Duttyman
08-26-2007, 06:25 PM
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/drivingthenurburgring.jpg" height="359" width="543" />
<strong>Background</strong>
Nürburgring, aka "the Ring" is probably the most famous motorsport race track in the world. Built in Nürburg, Germany, in the 1920s (1925-1927) around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains, it still fuels the town's economy.<!--more-->
Originally, there were four track configurations: the 28.265 km long Gesamtstrecke ("Combined Loop"), which in turn consisted of the 22.810 km Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), and the 7.747 km Südschleife ("Southern Loop"). There also was a 2.281 km warm-up loop called Betonschleife, around pits area. Between 1982 and 1983 the start-finish area was demolished to create a new GP-Strecke, currently used for all major and international racing events. Nordschleife; nicknamed The Green Hell by Jackie Stewart, is widely considered the toughest and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world. It is also what most people think of as "the ring" [Source: Wikipedia]<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/260px-Circuit_Nrburgring-Nordschlei.png" height="345" width="260" />
Nürburgring map showing both the Nordschleife and the new GP section.
<strong>Lets dissect the</strong> <strong>Nordschleife</strong>
As mentioned, the Nurburgring is in fact a series of tracks, the most famous being the Nordschleife. According to enthusiasts, the 20.8 km Nordschleife course has about 33 left and 40 right turns- some even claim the track has a much as 100 corners! Listing and detailing each is impractical for this article, however, it is worth mentioning some of the more notorious curves.
Flugplatz ("the airfield")
Flugplatz is widely renowned as the place Chris Irwin's career ended in a Ford 3L GT. It is also know for springing the tightest tunned cars off the track in into the air!
Bergwerk ("the mine")
Perhaps the most notorious corner on the long circuit, Bergwerk is credited for more than its fair share of serious and fatal accidents. A tight righthand corner, coming just after a long, fast section and a lefthand kink on a small crest, where Carel Godin de Beaufort lost his life. The fast kink was also the scene of Niki Lauda's infamous fiery accident during the 1976 German Grand Prix.
Karussell ("the carousel")
Considered one of the slower corners on the Nordschleife, Karussell is perhaps its most iconic. One of two berm-style, banked corners, the entrance to the corner is blind, although Juan Manuel Fangio is reputed to have advised a young driver to "aim for the tallest tree"; a feature that was also built into the rendering of the circuit in the Gran Turismo 4 video game as well as Grand Prix Legends.
<strong>What Makes the track Special:</strong>
<strong><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/Nordschleife.png" height="440" width="600" /></strong>
The average F1 race track is 3 miles long with just a few turns. The Ring is about 15 miles long with about 100 corners. Because of its demanding layout, the Nordschleife (20km portion of the ring) is used by auto manufacturers like BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Nissan and Lexus as a proving ground for their car prototypes. In 2002, General Motors also honed the Cadillac CTS-V and the sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette on the track (<a href="http://forums.streetfire.net/showthread.php?t=1155&page=1&pp=10">latest Corvette record</a>). Nissan's Japanese domestic market supercar, the Skyline GT-R, was also tuned at Nürburgring (Skyline GT-R V-spec II Nür) and held the unofficial lap record for road legal cars for some time. The race version entered by Falken Tyres did well in 24 Hours Nürburgring, without a chance to win though, but they were among the Top-10 finishers repeatedly.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/project-gotham-racing-2-web.jpg" height="300" width="400" />
In recent years, Nürburgring's Nordschleife has also enjoyed exposure in video games, with the shorter grand prix circuit already gaining large attention especially in Formula 1 simulations dating back to 1998 with Sierra's PC-based racing simulation Grand Prix Legends featuring the Green Hell and the 1967 Formula One season.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/gt.jpg" height="300" width="400" />
Finally, there is the most popular aspect of the track- the public access. In reality,the Nordschleife has remained a one-way, public toll-road for nearly 80 years except when it is closed off for testing purposes, training lessons or racing events. Since its opening in 1927, the track has been used by the public for the so-called "Touristenfahrten", i.e. to anyone with a road legal car or motorcycle, as well as tour buses, motor homes or cars with trailers. It is opened mainly on Sundays, but also on many Saturdays and weekday evenings. During the winter months, depending on weather conditions and maintenance work, the track may be closed for weeks.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/nurburgring1-014.jpg" height="399" width="500" />
During Touristenfahrten sessions StVO (German road law) applies! This is contrary to the common myth that road law is suspended on the track (like normal race tracks.) Additionally, speed limits do exist in certain areas to reduce noise and risks. As on public roads, passing on the right is prohibited. Like the speed limits, there are other rules that must be adhered including crash and wreckage awareness.Drivers interested in lap times can time themselves between the first bridge on leaving the car park style barrier to the last gantry before they return. Accidents are common and those considering driving around the Nordschleife should be familiar with the rules that apply. It is also worth noting that because of the demanding nature of the Ring, a normal car can experience the equivalent of several months ware in just one Nurburgring lap. Finally, the police strictly enforce the law and prosecute offenders with the aid of helicopters.
