WOW, it's almost been a week since the return from the ring, this is my first chance to get online since the trip due to manflu Wednesday and non stop work Thursday-Saturday. Needless to say I already want to go back, and yes I can't stop looking at track cars. For anyone who cares here is my review.<o
></o
>
Friday 17th<o
></o
>
Up at <st1:time minute="0" hour="5">5am</st1:time> running round in blind panic with a million last minute things to do (including a full day at work). All went smoothly and to plan, Jamie picked me up in his A4 1.8T Quattro with a big Cheshire cat grin on his face and off we went to <st1:city><st1
lace>Hull</st1
lace></st1:city> port. We were only 15mins behind Wellsy and Tabs so a quick coffee break was the order of the day, followed by the start of lots and lots of banter. We rolled up at the Ferry well on time and 5 mins later were at the bar. The drink of choice was Beck's Vier, it's amazing how quickly this stuff flows and I was soon up to no good trying to fix up a one night stand between Wellsy (oblivious to the situation) and the curly haired (Ken Dodd) Dutch barman. Erm time for food...<o
></o
>
The All you can eat buffet was fantastic, when else can you have beef curry, Yorkshire pudding, turkey schnitzel, veg, cheese and crackers, soup and nann bread all on the same plate? Closely followed by cake (chocolate fudge, clotted cream, cheesecake) and ice cream. Following dinner we took a seat and through various (adult) conversations managed to ensure we had ample space to spread out and stretch our legs. I think we were only outdone by the bloke on a stagdoo dressed in green borat thong suit who was quickly rugby tackled and threw overboard by the security guards. I'm pretty sure the night ended up in Jack Daniels and cigars [+o(]<o
></o
>
We actually seen closing time and staff begged us to go to bed.<o
></o
>
Sat 18th<o
></o
>
"Ding Bang Donnnnggg!! Gutten Morgen Ladie und Dammen........" was our wakeup call at the 6:30am mark, rough English translation get the f up, buy our f breakfast and f off our boat (well that's how it feels after a night on the beer) Breakfast consisted of water for me. We left the boat; passports checked it was time to drive on the wrong side of the road. Excited, tired but excited. A few miles down the road we stopped so that wellsy could fit his bra............(sorry car bra). I kind of participated by eating crisps and chocolate. <o
></o
>
We plodded on through <st1:city><st1
lace>Holland</st1
lace></st1:city>, pretty much sticking to the speed limit and checked up on Gaz, CKB, MikeR, Mike (VW speed) and his Mrs. Well ahead thanks to the crappy French roads we took it easy until Gaz caught us up. It's worth wile mentioning that gaz deserves a special award for driving through the night following his sisters wedding, having only a pocketful of buffet food, and first class sleep on the Dover-Calais crossing. Finally we arrived at Hotel Sonneck, being greeted by the ever friendly Wolfgang and shown to our accommodation. Gaz slept, Wellsy slept, Tabs vanished (possibly to hunt the rutting stag) so me and Jamie decided on a Quick lap. The track was pretty quiet, the weather was cool but dry and sunny and the first lap went really well. A great confidence booster for the weekend. After a bit of spectating we arrived back at the hotel to find everyone had arrived.
Having not properly since <st1:country-region><st1
lace>England</st1
lace></st1:country-region> I had the bright Idea of taking everyone to the restaurant furthest away, in the pitch black windy roads of Kellsal (I think) I have no idea why, the food was good, and the James bond buffet salad impressed. We returned to Hotel Sonneck and drank quite a few Bittburger's before getting some sleep.<o
></o
>
Sun 19th<o></o>
A very bad start as I set the alarm clock wrong, meaning we were an hour ish late. As I was eating CKB was already at the ring getting some cheeky early morning laps in. MikeR was being led to a barn (nervously) after asking about tyres and Jamie was feeling ill. We headed down to a good spectating spot 3K into the track to find some new photo taking points. It was all over for Jamie, he had to sleep in the car following some serious projectile vomiting!. This left me time to find a cheeky, much frowned upon spot the wrong site of the fence to take plenty of pictures. They didn't turn out too good at first thanks to my camera settings, and the speed of some of the big players in there GT3 RS's, Skylines, Ferraris, Evo's and M3 CSL's to name but a few. As the day wore on Jamie was well enough to have another lap which almost ended up is total disaster!!.
