Nurburgring/Spa - April 2013
Nurburgring/Spa - April 2013
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OlberJ

Original Poster:

14,101 posts

263 months

Sunday 14th October 2012
quotequote all
Tried this in the track day forum but they are awfy quiet over there.

Going to a stag do in Austria the 1st week of April next year. Planning to leave Austria on the Thu and head back up spending a few days driving.

Have looked on the websites for the Nurburgring and Spa to see if i can book something but neither shows any good details. Are they even open at that point?

Anyone else fancy meeting up for the weekend and taking in some fun tracks?

Thinking Fri/Sat/Sun nights and then a run home on the Monday all the way back in one shot.

Will be using the Chunnel for the run home.

Any info to help me book would be grand. Cheers.

Hollowpockets

5,910 posts

246 months

Sunday 14th October 2012
quotequote all
Still too early for 2013 dates but check soon on bookatrack and goldtrack websites for Spa days, they are normally Monday/Tuesday's, nurburgring trackdays cost big bucks but I've heard worth it.

I am planning to go back in April so interested to see what happens here, its normally acceptable weather and quiet then, I'll start looking at options.

Graham

Edited by Hollowpockets on Sunday 14th October 10:46

OlberJ

Original Poster:

14,101 posts

263 months

Sunday 14th October 2012
quotequote all
Nowt scheduled on either of them yet. I'll ping across some emails and see what they reckon for next year.

Olivera

8,800 posts

269 months

Sunday 14th October 2012
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I'll probably head back next year sometime, been twice within the last year, even bumping into Hollowpockets at the ring smile

Yanayaya

912 posts

214 months

Monday 15th October 2012
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I really want to do something next year so would love to come to this.

istoo

2,365 posts

232 months

Monday 15th October 2012
quotequote all
watching with interest, i dont want to do a trip like this on my own... but its a pilgramage i must do.

alicrozier

562 posts

267 months

Monday 15th October 2012
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I'm just back from a similar trip with Destination Nurburgring.
http://www.destination-nurburgring.com/

Trackday at the 'ring then 2 days at Spa...

Also see Circuit Days for track events at Spa (not up yet).
http://www.circuit-days.co.uk/tracks.asp

Got to be done!

ALY77

666 posts

240 months

Monday 15th October 2012
quotequote all
Opening details usually easiest to follow here

http://nurburgring.org.uk/calendar.php

the opening for next year wont go up for a while yet and you are always at the risk of the management taking a full closure booking from a manufacturer or the likes even on a date they have released as an open day.

Proper track days are better for those who worry about insurance, are running expensive cars and the likes but cost a fair bit.

Tourist driving is by far the cheap option at 20-25 euro a lap but you take your chance with the rest of who ever is on at the same time.

From experience, arriving at the track with your lap cards already bought at 8.30 in the morning with a car checked over and ready to go will see you get a good few clear ish laps in without much drama. By lunch time on a full day opening the place will be heaving and there is no restriction on who/what goes on. You could have a snake of track prep'd 911's steam past you giving you no space, next corner you are trying to avoid a recovery truck making its way round with a mangled bike on the back.


edit: Noticed you are doing the run home in one go. We usually book a tunnel crossing for about 4pm. Gives you time to get packed up and ready to go in the morning without a horribly early start to what is a long day. We can get up to Calais in good time if we're away from Adenau/Nurburg for about 11am. Usually puts us in Edinburgh for about 1am factoring in a proper stop for dinner north of London.

Edited by ALY77 on Monday 15th October 20:15

OlberJ

Original Poster:

14,101 posts

263 months

Monday 15th October 2012
quotequote all
Top info, thank you very much.

ALY77

666 posts

240 months

Tuesday 16th October 2012
quotequote all
No worries. Noticed you've picked up some info on the Aberdeen guys thread too but you should really make yourself aware of the third party liability issue as well as the various (not always common sense) rules of the ring before ever driving it yourself.
Things like don't stop at an accident, always overtake on the left regardless of the direction of the next corner, pull off immediately if you are dropping fluids rather than nurse car round, areas that could see you in hot water with the law let alone the track staff.

monthefish

20,467 posts

261 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
quotequote all
ALY77 said:
in the morning with a car checked over and ready to go
Do you mean your own check of the car, or are the ring people checking cars now?

