 911's and M3csl's in one place as we did there.

I bought an 8 lap ticket,with the intention of doing a couple of laps on Sat,then the remainder on Sunday as it was open from 08.00 to 19.30.
We went out on our first lap(Josh timed me without telling me because I didn't want to know times and said we had done 13.35mins,with I qoute "You're driving like a granny dad!! you normally drive faster than this in Wales")probably coz I was ****tin' meself!! and it was manic out there!
I finished that lap,parked the car,rang the missus back home and the conversation went something like "that was probably one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life but also one of the most enjoyable!
All the lads met up by the ticket machine(our rv point for the day) and decided to go back the hotel for showers,food and beer so we could be ready for the next day.
We all went up the next about 10am,did a couple of laps,then shot out for fuel.On the way to the petrol stn,a local biker on an old classic bike ran into the side of an Ultima on the main road!
Got back and the track was shut because there had been a bad accident involving a M3 and some Armco.Re-opened about 3/4hr later with everyone of us feeling a bit apprehensive about going out again.But we did a couple more,with me actually remembering where some of the track actually goes(1000's of laps on an Xbox 360 Project Gotham Racing 3 didn't really help that much!)
We had a spot of lunch then went out for our remaining 3 laps with two of the lads wanting to get in the back of the Scooby for the middle lap,as TNT wouldn't have blown Josh out the co-pilots seat
I did a 12.35 4 up according to one of the loons in the back,which I was quite pleased with
Came back, dropped them 2 off and went straight out for our last lap.Finished with a 10.45min according to the lad,which he said could have been better if I'd been a bit more selfish out there instead of letting people through!Kids have got no fear!
On a slightly sadder note there was another accident towards the end of Karl's lap involving a bike,a car and the Armco,not entirely sure what happened but it didn't look good too Karl apparently,with the biker motionless,hopefully he's ok,which closed the track for a good length of time.
That was the end of our day and back to the hotel for more beer and food.
In all it was one of the most enjoyable yet scariest things i've ever done.Anyone with a driving ego will soon be brought back down to earth with a huge bump there,as an aside 4 of us were overtaken by a stripped out and caged Mk2 Golf,that went past us like our brakes were on,including 2 of the lads on bikes.
The Karrusel is by far one of best corners I have ever driven around.
Sorry for going on a bit but we're all still stunned by what we did over the weekend and if anyone is thinking of going,don't hesitate JUST DO IT, in case they ever shut it down!!
Already thinking about next years trip with a list of upgrades for the Scoob

View from Hotel Balconey



Just about to go out for our last 3 laps(before we donned Helmets!!)




Tyres at end of 3 laps

Andy M3

Excellent report, glad you enjoyed.

Will you PM me your room number for my information

AM3

wilb

Any more pics?

What spec's your WRX? The interior doesn't look the same as mine.

What was the petrol bill after it all then? It's something I quite fancy doing, but I don't fancy the bill if I crash!

Mica Blue

I was at the ring last week, and yes, the place is ****ing awesome

pj748r

Andy,clear your inbox and i'll tell you

Pete

Andy M3

Done - sorry

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

me and alloy are looking at a trip to the ring some time eventually. how do you go about accomodation etc? i really have no idea where to start.

what sort of cost was it all in, inc petrol, accomodation, ring charges etc? just to get a rough idea to splutter to the mrs.

andy

GazTheHat

Yeah, second that. How long is the drive there too?

pj748r

Will answer everyones queries soon!
I haven't worked out petrol costs,etc just yet but the ferry cost me about£120(Hull-Zeebrugge out and Calais-Dover in).The only petrol cost I can remember at the moment was i put about 4 1/2 gallons in for 5 laps!
16euro for 1 lap,108euro for 8 lap
More pics will be up soon as well just a bit busy at the moment guys

Pete

pj748r

It's a MY05 Wrx Maltese import I bought brand new from Allbrandsnew last year.It came with SWRT interior,Climate Control,SWRT Fog light covers,Tracker,Toad Cat1 alarm,should have come with VDO sat/nav but didn't so they gave me a TomTom instead,Gold alloys.
I've fitted a Whiteline Adjustable Rear ARB with Whiteline Droplinks and I had the geometry set to the following:-

Frt toe =0 mm
Rr toe =0 mm

Frt left castor =3degree 16'
Frt right castor =3degree 10'

Frt camber =1degree negative each side

Left rear camber =1degree 29'
Right rear camber =1degree 04'

Mods for the next trip will be better brakes,maybe Prodrive springs and stickier tyres!

That's all I can think of for now

Pete

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

It is brill been 3 times last time we stopped in the same Hotel.

have they finnished builing the new block?

