13-14 Aug Nurburgring GTG --- includes report

[R Kelly]

It's that time again. Everyone who has an R (old or new) come on out to Nurburgring on 13 Aug and if you can't make it Saturday, we'll see you on Sunday, 14 Aug. With the old timer grand prix happening and people traveling from far away, making it 2 days makes the most sense.

On both days we'll be meeting up between 0900-0930 on the grass in the normal spot, track opens from 1000-1930 hrs. This will allow time for a couple of runs before lunch around 1130. I see no reason to go anywhere else besides Giulia's Pizzeria in Adenau.

Volvo Military Sales has offered to donate 3 Frankfurt Auto Show Business Day passes for 15 September - day prior to the show opening to the public. The Franfurt Auto show is the largest in the world, and Volvo will be giving us a personal presentation of the New Volvo convertible. I will raffle these off like I did the nice prizes last time.

I won't have time to line up other sponsors, nor does Jim have a box of extra stuff lying around, so only way there will be free t-shirts, hats etc is if you do the leg-work.

KVB and Denny, take the chunnel or hop a Ryan Air flight and come join the fun. Fernand (Bavaria R) stayed at a great hotel that overlooked the Ring last time.

Hope to see everyone there.

Links to previous Nurburgring GTGs:

http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=40529
http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=39073
http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=38297
http://forums.swedespeed.com/zerothread?id=37930


Modified by "R" Kelly at 6:50 PM 7-30-2005

[JCviggen]

Sounds doable for me

[speedemon]

Good going Kelly, I was starting to twitch, I need my Nurburgring FIX

Unfortunately Britspeed PCSed last week so no Flash Green V70R GT to pick on

Hope it's not too hot and we have a nice showing

[D-Autobahn Guy]

Is there anyway of making this Sat, 13 Aug????
Doug

[SuperGas]

Darn! That makes me 0 for 2. I'll be at Hockenheim making test & tune runs for the NitrOlympXX the following weekend. Guess I'll just have to talk Jesse into giving me some more lessons when I have a free weekend.

[Bavaria R]

We will be comming from Munich again, it was such great fun last time. As there is still no Stage 3 from BSR we will not have the Downpipe mounted, but the Filter is on and probably also the stiffer springs and spacers from Eibach. Lucky on this one, get them mounted next Monday 01.08.05

(If lucky, two friend of mine will join (not participating in the sponsorde parts) just because I don't see them often. One with a Porsche 911 Carerra GT3 and one with an Audi 3.0 TDI Quattro.) NOT lucky on this one one is on hollidays in Italy, the other must work, so will come with my wife only...


Modified by Bavaria R at 9:28 PM 7-25-2005

[ArtVandelay0023]

Hopefully I will be able to make this one.

[wrxownr]

I'm planning on driving from the Cambridge area, UK. I've always wanted to do some laps at the Ring! I'm waiting on exhaust, springs and swaybars ... hopefully I'll have enough time to install them before the GTG. See everyone there,

Denny

[R Kelly]

Quote, originally posted by D-Autobahn Guy »

Is there anyway of making this Sat, 13 Aug???? Doug

OK, quick poll, (just reply) can the people traveling from the UK, Munich, Belgium, Netherlands, Cote d'Ivoire (Jan ) , etc. make it if I change it to Sat 13 Aug?

I'm thinking if you leave Friday evening, travel, spend the night, full day of driving and fun Sat (sleep in, track doesn't open till 1000). That leaves all of Sunday to stick around and drive some more, or head back. Us locals may come back for a second day...

Oh, and btw, that weekend is the Old Timers Grand Prix on the F1 track, so chance JimLill and JRL may show

Seriously, it might be busy, but that is the best day for the most people. Plus, I wouldn't mind seeing some of the old timers cars. I loved the historic races in Monterey.

[JCviggen]

Probably possible for me, ya...dont know how convenient it is for some of the NL folks though (Rudi, Johann...)

[Bavaria R]

Would blow up all our planning as we are visitting Friend in Luxemburg and intended to come over from Luxemburg on Sunday. But if you move the date to saturday we still come, probably directly from Munich leaving arround 5AM and try to be at the ring at 10AM. Would be more convinient for as if you keep the sunday date. By the way Monday is off in catholic regions of Germany and we could travel home on Monday

[JCviggen]

I reckon it should stay on sunday, the majority can make it and things will get complicated moving the date around at this point

[speedemon]

OK, I vote make it a two day event 13 and 14 Aug. It's more flexible for everybody and it'll give everyone a chance to get more track time instead of talking time (which usually happens). I'll be going both days since I'm only 45 minutes drive away

[R Kelly]

Quote, originally posted by speedemon »

OK, I vote make it a two day event 13 and 14 Aug. It's more flexible for everybody and it'll give everyone a chance to get more track time instead of talking time (which usually happens). I'll be going both days since I'm only 45 minutes drive away

EVENT IS NOW OVER 2 DAYS, 13 AND 14 AUG.

