ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Hi all I was working really well today - finished stuff that usually takes 3 days in 3/4 of a day so at 15:00 I thought - what the hell I might as well go for it. I went to the Nüburgring webcam sitehttp://nurburgring.org.uk/webcams.html and the weather and track looked dry. I got into the Z and went. I had not really had lunch so I popped into a petrol station for a few rolls to eat on the way. This way my timing became perfect. I arrived at the Ring entrance at 17:04 and the Touristen Fahrt session was scheduled to start at 17:15. I planned on arriving and taking a stroll in the car park to see if there were any goodies and then get a 1 lap ticket and then do my Virgin killing lap at a very modest speed. When I arrived at the car park there were goodies: A Gumpert Apollo Lots of Alpinas A Ruf (tuned porsche) A few Wiesmanns A few TVRs Lots of exotic Audis including an old Broup B Qattro monster car A few Nissan GTRs And of course now there was a Zed :-) the super cars were there there for some Micheling photo shoot I think - they did not drive on the Nordschleife After taking a few bad snapshots on my phone I went to the souvenir shop and looked at the Ring stickers. But of course I could not buy it before I did the lap. I then proceeded to buy my 1 lap ticket and procrastinated a bit while looking at the other guys going onto the track in everything from Porsche turbos to Supras with huuuuuge wings to classic Minis to Dacia Sanderos - and a few bikes were there as well - the only one I recognised was a Hayabusa - monster machine. I packed all the loose crap in my car into my back pack - set the D1Spec tohrottle controller to normal - re-laced my shoes and went for my lap. WOW!!!!! I am glad I have done hundreds of laps on the computer in various games so I knew which way the corners after the bling crests went but I concentrated so hard it seemed like the straight bits of track contracted to 50% length and I just drove slowly around trying to position the car well for the next corner. I focused on getting some critical points right because my experience from the games told me these were places where you easily stuff the car - the tight final corner of Hatzenbach - Aremburg -the tight corners in Adenauer Forst - Wehrseifen - Breidscheid - Steilstrecke - Eiskurve and Pflanzgarten. All corners went well and I even dropped into the Carousell and gave the Zed a bit of beans when I arrived at the final straight. What a ride - I have never imagined from the games that the hills were so steep and the corners so tight. After parking I was sure I had done a 6 minute lap as time had passed so quick in my head. But I think it was more of a 15 minute lap. I then bought the Ring sticker and I now have a cool black sticker on my black car - nice and discreet like I like it. (Never mind the fat dude holding the camera and the fact that the pic is out of focus. After my lap I drove out to a few of the spectating points and looked at the other guys going round - then drove down to Adenau to have a look see - and then it was time to drive home. What a nice way to spend an afternoon. Now being "local" (1.5 hours drive) to the Ring has taken on a new quality I hope you enjoyed my little trip as much as I did - but somehow I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 A very well earned sticker IMO. Its great to see the zeds out in such company. Well done bud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 hate you... Such a nice thread! Hope to get there one of these days... must say that ruf porsche ...mmm wonder what performance that has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazhull8474 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Will have to arrange a meet there soon mate as cant wait to go round there again love the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNABASHED Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 sounds like you had a great little day out, remember - slow and steady wins the race! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maccaman Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 That has got to be one of the coolest ways to spend an afternoon you lucky sod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 @martinmac: Thanks - the sticker HAS to be earned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 @andlid: Love you too bro and I have no idea about the ruf - but it sounded like a mix of thunder and earth quake when he moved around the carpark - mental machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazhull8474 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Im looking to go down end of June if your up for it again as im only about 2 hrs away as well if you want to make a day off it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 cars are simply amazing, i had to take a break half way down before being able to continue reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 @gazhull8474: Suggest a day. I think going on a workday afternoon is safest. And I can usually fit it in several times a week as I drive in the area for sales meetings quite often. But of course a weekend day will be different as there will most likely be more cool cars. But i will be afraid to be moved down by some dude in an old BMW on semislicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 @UNABASHED: I agree on going slowly. I do not want to wreck my car there - I need it for work. And I think I will need 100 laps before feeling really comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 @Husky: So you wrote your reply with one handed typing ? The cars were stunning. But I have a feeling it is like that very very often there. I will have to stop by and collect data for proper statistical analysis more often Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andlid Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 @andlid: Love you too bro and I have no idea about the ruf - but it sounded like a mix of thunder