We were on our way to the
Nurburgring. We had lost our camera bag. Not feeling too happy about
the situation, I reluctantly decided to forget the bag and press on.
We arrived at Nurgurgring a little after 2.00pm and stopped at the
main office. I went in fully expecting to be told to 'bugger off', or
words to that effect. I opened the door and went into a glass clad
aircraft hangar and in front of me was the longest curved counter I
have ever seen. There was only one person in the place, a very BIG lady. She looked like a rugby player, big shoulders and muscles a
weight lifter would give his truss for. Before I could ask where do
I go to ask if we can drive around the circuit, she bellowed out
“COME!” I nearly swallowed my Adams apple! Her eyes focussed on
me and it felt like I was being drawn across the floor by a tractor
beam from Startrek.
I arrived at the counter and looked up. I felt
like Oliver clutching his bowl and about to ask can I have some more.
I explained who we were and what we are doing, and asked if it would
be possible to drive the cars around the circuit. There was a few
seconds silence while I was waiting, expecting my marching orders.
She leant forward and bellowed in an English speaking German accent
“OF COURSE YOU CAN IT IS AN OPEN DAY!” That was a relief. I pointed through the glass at the two Jimnys outside “can we
drive these cars on the circuit?” she bellowed again “ OF
COURSE”.
It's great when a plan comes together. I'd organised it from the UK some weeks ago, but you never know until you're there whether its going to come off or not. Finally
arriving and being told that we could drive the Nurburgring was
fantastic. I purchased the tickets and casually asked to my new
friend, “is it OK to film as we drive around”. She stood up
blocking out the light. Looked me in the face and said, “FILMING IS
FORBODEN”, and gave me a big wink. I said “can we film then?”,
she repeated “IT IS FORBODEN”. Her eye fluttered away like a
royal navy ships signalling lamp which I took to mean that it’s not
allowed but don’t get caught. My new best friend Helga, gave me
directions to get to the circuit entrance. We got into the cars
and drove to the assembly area where you wait to go onto the circuit.
Thinking that we had to wait our turn until the fast boys were
finished I turned the engine off and settled down to wait. I was
about to get out of the car to have a chat to the guys, when a
steward banged on the bonnet frightening the life out of me. He
pointed to the opening gate, saying “you go”. As I looked through
the gate race cars were flashing past, another steward was looking
for a gap and before we knew it we were on the track with race cars
flashing past. This is crazy I thought to myself, I started to laugh, I could see the funny side of it. There we were bombing along at 60
mph and the race boys passing us at 170mph. We couldn’t catch them
on the straight but they were certainly not happy when we occupied
the fast line in the bends. It was an experience of a lifetime and we
enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately it was over to quickly.
Tomorrow we travel to
Bensheim to meet with guys at Suzuki Europe to receive a cheque for
Save The Children and then on to meet Mr Lech Walesa past President
of Poland ….. to be continued