Think that will make it more worthwhile for the people traveling. If you can't change your plans, that's ok, there will be people there on Sunday as well. Track opens at 1000 on both days.

I'll raffle off two of the Frankfurt Autoshow press passes on Saturday, and the remaining one on Sunday.

2 days also allows for weather problems on Saturday, catastrophic hose failures, extra track traffic, or lots of track closures from old timers taking their old cars on the Nordschleif.

So, everyone try and make it saturday. Denny, anyone else who is military traveling from far away, give Spang billeting a call, it's only 30 min away.

Bavaria R, please post the hotel you stayed at last time. See you all there!

[Bavaria R]

Hotel on the ring

http://www.accorhotels.com/acc...shtml

Will try to make it Saturday afternoon and Sunday all day, so wait with the raffle for the afternoon

[speedemon]

wrxownr, make sure you get your Germany gas coupons in England before you leave. Also, not many esso's around the ring so gas up on the way before you leave the autobahn!!!! The one's that show up close to the ring on your Nav are closed. Unfortunately, we can't buy gas coupons for England

Not sure about the availablity of billeting at Spang (PCS season). Try Bavaria R's link to accorhotels, should be pretty reasonable.

Hope to see you and maybe some other UK R's as well !!!

[R Kelly]

It looks like we are going to have some more goodies to raffle off....

[speedemon]

Well Gonna keep us in suspense

[Alynthir]

I'm there! Kelly, I'll be by this weekend to get my exhaust.

[R Kelly]

Quote, originally posted by speedemon »

Well Gonna keep us in suspense

Hey Jesse...

Everyone else but Jesse gets a free tee-shirt


Modified by "R" Kelly at 4:45 PM 8-6-2005

[R Kelly]

Quote, originally posted by "R" Kelly »

EVENT IS NOW OVER 2 DAYS, 13 AND 14 AUG.

Looking at weather forecast, Saturday looks perfect, partly cloudy, 23 C / 76 F. Rain showers possible Sunday, so glad we are starting on Saturday.

[JCviggen]

Quote, originally posted by "R" Kelly »

Looking at weather forecast, Saturday looks perfect, partly cloudy, 23 C / 76 F. Rain showers possible Sunday, so glad we are starting on Saturday.

I wouldnt put too much faith in a weather forecast for sat/sun next week, it'll change by then

[R Kelly]

Jan-

was just looking for an excuse to bump it towards the top and encourage people to come out on Sat

[JCviggen]

Hehe I know man

I'd prefer saturday myself but I've arranged with people to ride along with me on sunday and cant really change that. Should be quite a few dutch peeps coming sunday incl Johann

[R Kelly]

JUST TWO DAYS TILL EVENT.

And of course, in fine German fashion, weather forecast now has chance of rain both days... but it currently is only predicting rain in the morning on Saturday, so I just know the sun will come out around noon so we can get some laps in. I just know...

In case you don't read the track instructions or someone forgets to tell you, please use your right turn signal to let the Ferraris, Porsches and M5s know when to pass you.

[wrxownr]

I have reservations at a hotel in Nurburg, hard to believe considering
I called about 30 B & B's, and will be comming over on a ferry. My wife and I will be there Friday afternoon. Where is the normal meeting spot? Kelly can you e-mail me a cell number? See everyone there!

[JCviggen]

Quote, originally posted by wrxownr »

I have reservations at a hotel in Nurburg, hard to believe considering I called about 30 B & B's, and will be comming over on a ferry. My wife and I will be there Friday afternoon. Where is the normal meeting spot? Kelly can you e-mail me a cell number? See everyone there!

Just follow the "Nurburgring" signs and then later on "zufarht Nordschleife". When you get up to the roundabout at the parking lot just take a right into the small little parking lot and you'll end up on a field where everyone usually parks

[R Kelly]

Well yesterday was a blast, met wrxowner and his wife as well as met up with some of the usual suspects. Due to my suspension gremlins and the fact that it is pouring rain, did not head back today.

