The Ring – Is Car Guy Heaven

The Ring – its car guy heaven.  Not just the track, but the entire region,   Just  140 km from Frankfurt, it’s a fun a beautiful 80 minute haul from the airport.   You quickly learn that the 5 Hash signs mean that the speed limit is unlimited.  Our diesel Mercedes 350 CSL loafed along silently at 260kph (160mph) like it was a trip to the grocery store,   Freaking Awesome.

As you blast thru the historical heart of Germany (Koblenz) you cant help but to be stunned by the beauty of the region.   Closer to little town of Nurburg, the rolling hills are simply gorgeous with miles upon miles of tilled fields and roaming live stock.   It’s the kind of thing where you’d expect to see someone in Lederhosin blowing into a big horn then yelling Rrrrrriiiiiiicccccccooooooola!

Upon entering Nurburg from the 48 your first sight is the ED Gas station.   The only station in town and the place where the race cars pull in to fill up….and there are racing gloves and shoes next to the potato chip display.   It’s the craziest thing – to see all out race cars rolling on the street.    From the parking lot of the ED, you can see the Audi Bridge on the Dottinger straight and hear the cars RIP past at over 160 mph.

In fact, every car enthusiast, every factory, every make, model, interpretation on that model seems to be in town.   That’s just it.   Our hotel parking lot has the new Mercedes AMG SLS in camo wrap in it.   We walk in to breakfast and are greeted by famous ring taxi driver and ‘Queen of The Ring’ Sabine Schmidt.  The parking lot at the next

hotel has a Jag F Type in camouflage parked in the basement.   The place abounds with test drivers, support teams and the best of all, “Nurburgring Test Centers” for each manufacturer at every turn.   It’s TRULY a car guy Mecca.  The holy grail wrapped in a small town feel.   Simply breath taking.

Where does it get crazy? t13

You approach the exit of the GP track and onto the Nordeschliefe at just over 100 mph in fourth gear. Our car was a momentum play so you had to roll your speed up the left hand hill and into the T13 chute. As you did so, the Nurburg Castle loomed on the horizon filling your windshield. It served as almost as a reminder, or, cue that you were about to leave the 21st century and roll the clock back 100+ years in world and automotive history.