CLNZ Taupo Sprints Nov 2005
Discussion
WOW... what a weekend... thanks for the company guys... this rates as one of the most fun weekends of my life... the car ran FAULTLESSLY all weekend (apart from having picked up a rattle, think it's a stone in the rear diffuser) and managed to give me a LOT of smiles while doing it. I've just given her a wash (must have been KGs of squished bugs on there) and tucked her back into the garage.
Thanks to Mark, Dean, Rhys and Richard for the company on the drive down and my condolances to Dean who must have had a simply dreadful weekend from Meremere onwards
Best of luck with getting it sorted mate.
I got a bunch of photos and wll sort them out and host them by the end of the week.
The track day itself was (as always) wonderfully organised and run and I'll be getting Ken and Geoff a bottle of wine each again for their troubles, their work was very much appreciated.
Would have LOVED to have seen Dean's car run there as I'd have thought that he'd have walked away with the fastest car of the day with no troubles... given that his car is similarly specced to mine but with double the power! Last race of the day when I actually had someone to chase (James's Exige) I managed to knock almost 0.4s off my previous best time, consistently, for 3 laps! Was absolutely amazed. Hope James didn't mind too much not being able to shake me in his old car
Fantastic day and looking so very forward to Jan 5th at pukekohe.... although I'm sure I won't be quite so far up the timesheets next time because my lack of power will show up bigtime!
Thanks to Mark, Dean, Rhys and Richard for the company on the drive down and my condolances to Dean who must have had a simply dreadful weekend from Meremere onwards
Best of luck with getting it sorted mate. I got a bunch of photos and wll sort them out and host them by the end of the week.
The track day itself was (as always) wonderfully organised and run and I'll be getting Ken and Geoff a bottle of wine each again for their troubles, their work was very much appreciated.
Would have LOVED to have seen Dean's car run there as I'd have thought that he'd have walked away with the fastest car of the day with no troubles... given that his car is similarly specced to mine but with double the power! Last race of the day when I actually had someone to chase (James's Exige) I managed to knock almost 0.4s off my previous best time, consistently, for 3 laps! Was absolutely amazed. Hope James didn't mind too much not being able to shake me in his old car
Fantastic day and looking so very forward to Jan 5th at pukekohe.... although I'm sure I won't be quite so far up the timesheets next time because my lack of power will show up bigtime!
I second all of that!!
A superb day in great company. The trip down was a blast - we must have looked like the English version of The Italian Job, with 4 different coloured Elises in a row! Ups to Kelly on the navigating too. Next time I want to stop at the dam for some photography though!
The event was well organised, and those responsible obviously put in a major effort to pull it all together as well as they did. Thanks. It was great to meet everyone in RL too.
Taupo itself was fun - people are SO genuinely friendly when you get out of Auckland. The Irish pub we picked was like a flashback to the 80's - complete with music by Europe and boppers singing along What a hoot. I did feel decidedly seedy in the morning though...
My first time at Taupo - a great track for an Elise with lots of opportunity for slippy-slidey cornering at reasonable speed. Clean too - even with a trip to Taupo and back, my car wasn't as dirty or chipped as it is after an open day at Puke.
George - that Larini sounds great. I can't wait for Andy to get his fitted so I can hear it on a 111R.
Dean - no more excuses - get the gremlins out by the 5th!
A superb day in great company. The trip down was a blast - we must have looked like the English version of The Italian Job, with 4 different coloured Elises in a row! Ups to Kelly on the navigating too. Next time I want to stop at the dam for some photography though!
The event was well organised, and those responsible obviously put in a major effort to pull it all together as well as they did. Thanks. It was great to meet everyone in RL too.
Taupo itself was fun - people are SO genuinely friendly when you get out of Auckland. The Irish pub we picked was like a flashback to the 80's - complete with music by Europe and boppers singing along What a hoot. I did feel decidedly seedy in the morning though...
My first time at Taupo - a great track for an Elise with lots of opportunity for slippy-slidey cornering at reasonable speed. Clean too - even with a trip to Taupo and back, my car wasn't as dirty or chipped as it is after an open day at Puke.
George - that Larini sounds great. I can't wait for Andy to get his fitted so I can hear it on a 111R.
Dean - no more excuses - get the gremlins out by the 5th!
In case anyone didn't see it, the time sheets are posted here : www.clublotus.org.nz/uploads/SHEETALL.doc
I was happy to find that I managed to beat Yat Ming (just)... and wasn't that much slower than James.... I'm WELL pleased!
I'm hoping to improve on those times at my next outing there
I was happy to find that I managed to beat Yat Ming (just)... and wasn't that much slower than James.... I'm WELL pleased!
I'm hoping to improve on those times at my next outing there Little beauty! But if you keep showing off like that, well just have to throw you in the bushes to keep you down to earth "literally" 
I wouldn't mind having a blast around Taupo in an elise. Would be much more fun than lumbering around in an Esprit any day...? And I bet I could knock a good three secs off my time too.
I wouldn't mind having a blast around Taupo in an elise. Would be much more fun than lumbering around in an Esprit any day...? And I bet I could knock a good three secs off my time too.
Hehe.... well I don't mean to show off, but keeping a near-standard S1 in the same league as an Exige is something that I can't help but be proud of. I was also well impressed with Andy (drac) and Richard (photochromatic) in their 111Rs…. They both improved immensely throughout the day… if there'd been another few sessions to let them dial into the track further, I've no doubt that both of them would have been faster than me!