<o
></o
>
streetracer porsche boxter
HARDCORE UK CSL (ONE OF MY FAVE CARS OF THE TRIP)
SKYLINE GTR34 V-SPEC
THIS WAS ONE SERIOUSLY QUICK S3
THIS ONE IS FOR YOU STEVEE (SINCE YOUR A BIG FERRARI FAN)
SEXY EYES....
SL ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHH!
THE DRIVER OF THIS ALFA GOT EVERYTHING HE DESERVED, CONSTANT WRECKLESS IDIOTIC DRIVING
GT3 RS
HARDCORE 3 SERIES
EVEN HARDER BLUHM CSL
SOMEONE ABOUT TO GET A VERY BIG BILL........
It was the approach to Adenau and behind was a Peugeot 309, gaining on us corner after corner Jamie indicated and moved off the racing line. We took a right hand corner and on the downhill approach to <st1
lace><st1
lacename>Adenau</st1
lacename> <st1
lacetype>Bridge</st1
lacetype></st1
lace> the 309 made its move. It passed us on out left and moved back onto the racing line in order to take the 90° left-hand bend. Jamie shouted "he's lost it and slammed on". I saw the back end snake and heard the bang and he went straight on into the Armco and what must have been 60mph. (It's actually the only part of the ring with a speed limit of just 70kmph). The 309 just exploded and violently spun round right in front of us. It was in pieces, we drove past and pulled over. By this time another 309 has stopped a few yards before the crash, the guy had run over to offer assistance but forgot to put his handbrake one.<o
></o
>
In the meantime the passenger of the crashed 309 (looked like his girlfriend) had stumbled out of the car. The crown spectating screamed as she was ran over by the 306 parked up with no handbrake on. It rolled down the hill out of control, smashed into her and then into the Armco. By this time there must have been 15-20 cars gridlocked behind the crash. Fortunately due to there being an entry-exit point after the bridge emergency services, marshals and staff were there in a split second. There was nothing we could do so we left.<o
></o
>
The rest of the lap was shaky, it was a reminder of how unforgiving and vicious the ring can be if treated without the full respect it truly deserves. We rang the others to tell them and headed for a quick scrub up followed by tea. Dinner was served at Pinocchio's and was stunning, we al ate far to much Pizza (apart form tabs who had pasta), little did he know that he would be up until the early hours drinking beer, uploading photo's and eating copious amounts of Pizza.<o
></o
>
Monday 20th<o></o>
Monday was the last day in <st1:country-region><st1
lace>Germany</st1
lace></st1:country-region> for me and Jamie, breakfast was once again stunning, chocolate cereal, salami, <st1:city><st1
lace>Parma</st1
lace></st1:city> ham, cheese, toast, croissants, <st1:city><st1
lace>Madera</st1
lace></st1:city> cake and fruit. We headed down to the track with a hope of finding some mule cars, after much walking and waiting we found nothing at all. Although we found a few good photo points just past brunchen, we also had a cheeky walk on the track. Although we had to be on the ferry by 5.30 we stayed until the track opened at 12.30 for on last lap. It was busy at the first few corners but after the 3k point we had a full empty track. Jamie put a really good lap in, we even overtook a Murchiallago. As soon at the lap was over it was time to hit the road. We made good time following an Audi S8 for a few miles, I almost programmed the sat nav for <st1:city><st1
lace>Calais</st1
lace></st1:city> but apart from that it was a steady drive. We had a tame night on the beer, taking our time to eat as much buffet as we could (scam with a 12inch plate). The trip was over far too quickly for me though, I wish I would have spent all day Monday at the ring because of the quietness of the track. Woke up on Tuesday with the dreaded manful. <o
></o
>
I already can't wait to get back to the ring in May.<o
></o
>
<o
> </o
>
<o
> </o
>