and earth quake when he moved around the carpark - mental machine like the way you quote I'd say it would be mental to drive... did they do any check if you had any cams onboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragus Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 That appollo is stunning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 @andlid: Love you too bro and I have no idea about the ruf - but it sounded like a mix of thunder and earth quake when he moved around the carpark - mental machine like the way you quote I'd say it would be mental to drive... did they do any check if you had any cams onboard? Maybe the guy at the entry boom looked into the car while I used the ticket to open the boom - but no proper check was conducted. When I was at one of the spectating points I could see at least one (UK) car with a passenger holding a camcorder. That might be the way to do it, with a friend, hiding it at start and finish, and being cameraman during the lap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazhull8474 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 A wednesday is good for me mate i think we should look at one towards the end of June beginning of July or a friday as i can get away both days quite easy. Think there is a few of us in and around this way so might be worth having a look to see if we can get a few of us together for it possibly a friday day overnight hotel few drinks and then Saturday. As i know you can buy a day pass and might as well make a day of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 That appollo is stunning! the Apollo is amazing - one of my favourites, it looks to purposeful and is completely function over form - unfortunately they hand pushed it around the car park - so I did not get to hear the twin turboed Audi V8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazhull8474 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 They are fine on letting you take cameras round last time i was there had a coach go round with a bunch of coffin dodgers on it taking pictures and recording. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 They are fine on letting you take cameras round last time i was there had a coach go round with a bunch of coffin dodgers on it taking pictures and recording. I think they see that differently to some guy with a mounted camera going balls out to get a great video to brag to the world. I assume the coffin dodgers did not drive the coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 A wednesday is good for me mate i think we should look at one towards the end of June beginning of July or a friday as i can get away both days quite easy. Think there is a few of us in and around this way so might be worth having a look to see if we can get a few of us together for it possibly a friday day overnight hotel few drinks and then Saturday. As i know you can buy a day pass and might as well make a day of it. Can we set up a way to have people indicate possible times and then we use that to organize a day. Maybe I will just move there and you can all crash at my place. I feel like doing that tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazhull8474 Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 LOL yeah mate move there. If anyone from the UK is thinking of doing this as well i can get accomodation free and then drive to the ring from my place on the Saturday morning. Will have a look after work tomorrow and see when would be best for me yourself and others to do the ring for a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT4 Zed Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 Very well done Thomas I am so happy for you and you finally took the plunge. Its you hooked from now It was important you took your time going round the first time so you can appreciate the beauty and feel of history of the place. from here on it will be faster and faster upto you hit your talent limit or cars limit if you are lucky I should have been comming tonight to take advantage of the long bank oliday but there are too many other stuff that i have to address so i would be looking doing the next 4 months end(july -October) so we may plan something It is to early for you to assess your brakes but they look quite dusty before you went in Thanks for the open invite from you and Gaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasSoerensen Posted May 27, 2010 Author Share Posted May 27, 2010 Very well done Thomas I am so happy for you and you finally took the plunge. Its you hooked from now It was important you took your time going round the first time so you can appreciate the beauty and feel of history of the place. from here on it will be faster and faster upto you hit your talent limit or cars limit if you are lucky I should have been comming tonight to take advantage of the long bank oliday but there are too many other stuff that i have to address so i would be looking doing the next 4 months end(july -October) so we may plan something It is to early for you to assess your brakes but they look quite dusty before you went in Thanks for the open invite from you and Gaz I am soo happy I did finally did it. A few things just needed to fall into the right places first. All I know about the brakes is that they were more than fine for my slow lap. I am sure they can hold up to a lot of abuse. But I think it will be a while before I do 5 laps in a row before taking a rest in the carpark so the brakes will always have amble time to cool. and the Ring is not THAT hard on the brakes. I think Hockenheimring was harder as you have the topspeed to hairpin corner braking at the end of the loooooong curve there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marzman Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 That was a great write up Tom... really makes me wanna go. Was supposed to go last year but thigs happened and i couldnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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