MRK

Great story, not long enough.!!. Seems like a damn cool time was had.

I'll be there next time, and I'll keep my eyes open for it on the BBS.


L8rs

M

James_Harvey

There'll be a trip at the end of September too. Sept 29/30th is looking good

Keep an eye on the International section.


James.

EvilBevel

OK, a continental novel then

My car runs quite well in it's latest incarnation, won't bore you with the mods, but I just had to try it out on the Ring again.

I'm not exactly in the same league as Stef, Tony or JF, and frankly the Ring scares me to no end (I'm not sure if webbie filters out "****less" lol). Each time I go on there, I have to swallow a few times, and really push myself beyond that barrier (sic).

But the feeling of having done yet another lap, and survive it, is really something I would not want to have missed for the world. Slow, yes, but a grin from ear to ear after a good lap, and really pissed off when I feel I've driven like a ****. The moment you feel your driving style becomes all jerky, steering in too early and too harsh, shifts not very smooth, you know you are messing it up.

Never measured my laps, but I guess I'm driving round at about 10 minutes BTW. But like Ben Lovejoy, I do measure my driving skills with how smooth I went, not with my times. (OK, I'm just slow, and this is a pathetic excuse )

So, off to Germanistan on the Friday for a quick meet, and then again on Sunday, staying over into Monday.

Meeting all the regular suspects in the carpark is always a joy, but afterwards I realize I haven't gotten round saying hello to a lot of people that I "know" from this bbs or chat. Will make up next time, promise ! And don't be a stranger yourself, I'm ugly but harmless

At one point thought I was getting lucky when a real nice girl gave me a warm smile, but then I slowly remembered it was Colin's wife. Damn

Did 4 laps on the Friday in rather interesting conditions. First 2 were not very good, and it seemed I had forgotten everything I had learned the year before (done 10 laps or so last year). Someone keeps changing those corners all the time At least, that's the impression you get (also see JF talking about slightly mixing up Wehrseifen & Breidscheid)

Last 2 laps were better, smoother, although the snow didn't exactly calm my nerves. It was Friday the 13th remember, and even though I'm not supersticious - I always walk under ladders on my yearly trips to Lourdes - I have never been known to be "lucky" :eek But the black beast behaved pretty well.

Later found a nice pic from the Friday:



Headed back to Belgium after that, and after 6 hours of travel in total & 88 km on the Ring, I had a good night sleep I'm getting old lol

Sunday early up again for the second part of the trip, and my wife joined me. I had waffled so much about the Ring, forced her to watch Stef's video (sad, or what ) that she wanted to see this for herself.

Alas, Sunday was not exactly the best Ring day ever, so we joined the gang watching the F1 footage (what a relieve to be able to see 2 full hours without being interrupted with commercials !) Food was awfull there for my taste, and we all smelled like we had been lying in a frying pan all day afterwards. Had a few too many beers, but it was clear no driving was to be done on that day. Joined the gang at the Restaurant later as well, and had fun with the creative "translation" (LOL) of the menu.

Weather on Monday wasn't really much better, but we decided to do a few laps anyway. My second lap went pretty well, even though the track wasn't really forgiving. I like driving in the rain to improve lines and smoothness at relatively safe speeds.

Alas, how was I to know that my car was going to be the only victim of the Scoobynet gang that weekend. Most of you guys were already heading for the UK, but we decided to stay just one more lap

Not going to say much about the incident, but car meets armco just at the turn-in point before Wehrseifen And no, we were not doing silly speeds or over-estimating our abilities, but it just happened. One little breaking error, and we realized why they say the "Ring has teeth". No one was hurt, thank god, but pretty serious damage (can you say an estimated UKP 4,000 and not say ouch !)

Decided not to let it get to my heart, as I have always realized that this is what can & will happen when you drive on a race-track. Yes, I know, it is a one way toll road, but let's not kid ourselves: it is probably the most demanding race track in the world.

But like I said: I always realized this is not for the faint of heart, and my sense of humour took over, thinking that the famous "Miss-Hit-Miss" sequence was now extended into a "Miss-Hit-Miss ... Hit !"

I am still kicking myself daily for one thing though. Suffice to say that helmets are * not * very much good sliding around in the booth when you kiss the armco. I still hate myself for such a stupid mistake. Fortunately, the Ring gods decided not to punish me for that this time. But I have learned a lesson - and I hope these few words may have the same effect on you if needed.

