Competing in the Nurburgring 24 Hours

Sodemo · 24 Jul 2006, 09:30 (Ref:1663222)

I have wanted to compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours for several years now, its an ambition of mine which I have every intention of fulfilling whether its in 5 years or 25 years.
However I am a little lacking in knowledge of how and what you have to go through in order to compete and what is involved.
My "plan" was to build an older BMW 325 up to race spec, roll cage etc, I have quite a bit of savings tucked away at the moment so cost depending I could afford it (maybe).

Does anyone have any information for potential applicants?

Thanks.

Rob29 · 24 Jul 2006, 10:02 (Ref:1663247)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monster

I have wanted to compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours for several years now, its an ambition of mine which I have every intention of fulfilling whether its in 5 years or 25 years.
However I am a little lacking in knowledge of how and what you have to go through in order to compete and what is involved.
My "plan" was to build an older BMW 325 up to race spec, roll cage etc, I have quite a bit of savings tucked away at the moment so cost depending I could afford it (maybe).

Does anyone have any information for potential applicants?

Thanks.

First you need 3 co-drivers

Highside · 24 Jul 2006, 10:36 (Ref:1663265)

Best way forward is to buy yourself a race seat in someone elses car. Most teams need at least one paying driver (usualy three), so there are plenty of drives available if you look hard enough.

Might be worth buying a drive in VLN or CHC first to see if you like it - apparently it's not eveyone's cup-of-tea, and very different to burning round during a Touristenfahrt. Also this will put you in contact with the right guys who do N24, and get your face known, so if a drive comes up they know who you are & that your are interested, and can be trusted to get their car round without mishap.

Must admit having watched this year I am very tempted myself, but I'll stick to doing a few CHC rounds next year if i can get enough signitures first.

Sodemo · 24 Jul 2006, 11:13 (Ref:1663290)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highside

Best way forward is to buy yourself a race seat in someone elses car. Most teams need at least one paying driver (usualy three), so there are plenty of drives available if you look hard enough.

Might be worth buying a drive in VLN or CHC first to see if you like it - apparently it's not eveyone's cup-of-tea, and very different to burning round during a Touristenfahrt. Also this will put you in contact with the right guys who do N24, and get your face known, so if a drive comes up they know who you are & that your are interested, and can be trusted to get their car round without mishap.

Must admit having watched this year I am very tempted myself, but I'll stick to doing a few CHC rounds next year if i can get enough signitures first.

Right, OK thanks for the advice.

How would I get in touch with someone "in the know"?

What I was thinking if I did intend to build my own car, was a 1996 BMW 325 which I have seen go for about £1200. I figure fitting a
new engine would cost £1200,
exhaust £200,
sports brakes & wheels & tyres £1500,
roll cage £500?,
strip out all the interior, make it as light as possible.

I figure if I spend about £4-6K on a car that would be OK.

But your probably right with wanting to try out a race first.

How much does it cost approx for a race seat?

Highside · 24 Jul 2006, 11:26 (Ref:1663296)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monster

Right, OK thanks for the advice.

How would I get in touch with someone "in the know"?

...[snip]...

How much does it cost approx for a race seat?

Not too sure on this one - I'm still in the dreaming stage myself, but I remember various seats (everything from NSX's to Minis) being advertised on www.racecarsdirect.com and in Autosport, so it might be worth checking there first for some old adverts.

Otherwise check out...

http://www.castrol-haugg-cup.com/

or

http://www.vln.de/

...And get practicing with your German!

carsten.meurer · 24 Jul 2006, 12:16 (Ref:1663338)

first step, get rid of all possible race ability you have, so as to conform with
most others on track...

seriously, i have done it 3 times, the final time in a self prepared car, done all
logistics myself, and we did it with just two drivers in a clio in 98.
it was still proper racing back then...
even though its just a show event for the top10 cars now, i think of doing it
again next year, in one of the slowest cars out there, gr.n m3 e30 !

some points you might look into:

- you need a couple of races on the ring beforehand to be allowed to start,
or a driver course as most of the celebrities take.
best bet is to buy in at the final races of a year, rather than early next year,
when dozens with the same intention are about and prices high !

