Ah, the Nurburgring-Nordschleife, that narrow 15-mile ribbon of asphalt winding through the Eiffel Mountains in western Germany. The harrowing “Green Hell” has crunched up many a car during tourist laps and the bolder and faster cars during the VLN Series endurance races often suffer the same crumpled fate, albeit at higher speed. Last weekend, the VLN held another round at the Nordschleife and this Cayman GT4 driver certainly had a gut check during qualifying for the four-hour race. If I were a better ‘Ring expert, I could tell you the name of the relevant corners, but all I know is that this is somewhere in the opening six or so miles of the lap.
After taking just a bit too much curb at around 250 kph (more than 150 mph), the Cayman spins for an awful long time. Somehow, Moritz Kranz in the driver’s seat manages not to eat the Armco barrier on either side of the track at warp speed. It sure looks like there were only inches of clearance at times, but no harm, no foul. Kranz keeps from getting stuck at the gravel trap and carries on without stopping. I’m no expert, but I think drivers in the business call that a “lucky day at the office.”
Fir those who want to know
The small jump where the car gets unsettled first followed by the left hander is called ‘Schwedenkreuz’ the following right where he goes into the gravel is called ‘Aremberg’
And the straight is called the “shitzenpanzen”.