BTW, all the owners yesterday got a free T-shirt from Volvo Military Sales, and the winners of the Frankfurt Autoshow Business day passes for September 15th are: Doug, Steve, and Jesse. Thanks again to Axel and everyone at Military Sales for sponsoring this.

All the cars except Steve's silver V70R are in this picture, not sure where he was.

[JCviggen]

Had a great time today!

Most of you guys were absent! But we (the belgian and dutch blokes ) had a great time especially when it cleared up in the afternoon. Also had a nice ride with wrxowner, very nice to meet you man! We got some pics when you drove by that last lap they're at http://www.swededemon.com/imag....html

I wanted to make a vid sadly the mem card in my cam finished about 1.5 secs into the vid so its extremely short but does show your car

I made some onboard vids while riding along with Johann, they can be found here http://www.jcviggen.com/NS1408/

Also did a very fast lap in damp/drying conditions in my 850. Never went so fast before, well under 10 mins but forgot to time

Also thanks to Bavaria R for saving me some money on 2 laps

[Bavaria R]

The two days where great even if I didn't ride on Sunday as it was to wet and slippery. I tried the curbs already in dry conditions, I did not want to know what I would have done to my car in the wet. I cannot drive slowly!

Here are some pixs from the track taken on Sunday. One is wrxowner and the other is from the Belgian-Dutch Gang. Too sad that most of the Saturday guys did not show up on Sunday again as also Bob from Frankfurt came in with his nice silver S60R (really everything done on that car that I could imagine). Fortunately the Belgian / Dutch Gang drove by otherwise it would have turned out very lonesom.

Bob also preferred to save his car and not give it a first try on the ring to wreck the jewel.

Modified by Bavaria R at 11:18 PM 8-15-2005


Modified by Bavaria R at 9:42 PM 8-16-2005

[Bavaria R]

Jan, which player do I need to take for looking at your vids? With Mediaplayer from Windows I only get the sound!
--------------------

Yeh thanks for the tip with DivX6, I installed that and works fine now..


Modified by Bavaria R at 11:19 PM 8-16-2005

[JCviggen]

Quote, originally posted by Bavaria R »

Jan, which player do I need to take for looking at your vids? With Mediaplayer from Windows I only get the sound!

Ah, thats because of the codec (divx 5) I used, please just download and install the codec from here then you'll have video http://www.divxmovies.com/codec/

Also a small vid of the other 850 passing me at the last straight before pulling off the track (I drove 70 kmh from before the gantry to the end to let my brakes cool) This is quicktime codec ("quicktime alternative" is nice to use for playing such files) http://users.pandora.be/JCviggen/1408/endpass.MOV

Hope it works, thanks again for the ticket my friend

This happened in front of Emiel in the gray 850

[ArtVandelay0023]

Quote, originally posted by Bavaria R »

Bob also preferred to save his car and not give it a first try on the ring to wreck the jewel.

Hehe yea, wasn't a fan of the weather. I don't trust my crappy tires either, I need to replace those monstrosities before I hit the track. But it was great to finally meet everyone that was there Sunday.

I'll try to post some pics of my R soon.

WRXOWNR, the tint I have on my car is by SL Llumar (CPFilms)

here is their website: http://www.llumar.com/

They also have their UK website @ http://www.llumar.co.uk/

But I found their German site to be the most helpful and user-friendly @ http://www.llumar.de/

[lax01]

arg, i'm so jealous...so jealous that I actually want to fly over there and partake...if I was to setup some type of trip after graduation (next summer or fall), would one of you give me a ride around and show me the sights of Germany? I've never done anything like that so it would be a totally new experience...just brainstorming right now, but I think I need to get out of America and see the world...

[R Kelly]

Quote, originally posted by lax01 »

just brainstorming right now, but I think I need to get out of America and see the world...

Well everyone needs to get out of America and see the world. It was VERY enlightening to see how the rest of the world sees us, and to see how egocentric all of our news is. Leads to surprise when the rest of the world comes and bites us.

BTW, if you want to see Europe, buy a Let's Go/Lonely Planet/Frohmers travel guide get a Eurorail pass.

Back on topic, I'm leaving next summer sometime, but hopefully someone will carry on with the Ramstein R-Gang and greater Europe Volvo Nurburgring gatherings after I'm gone. I'd be happy to give you a ride up to the Ring if you were in my neck of the woods at the same time as a GTG.