MK5 Golf GTI
General => Shows, Events and Meets => Track Days => Topic started by: rex on May 08, 2011, 07:15:01 pm
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Hello,
I am opening this topic to find out if somebody wants to join me and maybe others on a trip to Spa-Francorchamp and Nurburgring in August 2011.
Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most famous (if not the most famous) F1 GP track still in today's GP program.
The Belgians have track days for amateur drivers a few times a year: 28th March, 16th April, 21st July, 8th August, 27th September, 29th October, 11th November. After reading the reviews I am thinking on going on the 8th of August.
The track: the track is 7km long with big elevations (~100m). Many pilots consider this circuit as being the most beautiful (M. Schumacher is one of them)
And one important thing: it is only 111 km from Nurburgring.
The prices: One session has 25min (about 6-7 laps). A package of 4 sessions costs 215 EURO. At this price you should add some taxes for each extra driver, helmet, etc (depending on what you want)...
For more details: http://www.spa-francorchamps.be/en/
Here is a video from Spa:
Nurburgring Nordschleife is the most famous track in the world. Nicknamed Green Hell/ Grune Holle it is a 20km track considered to dangerous for GP competitions but safe enough for amateur drivers. Till now I managed to visit this mind blowing circuit twice (in 2009 and 2010) with some friends. I can tell you that these visits forever marked me and that is why I am trying to visit Nurburgring at least once every year.
Here is one video from one of my trips.
This track is opened a good part of a year and being so close to Spa I thought I could combine these 2 tracks into one road trip.
Around the 8th of August the track is opened:
06.08.2011 (Sat) 08:00–19:00 Uhr
07.08.2011 (Sun) 09:15–19:00 Uhr
08.08.2011 (Mon) 17:00–19:30 Uhr
09.08.2011 (Tue) 17:30–19:30 Uhr
The track: 20km long with great elevations and very little run off space (so that the mistakes are likely to be followed by hitting the rails)
The prices: A lap is 24 EURO but there are packages for more laps:
4 laps: € 89,00, incl. € 10,00 food/drinks voucher for the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle*, 1 ring°werk ticket
15 laps: € 310,00, incl. € 20,00 food/drinks voucher for the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle*, 1 ring°werk ticket
25 laps: € 470,00, incl. € 30,00 food/drinks voucher for the Eifeldorf Grüne Hölle*, 1 ring°werk ticket
For more details: http://www.nuerburgring.de/en/angebote/driving-experiences/tourist-rides-nordschleife.html
So, my game plan is the following:
- spend 5 nights near Nurburgring (arrival on the 5th of August, departure on the 10th of August)
- visit the Nring race track on the 6th, 7th and 9th of August (maybe also the 8th because Spa will be opened in the morning and Nring in the evening, but I doubt it).
- visit the Spa race track on the 8th of August and then return to Nring to spend the night (since it is only one and a half hours drive away).
And the million dollar question: anybody interested???
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You should work for these two circuits Rex. :happy2: Great little write-up, makes me want to go and book right now. :jumpmove:
I am at the green hell this upcoming weekend. :pomppomp: and will most definitely be doing Spa next year. :party:
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Done both as full closed trackdays and both are brilliant tracks :happy2:
Did Nurburgring through these as a trackday - Open pitlane 9am till 4.45pm
http://www.destination-nurburgring.com/dates
Did Spa through these as a full trackday - open pitlane 9am till 5pm
http://www.circuit-days.co.uk/spa.asp
Both phenomenal experiences :driver:
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I'm doing Spa on the 4th of Oct with circuit days, will be having a long weekend at the Ring before it.
£250 all day open pit lane, free extra drivers, free passengers, free tuition session.
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Top Cat have fun, then, next week!
Will you be going with the Golf or the Elise?
hurdy Thanks for the links!
tony_danza nice to hear that you are going to both this year.
It is great that you found a better way of visiting Spa. Too bad it is later on this year and the chances of rain/bad weather are bigger than in August.
If I can't make the August trip and as Spa and Nring have to be visited this year, can I join you guys?
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Hi, of course you're welcome to come - the more the merrier. There's about 30 of my friends going, so you'll be in good company.
The weather isn't as much of a risk as you'd think, we have something we call Indian Summers which means the UK and Northern France/Belgium stays reasonably warm and dry into October.
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Both phenomenal experiences
....Especially the time spent sharing a room with RedRobin :laugh:
Personally I like Spa more than I do the Nordschleife but my finances this year stop me from joining you guys :sad1:
Even in the wet, Spa is a great circuit. But I used GY Asymmetric road tyres! (and have a Quaife diff).
