Well, it was an interesting experience: got up at some obscene hour on
Sunday AM and pootled down to Birchanger to hook up with Gyrock in his
CSL. We drove down to the Eurotunnel and got to France bright and early.
After an interminable journey across Belgium (why is it so big, and why are the roads worse than ours?
)
we finally got onto the Autobahn, albeit briefly. I still don't know
what V.Max is in the Z1, with the roof up I got to 140MPH and she was
still pulling, but I ran out of road. Later on with the roof down, I
got her over 130MPH, but also still pulling. Amazingly stable at those
speeds too!
(Gyrock just disappeared over the horizon!)
We then decided to tour down the Rhine from Koblenz to Mainz, which was
pretty, although I was expecting a lot more from the way some people
raved about it. In Mainz we got back on the Autobahn (which looked like
the M25 on a Monday morning
) and headed back up to the Eifel region. We got off the motorway as soon as possible and took a marvellous A-road to Nurburg.
When we got to the 'ring, it was open for public laps, and Gyrock
decided he wanted to go out, so we did. I then ventured out on my first
ever lap too. But we decided not to spoil anything for the training,
and went to check into the hotel.
The first night was spent meeting the other people in our groups and after a few "Bits", we went to bed.
Monday dawned wet and cold, and we headed off to the track, where we
met our instructor, a skinny, bespectacled chap with the demeanour of a
librarian, called Andy Bovensiepen. Andy's dad founded Alpina, and Andy
was a racing driver for many years. He may have looked diffident, but
Andy is a formidable teacher, and the most impressive driver I've seen
for decades. We headed off to Fuchsrohre and started our training.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel very confident with my Z1 in the wet --
after a lot of discussion I've decided to try new tyres over the next
year and will hopefully be going to the 'ring next year with better
ones. I'm here to tell you that I nearly left after the free laps on
Monday -- I have never been so scared of my own car before! In fact,
the only reason that I didn't jump in my car and go home, was that the
(^*%^%%%^%(&£"£"$ thing broke down at the Karussel!
Ironically, this left me with some of my best memories of the trip,
though, listening to Gyrock's CSL, Mark Safe's B7 ETA and Andy's B5
Alpina fighting for the award for the best noise produced by a car
under duress.
So I then spent the rest of Monday trying to arrange for BMW Emergency
Assistance to pick up the pieces. Tuesday was spent cadging the odd lap
with Andy -- just when I got over my fear, I started getting carsick!
Took me two hours to recover! BMW came to my rescue, though -- they
very kindly provided me with a Citroen Xsara Picasso to replace my Z1
while they repaired it!
I was too embarrassed to be seen with the Picasso, so I went off sightseeing.
Evenings were mostly spent at the Pistenklause -- very jolly, and highly recommended.
Wednesday was very stressful -- waiting to hear if my car was fixed,
then racing over to fetch it ("racing" being very much a metaphor in a
Xsara Picasso!
) and dashing back to
the track in the hope of squeezing in a last few free laps. When I got
back to the course, there was a garbage truck blocking the entrance,
and when I got through the marshals wouldn't let me onto the track!
After gesticulating wildly at them, they realised I was allowed on the
track and I managed to squeeze in a reasonable lap, followed by a
really "committed" lap which saw me spin the car after Kallenhard and
stop inches away from the armco!
John Safe came past, wagged his finger at me, and like a chastened
puppy I followed him in. So, after a grand total of five laps in the
wet that scared me more than The Shining, and two laps in the dry
(featuring an off), and two laps with Andy with my eyes closed and two
retching out of the window, I had to face my evaluation lap!
And weirdly, despite everything that had gone wrong, and the pressure,
I finally enjoyed a lap! I said then that I didn't mind what my score
was, because I really enjoyed it. Just as well that I can stick to
that, because my score was horrifying.
I guess I'll just have to try again next year.
After the course was over and the public lapping started again, I did
three more laps and loved them. I was like a schoolboy when I got into
a lap with a 3.0 Alfa (GTA?) behind me -- he clearly had the legs on me
in the straights, but because he wasn't following the racing line, he
would only catch me just before the next corner, so I held him off for
an entire lap.
Sorry miss, I won't do it again!
The drive home was a delight, all the way up to the M20, where the
manners became as bad as those found on public days at the 'ring.
There are some caveats if you're thinking of going to the 'ring on a public day and you haven't done it before:
1. If it's wet, be careful. Be more careful than you have ever been in your entire life.
2. The manners of the testosterone addicts who pitch at public times
can be a little lacking. Keep your eyes on your mirrors often.
3. Don't do more than one lap at a time -- your adrenaline could get you into a lot of trouble.
Nurburgring 8th-9th-10th August
Topic Options
kevin wrote:
Nothing---------------Unless YOU decide to run off the super surfaced track.
but will try and persuade her to come along next year.