Our EVO X doing its best to fend off the GT-R behind it.
What, you thought we'd go all the way to Germany and miss out on the opportunity to rip a few hot laps around a publicly accessible GP track? We paid the €12 fee for the session and jumped in the pit lane lineup. Although there were "only" 90 or so cars ready for action, it was certainly a very mixed bag of machines. At the front of the pack there were several 997 Porsche GT3s and a C6 Z06 Corvette that were absolutely flying, and at the other end of the spectrum there was a '66 Ford Mustang convertible driven by an older couple with their Siberian Husky dog in the back seat. That's right, a dog was allowed to ride in the back seat while lapping the Hockenheimring.
Yes, those were the bikes that were on the track all at once. It's no wonder the ambulance
Meanwhile, our intrepid Editor-in-Chief, Peter Tarach, was out there in the EVO X MR mixing it up with everything from R35 GT-Rs and E46 BMW M3 CSLs all the way down to Smart cars. Here's what he thought about his Hockenheim experience:
"Being able to drive Hockenheimring was a real treat, but I wish I could have experienced it in a more controlled environment rather than a 90-car free-for-all. Forget safety or track rules in Germany. There are none during these 'tourist driving' days. You pay and go drive on the track regardless of the shape your car is in or how competent a driver you are.
Look closely and you'll see a dog in the back seat of this Mustang!
"Despite all that, having to dodge traffic and outrun slower cars was satisfying, especially in the EVO X, but there were instances where we were four-wide going into a corner and that was downright scary. I was checking my mirrors as often as I was looking forward. Thankfully, the EVO performed like a champ and provided solid power delivery and excellent braking, which allowed us to do the passing rather than being passed. There were a couple of 911 GT3s and a GT-R that flew past us, but otherwise the EVO didn't have much competition and this was in stock form with worn rubber.
"I can see why Hockenheimring is such an exciting track to watch professional racing at. The long straights combined with the tight corners make it ideal for passing. Driving into corner 9 and onto the front straight where the 120,000-seat grandstands start felt particularly cool. I can only imagine how it would feel when they are jam-packed with race fans."
Nitto set us up with a fresh set of its NT-05 tires to ensure we would have some good grip
Part 4: The Tuning Dungeon
Before heading to the Nürburgring, Stephen from iA Performance needed to spin some wrenches on Jon's STI. We also arranged to have Nitto ship Jon a set of its new NT05extreme-performance summer tires because we wanted to experience the Ring with a fresh set of super-sticky rubber underneath us. Hawk Performance also set Jon up with front and rear DTC-60 brake pads, a true motorsports compound with tremendous stopping power that's easy to modulate and control.
Having installed the new tires and brakes before heading to Hockenheim, Stephen just needed to bolt up some goodies from Cobb and Kartboy, including a Cobb oil cap and battery tie-down and Kartboy shift knob, rear diff outrigger bushings, transmission crossmember bushings, rear subframe lockdown bolts and a full set of end links. Installing all the suspension and chassis goodies without a lift would have been a bit of a nightmare, but there just so happens to be a shop on the Air Force base where Jon is stationed that's affectionately called the Tuning Dungeon. A suitably old and grungy building, the Tuning Dungeon has hoists and tools available for a modest hourly rate. After clearing security and getting the Subie up on a hoist, Stephen handled the wrenching duties while we all stood around snapping pictures and whistling "The Final Countdown" (our cheesy '80s hair band theme song for the trip).
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The STI about to be hoisted up at the Tuning Dungeon.
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Forget dyno tuning, it's way too expensive in Germany. Tuning is done on the autobahn, and