In need of assistance

[chunder]

Some of you may know me from other areas of the forum

I am 40 this year and have ooked a full day in a car at the Nurburgring, something I have wanted to do for many years and can affod to do at long last.

Now, this is probabaly going to sound bonkers but it will be my first ever track day! I am renting a fairly low lowered car and am sensible enough to have done the research into what to do and what not to.

My issue is that I have tried to get everything familiar. RHD car, front wheel drive, fairly small car. no flappy paddle rubbish. All similar to the cars I have driven on the road.

Only thing I have never tried is the sort of semi slick tyres that are fitted.

I was wanting to do something over here simply to gain experience of these tyres and also as a sort of warmup to going over to Germany. SO I can experience the protocols etc/

Obviously I have looked at the various circuit events things but they are all based around teenager bedroom picture cars or single seaters for few laps and huge money!

Is there any way I could hire a car or put some money towards something that would gain me some experience of a track here and/or these tyres?

Can I hire a car for a cheap track day? Can I go in with someone else as a sort of pay hirer? Or am I limited to things like Silverstone, MSV package stuff?

Many thanks

Rob

[madfish]

the best thing to do is get down to a local track day near you and ask around drivers and ask they mayy well let u drive but you will have to pay or they may let you sit in and give you advice hope this helps.

[GT-Driver]

For Trackday fans, I strongly recommend having some basic racing course. There must be plenty of racing schools or lots of racing coaches (get those with practical racing / perofrmance driving expereince not the theory empty heads) around.

Not only this will make you a safer driver and thus less subject to acciednts, it would also make you go noticibly much quicker than the others who drive without knowing the basics.

In fact it looks very funny and stupid when I see a person in a super car and he doesnt even know the basics of proper performance driving. They look very very stupid- and I can not find any reason to respect them.

Im not saying all trackday fans should become pro-drivers and (I my self not even close to that level) but knowing the basics is very important.

[kart_racer]

The Nurburgring is not really the best place to try circuit driving for the first time.

Is it an official Track day or just a tourist day!? Tourist days are pretty lethal and every time I have been every single lap has several accidents.

A track day there is far more organised and far safer. Still a very daunting track however.

I take it you will have some tuition (In the form of a instructor) booked also?

I agree with some other comments regarding doing some UK track days before you take the Trip to the ''Green Hell''

[chunder]

Gotta be honest I found the Nurburgring to be very friendly, fairly simple to get around at a moderate pace and also a proper mecca!

My interest in going there was sparked my gaming and things like that but I made the clear distinction to hire a car that was small, low powered and RHD! This did the trick and I was perfectly happy with the day, if not with the fact that as a driver I got car sick which rather annoyed me as I ahd to give the car and some laps back!

Over here I would love to share a car, or hire somehting as I cant really afford to run something aswell as a road car (or even run a track car on the road).

Otherwise I shall go back to Germany next year and for evermore while it remains relatively cheap and safe.

You just have to know when to go (evenings not weekends) and who to hire with.

[kart_racer]

Originally Posted by chunder

Gotta be honest I found the Nurburgring to be very friendly, fairly simple to get around at a moderate pace and also a proper mecca!

My interest in going there was sparked my gaming and things like that but I made the clear distinction to hire a car that was small, low powered and RHD! This did the trick and I was perfectly happy with the day, if not with the fact that as a driver I got car sick which rather annoyed me as I ahd to give the car and some laps back!

Over here I would love to share a car, or hire somehting as I cant really afford to run something aswell as a road car (or even run a track car on the road).

Otherwise I shall go back to Germany next year and for evermore while it remains relatively cheap and safe.

You just have to know when to go (evenings not weekends) and who to hire with.

I have always gone in my own car, on tourist days.. Its great fun and a fatastic place to be. Seen so many accidents however.

[chunder]

I dont think driving there these days in your own car is that clever! It is VERY difficult to get any kind of cover from UK insurers, as anyone who drives will tell you our insurers are the most mercenary on the planet (how shocking huh).

And because of the way it is now run, the track is open a lot more. Gran Turismo and Top Gear have led yes to more business, but also to a load of idiots trying to go round in under 10 minutes! While this alone is fine, it isn't when people realise the track is a toll road, not a race tracka nd you must pay for any damage you do, recovery, track closure time etc.

Plus, you then have to get home. When I was there, there were two write offs from UK drivers. An Evo8 and a Mini, stupid really as the track is safe at a good pace.

[kart_racer]

I've heard of some horrendous stories about some massive bills for damaged Armco let alone the car damage also.

I did source insurance once, it was dubious as it was for a trackday which it
wasn't.

The other times my road policy covered it luckily.

My friend let his wife drive his car and she had an off just after the picture gallery, all she did was bring gravel onto the circuit and they were charged 150 Euro's for the clean up. The side of his cars paint work ruined also.

[chunder]

If I was driving my own car, I dont think I would drive it at the ring, just too risky nowadays, but I enjoyed it there.

I would drive in the UK, but sadly cant afford a car for both track and road, would go halves with someone or something but that seems to be a very unlikely deal as most people are not interested.