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Lotus Elan S1 at Laguna Seca, preparing for the 200
The Lotus Elan has, in the last few months, proven it's outstanding race winning ability to me in a string of giant slaying victories on the track. This report is a photographic recap of the little car's more recent exploits, and a celebration of it's achievements in racing.
The Elan spent most of its early days in my possession gathering dust in a corner of my garage. This probably had less to do with the car itself than with the unflattering pale blue paint covering it. It wasn't completely ignored, though. It debuted in the Lotus Classics series from where I had originally won it (with the goal of winning an Elan in a more agreeable hue), had a couple of token appearances in the Roadsters events, an easy win at the Nurburgring in the 1000 Miles! series, and even took on the big gun at the King George V Hard Special Conditions event sporting nothing but a stage 2 turbo. That was a long time ago and I can't remember if it won or lost. What was already apparent back then though was the baby Lotus's astonishing grip which allowed the car to make improbably quick progress around a tight and narrow circuit, though the standard gearing, which maxed at 114mph, was a big handicap on any circuit boasting a reasonable straight. The Elan's contribution to my progress through GT4 was, then, inconsequential. It would have stayed that way too, had it not been for my Prowler.
Someone, you see, had decided to smear metallic urine all over my prize Prowler, and since this rendered the American drift king unfit for photography I had no choice but to rerun the Roadster series and win a new one. So off went B-Spec Bob in a turbocharged MX5, battle was waged, and he returned triumphant with an iris-melting-yellow Prowler. This would not do. To get this job done properly, it was apparent that I would have to do it myself. So I went off in the Mazda to run the roadster series once again. The MX-5, however, was far too fast and after falling asleep waiting for the second placed car to cross the finish line in the first race, I realised that I really needed to make this more challenging. The Elan replaced the Mazda for the remaining races, and made the job even easier than the MX-5. I had forgotten just how well tied down this little car was. This time the prize Prowler was a far more pleasing shade of red, and this left me wanting for nothing but a Falken Mazda RX7 Infiniti racecar, which meant a tour of the Turbo Challenge circuit... for which the Elan, rather conveniently, was eligible. It had walked all over Elises and Speedsters in the Roadster Cup, but surely it couldn't beat the Turbos, could it?
Elan in action in the Turbo Challenge: Passing the RX-7 at Tokyo, battling with the Supra and then holding up its own sibling at Midfield. The Elan ran this series with all engine mods bar nitrous, and featured stage 3 weight reduction, a fully custom transmission and upgraded brakes. Suspension was standard. A-spec points were typically 135 to 140 but despite being significantly slower in a straight line than the other front runners the Lotus won all of these events comfortably. Even High Speed Ring.
The rest of the dull blue Elan's story has been well documented on these pages. In search of the car's true competitive limit, it entered the El Capitan 200 five times, recording three wins (most notably with only 129bhp), one second place, and one retirement.
It took on the A/C Cobra at the Nurburgring in the 1000 Miles! event, and won.
At the New York 200 it retired once, finished fifth once, and won twice.
The car entered the Laguna Seca 200 twice, finishing first and third.
Some Photographic Highlights
Images from New York. The Elan and Corvette's 16 lap long battle was finally resolved in the pits.
The Artificial Idiots congregate at Turn Two, New York, to discuss headache cures.
Elan finds time for some posing between events
Back to serious work: Testing at Laguna Seca and The Nurburgring
Light on its feet: Elan demonstrates why its tyre wear is so good
Images from New York. The Elan and Corvette's 16 lap long battle was finally resolved in the pits.
The Artificial Idiots congregate at Turn Two, New York, to discuss headache cures.
Elan finds time for some posing between events
Back to serious work: Testing at Laguna Seca and The Nurburgring
Light on its feet: Elan demonstrates why its tyre wear is so good
Last race for the Lotus and it finishes its career with an easy victory at the Nurburgring 4h on its only attempt. Despite facing up to the Lotus Elise 111R and Vauxhall VX220 Turbo, the Elan won this race so comfortably that the event was not deemed worth reporting. The AI in the second placed Elise made things even easier by proving incapable of keeping four wheels on the tarmac during its pit laps.
So what's left for the little track king? Now retired from front line racing while I concentrate on new projects, what lies in future for the Elan? It's been my weapon of choice for the last 3000 miles, and it's time for me to try new things, but that doesn't mean the Elan will gather dust. It's set standards, it's put the challenge to all its successors. Despite its high mileage, it will stand up and defend its honour against all comers. Comparisons with the VX220, Ginetta G4 and Alfa GTA await it. But perhaps the most significant threat to the Elan's crown will come from within its own camp. Many on this forum believe that the Europa is the better car. I believe that while the Europa is more fun to drive on its own, the Elan is the better racecar. This is a question that has to be answered. The Elan, though retired, will be ready, willing and able to provide an answer. The pensioner still has a busy life ahead of it.
Until then,
to the car that has taken on everything GT4 has thrown at it, and won!
Flying High Again: The Green Hell watched as the Lotus Elan conquered the younger legends
Lotus.
This all made me want to do a write up!
If I still have the replay saved I will watch it and see what speed I was managing. I believe it was either high 130s or low 140s. I doubt I would get within two seconds of my posted times with a DS2. The Elan works best when not sliding because it loses too much speed when it goes sideways and does not have the power to drive through that. Couple this with the sensitive nose and it really needs small steering inputs to get the most out of it. I just do not have the sensitivity required with the DS2.
But I am surprised at how well she did at Le Mans. That's one event I didn't bother trying, and I'd love to hear how you get on.