Tony

pj748r

Costs


Ferry
Hull to Zeebrugge overnight (4 of us in cabin with window!)= £61

Calais to Dover = £55

Accomodation

2 nights B&B at The An Der Nordschliefe(including mini bar bill) = £101

8 Lap Ticket = £74

Fuel

Total miles from home and back was 1182 and I've still got fuel left!

31 gallons/143litres (still got 1/4 tank left) = £154

Total =£445

It might seem a little on the expensive side but I was paying for me and my son,so if you get a paying passenger it will be cheaper.

The experience priceless

pj748r

From Zeebrugge via Antwerp(link road) it took us about 4hrs to get there including stopping for petrol twice for the bikes and a leisurely drive looking at the fantastic scenery and castle as you get close to Adenau.

From the hotel to Calais it took us about 5hrs coming back but the other car had a puncture which cost us 20mins and then there was an accident on the M/way in Belguim which cost us a good 1/2 hour detour,2 petrol stops for the bikes!

You should be able to do each journey on a full tank no problems and a little bit quicker without the bikes!

phelpsa

I went with my dad in his Bug WRX with I was 14, best fun i've ever had. Managed to get it down to 10:10 in the end Going round with Simo in his blob STi was the highlight though!

phelpsa

Josh was right... you must drive like a granny! We had to fill up twice!

Dave1980

need to get back there, i havent had the chance to go this year. am getting the car 100% sorted and going back in april/may next year.

love the place, makes all track days seem tame over here.

pj748r

I never meant each lap

What have you got for a fuel tank? a zippo

Plus I was also leading the way and a couple of the gang are a bit old and slow now with small bladders!

Pete

pj748r

There was also a couple of UK registered Scoobs

M1WRX was the plate on one but I didn't get chance to go over and say hello

pj748r

More pics

7.15am Monday



VW Van



Atom



Uk Scoob



Anyone fancy a ride?



Needs no introduction



Foreign Scoobs



Nice food and beer



The Hotel



Mmmmm



The Lambo just came in for a change of passenger and then went back out,don't you just love the smell of hard worked brakes,clutch and engine!

cw42

iTrader: (1)

Excellent little report there mate

We're there in 18 days now, sat 30th-wed 4th Can't wait, as it will be my second time there.

Huge resource here: http://nurburgring.org.uk/ for anyone thinking of going.

We thought of the hull-zebrugge route, and found it dearer than driving to Dover! So we're doing:
Manchester-Dover
Dover-DUNKERQUE
DUNKERQUE-Nurburgring

Staying here for 4 nights: http://www.ringhaus.com/hotel_en/public/index.php

Can't wait!

Charles aka Charlie

Did he take his helmet off? Who is he ?!

Great photos mate!!!

phil_wrx

iTrader: (2)

is that not a smacs sticker on the uk scoob sti?

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

LOL you'll have Gezza onto you

BTW just under the Bridge is awonderfull Italian resturant

here is a few Pics of my from the same Corner







Tony

cw42

iTrader: (1)

Nope, thats a nurburgring sticker

This is a smacs sticker:

pj748r

thanks

Didn't see him without his lid on,but did hear a few Brits saying they thought it was The Stig?

On Sunday one of the lads was offered a ride in an Elise by one of the locals(he was in his 50's).His first lap was a 9min then he took him out for an even 'gentler' lap and did a 9min20.Karl said he felt like he'd just got off a rollercoaster and couldn't face taking his own car out for an hour afterwards!

Pete

Phil.A

Hi Mate thats my blue spec c just leaving the car park for another lap
We went over to try and keep North Yorks RSOC our off the armco
The other Scoob M1WRX was my mate rob
This was my first trip in the spec c after selling the red rocket 95 wrx after the easter trip'
My best lap was a 8.31 early on sunday morning would have been faster if the black Porsche had got out of the way before Brunnchen

Phil.A

davyboy

Interestingly, Top Gear Magazine have approached www.northloop.co.uk for photographs of the Atom on track.

Andy S.

Now thats shifting!!!


Not going to time mine at all just going to enjoy myself

2 and a half weeks to go

davyboy

Shifting for a spec C?....nah, thats way off the pace

I'm there at the same time as you SMAC heads, look forward to it

I'll be in the Porsche 944 Turbo Clutter.

pj748r

Hello,
nice motors,just a pity I didn't get across to say hello.Too much going on for me and the boy to take in at once.It was like going to a car meet run by DisneyWorld,if you know what I mean.
Seen Rob on it when we were spectating near the hotel later that evening,his car sounded great thru Wehrseifen and Exmuhle!

Pete