Next month I will be driving my car to the Ring from the UK for several days of spirited laps. I have been prepping the car for the trip with the usual stuff but was wondering, since I have never done anything like this are there any recommendations for additional parts or safety equipement I should bring along? The obvious ones are extra front brake pads, tire/sealer/compressor unit stuff like that. Any recommendations by people that have done this sort of thing (not neccessarily a Ring trip) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Just one. When Hans Stuck or Walter Roehr come trucking up behind you ... move over

 

remove the backseat if you can

 

I haven't even been to Germany, but I dream about Nurburgring, and have seen nearly every video shot there. Apart from your car prep, I'd recommend spending time familiarizing yourself with Ben Lovejoy's website and all the great wisdom there built from lots of experience.
I also found a great BMW publication that provides photos, explanation and diagrams for the ideal line on every curve on the 'Ring. Since you have to stop between every lap, and either pay by the lap, or pay for multiple laps up front, and since a MINI could probably do a lap in about 10-12 minutes if driven really well, you need to be as familiar with the track as possible before you start down the road toward the pit straight.
I have also driven about 1000 laps on Racer (the simulator), and even though it's absolutely *nothing* like the real thing, I notice that when I see a video -- the Hans Stuck M3 GTR video is by far the best -- I can predict every corner, straight and gear shift.

Enjoy!

 

PM me when you are there. I'm a member on another forum and we capture a lot of the cars via webcam.

Pm me when you are going to be there and myself and other's will try to capture a picture of your MINI for you!

http://forums.focaljet.com/team-pit-...ng-webcam.html

-Cody

 

The Hans Stuck video is about the best I ever seen for any car on any track. That guy was scary

I started a thread trying to find out what a MINI time would be and nobody really knew. However, I have since found the record for a MINI and its ...

8:55 --- 134.579 km/h -- Mini Cooper S Works, 200 hp (sport auto ??/04) just about the poorest car clocked. At least it beat a Ford Focus

 

Thanks guys for the support I will follow up. However what I was asking for are any recommendations regarding additional equipement. I did do a rear seat delete alteration, brake upgrade, bringing extra pads and tire compressor sealer. I also have a complete video camera set up and ready to roll. So any additional "back-up" or safety equipement recommendations for things that might need fixing after 20 or 30 laps would be appreciated. And I will post the video upon return.

 

Make sure you have fresh good brake fluid (not sure what you're DOT 5 equivalent is). Dunno about the rules on the Ring, but you may want to look into taping headlamps and any fog/aux. lighting. Make sure you get a good nights rest before hand and have some cold water waiting in the paddock. When video taping always remeber extra tapes and extra batt. Can't wait to see the tapes!

 

Here are some:

For the video, please don't add music. I love hearing the engine, etc. of the car...and I can't stand it when people ruin it by putting music in there!

And you might want to bring a pair or two of driving gloves. I bet that'll help with controlling shifting and the steering wheel.

Good luck, be safe, have fun, and PM me when you are over there and I'll try to capture you.

And please don't bash on a focus.
-Cody

 

errr... ive just come back (well April) for another trip around there and ALL TYPES of camcorder equipment are banned in the car wile on the ring and if you are caught or the passenger is caught using such equipment you could banned from the ring for that day!! so PLZ PLZ DONT vid ur self on the ring!

also DONT go for straight lap time other wise this WILL happen to you! (PS the Saxo is a friend of mine and it cost him about 3000euro just to get the car off the track!!!) the GT3 happend in front of me he landed Squeiff from a slight jump in the road and shot off in to the side!



i am organsing a trip to the ring for a couple of clubs and going from the UK its about £115 all in (that includes your Ferry return and a room in the hotel closest to the ring entrance!! Hans Hotel!!!)

you'll get ALL your Ring Info from this site... http://www.nurburgring.org/ it'll tell ya anything and every thing you need to know!

PLZPLZPLZPLZ take it safe and enjoy your self! IT ISNT A RACE its making safe but fast progress!!

 

My times progressed from 13 minutes down to around 11 minutes within 4 laps. The key was getting a ride with someone who lapped often and could show me some new lines. So, 11 minutes for an amateur with a 15% otherwise stock. The Brit who schooled me lead me on my first lap in a "proper" MINI with his wife and kids in car with him.

Nurburgring has a full cafe/restaurant on site and there's the ring taxi if you want (moderately expensive) rides around the ring.

All the weekend trippers out there had: brake fluid, coolant, tire fixers of some sort, driving gloves, driving shoes, sun glasses, WINDOW CLEANER and random fix-all type stuff for random problems. And, based on my experience, if you get motion sick at all, bring something for that. I was downright green after my fourth lap. You may need to change your oil either right before or right after your fun.

Your car needs to be normal, street-legal to be used on Nurburgring. In Germany that means--and it may have changed since--warning tringle, first-aid kit, working lights, seatbelts, etc.

Oh, have fun!!
dan

 

Excellent recommendations everyone although I am a bit bummed out to hear about the video camera, are you sure about them being banned because people record their laps all the time. If I am able to record the laps I promise I won't play any music, in fact I usually don't play any music when I am driving on the streets preferring to listen to the engine. Say S6Boy when are you planning your next trip over? Thanks again everyone your suggestions will help a great deal towards a safe and successful Ring ride!

