Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring

The Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring (RCN) (circuit racing challenge Nürburgring) previously known as Castrol-HAUGG-Cup (CHC), is a motorsport event series. Being run since the early 1960s mainly on the Nürburgring, it is regarded as Germany's oldest touring car racing series. Unlike in regular races for position, the event that is similar to rallying on a closed race circuit, with time challenge laps and co-drivers on board.

Formation lap of the final round of the 2023 season (Schwedenkreuz 3h)
Renault Megane of 2023 champions Joel Meili and Favian Tillmann

For many years, the series was sponsored by Castrol and HAUGG (a company owned by a race driver, providing car parts like radiators). For 2007, the sponsorship arrangements were changed, putting less emphasis on these two companies.

The event is officially styled by the FIA/DMSB as a Leistungsprüfung 200km (LP200, performance test over 200 km). This means that the RCN is not a race for positions among cars that are started at once from a grid (like VLN endurance races), but a time trial, with cars being started one by one, about 5 seconds apart. This reduces the risks of collisions, as there is no benefit for a racer to defend their position.

Most RCN events are held on the Nürburgring, mainly on the 20.832 km long Nordschleife version, on Saturday afternoon following a Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP) run by the same organizing club. One or two additional events are held on the Grand Prix track, or on the combined tracks as used in VLN or at the 24h. In the 2000s, some events were held on the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. As season highlight in front of thousands of spectators, the RCN usually runs on the Thursday before a 24 Hours Nürburgring race, which is a holiday, either Ascension Day or Corpus Christi (feast). The track versions used during that event include various sections of the Grand Prix track.

On the Nordschleife, 15 laps of 20.832 km have to be run, for 312 km overall (longer than an F1 race). Due to being an amateur event without practise, the first (warm up) lap, the last (cool down) and two laps in between for a pit stop are not timed, unless a generous maximum time is exceeded. Of the remaining 11 laps, 9 are run at full speed (like a special stage in rallying), with each second counting as one penalty point. Two laps have to be done at a given time similar to a liaison stage in rallying. If the tolerance of +/- 2 seconds is exceeded, each second counts tenfold, so some discipline and precision is required. In wet conditions, these laps can decide the winners, as they can add a significant amount of penalty points to the tally.

Since 2012, the final round is the Schwedenkreuz 3h, which unlike the other rounds, is a 3 hour race with a rolling start, and cars racing each other for positions, rather than a time trial.

The entry fee is about 400 Euro. As in rallying, a co-driver can be on board, a quite unique possibility to take a passenger within a circuit racing contest. Also, those two drivers can share a drive, which reduces costs for amateurs.

Championship points are awarded according to amateur rules, depending on the number of entrants in the same class. There are also an entry-level "Light" classes with fewer laps, focusing on regularity, and a separate championship.

2024 schedule

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Rnd. Date Track Support/Parent event
1 13 April   Nürburgring 24h-variant Nürburgring 24 Hours qualifying race

Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)

2 27 April   Nürburgring Nordschleife Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)
3 30 May Nürburgring 24 Hours race
4 29 June Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)
5 4 August Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)
6 31 August Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)
7 22 September Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)
8 26 October   Nürburgring Nordschleife + GP short track Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)

[1][2]

RCN champions(since 1990)

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Year Driver(s) Car
2023 Joel Meili
Favian Tillmann
Renault Megane/BMW 325i
2022 Daniel Ostermann BMW 330i
2021 Dario Stanco Seat Leon/Audi RS3
2020 Dr. Stein Tveten BMW 325i
2019 Kevin Totz BMW 325i/M3
2018 Matthias Unger
Christopher Rink
BMW 325i
2017 Ludger Henrich Opel Astra GSI
2016 Alexander Fielenbach Toyota GT86/BMW
2015 Christian Büllesbach BMW Z4
2014 Christian Büllesbach BMW Z4
2013 Stefan Schmickler
Christian Scherer
BMW E36 318is
2012 Claudius Karch Porsche Cayman R
2011 Guido Schuchert BMW M3
2010 Ludger Henrich Opel Astra F
2009 Ludger Henrich
Jürgen Schulten
Opel Astra F
2008 Hans-Rolf Salzer BMW M3
2007 Ludger Henrich
Jürgen Schulten
Honda Civic Type-R
2006 Hans-Rolf Salzer BMW M3
2005 Ludger Henrich
Jürgen Schulten
Opel Corsa Sport
2004 Jörg Weber Ford Escort RS2000
2003 Ulrich Ehret BMW 318iS
2002 Thomas Imig
Petra Dams
VW Golf GTi
2001 Maic Winter Opel Astra GSi
2000 Jürgen Schulten Opel Astra/Opel Calibra
1999 Frank-Dieter Lohmann Ford Escort Cosworth
1998 Mark-Oliver Burghardt
Jens Kolodzey
Opel Manta 16V
1997 Mark-Oliver Burghardt
Jens Kolodzey
Opel Manta 16V
1996 Mark-Oliver Burghardt
Jens Kolodzey
Opel Manta 16V
1995 Walter Schneider VW Golf GTi
1994 Robert Güntzel VW Golf GTi
1993 Franz Claer Suzuki Swift
1992 Walter Schneider VW Golf GTi
1991 Walter Schneider VW Golf GTi
1990 Walter Schneider VW Golf GTi

Notes

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  1. ^ "RCN - Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring e.V." www.r-c-n.com (in German). Retrieved 2023-10-29.
  2. ^ "Nürburgring: Ausblick auf die Saison 2024". BLICK aktuell (in German). Retrieved 2023-10-29.
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