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Both phenomenal experiences
....Especially the time spent sharing a room with RedRobin :laugh:
Personally I like Spa more than I do the Nordschleife but my finances this year stop me from joining you guys :sad1:
Even in the wet, Spa is a great circuit. But I used GY Asymmetric road tyres! (and have a Quaife diff).
You want to try Spa in the wet on R888's like me :scared:
The last half of the track in the wet is Very slippy, but awesome fun :driver: :signLOL:
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Going to Spa this weekend then on to the Ring, Go Sunday 26th back on Tues 5th :driver: :smiley:
Let the good times begin :laugh:
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Going to Spa this weekend then on to the Ring, Go Sunday 26th back on Tues 5th :driver: :smiley:
Let the good times begin :laugh:
I iz jelous. :notworthy:
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Me too
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Going to Spa this weekend then on to the Ring, Go Sunday 26th back on Tues 5th :driver: :smiley:
Let the good times begin :laugh:
I iz jelous. :notworthy:
Yes really looking forward to this, done a few trackdays but never been across to belguim or germany :happy2:
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Hope you have/had fun!
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So, I am definitely going and it appears that none of my Romanian friends is coming with me (at least so far) :surprised:.
Is anybody coming?
I am staying at http://www.nuerburgring-hotel.de/. If someone else is coming I can easily change the reservation to include more rooms.
Cheers!
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Going to Spa this weekend then on to the Ring, Go Sunday 26th back on Tues 5th :driver: :smiley:
Let the good times begin :laugh:
I iz jelous. :notworthy:
Yes really looking forward to this, done a few trackdays but never been across to belguim or germany :happy2:
Well all i can say is ..............................................................wow what a week :smiley:
Great Company, Food, Beer, Hotels and tracktime :driver:
Cannot wait to do it again. :drinking:
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Going to Spa this weekend then on to the Ring, Go Sunday 26th back on Tues 5th :driver: :smiley:
Let the good times begin :laugh:
I iz jelous. :notworthy:
Yes really looking forward to this, done a few trackdays but never been across to belguim or germany :happy2:
Well all i can say is ..............................................................wow what a week :smiley:
Great Company, Food, Beer, Hotels and tracktime :driver:
Cannot wait to do it again. :drinking:
Pics and a write up please. :party:
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Well day 1 started on the Ferry from Hull which is only a 15 minute drive from my house :smiley:
Got on at 6pm and sailed at 9pm a few beers and a steak in the restaurant started the trip nicely, got our head down and woke up in Rotterdam next morn at 7am, 20mins to get off the ferry and away we go, the roads over there are lovely smooth tarmac compared to ours, two n half hrs later we are at Spa and checking in at the Blu Raddison and meeting up with some other guys with Nobles, Had something to eat and a good natter and decided to go for a ride to the Ring for the night approx 1n half hrs away :smiley:had a good nosey round different veiwing areas etc and off too Pistonclaus for a famous steak on a stone :party:
Back to Spa to get our head down and ready for the Closed 2 day trackday the following morn,
Up n out next morn for breifing and away we go, all i can say is this track is awesome and so easy to learn, Au Rouge is class i loved that part of the track, so many different cars out aswell and the Golf surprised a lot of expensive motors out there, excellent day and banter then off for a few beers n some nice food, day 2 pretty much the same but was raining in the morning which made it a bit more interesting :laugh:
Stayed at Spa overnight then went to the Ring Following Morn to check in at the Dorint, which overlooks the Grand Prix track, veiw from our balcony was the start finish straight,
Convoy of Nobles 1 Gti and an M3 and off to the Ring to buy our lap cards, think it was about 340euros for a 15 lap card. i was a bit nervous and excited at the same time cos you hear so many storys about this track, i have never been before or done it on Playstation, so off i went for a couple of siteing laps :driver: This place is life changing, so many people say it but until you have been it is hard to explain, its just the nervous atmosphere that is about i think ?
We had 4 days at the ring and i did 15 laps and eat a ton of XXL burgers in Adenau and Steaks at pistonclaus :happy2: What a good crack this place is amazing and a proper lads roadtrip
a few pics
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0357.jpg&hash=e3f4f5a7d958dc1d613527f47228cd96cab1a924)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2Ff621c8b0.jpg&hash=892f7b10a901a11ad20645daa8d48c1f620366f7)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2F0112d9e7.jpg&hash=78a1b477cb7701fcd320e157c8d0937c1916a75e)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2F48d7bce7.jpg&hash=7c45986e2a3a401179a1be7f0d2cdb80d1cd96cd)
View from the Dorint our Hotel Balcony :happy2:
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2F1ab0aaab.jpg&hash=72fb0b5afe8a7db52de4c7c70964d35a7267fad6)
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(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2F6b128d9e.jpg&hash=f2d7cf815c5cbf07b636606475c57335d0070eb2)
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Nice, very nice! Glad you had a good time :happy2:.