<strong>Current Track Prices:</strong>
Single lap tickets for Nordschleife in 2007
Car/motorcycle- 19.00 €
Bus- 4.00 € per adult
Bus- 2.00 € per child
Multiple Lap tickets for Nordschliefe in 2007
25-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 345.00 €
15-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 220.00 €
8-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 124.00 €
4-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 64.00 €
Tickets valid for one year 2007
Car/motorcycle- 895.00 €
<strong>Other Useful Information:</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nuerburgring.de/" class="external text" title="http://www.nuerburgring.de/" rel="nofollow">Official website (also in English)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/" class="external text" title="http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/" rel="nofollow">Ben Lovejoy's Nurburgring Nordschleife Website - The Best For "Ringer's"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fastestlaps.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.fastestlaps.com/" rel="nofollow">Nordschleife and other track lap times (production cars only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nurburgring-videos.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.nurburgring-videos.com/" rel="nofollow">Video and photo site</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fastvoicemedia.de/nuerburgring2004.mov" class="external text" title="http://www.fastvoicemedia.de/nuerburgring2004.mov" rel="nofollow">Onboard video one lap GP track (QT, 6,4 MB)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://20832.com/" class="external text" title="http://20832.com" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring Fan Project</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sudschleife.8200rpm.com/" class="external text" title="http://sudschleife.8200rpm.com" rel="nofollow">Südschleife</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.team-tschauder.de/nring/n-ring1e.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.team-tschauder.de/nring/n-ring1e.htm" rel="nofollow">A description of the racing line</a></li>
<li><a href="http://adac.24h-rennen.de/" class="external text" title="http://adac.24h-rennen.de" rel="nofollow">24 Hours Nürburgring Race</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.justgofaster.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.justgofaster.com" rel="nofollow">JustGoFaster, satirical site complete with real corner names</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.glp1.de/" class="external text" title="http://www.glp1.de" rel="nofollow">GLP Regularity test for road cars (German only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.castrol-haugg-cup.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.castrol-haugg-cup.com" rel="nofollow">CHC Rallye-like racing (German only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.langstreckenpokal.de/" class="external text" title="http://www.langstreckenpokal.de" rel="nofollow">VLN Endurance Racing (German only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.the-paddock.net/" class="external text" title="http://www.the-paddock.net" rel="nofollow">VLN Endurance Racing (English) coverage & photos</a></li>
<li><a href="http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Emotorweb/nurburgring/" class="external text" title="http://members.ozemail.com.au/~motorweb/nurburgring/" rel="nofollow">A report from 24 Hour race</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Nurburgring" class="external text" title="http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Nurburgring" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring Circuit History and Statistics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.heiser.net/documents/nurburgring/" class="external text" title="http://www.heiser.net/documents/nurburgring/" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring for Dummies</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nuerburgring.de/fileadmin/webcam/webcam.jpg" class="external text" title="http://www.nuerburgring.de/fileadmin/webcam/webcam.jpg" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring webcam</a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Background</strong>
Nürburgring, aka "the Ring" is probably the most famous motorsport race track in the world. Built in Nürburg, Germany, in the 1920s (1925-1927) around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains, it still fuels the town's economy.<!--more-->
Originally, there were four track configurations: the 28.265 km long Gesamtstrecke ("Combined Loop"), which in turn consisted of the 22.810 km Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), and the 7.747 km Südschleife ("Southern Loop"). There also was a 2.281 km warm-up loop called Betonschleife, around pits area. Between 1982 and 1983 the start-finish area was demolished to create a new GP-Strecke, currently used for all major and international racing events. Nordschleife; nicknamed The Green Hell by Jackie Stewart, is widely considered the toughest and most demanding purpose-built race track in the world. It is also what most people think of as "the ring" [Source: Wikipedia]<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/260px-Circuit_Nrburgring-Nordschlei.png" height="345" width="260" />
Nürburgring map showing both the Nordschleife and the new GP section.
