After Le Mans, the journey continued to the Eifel mountains for one of motorsport’s wildest spectacles: the Nürburgring 24 Hours. As 72 Hours of June rolls into Part II, Michael Jolley swaps French tarmac for the legendary Nordschleife and dives headfirst into an unforgettable weekend of bratwurst, broken sleep, and 25 kilometres of pure madness.

72 HOURS OF JUNE: LE MANS | NÜRBURGRING | SPA

After a short layover in Luxembourg to recharge both camera batteries and human ones, I arrived in the picturesque town of Trier, Germany, to reunite with the Select Motor Racing team. Together with the rest of the group, we set out to tackle the Green Hell. With only three days at the track, it was going to be a challenge to see everything.

Friday was qualifying day for both the main event and the support races. Due to having a fairly early bus back to my hotel, I decided to stay at the GP loop, shopping for merchandise and trying some traditional German Bratwurst. After all, part of the excitement of this mammoth motorsport undertaking was the opportunity to enjoy three unique locations—though on this day, the furthest I dared venture was the Schumacher Esses.

One of my favourite things about the N24 is the open paddock. Spectators are free to mingle with drivers and mechanics—there aren’t many places where it’s possible to get this close to a race car for the same price as your entry ticket. With the N24’s 141-car entry list, there’s definitely something for everyone. Whether it’s Kevin Estre’s Manthey Porsche or the numerous GT4s, all these machines are available for the public to admire up close.

It’s Saturday. It’s race day! As teams pushed the cars into their respective grid slots, the 280,000-strong crowd (the N24’s highest attendance yet) prepared for the most challenging race of the three. There’s a reason the Nürburgring and the accompanying Nordschleife are dubbed the Green Hell: 25 kilometres of twisty, bumpy roads with no run-off area leave absolutely zero room for error—a challenge for even the most skilled drivers.

Once again, the green flag dropped and it was straight into 24 hours of lapping the most perilous circuit in Europe. Now, I can’t talk about the start without mentioning the Dacia Logan—definitely not a winner on track, but truly a winner of hearts. Unfortunately, a piston failure on the start line meant it sat in the garage for a couple of hours, but the applause when it finally set off again was glorious.

Before it could get going, a bizarre red flag occurred—a blown transformer sent the pit lane into a blackout and the race was stopped. It was during this time that I discovered a key part of the Nürburgring’s magic: the fans. As the red flag came out, I headed to the bar, where I stumbled upon Davide. Having travelled all the way from Italy, Davide was no stranger to the N24 and—after buying me several beers—he and I were quickly in full party mode. He shared stories of his previous visits, stressing the beauty of how the Nordschleife completely lights up at night—something I just couldn’t miss.

A few hours later we were back under green, and it was time to navigate the vast circuit. Later that evening, I found myself at the bus stop waiting for a shuttle to Brünnchen, when a distinctly English “Excuse me, mate” took me by surprise. I introduced myself and quickly became acquainted with Louis and Tom. After discussing bus times and looking at the route, we decided to take on the challenge of walking as much of the track as possible.

As we headed into Brünnchen, I was struck by the atmosphere and the structures. This isn’t a regular campsite—it’s almost a small town with multistorey scaffolding constructions, sound systems fit for a nightclub, and makeshift bars as far as the eye could see. The atmosphere was electric; fans were partying and setting off fireworks. Around every corner there was something new and eye-catching—the inflatable tube man being a personal highlight.

We continued our walk to the Karussell as the cars roared through the night. The scene was absolutely incredible. Watching the top cars lap the lower ranks, every move had to be timed perfectly and executed with precision. If not, things could go horribly wrong.

It would be 6 a.m. before we arrived back, having completed a full 25km walk with friendships forged and memories made. Louis and Tom headed back to camp for a quick nap, and I set off to the main straight for some breakfast.

Remember my earlier comment about the importance of timing and precision? Nothing demonstrated this more clearly than at 7 a.m., when Kevin Estre collided with an Aston Martin while attempting to lap it—at the same time as fending off the ROWE Racing BMW M4. The accident was nasty, with the Aston Martin hitting the barrier and flipping upside down. Not only was it shocking to witness, but it would also have a massive impact on the outcome of the race, as the Manthey Porsche received a 100-second penalty for the incident.

A 24-hour race isn’t just a test of endurance for the drivers, but for the fans too. I arrived at the grandstands on the main straight to find people wrapped in blankets, falling asleep on seats and benches. It was a cool morning, so I pulled on my hoodie and settled in for the next couple of hours of racing.

Around 9 a.m., I hopped on a shuttle back up to the Nordschleife. I was curious to see how the atmosphere had changed since the early hours, and I was very surprised when I arrived. The contrast between the liveliness I had witnessed just hours earlier and what I returned to was astonishing. It was a ghost town, save for a few souls wandering about, slowly attempting to sober up in time to catch more of the action as the temperature rose.

With the photo holes in the fences free of other photographers and the morning light casting a wonderful glow over the track, it was the perfect time for some photos along the Nordschleife. I wandered along, taking photo after photo, admiring the stunning scenery. As I returned to Brünnchen, the campsite began to come back to life. More people started to wake up, ready for the rest of the day’s racing, while others began packing up and dismantling the enormous structures that had housed the party spirit of the night before.

During the journey back to the main concourse, Louis invited me to spend the rest of the race with him, Tom, and the rest of their group—a welcome invite, as racing is always better with friends. Sitting at the Mercedes-Benz grandstand, we had a perfect view of both the finish line and Turn 1. It was the ideal spot to witness cars making increasingly desperate lunges as the clock wound down.

It was then that we learned of the Porsche penalty. With a few hours left, we decided to take a walk around the paddock—where, to our horror, we found the wreckage of the Dacia Logan. I had missed the news when it happened, but it was heartbreaking nonetheless.

Unfortunately, the news of Porsche’s hefty penalty meant the finish wasn’t as exciting as Le Mans. Kevin Estre crossed the line first, but after serving his penalty, he was demoted to second. That left ROWE Racing on top—perfect news for BMW fans like myself. No track invasion this time, so it was time to say goodbye to my newfound friends and meet up with Select Motor Racing once again for the ride back to the hotel.

The highlight of the Nürburgring 24 Hours isn’t just the cars—it’s the fans and the atmosphere. I’ve been to many different events, and nothing has ever come close to the experience of the N24. The flares, fireworks, and sound systems bring an electricity you simply don’t find at any other track. Just being present at a bucket-list circuit was enough to send me home already looking at tickets for next year.