The motor-racing track, laid out over a stretch of wooded, undulating country, takes its name from the ruins of the Nürburg, which stand inside its northern loop. The new circuit, opened in 1984, hosts such competitions as the World Championship of sports prototypes and the Nürburgring 24hr Touring Car race. The circuit has 14 turns over a total length of 4.542km, with a height differential of 56m. Aside from practice runs and competition, the circuit is open to normal traffic.