Anyway, shaken but not stirred, car will be back on the road in 2 weeks, and yes, I will go back there.

To end this babbling (although my total post is something like one paragraph of an uninspired JF novel LOL ), yes, do go there next June or September, you have to have been there at least once in your life, and it is a fantastic experience. And to be able to actually meet people face to face because of some bits floating around in cyberspace is still an unreal experience to me.

So we will meet again soon.

But do be careful out there !

Theo

Damn, having trouble with the pic

[This message has been edited by EvilBevel (edited 19 April 2001).]

Dave T-S

Hmmmmm....I think I will have to do the next one

I wonder if Tangerine will lend me the Tyrrell F1 car I drove last year...

harj

Theo nice Novel but I shall not read it as I don't read Johns LOL

See you in 3 weeks and then again in June for the next big one just make sure you move out of my way on the track as a TDI can look scary in your mirrors through the Karousel

The 22B should be back on the road soon after its little health check so she will be back fighting fitter than ever, John and I have alot of testing to do to the RS200 so it will be perfect in every way

Stay tuned for Johns next Novel

EvilBevel

Harj, lol.

Just read the bits with the sad smileys in it though, because it will explain why I won't be there in 3 weeks

Ah, never mind, just for you, the short version : bla bla bla ****! BANG bla bla

Theo

EvilBevil wasn't the one who was driving his car when the crash happend ....it was me !

the other Theo....from Holland !



But we are still Friends


[This message has been edited by Theo (edited 19 April 2001).]

johnfelstead

Bloody hell, non of my kids (if i ever get round to having any, the poor sods) are gonna be called Theo, they would be doomed when it came to driving.

TFyus

I was the chap asking you if your black subaru was modified, that was when stef was out driving it...

shame for the car... as always only one solution fix it up and get it going again

rw

EvilBevel

Ah, yes I remember now, we did indeed meet.

And yes, car being fixed up right as we speak.

JF, you may have a point re: Theo's and driving skills, but they sure would grow up to be big ****'s though

Theo

[This message has been edited by EvilBevel (edited 20 April 2001).]

johnfelstead

Too true Theo, cant have that either, the food bills would be horendous!! LOL

patricksavalle

Hi

Nice story John! I like your car and it is fast. But, somehow I can help wondering what you would have written here when one of the EDO-competition Porsches had been on the track. Normally they are, every week. Just this time they were not.

Everybody on the track knows the yellow 993 bi-turbo (650bhp), but new there is the black 996GT3RSR, a bi-turbo monster (GT1 engine) weighing only 1050kg, boosting a seriously 730bhp, big, big, big GT1-brakes etc. etc. 0..200 in sub 9 seconds! They will try to set the new ring-record for production cars (currently held by the Gemballa Porsche at 7.43 or so) at an estimated 7'25" - 7'35" this summer... (They say / think)

By the way, you know me, I was the unlucky owner of the Yellow Porsche at Schwedenkreuz which was swept away by a BMW. You passed the accident, closely followed by the green Sub of Stef and the white monster Cossie was right behind me when it happened...

Hope to meet you all in person sometime!

Greetings

Patrick

johnfelstead

Hi Patrick, i am just a learner driver round the ring right now, other peoples lap times arent really of importance to me, i just want to improve each visit and come home in one piece. I have only done 16 laps in total so far, i managed an 8:25 on my 12th ever lap, 2 up with traffic so i am not doing too badly so far.

I believe that my car and I are capable of beating the record time set by the Caterham R500 driven by a profesional driver, a few more laps and i should be doing 7:55's at least based on the time i am losing in trafic and my yet to be perfected lines.

The cossie following you is that of mike rainbird, he posts on here.

I hope your sorted out soon with the porche, be nice to meet you next time we are over.

patricksavalle

John! Impressive for a learner!

If you are serious about the recordlap, let me know! I know the people of Edo Competition very well (they maintain my Porsche also) and if you're serious about the recordlap, maybe I should put you in contact with them. They will have to make arrangments that you will need too (a few laps on a closed / free track, timing, publicity). Better work together then! Could be a nice publicity stunt: two recordattempts on the same day. Would benefit them too!

Don't forget I will be your manager, have a big mouth about it, sell the videotapes, earn big money, buy a GT3 from it and so on, and so on. (Dont wake me up yet)

Let me know!