- look into car preparation closely !
you may find that the usual uk club racing banger ( no offence - i find it
sensible to have this level ! ) wouldn't be allowed near the track !
you have to go full fia spec ! so unless you want to compete with special
race machines with f3000 engines, a 325 with stripped interiour is a no go !

- looking thru the organising part, the chaos in the padock, all the hidden
extra fees for transporters beyond certain dimensions and all, you may
decide renting a seat is the far less complicated thing to do !
after all you can concentrate on driving ! you will have all hands full to do
with that, and not worrry about board cards for driver changes or refuelling !

if thats the case, the advice to go to the ring and make yourself known is
good ! rates vary a lot, and sadly mostly are beyond normal earthlings !

6000 euro on a standart gr.n car is not unheared of !!!

- be prepared to be on track with a lot of wealthy lunatics in earth bound porsche gt3 missiles . i know many cases of rich idiots being let loose in such
cars the pay for after just a drivers course and NO race expierience
beforehand ! completely mad !
not nice to follow a porsche in a gr.n car, being happy because of a great
slipstream, when it brakes on a flat out brow just because the driver can not
remember where the road goes !
YOU WANT TO TAKE PART IN A POSH SHOW OFF EVENT ! its only racing in
the top10 and few cars up front in classes ! driver levels are low and
dangerous ! yes. it has great atmosphere, but be prepared for this, and take
it into account when deciding !

- be prepared that more entries than grid spots are taken, so if you go slow,
you go home after practice ! so make sure you got the balance right between
car, drivers and budget ! - or it might be your most expensive DNQ ever !

i have some friends who do VLN and the 24h constantly for some 20 years
now, if you are serious, i put you in touch !
theere need to be websites offereing drives and loooking for cars out there !
will look for it...

budget:
just figure roughly...
- travel cost
- entry fee
- preparing car once over completely, and getting a full set of spares
( brake discs - pads, clutch, gearbox - everything you do not have can
cost you the flag, so best take a complete car for spares !)
- tires and rims ( slicks, interm. wets, all on rims, all in proper quantity to
last 24h - or a deal to mount tires on track, maybe even stock tires for you
to pick during the race. )
- fuel at circuit prices
- parking truck / caravan in paddock
- feeding your team for at least 5 days

be prepared to work from 10grand upwards for the least posh attempt !

good luck !

MGDavid · 24 Jul 2006, 13:14 (Ref:1663373)

when I enquired last year there was a team running a couple of Alfas with seats available at reasonable prices - about £3k IIRC. Hope you fulfil the dream...

Sodemo · 24 Jul 2006, 16:31 (Ref:1663478)

Quote:

Originally Posted by carsten.meurer

first step, get rid of all possible race ability you have, so as to conform with
most others on track...

...
good luck !

Cheers for the advice.

Perhaps one of those Alfa seats could be good...Hmmm

What kind of Alfa was it? 156?

graeme · 24 Jul 2006, 18:21 (Ref:1663547)

I spoke to these guys a few years ago about a drive - http://www.brunswickracing.co.uk

Simon Mason · 25 Jul 2006, 07:12 (Ref:1663901)

I have the same ambition after racing in a few other 24hr races. Timing and commitments keep playing against me

. Maybe next year!

My advise would be don't enter your own car. 24hr races are like a season of racing in one weekend, no mater how cheap you want to make it, it will cost thousands and much more than you think.

Assuming you have'nt done the Ring before or maybe if you have a few times I found a good build up option is do the 75 Experience at the Ring, learn it inside out, Ron (who runs the experience) is also one of the assors for the 24hr Ring "newbies". Then buy yourself a seat in an existing entry.

To find a seat watch the race cars for sale web sites or contact the teams directly that raced last year and see what they have to offer. You can find them with a bit of web research.

Cars like the Honda Civic Type R's, Alfa 147 and Seat Leon Diesels, or if you can stretch to one BMW E36 M3's are the best options for investment to performance. Although cheaper or much more exotic options do exist of course. Either way seats can be bought fairly easily for upwards of 3500EUR.

Maybe see you out there one day!

graeme · 25 Jul 2006, 07:45 (Ref:1663933)

"Team Ten-Tenths" anyone?

**Adam43** · 25 Jul 2006, 07:56 (Ref:1663946)

OK.