But yes, the track is MADE for Elises. Tony in the yellow Turbo was the only Esprit there (which was sad) and he was managing consistant times in the low 50.xx bracket… which is pretty good considering the car. Mine just seemed to just relish the conditions… My girlfriend complained that I was by far the noisiest car there… not only was my exhaust rather loud, but every time the car got near a corner she protested that there was massive amounts of tyre squeal…. Which fitted well with what I could hear in the car…. The car was certainly moving about a bit on the track, but it seemed to be sitting pretty neutral the whole time.
But yes, the track is MADE for Elises. Tony in the yellow Turbo was the only Esprit there (which was sad) and he was managing consistant times in the low 50.xx bracket… which is pretty good considering the car. Mine just seemed to just relish the conditions… My girlfriend complained that I was by far the noisiest car there… not only was my exhaust rather loud, but every time the car got near a corner she protested that there was massive amounts of tyre squeal…. Which fitted well with what I could hear in the car…. The car was certainly moving about a bit on the track, but it seemed to be sitting pretty neutral the whole time.
kylie said:
I wouldn't mind having a blast around Taupo in an elise. Would be much more fun than lumbering around in an Esprit any day...? And I bet I could knock a good three secs off my time too.
There's the "fun day" trackday at Taupo early next year. I'll probably be bringing my Elise along... you never know, might even let you give it a punt around the track a few times
Esprit said:
I wouldn't mind having a blast around Taupo in an elise. Would be much more fun than lumbering around in an Esprit any day...? And I bet I could knock a good three secs off my time too.
There's the "fun day" trackday at Taupo early next year. I'll probably be bringing my Elise along... you never know, might even let you give it a punt around the track a few times
I will see what I am up to nearer the time.
Don't worry I'm working on getting the Londa back in action.....but I have to say I hate electrical stuff drives me nuts !
As for the times....nice work George, I'm sure James was getting nervous seeing the silver bullet coming...
And a bit of mention for the black beauty Honda style - the wee Civic got around a in a 52 seconds flat !!! so not bad for a 1.5 litre shopping trolley.......;-) Ok back to gremlin finding.
As for the times....nice work George, I'm sure James was getting nervous seeing the silver bullet coming...
And a bit of mention for the black beauty Honda style - the wee Civic got around a in a 52 seconds flat !!! so not bad for a 1.5 litre shopping trolley.......;-) Ok back to gremlin finding.
Roger A said:
Ah yes, but maybe it was a cunning ruse to slow him down by swelling his head and thus increasing drag!
Hahahaha Mr Cuppatea meet Mr Keyboard
Heheh fantastic
But yeah Dean, you've got to get Londa going again... need someone to beat me resoudingly and put me in my place
I'm off back to Taupo next friday with some of the Honda boys..... Hopefully with Richard in tow.... between the two of us we should be able to stick somewhere near most of the faster group... although there are a few heavily modded Hondas turning up that'll probably show me a clean pair of heels!
Esprit said:
I'm off back to Taupo next friday with some of the Honda boys..... Hopefully with Richard in tow.... between the two of us we should be able to stick somewhere near most of the faster group... although there are a few heavily modded Hondas turning up that'll probably show me a clean pair of heels!
Any luck at all and I'll make that. I will have to put in some hours to get another clear Friday so soon...
I hope to have camber sorted out by then - the 111R really understeers compared to my standard S2, but a contact of Dean's in the UK has given me some settings to try out. You never know - the magic disk might arrive at Ken's by then too.
...Must....crack...47s....
Heheh you better make it Richard... we're all booked in and I don't fancy being the only Lotus there amongst a sea of Hondas!
Fingers crossed you can be there guv Might even stay down there as well so we can go out on the Turps on friday night and sample some more of that fine taupo hospitality *snigger*
But yeah hopefully you can get a better turn-in sorted... I can always go on a familiarisation lap with you (if they run one) in your car and show you the lines I was taking so you can give them a whirl.... mind you, with the S1 being so oversteery I doubt the same would work for yours as for mine... I'd say with some better turn-in and a bit more practice you'll be doing flat 47s in almost no time... I'm gonna get myself a decent tyre gauge (or just borrow yours) and hopefully have a bit of a tinker depending on track temperature so that I can fine tune mine a bit better to stop the tyres going off on the later laps
Fingers crossed you can be there guv
Might even stay down there as well so we can go out on the Turps on friday night and sample some more of that fine taupo hospitality *snigger* But yeah hopefully you can get a better turn-in sorted... I can always go on a familiarisation lap with you (if they run one) in your car and show you the lines I was taking so you can give them a whirl.... mind you, with the S1 being so oversteery I doubt the same would work for yours as for mine... I'd say with some better turn-in and a bit more practice you'll be doing flat 47s in almost no time... I'm gonna get myself a decent tyre gauge (or just borrow yours) and hopefully have a bit of a tinker depending on track temperature so that I can fine tune mine a bit better to stop the tyres going off on the later laps
There was no overtaking unless waved by on the main straight... it was sprints so theoretically noone should be catching anyone else
HEhe yeah... nothing wrong with being a little competitive... much :P
Hehe yeah Hotus doesn't sound too good.....besides, "Londa" almost sounds like a real name :P
HEhe yeah... nothing wrong with being a little competitive... much :P
Hehe yeah Hotus doesn't sound too good.....besides, "Londa" almost sounds like a real name :P
Photochromatic said:
Some photos of the day are at:
www.erudite.gen.nz/taupo/
-Photo
Great pics, the owner of the yellow stevens esprit, wheres he from? Good to see I am faster than him
I am doing a George....? 
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