Nurburgring/VLN VIP Experience
Customer Testimonial/Interview
Cody S.
Nurburgring Experience Interview
AR Motorsports: Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your recent Nurburgring Experience.
Cody S: Happy to do it.
AR Motorsports: Cody, what is your motorsports background and why were you interested in our “Nurburgring Experience?
Cody S: I’ve been a motorsports enthusiast for most of my life with a passion for mostly German cars. I’m also an avid F1 fan and never miss a race! Most recently I’ve owned a VW mkV GTI then stepped up to an Audi S4, which I have modded quite heavily for use in the canyons of Southern California. Future plans are to get into a Porsche 911 991 GT3. My track experience is limited, but I’ve gone to a karting school and did some light track time in a Ferrari 458 Italia. As a racing enthusiast, the Nurburgring is the holy grail and ultimate testing ground for all of motorsports; so I’ve always wanted a chance to drive the Nordschleife.
AR Motorsports: What were your initial impressions of the venue? Was it more, less, or about what you expected regarding its challenge?
Cody S: The venue is amazing. Even the drive out to Nurburg from Frankfurt was stunning. It was my first time to Germany and I was blown away by how beautiful the countryside is and how great the motorways are to drive on. My first impression of the Nordschleife was that it is much bigger than I expected. I knew it was 13 miles long, but it feels much bigger in person. I actually practiced with Forza (plus the steering wheel and pedal set) for about 3 months to try to learn the track. While I did get to know some sections fairly well, most knowledge goes out the window when you actually get on the track. It was very intense, and what the game does not prepare you for is the elevation changes and all the blind corners and crests. I can see how it must take many many laps to start to feel comfortable with how much speed to carry into each corner. Although it was intimidating, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life! I still can’t stop thinking about it!
AR Motorsports: If possible, would you do this event again? How likely would you attend another VIP Experience again at another venue like Spa or Ascari?
Cody S: I’m VERY likely to head back to do another track day at the Nordschleife or other tracks. I live in the US, with most of the “Experience” tracks in Europe, I am going to look at COTA in Austin, TX. I do go to Europe on business 1 or 2 times per year, so I definitely will try to plan future trackdays throughout Europe.
AR Motorsports: If you were recommending this experience to a friend, what advice do you have?
Cody S: Before I went over I was given some words of wisdom by someone that did a track day at the Nordschleife. They said, “You aren’t as fast as you think you are!”. That could not have been more true! You really need to check your ego and not think that you’re the greatest/fastest driver out there because the margin for error is really low. While the track is wide enough for two cars to drive side by side, there really isn’t much room if you outdrive your ability. There is hardly any run-off if you misjudge a corner. If you carry too much speed into it, you will be in serious trouble. Also, you will get passed by cars that are technically slower than yours. The local guys that have done a ton of laps there really have that place wired. They will pass you like you’re standing still! Even with all that said, I’d do it all over again without any hesitation! One of the most memorable experiences of my life!
I also cannot speak more highly of AR Motorsports and Ace with all the help he provided. He gave me a ton of recommendations about the track, booking information, hotels, restaurants, etc. All was very professional and easy to have questions answered.
AR Motorsports: Thank you