# German race tracks, can I drive on them?



## Lori (Sep 21, 2002)

I notice alot of people taking thier cars on "The Ring". Can anyone just ship a car to Germany and go drive on the Nerburgring race track? Why don't we have something like this in the U.S.A.? It seems like it's such a pain to drive on a track here. No wonder we have so many problems with street racing.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Lori said:


> I notice alot of people taking thier cars on "The Ring". Can anyone just ship a car to Germany and go drive on the Nerburgring race track? Why don't we have something like this in the U.S.A.? It seems like it's such a pain to drive on a track here. No wonder we have so many problems with street racing.


Autobahn Tours


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## johnf (Sep 16, 2003)

Lori said:


> I notice alot of people taking thier cars on "The Ring". Can anyone just ship a car to Germany and go drive on the Nerburgring race track? Why don't we have something like this in the U.S.A.? It seems like it's such a pain to drive on a track here. No wonder we have so many problems with street racing.


People have been known to rent cars and then drive them on the north loop of the Nürburgring. German law treats it as a country highway, but since it puts their property at risk, some rental companies aren't very happy about the idea. I know at least one company, Sixt, that sends a repo man to the track. He has been known to take people's cars if they are uncooperative or seem to be a risk.

Someone is probably injured or killed on the Nürburgring every week it is open. It might last a few weeks in U.S. until the first death and law suit shut it down.


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## BMWRacerITS (Mar 17, 2004)

Lori said:


> Why don't we have something like this in the U.S.A.?


Lawyers.



> No wonder we have so many problems with street racing.


Nope, the reason we have so many problems is that nearly every 16 year old kid has a car. Contrast that to Europe. Further, some of the dumbest street racing and drifting video's I've seen have come from Europe and the Middle East. And, as noted above, there are injuries and deaths on the Ring all the time, which hardly makes it sound like a solution to street racing.


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## Tangent (Jan 18, 2004)

BMWRacerITS said:


> And, as noted above, there are injuries and deaths on the Ring all the time, which hardly makes it sound like a solution to street racing.


Sure it does. Darwinism sounds like a great way to solve the street racing problem. At least on a track it would only be themselves that they kill...


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## BMWRacerITS (Mar 17, 2004)

Street races are almost all in a straight line anyway...it costs less to visit the local drag strip than it costs to make laps at the Ring. If kids aren't taking advantage of the local drag strip, why would they pay more to drive around a road course?


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## Dirtboy (Apr 19, 2002)

Good site for the Nordschleife:

www.nurburgring.org.uk


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## elbert (Mar 28, 2002)

Lori said:


> Can anyone just ship a car to Germany and go drive on the Nerburgring race track? Why don't we have something like this in the U.S.A.? It seems like it's such a pain to drive on a track here.


I don't think it's that much of a hassle at all (certainly easier than shipping a car there and back). The rules are there to protect you from yourself and others.


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## Lori (Sep 21, 2002)

elbert said:


> I don't think it's that much of a hassle at all (certainly easier than shipping a car there and back). The rules are there to protect you from yourself and others.


So what is this first step one would take toward be able to drive non-competitively at VIR or Summit?


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Lori said:


> So what is this first step one would take toward be able to drive non-competitively at VIR or Summit?


- Have a car
- Join the BMW CCA
- Buy a helmet
- Find out when the next event is and sign up.
- Tech Inspection to make sure the car is track worthy
- Go and have fun!


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## elbert (Mar 28, 2002)

Lori said:


> So what is this first step one would take toward be able to drive non-competitively at VIR or Summit?


Join the bmwcca, as doeboy said. Tarheel chapter has schools at vir, the next one is in july. I think the national capital chapter has schools at summit.


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