[s-cars] An informational FYI for any who might be interested in

[mlp]

making plans "do" something like this in the future.  Here's more on the BMW
version.  FWIW, the Audi Club, NA working through Audi has its own version
which is I'm told, unfortunately, already filled to capacity, going over
sometime in November.   I gotta think the weather should be better in
August,.... or maybe that's just the limited RWD BMW perspective  :-)
 
Cheers
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Tackett 
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 5:24 AM
Subject: Nurburgring Update 5--Fee balance
Importance: High



Hello 2005 Nurburgringers:

 

Our Nurburgring adventure is about 4 weeks away!  We're on the home stretch:
You should have received your "Team Nordamerika 2005" Nurburgring shirt by
now (except those already in Europe to whom I'll hand-deliver) and we
finally got the driving partners and groups sorted out with some last-minute
changes.

 

RENTAL CARS.  You should have your car arrangements (through us or your own
reservations) all set by now.  Driving Partners should know who's picking up
the car, and it will help to have Driver's License information for BOTH when
you get to the rental counter.  Of course, you will not be wearing any
obvious Nurburgring logos when you pick up or drop off your rental car,
right?  And if you're holding your helmet bag, it's because you're meeting
someone for a motorcycle ride...  You will be driving your rental car only
on public roads and one government-managed toll road that's often open to
the public.

 

STAFFING. Our Instructors this year are factory test driver Robert Fassl
(with over 100,000 km on the 'Ring) and Reed Davis, a 'Ring veteran and
fluent Deutschsprecher who's our main American ambassador for Team
Nordamerika.  We'll have the benefit of two Coaches for each of our driving
Groups, including Canadian jokester George Phemister and high-scoring
veteran Ray Morrison in Group 1. Group 2 will tag along behind California
Club Racer Blaine McNutt...and Yours Truly.  There is a possibility of a
last-minute change in staffing; we'll let you know when you get there.

 

FEE DETAILS. The fee for BMW CCA Participants in the Nurburgring School will
be $1,350.  Your fee includes the School registration, 3 lunches during the
School, the Awards Banquet, a group dinner on 8/9, a souvenir cup for all
drivers, your "Team Nordamerika" shirt, a keepsake nametag, shipping, and
the convenience of credit card processing.   Keep in mind that BMW CCA does
this at cost and your organizer, Instructors, and Coaches are all unpaid
volunteers for their jobs.

 

IMPORTANT:  The same credit card you used for your deposit will be charged
for the balance of $850 next Monday, July 18.  If you wish to use a
different card or mail a check to BMW CCA, please immediately notify Peggy
Helmke at peggy.helmke at bmwcca.org or call 864/250-0022 no later than this
Friday, July 15th.

 

COMING UP. Soon, I will email you individual confirmations of all info I
have from you plus rental car confirmation numbers for those who reserved
one.  Finally, I'll send you an attachment of "Final Notes" with many
details to print.  This includes a detailed schedule of our itinerary, final
tips before you leave for Germany, transportation options and directions to
the Crowne Plaza Heidelberg (where some of us will meet Aug 3rd), and
directions to the Nurburgring for the rest meeting us there.  If you're
meeting us in Nurburg, plan to arrive no later than 6 pm on Sunday, August
7th.  Track registration for everyone will be in the lobby of the Dorint
Hotel (starting about 3 pm).  

IMPORTANT NOTE:

It will not be possible to check into the rooms at the Dorint Hotel until 5
pm or so: There are DTM races (mega-popular touring cars) that you may enjoy
watching on Sunday, and many rooms will have a late check-out and need to be
cleaned in the afternoon.  Park in one of the public lots for racing
spectators.

 

SAFETY ISSUES.  All Participants in our Groups are expected to wear helmets
during total laps.  For first-timers, you probably think "of course, why
wouldn't I wear a helmet on a race track?"  This School had a
helmet-optional policy for years, but we have decided that the BMW CCA
policy requiring helmets should prevail here too.  We want you to be as safe
on a German track as you are at home.  Your helmet can be packed as checked
luggage, or it will qualify as a "personal" item for your second carry-on in
a helmet bag.  You can fill your helmet with socks or a small video camera,
so make good use of that space!  Another policy is that any driver who
damages a car during the School and is deemed negligent in their driving
will not be invited back to participate in future years.  We're all here to
have a lot of fun, but close guardrails demand responsible driving behavior,
even if you bought full insurance coverage.  We'll make sure that the
memories we have are the right kind!

 

Back to you soon,

 

Dan Tackett

Nurburgring School Co-ordinator