 

its May Bank Hol (27th timeish) in 2007 atm ive got 15minis at a tempuary (spellin) at a yes and ive only got a couple more places before i fill the hotel with mini drivers

and yes there is a COMPLETE ban on film on the ring.... (check section 4! taken from Ben Lovejoys Rules page)

5 - Other:

1) Driving on the Steilstrecke and the sliproads ["rescue roads"] is prohibited.
2) Filling up with fuel and oil is only allowed at the official fuelling points. The engine must be turned off when refueling, as well as when stationary at the start/finish.
3) The instructions of the staff of the Nürburgring must be followed.
4) Photo-, film-, and video-recordings are only allowed to be commercially distributed with written permission of the Nürburgring GmbH. [Since this, a complete ban on photography and video filming on the track has been introduced, and in 2004 offenders will be banned - Ben]

as for things ive taken....its law now that any car driving in europe MUST have: A plate of Orgin (ie GB for Great Britan and so on and so forth), Warning Triangle, Reflective Vest, First Aid Kit, Spair Light Bulb, Deflectors on Headlights (if coming from a Right hand drive country ie England) all tho these are not nessory to drive on the ring all that your car needs to be is road legal (ie not slick tyers, number plates etc) and there is a noise limit to the track as well so if you have an exz kit on your mini DONT rev it at the entrance gates other wise you will be pulled up and tested (i think the noise limit is 90db but its only tested on ***'s who show off at the gates its not inforced on other parts of the track)

like Minibeel said all ways check your brakes and oil wile at the track as its a true killer!!! if you have ur window down like i did all you can smell is hot brakes! change of oil before and after is a must as its an early indercation if anything has gone wrong (hints of metal in the oil is a give away!) tyers also take a big hit so change the fronts for the rears just for the trip to even it out a bit!

the ring taxi is internet order only and its 118euros a lap but WELL worth it as you lap the ring in 9mins! and learn a good racing line! if like me you got it in the wet ask him to show you the racing line in the wet because some corners due to the resurfing (spelling change of track) the out side of the corners often offer more grip than the inside! and you'll find that in the dry as well! i spun once because a change of tarmac felt like sheet ice! so be cairfull take it slow and before you know it you'll be lapping M3's!

like i said DONT go for lap times just try and make every corner as smooth as possable, hit the apex, slow in fast out, get the right racing line on every corner and you'll deffo lap the Nurburgring QUICKER than if you tryed for a straight time! (ok i broke my rule and set the watch ticking for my last lap and clocked a resonable time of 10mins and 13sec in a standard cooper)

also WATCH out for quicker cars!, sounds stupid but you'll be suprised if you think your going quick there'll be a regular who lives there in a Golf TDI lapping a hell of a lot quicker than you and the really really catch you up quick and sometimes it can take you by suprise!! 911's are wores as on the up hill sections they freaking FLY! there is a Rule that you must drive on the righthand side of the track on straights to allow quicker cars pasted! even the quick cars obey this rule as if you wasnt you could be held responable to any accdents caused by it! and banded from the ring for the rest of the day! also DO NOT pass on the right of other cars all ways on the left as this is also the case!

For petrol (listen to me as this is the cheepest and closest place to the ring to get petrol) at the round about at the entrance to the ring (as if your coming out from a lap of the ring) take the first exit off the round about (first right) and go straight to the end of that long road untill you come to a T junction, turn right (as if exiting the ring) and you'll go under part of the track! then you'll come to another T junction turn right and continue on that road for another 300 yards and youll see the petrol staion on the left! but DONT try a U turn in to the petrol sataion as there has been many BAD accdents with pepole trying that stunt!, continue past the petrol station and you'll see a truning on you left that leads to a industrial estate take that truning and do a U turn down that road as the estate is closed on weekends and then go back on your self (turning right outa the estate road back on to the main road)!
also wile ur there go behind the check out (well not behind it as such just to the side) where you pay for your petrol, and you'll see a box of stickers grab a couple (only 10euro a sticker) because once you been around the ring you NEED the Ringers sticker to show evey one you have done it!


if you have anymore questions then just ask as ive been to the ring for about 3years running now and cant get enuff!

Just enjoy ur time there it'll fly by trust me!

 

How about a Schroth Harness or at least a CG Lock to keep you in your seat?

Spare pads and fluids of every type.

Water and Snacks

Do a bit of poking around the threads on 'track day preparation'... I bet you can find something... I think that White Roof Radio did a show on it back in the episode 20-30 range.

 

the harness isnt really worth it tbh as you wont be thrown around in the car as much as you think a lot of the corners are on camber and long sweeping corners theres only a hand full where it is tight and you get pitched about!

spair pads YES but also take the tools with ya and leave them in ya room in case their needed but either do it before or after ya been

snacks theres a couple of burger vans about and the offical Nurburgring cafe where every one goes!

 

Ehhh, just hide the camera and mount somewhere, then hook it all up real quick! Then of course take it back down.

You have to get some video.....there is very limited MINI action on the Ring' that has been recorded. I want to see a vid!

Mis well take a chance right?
-Cody

 

Sure, break the ring rules and get banned ... sounds like a plan

Ever wonder WHY there are so few MINI RIng videos?

 

Stay well to the right for stock diesel Jaguars and 136hp diesel Ford cargo vans driven by Sabine Schmidt: http://www.yourdailymedia.com/media/1135771633

Wonder what those motorcyclists thought as they were passed by a van?

 

Good advice about taking it nice and easy the first few laps...No prizes given for stupidity! There's an old but true joke about the Nurburgring: There are a few places where, if you go off, they may never find you!

 

two bikers got killed on the ring last weekend so it isnt a joke!