Jump to content

litp.jpg

Lotus in the Peak
28th - 30th June 2024
  • Welcome to Midlands Lotus Owners Club (MLOC)

    Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to contribute to this site by submitting your own content or replying to existing content. You'll be able to customize your profile, receive reputation points as a reward for submitting content, while also communicating with other members via your own private inbox, plus much more!

    This message will be removed once you have signed in.

Mark H
Mark H

Lotus Cup Uk Brands Hatch Race Report

Round 6 of the 2011 Lotus Cup UK held at Brands Hatch on 2-4 September 2011.

 

Introduction

 

 

 

 

A last-minute addition to the calendar, the DTM-supporting round was a non-points scoring race, so all of the drivers will be out for victory. Steve Williams looks to be favourite but Chris Setters was quick on the GP loop in July and Jamie Stanley decided to race shortly before the meeting.

 

Practice & Qualifying

 

Steve Williams was immediately quick in practice and Matt Cherrington continued to show the speed that he had demonstrated at Donington. Meanwhile Marcus Jewell was finding more speed in his 2-Eleven, with Mark Gooday also enjoying himself.

 

Stuart Plotnek was having a good afternoon in lieu of Ken Savage in the Production class. However it was Tom Bradshaw that was impressing in fifth.

 

Williams carried his good practice form into qualifying and Jewell performed similarly too. Problems for the Cherrington/Cassidy Europa did nothing to help their cause, whilst Stanley and Sherwood held third from Gooday, McNeily/Chong and the Setters pairing. A revitalised Jewell was trying hard to take pole, falling short by just three hundredths, whilst Chong pulled in with a very smoky right rear wheel, ending his session.

 

Tom Bradshaw was continuing his giant-killing exploits in eighth, nearly a second quicker than Vase, whilst Savage didn't appear to have the speed in this session. John LaMaster and David Hay then took second in class but they were eight tenths away from their benchmark.

 

Behind Williams and Jewell on the grid, Stanley/Sherwood and McNeily/Chong were set for row two, with Gooday, Setters/Setters, Cassidy/Cherrington, Harvey, Livsey/Bradshaw and David Seear completing the top ten.

 

Race

 

On a damp track Williams and Jewell fought a private battle from the start, with Gooday taking third, Seear fourth and Sherwood/Stanley fifth. Problems for Cherrington and Cassidy early on ruined their day, whilst Livsey spun at Druids, dropping him back to twentieth. Behind the Setters and Harvey, Savage was the top Production car, from Carr and Vase.

 

Jewell and Williams ran two-abreast through Paddock Hill and with the inside line, Jewell claimed the lead, and while he looked to be pulling away, a spin at Paddock Hill next time round lost him vital seconds. By lap ten they were lapping the backmarkers and Jewell was closing the gap.

 

Savage's loss of form continued as he relinquished the lead in Production to Carr and Vase, whilst Plant, LaMaster/Hay and Plotnek tracked them closely.

 

As the race progressed, Jewell was rapidly finding himself unable to keep with Williams' pace and the gap opened out. In fact, Williams had lapped everyone up to third-placed Gooday as the pit window opened. Sherwood was one the first in, as was Livsey, Seear, Gooday and Vase, after a brief spin.

 

Williams pitted with half the race completed and rejoined in ninth place. Jewell waited until there were twenty-three minutes to go and Williams fought to regain the two-lap deficit. Just as Williams was crossing the line to take the lead, Jewell's stop was completed but he had an agonising drive through the pitlane at reduced speed, the gap now opened up to fifteen seconds.

 

Meanwhile Jamie Stanley was making the difference in the GWS Exige, passing David Seear and on the hunt for the Setters, Chris now in the car and lapping at a rapid pace. The Production fight was between Plotnek, Carr and Savage, the latter performing a robust pass, losing Carr time.

 

Jewell could make no impact in the final laps and the focus was on Chris Setters, chasing after Stuart Malt and although it was academic – the Production driver had yet to stop – he still had to keep a similarly charging Stanley at bay. However Gooday was lapping at a fine pace too and wasn't prepared to give up easily.

 

Malt finally got the black flag with three minutes remaining, whilst Stanley's pace was dropping relative to Gooday. This left the Setters on the final step of the podium, from Williams and Jewell. Seear took sixth, with Plotnek the Production winner in seventh, from Harvey, Stothert and Savage.

 

Conclusion

 

Williams finally breaks his Lotus Cup UK duck but the surprise was the pace of Jewell, finally at one with his car. Great performances from the Setters and Gooday were also highlights, with the Exige Cup class another win for Sherwood and Stanley and Production going the way of Plotnek.

 

The next round of Lotus Cup UK is at Spa at the end of September, but some of the drivers will be taking part in Lotus Cup Europe at Zolder in two weeks' time.

User Feedback

Recommended Comments

There are no comments to display.



Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Servicing.....self or garage? Which are you?

    So, I did a Forum 'service' and 'servicing' search, but couldn't find much about the topic specifically. So thought Id kick one off instead. Servicing. Self or Garage? Lotus are renowned for the servicing required. Lots of specialists out there, and it does come at a premium. But... Changing things like oil, filters, brake/clutch fluids etc, are pretty much the same on a Lotus as on most other combustion engines. The Lotus Service Guides have the full list of things to cover too,

    Dave-hp
    Dave-hp
    Technical Talk 19

    Sporting Bears 🐻

    Hi, is anyone a member of sporting bears, I am thinking of joining but just wanted to see if anyone knows if you require any change in insurance policy?   Thanks.   Luke

    Luke Seagrave
    Luke Seagrave
    General Talk 5

    S1 Type 49 Elise Refresh

    And so the winter refresh of my S1 Elise started today. Hoping to take front clam of tomorrow. However of the 4 lower bolts that hold the lower rear to the chassis, 2 are spinning and 2 won't budge despite copious amounts of penetrative oil over the last few months. The Eagle eyed will spot my Dremel tool which I'm not looking forward to using to remove 4 bolt heads that have limited access. Currently on my list are replacing the driving lights brackets, shot blast and paint the tow post, n

    Badger02
    Badger02
    Technical Talk 182

    S2 driver side indicator fail

    Hello all, just out curiosity has anybody else experienced either one of there front side indicators taking flight mid drive ? I was driving back from Whitchurch yesterday and mine decided to do exactly that.  haven’t hit any pot holes, nor had I previously loosened it off around the seals etc…. Just very bizarre as I’ve never had a car like this where bits and pieces just fly off lol.  also when getting a replacement as I have now ordered are there any ‘upgrades’ you can do to prevent this

    Mik127
    Mik127
    Technical Talk 2

    Handbrake covers....whats yours look like?

    Ok, so my 2006 S2 has no handbrake cover. Looks like that's how most come out of the factory. Gear shift has the standard perforated leather. Im looking at the option of getting a HB cover, preferably to match the gear leaver cover, looking to keep it as OEM as possible.  What have other owners done with their handbrakes? Aftermarket to match? Or a set to swap out for a new look? Nearly all I have seen go over the top and outside. Any neat ones that tuck inside the HB slot? Show u

    Dave-hp
    Dave-hp
    General Talk
  • MLOC classifieds

  • MLOC garage

  • Member Statistics

    4,211
    Total Members
    1,800
    Most Online
    Craig O
    Newest Member
    Craig O
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Terms of Use