ALY77

666 posts

240 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
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No no, just having checked over your own.

I tend to have a check for fluid drips, wheel nuts present and tight, tyres have pressure, oil, water & fuel levels, brake pad depth (usually have spares in the event of a sticky caliper at any point). I also usually buckle the back seat belts over and check for loose bits and bobs lying around in the car before I go on.

Rockatansky

1,830 posts

217 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
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ALY77 said:
...Things like don't stop at an accident..
What's the story with that?

It goes against human nature to stop and offer assistance, so I'm curious as to the reasoning. I'm thinking along the lines of something unfolding right in front of you rather than getting involved where there are enough folk on the scene already.

I don't have a 'ring trip on the cards, I'm just curious.

monthefish

20,467 posts

261 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
quotequote all
Rockatansky said:
ALY77 said:
...Things like don't stop at an accident..
What's the story with that?

It goes against human nature to stop and offer assistance, so I'm curious as to the reasoning. I'm thinking along the lines of something unfolding right in front of you rather than getting involved where there are enough folk on the scene already.

I don't have a 'ring trip on the cards, I'm just curious.
I think there's a good video somewhere that demonstrates this; a fairly big accident occurs with other cars stopping behind - soon becomes a car park with cars at very high speeds barreling down on the stationary cars with less and less track space for them to take evasive action on.


ETA Thread about it. (The video has been removed)

Edited by monthefish on Wednesday 17th October 15:13

monthefish

20,467 posts

261 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
quotequote all
ALY77 said:
No no, just having checked over your own.

I tend to have a check for fluid drips, wheel nuts present and tight, tyres have pressure, oil, water & fuel levels, brake pad depth (usually have spares in the event of a sticky caliper at any point). I also usually buckle the back seat belts over and check for loose bits and bobs lying around in the car before I go on.
First time I arrived at the ring, there was a queue of cars from both roads that join at the roundabout at the entrance. (We'd just come from the filling station to buy tickets). I just stayed in the queue and before I knew where I was, I was at the barrier at the start of the track. I had to go straight on with all the crap in the car from the drive over from the UK.
hehe

alicrozier

562 posts

267 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
quotequote all
Similar situation years ago, we'd driven up from Orange in the south of France in an Elise. I'd dumped all my gear at the hotel but at the barriers I realised I was wearing flip flops...

Helmet...check
Harnesses...check
Flip flops behind the seat and a barefoot lap. smile

monthefish

20,467 posts

261 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
quotequote all
alicrozier said:
Similar situation years ago, we'd driven up from Orange in the south of France in an Elise. I'd dumped all my gear at the hotel but at the barriers I realised I was wearing flip flops...

Helmet...check
Harnesses...check
Flip flops behind the seat and a barefoot lap. smile
Awesome. smile


Being a newbie, I was expecting a briefing, document check, car scrutineering perhaps........couldn't believe I'd just rolled straight off the public road onto the green hell...

mikeyb13

97 posts

240 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
quotequote all
alicrozier said:
Flip flops behind the seat and a barefoot lap. smile
Tut would have been proud of you Ali.


drangular

240 posts

191 months

Wednesday 17th October 2012
quotequote all
Remember to take some spare underwear..... it's scary first timeyikes



At least it was for me!








Edited by drangular on Wednesday 17th October 18:01

ALY77

666 posts

240 months

Thursday 18th October 2012
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As above (though I haven't read through the 30 page thread), they don't like people stopping to help as you can quickly become part of the accident.

If you were the first car at a bad one then theory goes you take your car off the track where it won't be in the way then run back up the side of the barriers (on the safe side if you can get over) waving your arm to warn approaching cars/bikes to slow down. Over half the corners are blind so you are more use slowing approaching traffic than running over to a car on its roof only to be collected by a Viper on full throttle.

The next person or someone else with you could try and help any injured. Beyond that the only people who should be stopping are the marshalls and anyone who can really help, medically trained/first aiders etc, everyone else is expected to cruise past and keep going.