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Nice, very nice! Glad you had a good time :happy2:.
:happy2:
Already planning October trip :grin: got the bug now!
A few more pics
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0329.jpg&hash=c2b7fe4932b3525de8581ea716fcc929fc6507ee)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0326.jpg&hash=56aaa73a02fec572153a6af3ac17bb600d74aa45)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0306.jpg&hash=ceb1eff44e9f0500565c0c2c4f0ce3cac92f0345)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0265.jpg&hash=ed67c15277f8fe80c2352925d7cc4d012b4923c0)
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0240.jpg&hash=30a5a519e5841cac6208c2f82dd7855a38ae32d3)
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(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0219.jpg&hash=dfdd97d45e258b22227b2f46ee61c140f2966317)
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(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0339.jpg&hash=8d150ab06203a8fca711c8b6a728de18fc822133)
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(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2F57454291.jpg&hash=3e7bdde91eb551c712f1324e39001a353a3575df)
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(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0286.jpg&hash=d3d941cf81d92f49e376aef17c3fc8eb472fa037)
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Not the best photographer but you get the jist :P
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During last years trip we went to the Aral petrol station in Adenau, about 100m from the Breitscheid - Adenau Bridge.
I was with some friends and we were suppose to drive on the Nring the following day. These friends never saw the circuit and when they saw the same part of the circuit as it is illustrated in your photo (and we walked up the hill a little bit):
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2Fc2fcc70a.jpg&hash=c3d2a99c6ea98bdadd6494e5caae81cb0021771e)
These guys had a real shock when they saw the big differences in ground elevation. In fact one guy, that said he would not drive a Suzuki Swift Rental because it is a very slow car for him, decided not to drive anything :grin: because we was to scared. The next day we changed his mind and he drove the Swift :D.
So, this is soooo true:
This place is life changing, so many people say it but until you have been it is hard to explain
Can't wait for my trip... :drool:
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The elivation on the track that you see from all the different veiwing areas is unreal, so many ups n downs and you don't realise when your tramping round :smiley:
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Marvellous. :notworthy: I am amazed your still alive after eating that burger, never mind 15 laps of the green hell. :laugh:
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Nice, very nice! Glad you had a good time :happy2:.
:happy2:
Already planning October trip :grin: got the bug now!
A few more pics
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FDSCN0353.jpg&hash=4e07402c0fa4eb02f1415b682c3639884c669d76)
Not the best photographer but you get the jist :P
Thats Theo's car :happy2:
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Marvellous. :notworthy: I am amazed your still alive after eating that burger, never mind 15 laps of the green hell. :laugh:
:happy2:
Another Pic
(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi601.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt94%2FNeilGti%2FZF-4650-53624-1-001.jpg&hash=9f8c0c5228a143271eb9c45233b2d74bafdf4143)
You should of seen the pizza from Pinnochios :drool: :grin:
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Well, I just found out that there will be a DTM race on that weekend (if anyone is interested)... This is not quite a good thing since a place to stay is hard to find.
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Still should be fine Rex, nearly all the Germans camp. We went at the same time and had no problem finding rooms. :happy2:
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Speak to Wolfgang and see if he can squeeze you in?
http://www.hotel-haus-sonneck.de/
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I had a reservation for a single room at Hotel zur Burg (http://www.nuerburgring-hotel.de/).
But a friend of mine will also be coming and so I wanted to change the reservation from single to double and they said that they don't have any rooms available :D.
I called Sabine Schmitz's hotel (http://www.am-tiergarten.de/en/home/) and they said they haven't got any rooms available for that period.
I managed to find a room at La Lanterna (http://lalanterna.de/) but I am not sure and they are the most expensive yet...
Thanks tony_danza for the link. The place looks great. I will try to contact them.
All the best! :drinking:
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It's quiet, but that's why we like it.
Good luck :happy2:
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I phoned them but they said they speak English "very little" and they said I should write an email. So I did just that.
German and English are so similar and yet very few Germans speak English. And to add to this my German is really rusty and I am only using it in cases of emergency (I don't like to make a fool of myself :chicken:).
Tony, do they have some places where I could store 4 tires and some small tools? I also asked them this in my mail but I don't know if I was clear enough...
The last years I stayed at Hotel zur Burg and I got used to waking up to the sound of "music" (aka cars going on the Nring). So staying in a quiet place will be a first :smiley:
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Ahh yes, he gets his son to translate - don't worry, he'll be back to you soon.
We've put stuff in his garage, he's a very helpful man!
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So, just received an answer an the hotel is booked in that period.
I'll find something... La Lanterna sounds good. Has anybody been there?