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.
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 DateTrackSupport/Parent event113 April Nürburgring 24h-variantNürburgring 24 Hours qualifying race Gleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)227 April Nürburgring NordschleifeGleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)330 MayNürburgring 24 Hours race429 JuneGleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)54 AugustGleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)631 AugustGleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)722 SeptemberGleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)826 October Nürburgring Nordschleife + GP short trackGleichmäßigkeitsprüfung (GLP)
RCN champions(since 1990)
Year Driver(s) Car2023Joel MeiliFavian TillmannRenault Megane/BMW 325i2022Daniel OstermannBMW 330i 2021Dario StancoSeat Leon/Audi RS3 2020 Dr. Stein Tveten BMW 325i 2019 Kevin Totz BMW 325i/M3 2018 Matthias UngerChristopher RinkBMW 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 SchmicklerChristian SchererBMW E36 318is 2012 Claudius KarchPorsche Cayman R 2011 Guido SchuchertBMW M3 2010 Ludger Henrich Opel Astra F 2009 Ludger HenrichJürgen SchultenOpel Astra F 2008 Hans-Rolf Salzer BMW M3 2007 Ludger HenrichJürgen SchultenHonda Civic Type-R 2006 Hans-Rolf Salzer BMW M3 2005 Ludger HenrichJürgen SchultenOpel Corsa Sport 2004 Jörg Weber Ford Escort RS2000 2003 Ulrich Ehret BMW 318iS 2002 Thomas ImigPetra DamsVW Golf GTi2001Maic WinterOpel Astra GSi2000Jürgen SchultenOpel Astra/Opel Calibra1999Frank-Dieter LohmannFord Escort Cosworth1998Mark-Oliver BurghardtJens KolodzeyOpel Manta 16V1997Mark-Oliver BurghardtJens KolodzeyOpel Manta 16V1996Mark-Oliver BurghardtJens KolodzeyOpel Manta 16V1995Walter SchneiderVW Golf GTi1994Robert GüntzelVW Golf GTi1993Franz ClaerSuzuki Swift1992Walter Schneider VW Golf GTi1991Walter Schneider VW Golf GTi1990Walter Schneider VW Golf GTi
Notes
External links RCN (German only) GLP Nürburgring Regularity test (German only) Nürburgring Official website (also in English)