Opel-Rennbahn
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 | |
| Location | Rüsselsheim am Main, Hessen, Germany |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 49°57′54″N 8°24′59″E / 49.96500°N 8.41639°E |
| Capacity | 50,000[1] |
| Opened | 1919 |
| Closed | 1946 |
| Oval | |
| Length | 1.5 km (0.93 mi) |
| Turns | 2 |
mini|Part of the Nordkurve 2025
The Opel-Rennbahn 'Opel Racetrack' [2] is a former race track built by the Adam Opel AG in 1919. It was located in a forest about two kilometers south of Rüsselsheim am Main at the Schönauer Hof and was Germany's first purpose build racing track. The site is owned by the City of Mainz, which now operates a waterworks there.
Due to its design as an oval track racing circuit with a track width of twelve meters and its high, steep curves, it was considered one of the fastest racetracks in Europe in the 1920s. Average speeds of up to 140 km / h were possible. The Opel racetrack was used for public bicycle, motorcycle and car racing, and attracted up to 50,000 visitors at peak times.[1] Among others, Jimmie Simpson, Guido Mentasti and Hermann Lang started their careers here. It was also the test track of Adam Opel AG, which often tested new developments here, including the rocket car Opel RAK.1.[3] Due to the technical development in Motorsport as well as the opening of the AVUS, Nürburgring and the Hockenheimring, however, fewer and fewer racing events were held on the racetrack from 1930 onwards. After the end of World War II the site was temporarily used by the US Army.