Lotus on Track - is anyone welcome?
Lotus on Track - is anyone welcome?
Author
Discussion

aww999

Original Poster:

2,078 posts

285 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
Might be a daft question (most of mine seem to be . . .) but I was wondering if you have to be a Lotus owner to get on the LoT days? I'd like to go to their day at Bedford on 7th November, but I do not have a Lotus.

Assuming the answer is "of course you can go along you numpty", can anyone comment on what their days are like? My first and only trackday was with goldtrack and I found it excellent, everyone very civilised and well behaved with lots of space on track. The lotus day is half the price though, does that mean there will twice as many cars and half as much track time?


Raify

6,556 posts

272 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
I believe the general rule is "lightweight sports cars welcome"

eg Mx5's, Caterfields.

I've been a member for a while with a MX5. The best driving standards of any track day I've ever encountered, by a mile.

aww999

Original Poster:

2,078 posts

285 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
Thanks for the response, booking it right now smile

JoePublic

220 posts

200 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
I have to say, perhaps not surprisingly, a lot of people on the LOT event I went to seemed to know each other and it did come across a tad cliquey as a result. Well organised event and a well behaved bunch though.

Stephanie Plum

2,797 posts

235 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
LOT are often cheaper as they are non profit making. They will allow other cars as said above, or if you are a regular and want to take another car along because of a mechanical issue with the Lotus for example, but there are certain cars that will never get in, even with someone they know. Radicals would be an example.

Herman Toothrot

6,702 posts

222 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
I've not paid much attention but when people have posted pics from LOT days there do appear to be a lot of car on track at once though?

Is it not frustrating having all very similarly performing cars on track together? I'd have thought you may end up being part of a big train as no one would be obviously quicker than anyone else as you can't go out braking each other or pushing people hard through bends to make ground?

theturbs

949 posts

260 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all

There are no more cars on an LoT day than on any other TDO's days at a given circuit, because of the circuit's safety limit. I don't know if the likes of Goldtrack or RMA limit the numbers even further on their days. I attended a Goldtrack day at Silverstone earlier this year and it didn't strike me as being any different to when I have been to Silverstone with LoT.

Naturally the cars on LoT days are similar to one another, however "trains" are relatively rare because the driving standards and etiquette are generally pretty good (i.e. even if the driver behind is only marginally quicker, it is likely that the slower driver will recognise this and let the quicker driver past).

All IME of course. To the OP - hope you have booked a place and that you have a good one.

alicrozier

562 posts

261 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
Herman Toothrot said:
Is it not frustrating having all very similarly performing cars on track together? I'd have thought you may end up being part of a big train as no one would be obviously quicker than anyone else as you can't go out braking each other or pushing people hard through bends to make ground?
Actually a massive difference in performance, even 'standard' cars can vary from 120 to 260bhp...driver ability also makes a huge difference (probably more so than other car types).

Never been a problem for me though, etiquette usually excellent.

Herman Toothrot

6,702 posts

222 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
alicrozier said:
Herman Toothrot said:
Is it not frustrating having all very similarly performing cars on track together? I'd have thought you may end up being part of a big train as no one would be obviously quicker than anyone else as you can't go out braking each other or pushing people hard through bends to make ground?
Actually a massive difference in performance, even 'standard' cars can vary from 120 to 260bhp...driver ability also makes a huge difference (probably more so than other car types).

Never been a problem for me though, etiquette usually excellent.
Are there that many Exige Cups about? smile

Most will be Elises I'd have thought, 120 - 160bhp and quite comparable?

I'll have to give a day a go, I'd not realized cars un-related to Lotus were allowed. It says on the website that 2 seater sports cars that are road legal are allowed, but then it says that they don't want people who are just after a cheap track day which I find odd - thats the main attraction, no?. I assumed stuff like VX220's which basically are Lotus are allowed / welcomed. Not thought things like my MX5 would be welcome though. I guess I'd be more welcome turning up in the vx220 than the MX5?

ian964

534 posts

276 months

Friday 16th October 2009
quotequote all
I've been on a couple of LoT days with my Porsche 964, most recently Silverstone yesterday. They're well-organised, driving etiquette seems to be better than most other TDOs and people are friendly. There is a surprising spread of performance, and some very quick cars/drivers - one guy I was with has an Exige with Honda S/C power, putting out about 330bhp at the flywheel, very quick.

Other than the Lotus's (inc. VX220s, Caterhams, Elise/Exige racers), there were a number of Porsches (inc. 3 996 GT3 RS), at least one MX5, a couple of Ferraris and a BMW M3.

Edited by ian964 on Friday 16th October 23:59

Raify

6,556 posts

272 months

Saturday 17th October 2009
quotequote all
Herman Toothrot said:
Are there that many Exige Cups about? smile

Most will be Elises I'd have thought, 120 - 160bhp and quite comparable?
'Normal' Elises are 118 - 190bhp, but there are plenty around with Honda and Audi engines, making anything up to 300bhp+

Elderly

3,684 posts

262 months

Saturday 17th October 2009
quotequote all
A couple of years ago, as a non-Lotus owner I wondered the same thing; so I emailed L-o-T attaching a photo of my non-Lotus car
and asked them the question directly.

Even though most of the cars appear similar (to a non-Lotus owner wink)there is a wide spread of speed (cars and/or drivers) around the circuit.
Etiquette on the day is usually excellent (the only exception to this I have experienced, was at Silverstone two days ago).