Regards

Patrick

Stef

Patrick.
The yellow EDO Porsche you are referring to is the only car that has ever overtaken me 'in anger' so far at The Ring, but I had no idea it had 650bhp!!!! I captured the momemt on video actually. I'll dig it out. It flew past me in THICK fog, scared me half to death it did!
When John and I came past you we were both filming, I can remember your car there. Hope everything's being sorted.

John.
Isn't the record a full lap though? You'll need to knock a whole minute of your best BTG time to equal the R500 time!
Good luck!

Stef.

Herr JRRING

Stef,

What you told about Rudi, the owner/ driver of the 993 Bi Turbo doesn't surprise me. Ik know him and his daughter Nadine very well and was last year with them on the GP Strecke withe the GTP weekend. The way he drive over that circuit is unbeliveble! After 2 or 3 laps he laped even Kurt Tim who was there with an old DTM 190E 16V....

The same experience as you I had on the Nordschleife. Mostly he stays behind you for sevaral miles and than for example by Brünchen or Planzgarten he overlaped you with so many noice and so fast that you absolutly dont know for a second what happend...

See you!

Jeroen

patricksavalle

Hi

Add 25 secs. to your bridge-to-bridge time to get an indication for a full lap!

The 'local' way to measure and specify times is: from bridge-to-bridge plus 25s! Everything under 9 min is 'Affenschnell' ('monkeyfast').

Stef, if you mail me your address, I'll send you a CD-ROM with two television-quality laps driven on the Scuderia-lines (ideal-lines as taught on the Scuderia course). Every time I see you drive I'm amazed and amused to see you drive so incredably fast on such 'strange' lines... These Scuderia-lines can be used as guide.

Gr.

Patrick

Stef

Jeroen.
Does his daughter drive also? I remember a blue Porsche there with him last year being driven by a rather attractive female.

Patrick.
So like John, I've got a monkey on me back too?? Mine just goes a bit quicker than John's!
You can send the cd-roms to me at...

CK1
PO Box 5604
Northampton
NN4 0YJ

Every time I watch my video I can see where more time can be made. I would say that my lines are ok at less than half of the key bends. The Scoob alllows you a larger margin of error I guess.
I look forward to seeing the video, cheers.

John.
What is the actual record set by the R500? The only article I remember is one in EVO, but they were there on a public day so couldn't do a full lap. Is there an official site with records on?

Stef (official motivator to Smelly Felly's record attempt! )

Herr JRRING

Stef,

Nadine is 20 years old....blond and good looking She has for daily driving a Audi S3 with 18"Porsche wheels and Porsche Brake's in the front. In the begin she has for the ring a yellow 996 GT3 Club Sport. However after 6 month the car was "weak"...After they sold the GT3 for the same price the bought she got a grey 964 RSR! 1050 kg and 310 Hp. A real race car! In the begin she was very happy with it but now she will get the 993 Bi Turbo from daddy Rudi! 650 hp as you know. Rudy himself wil get a 996GT3 with bi turbo 1050 kg. 0-100 km in 3 sec's 0-200km under 9 sec,s. We have telked withe the owner and with EDO and wil arange a day on the ring to try the recordlap. So faster as the 7.44 with the Gemballa and Horst von Saurma!

Jeroen

Stef

Patrick.
She sounds like my kinda gal! Any chance you can persuade Rudi to bring her on the last weekend in June. I'd love a ride with her!

John.
Lap times for most cars can be found here...

johnfelstead

Get that monkey off my back!! LOL

I genuinely believe that with more time on track, plus a few small mods to my car like a decent intercooler, harder rear tyres, anti-roll bars front and rear I could beat the time set by the R500. My car has an advantage over the R500 in that i have a huge amount more power, with the ring being such a fast circuit aerodynamics counts quite highly so although the R500 has a slightly higher power/weight ratio it will suffer in the 120MPH plus sections. There are very few seven type cars in existence that can top a genuine 140MPH, most hit a brick wall below 120MPH because the drag is so high, mine will do 155MPH, thats when the limiter kicks in at 7200rpm in 5th.

It's too early for me to start even thinking about going for a record run but it could be on with more experience, who knows.

Beef

Shouldn't that be 'Trunkmonkeyfast'?

Great story John - sounds like a great time, and I can't wait until I can come along.

stage 1

Patrick - I was in mikes cossie when you were took out by the beemer - we were going to follow you though when it all got a bit horrible

Hope all works out - heard something about statements?

Martin