When I was in Germany I stayed near the Nurburgring. Like the Salem witch hunts, the headless horseman and other mythical places that existed in other parts of the world it was really cool to see the Germanic myths like the Nurburgring and Autobahn up close and first hand. One of the benefits of travel is that these become concrete and real when you see and touch them rather than just stereotypical or cultural myth.

The Nurburgring is unusual in that it is a normal road, though highly modified, in the same way the Bathurst track is, that anyone can drive on after paying a toll. It is one way, obviously, as the danger aspect would increase dramatically otherwise. More recently manufacturers such as Porsche, Nissan, Cadillac and Chevrolet have been using the track for testosterone chest beating. It was Chevrolet's turn last week when the Corvette ZR1 turned in a faster lap time than the Nissan GT-R.

Maybe Holden and Ford should take their HSV/FPV muscle cars over there and start joining in the production car lap time war. Currently the top lap times are held by the Radical SR8, Donkevoort SR8, Lexus LF-A, Nissan GT-R V-Spec, Corvette ZR1, Pagani Zonda, Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 GT2.