<strong>Lets dissect the</strong> <strong>Nordschleife</strong>
As mentioned, the Nurburgring is in fact a series of tracks, the most famous being the Nordschleife. According to enthusiasts, the 20.8 km Nordschleife course has about 33 left and 40 right turns- some even claim the track has a much as 100 corners! Listing and detailing each is impractical for this article, however, it is worth mentioning some of the more notorious curves.
Flugplatz ("the airfield")
Flugplatz is widely renowned as the place Chris Irwin's career ended in a Ford 3L GT. It is also know for springing the tightest tunned cars off the track in into the air!
Bergwerk ("the mine")
Perhaps the most notorious corner on the long circuit, Bergwerk is credited for more than its fair share of serious and fatal accidents. A tight righthand corner, coming just after a long, fast section and a lefthand kink on a small crest, where Carel Godin de Beaufort lost his life. The fast kink was also the scene of Niki Lauda's infamous fiery accident during the 1976 German Grand Prix.
Karussell ("the carousel")
Considered one of the slower corners on the Nordschleife, Karussell is perhaps its most iconic. One of two berm-style, banked corners, the entrance to the corner is blind, although Juan Manuel Fangio is reputed to have advised a young driver to "aim for the tallest tree"; a feature that was also built into the rendering of the circuit in the Gran Turismo 4 video game as well as Grand Prix Legends.
<strong>What Makes the track Special:</strong>
<strong><img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/Nordschleife.png" height="440" width="600" /></strong>
The average F1 race track is 3 miles long with just a few turns. The Ring is about 15 miles long with about 100 corners. Because of its demanding layout, the Nordschleife (20km portion of the ring) is used by auto manufacturers like BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Nissan and Lexus as a proving ground for their car prototypes. In 2002, General Motors also honed the Cadillac CTS-V and the sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette on the track (<a href="http://forums.streetfire.net/showthread.php?t=1155&page=1&pp=10">latest Corvette record</a>). Nissan's Japanese domestic market supercar, the Skyline GT-R, was also tuned at Nürburgring (Skyline GT-R V-spec II Nür) and held the unofficial lap record for road legal cars for some time. The race version entered by Falken Tyres did well in 24 Hours Nürburgring, without a chance to win though, but they were among the Top-10 finishers repeatedly.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/project-gotham-racing-2-web.jpg" height="300" width="400" />
In recent years, Nürburgring's Nordschleife has also enjoyed exposure in video games, with the shorter grand prix circuit already gaining large attention especially in Formula 1 simulations dating back to 1998 with Sierra's PC-based racing simulation Grand Prix Legends featuring the Green Hell and the 1967 Formula One season.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/gt.jpg" height="300" width="400" />
Finally, there is the most popular aspect of the track- the public access. In reality,the Nordschleife has remained a one-way, public toll-road for nearly 80 years except when it is closed off for testing purposes, training lessons or racing events. Since its opening in 1927, the track has been used by the public for the so-called "Touristenfahrten", i.e. to anyone with a road legal car or motorcycle, as well as tour buses, motor homes or cars with trailers. It is opened mainly on Sundays, but also on many Saturdays and weekday evenings. During the winter months, depending on weather conditions and maintenance work, the track may be closed for weeks.
