Registration Open for Lotus Club May 16th Thunderhill West Track Day

Come join the Golden Gate Lotus Club for an open track event at Thunderhill Raceway Park on Thursday, May 16, 2019. We will be running the 2-mile Thunderhill West track in the standard counter-clockwise direction.  All types of cars are welcome at our events.

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Price is $165 for members and $185 for non-members.  You can become a GGLC member for $25 when you register and take the member discount immediately. If you are a Lotus owner registered for the West Coast Lotus Meet, you can take an additional $15 discount when you register.  

Lunch will be provided from the Thunderhill Grill for all registered drivers. 

This event will be divided into 3 run groups running every 20 minutes. You will sign up for Novice, Intermediate, or Advanced, depending on your skill level and your experience. Advanced Group is for experienced drivers with 15+ track days/racing experience or equivalent. Intermediate Group is for drivers with a minimum of 7 track days experience, and Novice Group will be for drivers with at least 1 track day of prior experience.  Sign-up for whichever group is appropriate for your experience level. If you sign up for a particular group and decide at the track that you are not comfortable, then ask a GGLC official to switch groups.  We can usually accommodate this.  Open wheeled cars will be allowed only in the Advanced Group.

We have a limited number of openings for Beginner drivers (zero days experience) who will receive 1-on-1 coaching from an experienced driver. Beginner drivers will run in the Novice Group.

Be aware that Thunderhill has a sound limit of 104dB and that limit will be enforced.  

Because the West Coast Lotus Meet is being held in conjunction with this open track event, run groups could fill up quickly, so sign up early to ensure you get a spot.

Within a few days of registering, you will receive a confirmation email with some event details.  Read this email.  If you do not receive a confirmation email, check your SPAM folder.

See you at the track.


The 2019 West Coast Lotus Meet is a Go!

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The dates are set! The hotel is set! We just need to add a group of rabid Lotus enthusiasts!

The 2019 West Coast Lotus Meet (WCLM) is set for the scenic Sierra Nevada foothill and California Gold Country just east of California’s State Capital, Sacramento California.

The 2019 WCLM will be hosted by the members of the Sacramento Chapter of the Golden Gate Lotus Club. They are excited to invite the members of the GGLC, Lotus Club of Southern California, San Diego Lotus Club as well as the Evergreen Lotus Car Club, Lotus Owners of Phoenix, Lotus Colorado, Southern Nevada Lotus Club, Club Lotus Northwest and the Lotus Car Club of British Columbia and Lotus Enthusiasts from every corner of the globe.

Lotus everywhere

The WCLM will be five days of total Lotus celebration starting Wednesday, May 15 and ending Sunday, May 19.

2019 WCLM Chair, Mike Tatro, “The GGLC-Sacramento is excited to host the 2019 West Coast Lotus Meet to welcome Lotus enthusiasts from across the globe to celebrate everything that is special about Lotus.”

“Our 2019 WCLM Committee has planned a fantastic series of events that include a WCLM Casual Concours, amazing scenic drives in the California Gold Country, the WCLM Banquet, the WCLM Autocross, an optional Lotus track day at the Thunderhill Raceway. In addition, there will be great awards, dinners and more!”

For more info please visit the WCLM website. You can also get regular updates on the WCLM Facebook Page.

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2017 British Racing Group West Coast Lotus Meet Registration is now open

The 2017 British Racing Group West Coast Lotus Meet registration is now open!

We are dedicating our amazing 4 days of Lotusing to the memory of Roger Becker.

The 2017 British Racing Group WCLM will be headquartered at boutique Hotel Corque in quaint Solvang, California. Discounted rates have been negotiated for WCLM attendees. Each room includes private parking and nearby trailer parking is available as well.

For the latest news and updates about the 2017 British Racing Group West Coast Lotus Meet please visit our website at http://www.westcoastlotusmeet.com or our facepook page.

Registration
Registration 2017 Lotus Garage West Coast Lotus Meet is now open! Register today and take advantage of the discounted Early Bird fees.

