You’re never going to the Playboy Mansion. Sure, we’ll get two emails from lucky readers who have actually been there, but the rest of you? Forget about it. The sidelines at the Superbowl? Nope, not going there either. Bridge of an aircraft carrier? The Golden Globe Awards? Opening pitch at Fenway? Area 51? Nope, nope, nope and nope.
Yes, there …
One suggestion, try to schedule your visit when there are two consecutive days of open sessions. It's very common, especially on weekends during the summer months, on public for there to be an accident that closes the track. That happened to us, we got there and the track closed to clean up people hurling themselves at the scenery mad repairing Armco etc. That nearly scuppered my plans. We had to cancel the next days activities and spend a whole day kicking around until the next public session the following late afternoon. Luckily I have an understanding family who knew how much getting on the ring meant to dad.
Oh yeah, check the track calendar well in advance, there are a lot of times it's closed for corporate, industry, club or other days meaning that open public sessions aren't as common as you may think.
Good information, maybe someday.......
Going to Germany in June, hopefully my boss will be ok with taking a 45 minute trip after work to check out the green hell.
Made it there in September. Even in a rented Mercedes E-class diesel wagon it was amazing! Did manage to execute a successful pass on a minivan. :-)
I only got 2 laps in as too many folks ran out of talent and weren't able to make it back on their own power. Clearing the track chewed up too much time and we weren't able to get out there for additional laps. I still have two laps on my 'Ring card for the next time I make it there.
Remember to swing by Hotel am Tiergarten Restaurant for a meal. You should be able to find the GRM sticker. :-)
I must've been very fortunate then - no issues getting on, and they ran for a couple hours after we finished. My son and I ran a lap each, and the only reason I didn't leave all my cash at the 'ring that day was I wanted to see a couple other historical sites (and not make the rest of my stay totally boring... though it wouldn't have been that bad, I could chill in the German countryside for quite a while).
For those that haven't been, it IS as awesome as you imagine it might be.
CWR67 said:
Remember to swing by Hotel am Tiergarten Restaurant for a meal. You should be able to find the GRM sticker. :-)
I slapped one in a fairly visible location right near the host stand. I wouldn't be surprised if it got covered up at some point, though. Real estate was fairly precious there and I was surprised I even found a spot. There's at least one more in there that I know of as well.
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
Yours is still there and still visible!
Chuck
This is a great article on a very special track. But there are others a lot closer than Germany. I would love to see an article on world class tracks that the average guy or girl can access in this country.
I figure this might be the best place to put this in, Dale Lomis' (BridgeToGantry) 2020 n00bs guide video... since there's been some changes over the last few years, and it gives some background to the town...
and, it seems a few of us have been heading over the last few years
edit:
this is something Dale's done a couple times, so there's a playlist...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL420B5C16E7322093
I particularly like the old 2012 video, because it has some "be careful of this aspect of the track" in it... although some of that is dated thanks to changes made in 2014-2016.
FPZguy said:This is a great article on a very special track. But there are others a lot closer than Germany. I would love to see an article on world class tracks that the average guy or girl can access in this country.
I think this is a better suggestion that some track across a pond that'll be insanely more expensive to get on than many awesome awesome tracks here in the US.
That said if you go, spend sometime on Project Cars, Forza or whatever your flavor of racing game is. Knowing the tracks basic turns allows you to jump 'into' the track more freely and will allow you to get that much more enjoyment out of it.
Also, don't spend all your money on the mornings and busy parts of the day. Couple hours before close all the locals leave and try and make it home for dinner on time, thats the best time to hit the track! No traffic to contest with!
Awesome article and tidbits of information. I'm planning on going this summer; but, for the N24. Maybe I'll stay a few extra days and try to get some seat time.
Great article, but I think it missed some important elements of risk during public days. German road traffic laws, at least when I drove the Ring in 2005, mean strict liability for damages in accidents if you're found to have been the cause - including to other vehicles. Bad news if your rental car insurance doesn't cover you.
Also at the time one was liable for damage to the track, so you paid for armco repairs and, if the track was shut down, for lost income to the track. No independent road service so removal of your vehicle was another charge from the track.
If I'd know this early enough I'd have booked a track car rental, but I don't regret putting that poor rental 320d street car and my financial future at risk for 5 laps :-)
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