This just in:

Simply Sports Cars‘ next Lotus Only Track Day is going to be held at Winton Raceway in Victoria on Saturday the 29th of October and entries are now open.

These are traditionally brilliant days and entry tends to fill up fast. Registrations are available now, so head to Simply Sports Cars’ website here to get your entry in.

The LOTD will include Drive, Sprint and Race sessions throughout the day. Drive sessions are relaxed runs for those who just want to get out on the track in their Lotus for fun. Sprint sessions run in a typical sprint format in which you race against the clock and full race sessions kick up the competition aspect a notch. Race sessions include practice, qualifying and three races.

The crew will get together for a social dinner on Friday night. The venue is still to be confirmed – stay tuned for further details.

If you’re interested in getting in some extra track time before the LOTD, Winton motor Raceway will be running a Test & Tune day on Friday the 28th. See their website here for more details.

Accommodation around the circuit tends to book up quickly, so lock that in promptly to make sure you’re sorted for the weekend.

Simply Sports Cars’ Lotus Only Track Days have proven thoroughly enjoyable so far, and a great opportunity for a social run in the Lotus. We look forward to a good Club Lotus Australia presence down in Victoria in a few months!

Catch up on the action at the previous Lotus Only Track Day in the link below:

LOTUS PHOTOS: JUNE 2016 SIMPLY SPORTS CARS LOTUS ONLY TRACK DAY

I know it’s a little while away, but it’s time to start thinking about Christmas!

Bombini have invited us back to their lovely venue following our successful Christmas Party there last year, so evidently we didn’t embarrass ourselves. For those not present last year, Bombini’s is on the mid-north coast near Avoca. Take a look at their website here.

This year the Christmas Party will be held on on Sunday the 4th of December. We will kick off with coffee from 10.30AM to allow everyone to catch up and chat for a little bit longer than last year.

As with last year we will enjoy a run north starting at the McDonalds in Hornsby at approx 8.30AM. Full details will be made available nearer the time. I hope our Newcastle friends in LOST might arrange a similar run south!

We will then have a similar sit down lunch format to last year, with a choice-of-three menu (to be confirmed, but taking account of non-meat eaters!) plus dessert.

Pricing is $60 per head for adults and $15 per head for children (12 and under). This includes coffee and biscotti on arrival.

As in previous years, CLA will be subsidising the cost of lunch to the tune of $25 for all members and their partners (children aren’t subsidised I’m afraid!) so net cost per adult CLA member and partner is $35 per head.

Please send me an email confirming your reservation and who is attending at ashton@clublotus.com.au and transfer the appropriate funds to the CLA account: BSB 633000 Account No 144279056 with the annotation Xmas [Your Initial Your Surname]

I’m going to ask everyone to remember that parking is at a premium, so please make sure we make best use of all the space available! By getting there earlier than last year, we may be able to “reserve” more of the available space.

We very much look forward to seeing you there.

Ashton

Catch up on last year’s event: LOTOS PHOTOS: CLUB LOTUS AUSTRALIA 2015 CHRISTMAS LUNCH

“August brings the fresh Spring showers, on and on for hours and hours”.. OK, so I pinched that from Flanders and Swan, and changed it to suit the Southern Hemisphere, but it still resonates as I’m spending too much time in cold and wet Melbourne!

And as a result I missed another monthly gathering, which I understand went well – even if Rory didn’t persuade any of you to buy Andy’s Eleven. This month we are off to Bruce’s shed, which is always a highlight of the year, particularly as it tends to fall close to the anniversary of my buying his Eleven (can you see an obsessive theme emerging here?) Please come along and keep us company on the 17th so Bruce doesn’t get bored to death by me.

By the time you read this the five or six (I lost count!) teams of Lotuses will know the results of the Philip Island 6 hour, so be ready to crown the conquering heroes on their return.

This month is about to get busy with all sorts of fun coming up. Tom’s Lotus Lunch is this coming weekend (I have to try to persuade Mrs R to drive me there in the Elan/Elise – you should come just for the giggles :)). Then there’s the Morgan round of the CSCA sprints on 13th, with the Shannons CMC Classic the following day where, God willing, we might have two Elevens side by side. A fortnight later is the glorious All British Day, with our biannual Concours d’Elegance.

Plans are afoot for a trip to the magnificent Gosford Motor Museum sometime in September or possibly early October. Watch this space.

And talking of road trips, who’s coming to the Cootamundra Sprints on 3-4 September? What better way to celebrate Fathers Day?

Also in September are two CLA institutions – our AGM on Wednesday the 21st – nomination forms on the members’ page – please do think about joining the fun of the Committee – I promise we don’t bite. We are welcoming Greg Cliffe as our new Treasurer and saying a huge thank you to Kris so please come along to join me in saying my thank you’s to them and all your committee.

The following weekend (25th) is Eggs Benedict, in sad but joyful (if that’s not an oxymoron) memory of Maurice, and we will also be running the second annual Round the Buckets. Anne is looking out for some fun roads for you to try en route there or home.

I think that’s possibly enough diary management, and as I really can’t bear to pass comment on the aftermath of Brexit and Boris Johnson as Foreign Minister, the recent horrifying evidence of home-grown torture, or the looming possibility of the lunatic fringe running the worlds largest nuclear arsenal (with another nutter with his hand on the other button), I shall leave it at that.

I look forward to seeing some more of all of you over the coming months as I re-organise my diary to be more Lotus friendly.

In the meantime drive safely, keep it upright, pointing the right way, and on the black stuff,

Pip pip,
Ashton

PS here’s a picture of my engine which, by the time you read this, will be in the car 🙂 There, my final mention of an Eleven…

The Shannons Sydney Classic is coming up on Sunday the 14th of August, and Evan still has tickets available for Club members.

The event will be held at Sydney Motorsport Park and feature nearly 2000 veteran and classic vehicles from more than 150 clubs. Cars, bikes, scooters, military vehicles police vehicles, ambulances and fire engines will take part in the display and parades.

Other entertainment will include double-decker bus rides around the circuit, trade displays in the pit garages, live music, the Free Spirit Markets, Rock ‘n Roll dancing and an art show.

Entry for those displaying their cars is free.

Gates open to the public at 10AM and general admission is $20. Admission for kids under 12 is free, and so is parking.

To get in contact with Evan for a ticket, please send me an email here.

For more information head to the Council of Motor Cars website here.