Something to do at the Weekend if bored.....

["Tim Hancock" <timhancock@domain.elided>]

This arrived in my inbox today. I know its a bit long, but I think its worth a
read if only to make lots of people insanely jealous. There's no Alfa content
as yet, but it is being mooted as a spring trip for the E.Midlands section of
the AROC....so there might be soon......Yummeee.

> The Great Escape
>
> Get away from it all with a daytrip to the worlds greatest arrive and
> drive circuit.
>
> Wouldn't it be just great if you could turn up to a track when you felt
> like it and go and have a few laps? Of course it's a ridiculous notion. I
> mean that's surely why track days are as popular as they are? Well yes it
> might be a ridiculous notion in the land of Health and Safety but
> elsewhere such things are possible, and at venues that are closer than you
> think.
> OK, so it doesn't take a genius to work out that we're talking about the
> Nurburgring but it's not exactly close is it? Well actually it's close
> enough to go and do in a day. Seriously hop on the Eurotunnel at 6.30am
> and you could be lapping the mighty 'Ring before midday. The reality is
> that it's not that much different to travelling to a far flung track day
> in the UK and it's cheaper. Don't believe us? Well we'll show you.
>
> Tracktastic
> It is incredible to think that the world's greatest circuit can be
> accessed at just about any time and by anyone. It is the ultimate arrive
> and drive arena, petrolheadinism at its most extreme. You don't even have
> to fill out any forms or indemnities because the track is classified as a
> public road. Mental huh? In effect what you are actually doing is paying a
> toll to drive around it and, at #7, it's the drive of your life.
> But we're getting ahead of ourselves because er, we haven't actually got
> there yet. In fact we haven't even set off. So first we need a car.
> Anything will do, of course, but because this is Circuit Driver we chose a
> current spec 996 Carrera.
>
> By booking our Eurotunnel crossing a few days before the off, and by
> coming back within the day, we paid a very reasonable #79 for the journey
> into the black hole. We also filled up with Super Plus (98 octane, not the
> weedy 97 octane stuff we get here) on the other side so as not to give Mr
> Blair and that fat git Prescott any money, and keep our travel costs down.
> We then stuck the Porker in sixth and hit the Autoroutes.
> It's a straightforward enough trip. Autoroute to Spa, head off at Malmedy
> and then hack across country into Germany and the Eiffel Mountains. It
> shouldn't take any more than four hours and it can take considerably less
> if you're pushing the old envelope.
>
> You pays your money and takes your ticket
> Time was when you brought your lappery from a man in a hut who then raised
> a barrier to let you onto the circuit. Nowadays you buy a ticket from a
> machine (one to twelve laps) and then insert said ticket into a barrier.
> We purchased six laps at #35, a figure which has to be considered as
> incredibly good value.
> We won't bore you with tales of 911 inspired derring do, suffice to say
> that the combination of a perfectly dry track, and the ultimate everyday
> supercar, made for a top afternoon. The fact that it was a Monday
> afternoon made it even better. What shall I do today? Go to work or go to
> the Nurburgring?
> By 3.30pm UK time we were back on the road and by 9.30pm we were back in
> London. Not bad going eh?
>
> So there you go. A top day out and one that in total only set us back
> #231. Take a friend and you can split the costs down the middle and share
> the driving thrills. It beats hands down anything that you can do in this
> country on the spur of the moment.
>
> Availability
> OK, so it's not that far but it is worth checking that the track is going
> to be open before you set off! Sometimes it is block booked by
> manufacturers or at this time of year it can be covered in snow. Contact:
> 004926 91302215. www.nurburgring.de
>


I'd love to do it, but can I get it past "She who must be obeyed".Hmmmm.

Tim Hancock   164TS Lusso  Boston UK

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