NURBURGRING 24 HOURS IS LIKE NO OTHER RACE IN THE WORLD.

Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE

Boris Said calls it the "best-kept secret in the world.'' "Secret'' is a relative term, of course; almost 200,000 spectators show up each year. But outside Germany, even dedicated motorsports followers know little about the Nurburgring 24 Hours Rennen (Race). And with categories that allow as many as 230 cars of all types and sizes to compete, even regular attendees are stymied when it comes to explaining the various classes.

We can tell you that SP8 is for cars with engines larger than 4.0 liters, theoretically the most powerful and fastest class, which includes the Zakspeed Dodge Viper (ex-Team ORECA Le Mans car), the Aston Martin DBRS9 and Vantage V8, the Lamborghini Gallardo and the Lexus LF-A. We say theoretically because SP7 is home to the Porsche 911, especially the surreptitiously factory- supported Manthey Racing team with drivers Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas that won the last two events. A new class this year, E1-X, was dedicated to just one entry, the Apollo hybrid developed and driven by ex-Formula One gun Heinz-Harald Frentzen. The V8- powered car featured a regenerative braking system similar to what F1 cars will likely have in 2009.

Volkswagen Motorsport entered a trio of new Sciroccos powered by 325-hp, 2.0-liter turbo motors with a driver lineup that included sports-car master Hans Stuck and rally ace Carlos Sainz. Other interesting rides were a new and an old Mini, a pair of Opel Astra Caravans, various diesels and a new Fiat Cinquecento.

The grid looks like an autobahn traffic jam as 220 cars line up in three groups for the start. It stretches along the main straight and back off into the woods, where the old circuit joins the new one. The race runs over most of the 3.2-mile modern Grand Prix circuit but bypasses the last turn to connect to the Nord-schleife (North Loop), for a lap length of nearly 16 miles.

The field's size and diversity are not the only things that make the race special. The 150,000 or more race fans who camp out in the heavily forested, rolling hills surrounding the legendary Nordschleife add their own mystique to the magical circuit.

They start arriving on the Tuesday before the event to set up elaborate campsites for prime viewing of the race, which begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday. How elaborate? Some feature couches and floor lamps, blinking neon lights, four-story towers, even an old-fashioned Coca-Cola vending machine to keep the Bitburger beer cool.