OT - Nurburgring, Anyone driven it? Options

[GeorgeRud]

Though this is somewhat off-topic, I am trying to find out if anyone has had the opportunity to drive (or be driven) around the Nurburgring in Germany. My wife and I may be able to take a trip to Germany in September, and besides doing some car museums, Oktoberfest, and visiting castles, driving or riding around the Nurburgring has always been on my "bucketlist". I know that driving a rental car on the Ring is a very bad idea, but has anyone been there or has any advice they could offer me. Buying a new, European delivery Porsche to drive in Europe is not an option (unless the lottery ticket is the right one - not very likely). The BMW Ring-Taxi doesn't have any tickets or dates available until April, so I can't really count on that as an option.

Thanks for any advice.

[hcdmueller]

Drove it in my 914 a couple years ago and I have had some professional drivers take me out on some seriously fast laps. Supposedly the vehicles out there are supposed to have a legal road registration. I saw a lot of race cars with headlights out there plus the normal cars, bikes, and the occasional tour bus. Most of the deaths at the track are motorcyclists. Usually a car helps them in some way, usually by dumping its fluids. There are no corner workers so its not like you get a warning. Some of my British friends keep trying to get me out there on my bike. I only live a couple hours away but can't bring myself to take my bike out.

I had no problem pushing the car without taking too many risks. Other people were not so restrained. The track gets closed pretty often so they can clean up messes. By September the weather is usually crap, especially in that part of Germany. The rain makes it that much more exciting. Get out there any way you can. The first time I went out 5 laps was over before I realized it. Even if you don't get to drive it the parking lot is full of cars you probably won't see anywhere else.