Last Updated on October 4, 2010 by GrahamWalsh
After purchasing my elise back in 2000, I only washed it during the first two years of ownership. then the car was written off by an uninsured driver and I got myself a sensible car. Eighteen months later, I bought the car back fully repaired. I then decided to learn how to drive it better and took it on a training day with www.carlimits.com. I then booked my first track day a few months later and I was hooked.
Two years later and about fifty track days under my belt with www.lotus-on-track.com, we were sitting in the pub winding down after a day at Silverstone and a few of us were thinking that we needed extreme track days. Paul Golding (mastermind behind www.seloc.org and lotus on track) said we may as well start our own race series. A year of planning with about fifteen members of the team and Sunday 24th March saw the first ever Lotus on Track Elise Trophy race at Brands Hatch. We had a grid full of thirty two Elises. What a day.
The season went from strength to strength throughout 2007 gaining small amounts of press and we even had Martin Donnelly as a guest on the grid. The highlight of the season finishing off with 57 cars racing at Brands Hatch split over two races. Other highlights included being part of the DTM touring cars bill with just a weeks notice to fill a grid which we managed without issues.
In my first year of racing, it was an amazing buzz. being on the grid, surrounded by other elises and like minded people, it just doesn’t get any better. As my budget didn’t exist, I drove to and from all the races and I plan the same for the 2008 season. One of the drivers, Hans Baumhardt decided to set up a dedicated web site for all those that can’t be arsed racing and I am one of the members – www.cbaracing.co.uk.
Onwards and upwards, for 2008 we have trimmed down the committee and there are now eight of us key to helping run the series, with Paul taking the lead. For more info, see www.elisetrophy.com.
My driver reports from each round can be found on the Elise Trophy site.
Before racing the Elise, it has been all over europe and on many track days. more details here.