Registration is per person and gives access to all WCLM events except the optional track day. This includes the opening reception, lunches, group drives, autocross, funkana, main banquet, wine tasting reception, museum fees, etc… The WCLM registration fee does not include hotel. All attendees are responsible for booking their own accommodations. The Hotel Corque, Solvang, California is the official headquarters for the 2017 WCLM and we have negotiated attractive room rates for attendees.

Click here to register via MotorsportReg

Discounted Registration fee for Lotus club members – GGLC, LCOSC, CLNW, ELCC, SNLCC, LOCO, LOOP, LCCBC, Lotus Ltd, etc. Register by June 21 for the Early-Bird discount.

BRG-WCLM Sponsors
The 2017 BRG-WCLM would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. These include:

Last minute WCLM updates including registration and trailer parking

The 2014 WCLM starts in less than 48 hours and we are all set to have a fantastic event. The following are some last minute updates that should come in handy.

Spectacular Weather
The weather gods have cooperated and we will have fantastic weather at the 2014 WCLM. Highs are forecast to be in the mid-70s with lows in the low 40s. This means that while the daytime events will have great driving weather it will be on the chilly side at night. Folks should bring sufficient layers especially on the way back from the main banquet on Saturday.

Registration
Registration will start at 5pm on Thursday in the Ridge Tahoe reception building. This is also the location for the opening reception and dinner which starts at 6pm. If you arrive late and miss the reception, you will be able to pick up your registration packets at the drive start location on Friday morning. You can see more details of the full event schedule at http://westcoastlotusmeet.com/2014/#events.

Trailer Parking
Folks who are bringing trailers should note that trailer parking is not at the main hotel parking lot. It is instead at the Galaxy lot (218 Galaxy Ln, Stateline, NV 89449) which is one block from the hotel and has ample space to maneuver trailers. You can also find it on Google Maps (https://goo.gl/maps/mx95Z). The area around the hotel is quite steep and not the easiest to walk – we recommend that you unload the trailer at the lot and then drive your Lotus to the hotel.

Car Wash Hose
We have arranged for a car wash hose to be available on-site at the HQ hotel. The exact location will be given to you at the time of registration.

Volunteers
We are still looking for a few volunteers to help with the concours and the autocross – if you’d like to help please let us know when you sign in at registration.

Caravans to WCLM
Caravans to WCLM are being organized from both the SF Bay Area and Sacramento. Head over to BritishSpeed (http://www.britishspeed.com/forum/showthread.php?7940) or LotusTalk (http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f203/caravan-2014-wclm-east-bay-october-2-a-257850/) to coordinate with other folks in your area. You can also post your caravan plans at the WCLM Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/WestCoastLotusMeet).

Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti signing Andretti Winery bottles for WCLM
Winners prizes for the WCLM will include autographed bottles on Andretti winery wine (https://www.flickr.com/photos/rnair/15222122478/), this should help ratchet up the competition level.

King Fire
With rain and light snow over the weekend the King Fire is now at 94% containment and intensity is much lower. The air quality in Tahoe has already improved and we do not expect it to have any effect on the WCLM.

Those are all the updates we have for the moment. Have a safe journey to WCLM and I look forward to meeting you all in person.

Regards
Rahul Nair
Chair, 2014 West Coast Lotus Meet

WCLM Update #3 and Call for Volunteers

We are very close to start of the 2014 West Coast Lotus Meet and I hope you are all as excited as I am to hang out with over a hundred other Lotus fans. The following are some quick updates:

New Funkhana Event
I am happy to announce that we have added a new Funkhana event at 3pm on Friday at the Heavenly Parking Lot in front of the HQ hotel. Funkhanas are low-speed, light-hearted competitions that are a test of dexterity and patience. Each team, composed of a driver and passenger, must complete tasks — often centered around a theme — that involve car handling, teamwork and especially a sense of humor. You might be parking blindfolded, playing ring toss with a fan belt, or trying a soccer penalty kick. Teams are graded by a combination of time, accuracy, and points. By including an element of luck, everyone has a good chance of winning. . . or screwing up.

