Axis of VLN: Road to the Nürburgring 24.

CG was in Germany last week, popping his VLN cherry! 
Here's the scoop. Enjoy, dream....

I have been visiting the Nürburgring for almost 10 years,  ever since AC and I took a break from a Monaco Grand Prix week for a "quick" drive up from the Riviera in his Ferrari 360... back when speed limits were not as strictly enforced in France.  

That was a great wake up call to the awesomeness and intimidation the 'Ring is.  We survived a few Touristenfahrten laps in the wet with the car in one piece but, it was so slippery we both thought there was something wrong with the car’s tires, but we got good marks from the locals for actually taking a Ferrari out on track rather than just the parking lot.

I have done many pilgrimages to the Nürburgring since,  almost on a yearly basis skipping just a few while focused on racing in the US.   In the past decade,  in part because of Jeremy Clarkson’s 10 minute challenges and the emergence of "Sabine, Queen of The Ring",  Touristenfahrten has become too popular to safely lap at decent speed in a fast car.   Private track days, like those organized by RSR or Destination Nürburgring,  are now the hot ticket,  especially when complemented by renting one of RSR Nurburg’s track weapons, preferably one of Stuttgart finest GT3 du jour. 

Oh! how times have changed from the Alfa 75’s days!

The 'Ring, Another Way.

So by now you've done the touristen, or terroristen days, you cursed at fool who crashed on the straight closing the track for an hour or perhaps you came across "Crazy tongue man" (I think he's still looking for it somewhere after Hocheichen)

Maybe you've been stuck behind a biker, terrified to push him into a crash and frustrated when he slows you in the corners and blows you away in the straights....

Of course, you could do like the crazy Ring Mini dude and run the track backwards but that requires becoming real good friends and drinking buddies with the track marshals and who's got the liver for that...

There is another way, maybe the ultimate way to do it: the closed track day. Axis friend Darren Langeveld runs Destination Nürburgring and has a date coming up Monday April 19th. Having done 'Ring trips before, this is a pretty sweet deal: € 875 gets you two nights in a proper modern hotel on the GP track, breakfast and dinner plus unlimited track time from 8AM to 5 PM.... bring extra brake pads boys!. Add to that the VLN track configuration (GP track + Nordschleife) and no bikes. Perfect.

Short notice? Yes but, hop on a plane, rent a car from RSR Nürburg (what...is that a 997 GT3RS they now have available?) and have a hell of a day!

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