Grenzlandring

In 1947, the Grenzlandring, also known as the Wegbergring or Wegberg-Ring, was locally "rediscovered" when Carl Marcus, mayor of nearby Rheydt, drove one night along what seemed to be a more or less straight country road.

The all-time lap record was set in September 1949 by Bavarian Georg "Schorsch" Meier on a supercharged BMW 500 motorbike at 216 km/h (134 mph), and in September 1951 Toni Ulmen set the all-time record for cars, driving his Veritas 2000 RS to 212 km/h (132 mph).

[citation needed] On August 31, 1952, for reasons never completely explained, Berliner Helmut Niedermayr crashed his Formula Two Reif/Veritas-Meteor at the exit of the Roermonder Kurve at nearly 200 km/h (120 mph),[citation needed], killing 13 spectators[1] and injuring another 42.

[citation needed] Although the actual event was not stopped to avert panic in the crowds, racing was subsequently banned from the ring by the government, after a total of five competitions attended by an estimated 300,000 people.

[citation needed] Subsequently, a southern section of the road was removed, while the remaining portion was asphalted for local traffic.