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Tf Ring Trip - Easter 2010


Prawny Baby

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Right, so in short fast driving just isn't encouraged.

It's still a race track alex, it's just like any other trackday in esence, you're paying to take your car on track, and much like a track day, it's up to you how fast you go.

The only reason there's so much more hype about driving sensibly at the ring is because it simply is so dangerous.

Most tracks in the UK have maybe 8-10 corners, whereas the ring has over 100. there's very little run off area, and the chances of you getting to know it in a hurry are Nil. that's what makes it so dangerous!

Personally, I loaded the audi up to the roof with all manner of camping gear and spare parts for the Mini, then got my Dad and mowgli to follow us all the way to the ring.

When we got there I ripped out all the rear seats and spare tyre and tools, donned my helmet, and went out on the track.

It's up to you how you drive, when I took the Mini out I was incredibly careful, having mananged to bin it first time out, so put in some shockingly slow laps.

When I took the audi out, I felt much more comfortable with the car and what it was doing, and pushed it right to the very limit the whole way round, we were overtaking M3's and all sorts. You can push to the very limit, so long as you're prepared to take the risk!

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100% happening George :) Been looking at Ferrys today.

So far, the suggested plan is to get the 8am Ferry from Dover, arriving in france at 10am, which would get us to the ring around 3ish probably. that'd give us time to book into the camp site, pitch tents, then go get food and beer before it all gets dark.

Last time we got lost and arrived at 8pm, and it was a nightmare setting up the tent in the dark and trying to find food and shit in a new place. Leaving earlier would ensure we could chill out and have alaugh friday night.

On the way back, we're looking at the 2pm Ferry home, which we will EASILY make it we leave the campsite by 9am. that'll get us into the UK at 4pm, meaning peole can be home at a sensible hour.

Based on those ferry times, the ferry cost is exactly £60 :)

Driving distance from the ferry port to the ring is 275 miles, which should be easily doable on a tank for most people.....

Once people have confirmed they're happy with dates/times, I'm going to book my place on the ferry :)

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yea it's all on Spunky!

The general idea was, if we get there early enough friday, which we will from the 8am ferry, it won't be a mega rush friday night, so could even go down and do one lap friday night for a laugh, then saturday do some watching from the various viewing points, look around adenau and all the ring related shops, go to the new Ring complex and check out the worlds fastest roller coaster, then do some laps saturday evening, before spending all day sunday at the track :)

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yea it's all on Spunky!

The general idea was, if we get there early enough friday, which we will from the 8am ferry, it won't be a mega rush friday night, so could even go down and do one lap friday night for a laugh, then saturday do some watching from the various viewing points, look around adenau and all the ring related shops, go to the new Ring complex and check out the worlds fastest roller coaster, then do some laps saturday evening, before spending all day sunday at the track :)

Sweet, well let me know when it comes to booking (sooner the better really), and I will get all the money and stuff sorted. Will probably get a day either side off work, just in case. Looknig forward to it! :D

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Nick,

I need to quiz you on something, ide like to think that my mini with my sus aligned and a bit of tidying up would be bit of a laugh to take around the ring, BUT would you recommend the trip in a mini when the rest of the people are traveling down in normal sensibalish cars.

and what did you do about breakdown cover?

ide atchully really be up for this.

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I'd assume/hope nick'll be driving his mini surely? so you won't be alone.

If he's taking the audi instead he's officially a penis.

There is no way Prawn will drive the mini with a 3.44 diff all the way to the ring. We made that mistake once before!!!

Audi is a much better ring car anyway.

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There is no way Prawn will drive the mini with a 3.44 diff all the way to the ring. We made that mistake once before!!!

Audi is a much better ring car anyway.

So he's gunna leave his track slag at home, and go to a track in his daily driver :S

Ah well, I suppose its a fair point about the gearing and comfort on the trip there, just seems odd to take the daily instead of the track toy!

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to be fair, the Mini is geared SO wrong for the ring it's unreal. it's horrically uncomfortable, uses shit loads of fuel, and tends to break down every few hundred miles.....

Around the ring I was putting in awful lap times around 11 minutes or so in the Mini, and constantly struggling with it overheating after just a few KM on track, and the revs being generally above 5k in top gear the entire time, where to be honest, it doesn't pull all that well.

The audi can blast there at 100mph in complete comfort returning over 30mpg, with a decent stereo and comfy seats, and easily put in sub 10 minute laps all day long. It's honestly by far the better car for the trip.....

If the mini had 150bhp+ and a decent final drive, it'd be a potentially different story.....

Liam: if you can cruise at 70-80 then you'll be fine mate, when I went in sept with a 3.44 FD we cruised at 4.5-5k rpm the entire way with no huge issues. returned around 200 miles to a tank as well. if you're up for it, definately come along, it's the experience of a lifetime!

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Isn't a sub 10 minute lap considered to be quite an achievement?

I'd like to think so mate, plenty of people have done it, many in much lesser cars than mine, but for my first time out there in my 4th lap I was pretty happy with myself, and it felt incredible!

Sounds good Nick.

i think ill put up with the more frequent fuel stop, high revving and unreliability and give it a bash.

The ferry, is that 60per car and a bit extra for a passenger, or 60 per person etc?

You have to enter the number of people travelling when you book, but the price doesnt seem to change at all, so it's £60 per car matey :) Bring a paz along and that's only £30 each, so really very reasonable! Last year I took a rigid tow bar with me just incase, I'll bring it this time as well if you like :)

Now, go find a passenger!

I'm looking at booking this on my next payday which is feb 15th, so that gives us a few weeks to sort out final numbers and payments and stuff.

If anyone else would prefer it was all paid for as a group booking then I'm happy to do that myself on payday as I'll be able to cover it all. I'm going to e-mail Camping AM Nurburg this weekend to ask if we could get a group booking/discount with them too

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