Canberra-based club member Trevor has reached out to us looking for a new home for the Pirellis off his 2014 Exige S. He’s offering them for free, as they’ve sat unused for nearly three years and have likely gone hard.
Your February 2020 Edition of Chunky’s Chatter is Available for Download
Our tireless editor Tom Devitt is back to the grind stone, and has your first edition of Chunky’s Chatter for 2020 available for download from the members’ page.
The February 2020 edition of Chunky’s Chatter features:
- Peter Walker’s photos take us back to the first race meeting at Wakefield Park 25 years ago
- A great SA round up from Andrew Stevens
- Ashton and Giles, and of course Gidget, win the Sports Car Digest photo of the year
- Get your diary out to mark up 2020 events for NSW and SA
Enjoy Chunky’s lighthearted and sometimes irreverent monthly look at the world of Lotus.
If you’re not a member already, have a browse around the site and hit up our membership page here to find out why you should become one!
Ashton’s President’s Prattle for February, 2020
Photo by Gerard Brown
Hi everyone,
The year is fast turning into a busy one, with the motorsport season already underway and the beginnings of a great social schedule in the planning.
This weekend we have the Bathurst 12 Hour, followed by SSC’s first LOTD trackday at Bathurst on Wednesday. The CLA-organised first CSCA sprint is coming up on the 14th of March, and the HSRCA Autumn Festival (also at Wakefield) will be held the following weekend (21st-22nd March).
Socially, we are getting into the detail of the Lotus 2021 Tour of Tasmania for the gathering of the clans in February next year. It’s hard to believe that it is only a year away, so I’m delighted that the planning is well underway.
Tyre Kick and Coffee at the Kokoda Cafe is held on the third Sunday of every month (so February 16th this month), and I have a plan to run an evening about the Peking to Paris in late February or early March – watch this space. (I’m also talking to the HSRCA on Tuesday if you fancy coming along – 6.30 at the Denistone Sports Club, 59 Chatham Road, Denistone 2114).
With the gradual move into Autumn, I am hoping the worst of the hot weather is behind us, and that the portable air conditioner I have finally succumbed to buying will get relatively little use! I would like to take the opportunity to pass on our thoughts to all those impacted by the terrible fires this year, and our very grateful thanks to the emergency services, and most particularly the Rural Fire Service and WIRES, both of which have been stretched beyond what would normally be considered acceptable.
I would also encourage you to consider visiting some of the worst affected areas for weekends away to get some money back into the local economies, and with the weather forecast to bring some relief to the heat, perhaps we can get a weekend away organised? Let me know if you have a good idea for something, perhaps in April (but not over Easter)?
As a final note of thanks, I am humbled by all the support from friends and family who voted the picture of Gidget climbing out of the sandpit in the Gobi desert in the Sports Car Digest Vintage Racing Car Photo of the year 2019 competition. Gerard Brown’s excellent photograph won first place!
And on that happy note, I’ll wish you all a fantastic February, and I look forward to seeing you soon; in the meantime, keep it safe, upright and on the blackstuff!
Pip pip,
Ashton
South Australia’s Lotus Torque for January, 2020
Our friends in South Australia get their 2020 under way with the latest edition of South Australia Lotus Torque covering January and looking forward to 2020, thanks to Andrew Stevens.
Ashton Roskill to Share Tales from the Peking to Paris Rally at HSRCA Social Evening
Our fearless President Ashton Roskill will share tales of adventure from his extraordinary run with Giles Cooper in the 2019 Peking to Paris Rally at the HSRCA’s upcoming social evening on Tuesday the 4th of February.
The event will be held at Denistone Sports Club (59 Chatham St West Ryde) on Tuesday the 4th of February. Ashton will share stories and vision from the journey, and ‘Gidget’, the Austin Healey 100/4 in which he and Giles tackled the rally, will be in attendance as well.
The talk itself will kick off from 7:30pm, but members get together from 6:00pm for a bite to eat, a drink and a catch-up. Guests and friends are most welcome.
We’d love to see you there!
Lotus Photos: The Inaugural Wakefield Park Meeting in 1994
These magic period photos are thanks to Peter Walker, who was present at the inaugural race meeting held at Wakefield Park back in 1994.
December 2019 Edition of Lotus Notes Available for Download
Cover photo by Simon Anderson Photography: Fire Red Lotus Exige 410 Sport with walnut pearl details.
The December 2019 edition of Victoria and Queensland’s Lotus & Clubman Notes is on the way to Lotus Club Victoria and Lotus Club Queensland members, and is available to download from the members’ page.
December 2019’s Lotus Notes features:
- Sunshine Coast run
- Targa High Country 2019
- LCQ Christmas Party & LCQ December 2019 Meeting
- LCV Christmas Party & Concours
- LCV Concours d’Elegance Winners 2019
- LCV Goldfields Weekend
And much more!
The magazine is kindly provided to Club Lotus Australia by Lotus Club Victoria and Lotus Club Queensland in its digital form, and will as such require you to be logged in to your members account. Download it from our ‘Members‘ page.
If you’re not a member yet, hit this link to find out more about the club and why you should become one! To learn more about Lotus Club Victoria, hit this link to their website and for Queensland head to lotusclubqueensland.com.
Ashton’s President’s Prattle for December, 2019
How did THAT happen? December has come roaring around again, and as usual caught me short. No Christmas decorations up yet despite the plethora of houses in the vicinity clearly getting into the spirit, a long to-do list of presents to buy and a hyperactive puppy waiting to destroy the tinsel…
On the upside, I’m managing to avoid the smoke of Sydney by being in Melbourne at the moment!
Last weekend we had the CLA Christmas Party and AGM. The AGM was dispatched fairly promptly and minutes will be circulated shortly. The essence is that you are lumped with me for another year, the committee has agreed to stand again (and my eternal thanks to them all for their continued great efforts), and we’re in a strong financial position.
Following the AGM, we tucked into the excellent picnic Tom had so kindly organised, and before we knew it it was home-time, having shared some lovely conversations.
My key objective for 2020 is to get some more social events organised. So, if anyone fancies hosting us in their shed or joining a run somewhere, let me have your ideas.
Next year promises to be fun on the motorsport front. After a successful couple of shakedown sessions with the Elite (at the Wakefield 25th and the HSRCA Summer Festival), I think we know what needs doing before Phillip Island in March. And with a following wind I’ll get the Eleven back all shiny and new.
Of course the Elan continues to be the most delightful weekend car (particularly now that I’ve sorted out the suspension and cured an oil leak or two!) and I really need to bring the Elise out of hibernation more often in 2020. And who knows, Gidget might get an airing once I cure the oil leak on the rear axle!
Right, better let Tom have this. May I take the chance to thank you all for another fun year, and to wish you all a wonderful, fun and family-filled Christmas, and a happy and successful New Year.
Until we meet in 2020, keep it safe, upright and (generally) on the black stuff.
Pip pip,
Ashton
A Drive in the Lotus Evora GT410 Sport IPS
Story and images thanks to Adam Davis
In this story, Adam Davis takes us for a drive from Zagame Lotus Melbourne through the Victorian countryside in the Lotus Evora GT410 Sport IPS.
We’re Invited to a Driver Training Day at HART
The MGCC Sydney, in conjunction with HART in St. Ives, Sydney, is holding a driver training day on Sunday the 23rd of February at Honda’s HART facility in St. Ives.