It's race week again here in the Eifel and this time it's something different. This weekend I will be racing once again at The Green Hell but this time in the 1000KM which is an oldtimer/youngtimer race.
Originally started in 1953 by the ADAC and FIA body, the Nürburgring 1000KM was a round of the then-new Sports Car World Championship. Unfortunately in 1954, the event was canceled after Mercedes-Benz withdrew to focus on their F1 effort and in 1955 it was again canceled because of the tragedy at the 24 Hours of Le Mans which resulted in spectator deaths.
The event resumed in 1956 and continued on. The 1960s saw the race with huge interest and growing fields. Along with large spectator interest. In 1966, American racer and car designer Jim Hall brought over his Chaparral to premier the car. The 70s and 80s saw continued Porsche success but also big-name drivers like Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass. The last car to win the classic 1000KM was the Porsche 956. The event lost its edge when the GP circuit began construction and organizers attempted 1000KM races on the GP but without the Nordschleife, the event lost its spark.
This weekend I will be with who else but Sorg Rennsport and racing in one of my favorite cars ever made which is the BMW E30 M3. While I have owned many E30s, I have never owned an M3 for obvious reasons. While this isn't a DTM spec car, it will be quite special to drive such a machine around the Nordschleife.
The 1000KM weekend begins Friday, September 15 with a load-in and technical checks. Saturday morning kicks off with qualifying and then Saturday afternoon we will take the green flag. Over one hundred cars will start (all together) and race the thousand-kilometer distance around the GP circuit and Nordschleife.