Nürburgring school registration opens Wednesday

[Bill Howard]

Registration for the annual Nürburgring driving school begins Wednesday, March 26, at 10 a.m. This popular event runs Aug. 3-6 and most participants take part in a pre-school tour that starts in Munich a week before the event. To secure a spot, call the BMW CCA office, 864-250-0022, Wednesday after 10 a.m. You'll need to make a deposit of $500 (using a major credit card) to reserve your place. Total cost of the event is very roughly around $2,000, plus airfare.

Here's additional information from event coordinator George Phemister. (For even more details, see www.magma.ca/~Phemisg/BMWNurburgringSchool.doc, or contact Phemister at ringschool@magma.ca.)

Welcome to the Nürburgring Driving School website for members of the BMW Car Club of America. This event gives BMW CCA members a chance to experience the hallowed place where the world’s best cars, including every BMW model, are perfected for production. Over its 13-mile length, the North Loop of the Nürburgring includes about every type of turn known to man, over 170 in total. The so-called “Green Hell” climbs and plunges through about 1000 ft. of elevation change, and fits in a 2-mile-long straightaway for good measure. There’s nothing like it!

For 2008, the School will be August 3rd-6th. Registration will be in the Dorint Hotel at the track on the afternoon of August 3rd. A pre-School tour is a tradition, with visits in recent years to attractions such as BMW factories, museums, the Mobile Tradition Collection, and Alpina. This year's itinerary is still in the planning stage, but typically we will start in Munich the week before the event. Details will be announced in March. Frankfurt (airport code FRA) is the closest international airport to the track; Munich (airport code MUC) is about six hours away by Autobahn.

To sign up for this year’s event, you need to phone the BMWCCA National Office at 864 250-0022, after 10AM on March 26th. Have your credit card ready for the $500 deposit. The International BMW Driving School at the Nürburgring is not an official BMW CCA event, but has been conducted by a German BMW Club annually since 1964.

The BMW CCA package includes all arrangements with the School organizers, a commemorative shirt and nametag, special activities before the School, and lodging reservations, all intended to make it easier for you to participate.