The 75 experience looks good anyway and if it can help for racing there. I can't seem to find the cost of one of the two day packages on their website.

Simon Mason · 25 Jul 2006, 11:25 (Ref:1664088)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

OK.

The 75 experience looks good anyway and if it can help for racing there. I can't seem to find the cost of one of the two day packages on their website.

PM and I can give you details. I arranged a trip only last week for me and some friends we might be going out again soon. Some of the cars are dog slow but they are very forgiving and because your with people who know the track very well you will learn it faster than by any normal method.

Sodemo · 25 Jul 2006, 15:34 (Ref:1664274)

I would be interested in any drive anywhere for a trial run.

I would love to do the 2007 Nurburgring 24 hour, regardless of team / car / whatever, its something I really want to do.

If anyone has any details regarding this, could they please PM me?

Thanks.

phatgti · 27 Jul 2006, 10:00 (Ref:1665775)

Yes we (Brunswick) ran 2 156 super productions 2 years ago, this year we ran a 147 Cup car and a Honda Prelude.

If you would like the easy route into it and renting a seat speak to Giles on 01954 252252.

We also have a seat available for Bahrain 24hr in December.

http://www.brunswickracing.co.uk

andy97 · 27 Jul 2006, 11:51 (Ref:1665840)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monster

I have wanted to compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours for several years now, its an ambition of mine which I have every intention of fulfilling whether its in 5 years or 25 years.
However I am a little lacking in knowledge of how and what you have to go through in order to compete and what is involved.
My "plan" was to build an older BMW 325 up to race spec, roll cage etc, I have quite a bit of savings tucked away at the moment so cost depending I could afford it (maybe).

Does anyone have any information for potential applicants?

Thanks.

Try giving steveng a PM for a full story/ advice etc. He posts on 10 tenths occasionally and you should be able to find his contact details if you trawl for him through the "F Renault" thread in the club single seater discussions. He has raced at the Nurburgring a couple of times in the last 3 years with hire drive Alfas. I am not sure whether this was with Brunswick but he shared a drive in a 147JTD and was very impressed. This year they finished in the top 100 and I know that he was delighted with the car and the experience.

phatgti · 27 Jul 2006, 15:31 (Ref:1665993)

Your talking about Steve Griffin, he indeed raced with us this year in our 147.

I race with him in the Alfa Romeo Championship albeit in different classes.

We would have been around 65th - 70th had we not had to change the gearbox (which took us a little over an hour!).

Hopefully when i have the correct license i will get out there myself.

Wayne

Alex Hodgkinson · 27 Jul 2006, 19:33 (Ref:1666132)

There are plenty of people who are on the lookout for co-drivers on the interent. I nearly competed this year in a 320i, with a guy who's local to the circuit, but I had another commitment so couldn't make it.

MaxxUK · 8 Aug 2006, 12:55 (Ref:1677594)

Have PM'd you.

There are more specialist/targetted Ring Training option if you are really serious about racing at the ring. They run on a closed track (no public access) and the main straight is open so you can do continuous lapping. You will likely only be sharing the whole 14miles track with less than 30 other cars.

The course is aimed at English speaking drivers, either race drivers or fairly experienced track drivers. It's not aimed at those who have no idea what corner comes next, so a previous visit to the ring is advisable but some drivers have done very well with just "video game" knowledge of the layout.

You can take your own car (no special "spec" required, if it's OK for UK trackday it's OK for this) or hire various cars (BMW/Lotus/Alfa etc.). It's not heavilly advertised (not at all I don't think) so I can't point you at more info but if anyone is interested drop me a PM with your email address and I can send some info through.

M.

PS. If your lucky you may get the fabulously entertaining "Sabine" as your instructor

R59 · 8 Aug 2006, 22:15 (Ref:1677971)

If I could keep the oil in it, I'd love to take the Belmont over there. I wonder how high off the ground I could get it over Flugplatz?

Seriously, I too am interested in doing the 'Ring 24hr at some stage in the future, and I'd want to try to learn the track as much as possible beforehand.

Perhaps I should take a Diesel van (a Sprinter of course!) over there and try to beat Clarkson's time in the Jag!!!!

Rob.

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