Catch the Action at the 24 Hours Nürburgring

The Nürburgring race track in Germany needs no introduction to most auto racing enthusiasts. This legendary track has been in existence since the 1920s and combines a challenging and entertaining circuit with absolutely breathtaking scenery. This is the setting for the popular 24 Hours Nürburgring racing event. Inspired by the 24 Hour Le Mans and Spa 24 Hour, the 24 Hours Nürburgring is a GT and touring car endurance race.

The 24 Hours Nürburgring was introduced by the ADAC in 1970 as a cheaper alternative to the 1000 km Nürburgring. While the 1000 km race was for professional drivers, the 24 Hours Nürburgring is targeted at amateur drivers who mainly use relatively cheap production cars. Despite the fact that the 1000 km race was later moved to the shorter GP track that was built in 1984, the 24 Hours Nürburgring remains a regular feature on the original Nürburgring track. The main reason for this is the fact that drivers simply love the challenging northern loop of the track. However the lower costs involved in the race also means that some 220 cars organized into three groups regularly take off from the starting grid and a large track is needed to accommodate all the traffic.

The overall length of the track is approximately 26 km (16.2 miles). As many as 230 cars are allowed in the practice sessions, but only 220 of these are able to qualify for the race. The race is made even more accessible by the rule that permits as many as four drivers to share one car. Thus there may be as many as 800 drivers participating in the race each year. A driver is permitted to drive 150 minutes nonstop before having to observe the two hour rest time before taking his next turn behind the wheel. A driver may also enter on two different cars so he can get plenty of time in behind the wheel. The race is probably one of the biggest – if not the biggest – in the world, with more than 150 000 spectators watching the 220 cars as they navigate their way around the track for a full 24 hours. This year’s 24 Hour Nürburgring is set to take place between May 22 and 25. So make sure that you get your ticket and get in on the action, because you can be sure that there isn’t another race quite like this one anywhere else in the world!