Nurburgring Threatened

The future of the storied Nurburgring race course is under threat.

An expensive theme park was constructed on the site of the racetrack, funded primarily by the German government and operated by a private consortium. While the theme park construction raised a few eyebrows, it has been discovered that the park is a financial black hole for German taxpayers. Now the private operators are seeking control of the complete Nurburgring complex in an effort to shift some of the operating revenue from the track to the theme park operation. In fact, a significant increase in fees for tourists to drive the 'Ring as well higher fees for automakers to test cars there have been proposed.

A number of non-racing events have been produced at the track site including music festivals and celebrity concerts. The events have been branded with the "Ring-Kultur" name which has infuriated Nurburgring enthusiasts.

A grassroots effort has been launched in Germany to prevent the historic track from further encroachment. Check out the Save the Nurburgring web site set up to spread the word and keep pressure on German politicians. Sign the on-line petition and tell a friend.