<img src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w47/Duttyman_photos/nurburgring1-014.jpg" height="399" width="500" />
During Touristenfahrten sessions StVO (German road law) applies! This is contrary to the common myth that road law is suspended on the track (like normal race tracks.) Additionally, speed limits do exist in certain areas to reduce noise and risks. As on public roads, passing on the right is prohibited. Like the speed limits, there are other rules that must be adhered including crash and wreckage awareness.Drivers interested in lap times can time themselves between the first bridge on leaving the car park style barrier to the last gantry before they return. Accidents are common and those considering driving around the Nordschleife should be familiar with the rules that apply. It is also worth noting that because of the demanding nature of the Ring, a normal car can experience the equivalent of several months ware in just one Nurburgring lap. Finally, the police strictly enforce the law and prosecute offenders with the aid of helicopters.
<strong>Current Track Prices:</strong>
Single lap tickets for Nordschleife in 2007
Car/motorcycle- 19.00 €
Bus- 4.00 € per adult
Bus- 2.00 € per child
Multiple Lap tickets for Nordschliefe in 2007
25-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 345.00 €
15-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 220.00 €
8-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 124.00 €
4-lap ticket (car / motorcycle)- 64.00 €
Tickets valid for one year 2007
Car/motorcycle- 895.00 €
<strong>Other Useful Information:</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.nuerburgring.de/" class="external text" title="http://www.nuerburgring.de/" rel="nofollow">Official website (also in English)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/" class="external text" title="http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/" rel="nofollow">Ben Lovejoy's Nurburgring Nordschleife Website - The Best For "Ringer's"</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fastestlaps.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.fastestlaps.com/" rel="nofollow">Nordschleife and other track lap times (production cars only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nurburgring-videos.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.nurburgring-videos.com/" rel="nofollow">Video and photo site</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fastvoicemedia.de/nuerburgring2004.mov" class="external text" title="http://www.fastvoicemedia.de/nuerburgring2004.mov" rel="nofollow">Onboard video one lap GP track (QT, 6,4 MB)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://20832.com/" class="external text" title="http://20832.com" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring Fan Project</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sudschleife.8200rpm.com/" class="external text" title="http://sudschleife.8200rpm.com" rel="nofollow">Südschleife</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.team-tschauder.de/nring/n-ring1e.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.team-tschauder.de/nring/n-ring1e.htm" rel="nofollow">A description of the racing line</a></li>
<li><a href="http://adac.24h-rennen.de/" class="external text" title="http://adac.24h-rennen.de" rel="nofollow">24 Hours Nürburgring Race</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.justgofaster.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.justgofaster.com" rel="nofollow">JustGoFaster, satirical site complete with real corner names</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.glp1.de/" class="external text" title="http://www.glp1.de" rel="nofollow">GLP Regularity test for road cars (German only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.castrol-haugg-cup.com/" class="external text" title="http://www.castrol-haugg-cup.com" rel="nofollow">CHC Rallye-like racing (German only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.langstreckenpokal.de/" class="external text" title="http://www.langstreckenpokal.de" rel="nofollow">VLN Endurance Racing (German only)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.the-paddock.net/" class="external text" title="http://www.the-paddock.net" rel="nofollow">VLN Endurance Racing (English) coverage & photos</a></li>
<li><a href="http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Emotorweb/nurburgring/" class="external text" title="http://members.ozemail.com.au/~motorweb/nurburgring/" rel="nofollow">A report from 24 Hour race</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Nurburgring" class="external text" title="http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Nurburgring" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring Circuit History and Statistics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.heiser.net/documents/nurburgring/" class="external text" title="http://www.heiser.net/documents/nurburgring/" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring for Dummies</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nuerburgring.de/fileadmin/webcam/webcam.jpg" class="external text" title="http://www.nuerburgring.de/fileadmin/webcam/webcam.jpg" rel="nofollow">Nürburgring webcam</a></li>
</ul>