Journailsts from the Drivers Republic website Richard Meaden and Jethro Bovingdon competed in the 2008 Nürburgring 24 hour race last month. Their report is now online (note, clicking on this link will resize your browser window).

It is well worth putting ten or so minutes aside to read of their experiences, Meaden sharing the Ulrich Bez Aston Martin Vantage and Bovingdon in a Fiat 500! Bovingdon was popping his Nürburgring 24 hour cherry and started the race with the expected nerves, “Text messages pinging into my phone aren’t the usual ‘have fun’ or ‘go for it’, but rather ‘be careful’ and ‘have a safe one’. I’ve sent a couple myself to friends also in the race and you can’t help but write something that sounds slightly spooky in the cold light of day.”

Meaden, too, had his reservations, especially about racing at night, “the Nürburgring is so dark it reawakens long dormant childhood fears. Problem is, crying for your mum won’t help in the slightest as you ricochet down Fuchsröhre, flat in sixth gear. For much of the lap it’s too shadowy to see anything but taillights in the distance, headlights in the rear-view mirror and the odd pissed German felling a pine tree with a burnt wurst and a bottle of Bitburger.”

Readers of EVO magazine will be familiar with these guys. They’re very good and I recommend you take the time to read their contrasting tales.

Thanks to Chris for the tip.