At last the track opened and cars and bikes started moving through the gates. Your ticket is a card that you hold up to the reader to make the gate lift.

I got some gearhead geek chills as I pulled my 1.3L powerwagon onto the track for the first time. My Xbox buds will likely recognize these next shots. I finally found a use for the P setting on my camera, but you’ll have to excuse the bugs on the windshield. A few times I just held up the camera and clicked away with, of course, my full attention on my driving, Mom.

This is approaching the Karussell. I got passed by more cars and bikes than I could count, and finally passed ONE, an elderly couple in a VW bus. No joke. My little car just did not have the pep or the handling for the job I’d given it, and I spent much of the time plodding along and getting out of the way. I did end up giving the Corsa a lot more stick than I’d intended, because even floored the thing didn’t do much but groan in protest. But it was quite civilized out there, and I never felt unsafe. Only a couple of times did my knowledge of the track come in handy. Most of the time the car just wasn’t going fast enough to have to know if a left or a right was coming up. There were several sections of the course that were much steeper or sharper than PGR or Forza convey, uot both games get the turns in the right order, and it was strange to be somewhere for the very time time but still know exactly where I was.

In the end the Corsa powered home in 14:38! I think with a clear track and not having to pull over so often, I’d do a 13 flat. And in the Passat Wagon? 10 minutes, easy!

I couldn’t bring myself to leave when my lap was done, so I went back and took some more photos. The light was getting really nice just as I had to head back. But what a great place to take pictures. Some day I’d love to shoot the 24-hour race.

I’m up and out of here first thing in the morning, heading to the Sachsenring for yet another new-to-me MotoGP track. Can’t wait to get there, but I’ve already had a great trip so far, even though I’ve only been here one full day.