Event Prizes and Raffles
We can now confirm that we will be giving away Mario Andretti autographed wine bottles as our official prizes for the WCLM competitions. In addition our sponsors have generously contributed several choice items to be raffled off during the event.

Autocross Moved to Minden Tahoe Airport
The WCLM Autocross has now been moved to the Minden Tahoe Airport where the sheriffs department is closing down 1 mile of road for us to conduct our event. Its a pretty good bet that we’ll have a few high speed straights at the event.

Call for Volunteers
As you may know the West Coast Lotus Meet is run entirely by volunteers. We are looking for a few more volunteers to help during the event itself. We are specifically looking for folks to help out during the registration, Funkhana, Autocross and Concours. We are also looking for a few folks to help with official event photography. If you’d like to volunteer to help during the WCLM please contact me at rahulnair”at”gglotus.org.

Caravans to WCLM
Caravans to WCLM are being organized from both the SF Bay Area and Sacramento. Head over toBritishSpeed or LotusTalk to coordinate with other folks in your area. You can also post your caravan plans at the WCLM Facebook Page.

Stop by Dave Bean Engineering
WCLM sponsor Dave Bean Engineering invites WCLM attendees to visit on their way to, from or during WCLM. They will be maintaining normal weekday hours in San Andreas, CA and are about a 2 1/2 hour drive from the WCLM headquarters, on some nice Lotus driving roads.

Construction on SR 207
SR-207 from Carson Valley to South Lake Tahoe is going to be under construction for the duration of the West Coast Lotus Meet. Cars traveling from Carson Valley to the hotel will need to use US 50 as a detour. Cars coming to the hotel from South Lake Tahoe will negotiate a single lane closure so be prepared for delays of up to 30 minutes. Once you arrive at registration we will give you a pass that will allow you to use SR-207 into Carson Valley.

King Fire
The Placerville area near Lake Tahoe has been fighting the King Fire for about a week. While this should not directly affect WCLM activities, please check for road closures along US-50 while making your travel plans. If there are any changes to the event we will send out email updates to all registered attendees.

Discounted Room Available (update – room is taken)
One of our registered attendees is unable to attend at this time and was wondering if anyone else would like to take over her registration ($69/night) at this time. If you would like to do take it over please contact me at rahulnair”at”gglotus.org.

Those are all the updates we have at this point, click here for the full event schedule. If you havent signed up yet head on over to WestCoastLotusMeet.com to sign up today. I look forward to meeting you all in two weeks.

Rahul Nair
Chair
2014 West Coast Lotus Meet

West Coast Lotus Meet Update #2

I’d like to start with giving another thank you to the Lotus community for their enthusiastic response to WCLM 2014. We have had tremendous response from Lotus fans and since our last update we have even gotten some international participants from Canada and Germany. The WCLM is your chance to meet a large number of fellow Lotus fans from all over the Western US and the world. If you havent signed up already head over to http://westcoastlotusmeet.com/ and sign up today!

Sierra Boat Restoration Tour
I am happy to announce that we are having a new event on friday afternoon. Those folks who wish to have a shorter drive than the High Sierra Tour can now opt to go for a shorter drive around the lake along with a stop at the 60,000 square foot facilities of Sierra Boat in Carnelian Bay. We are still finalizing the exact details about this event and will post the final details on the WCLM website in due course.
Sierra Boat overhead

Established in 1952, Sierra Boat is one of the oldest and largest antique and classic boat restorers in the country. The quality restoration of wooden boats includes the fine craftsmanship and finishes, but it is much more than that. In order to restore a boat properly; you must research the boat as to correctness of wood, finish, upholstery and mechanical details. With a process that has many similarities to car restoration, the hour long tour of their facilities will be a revelation to any fan of mechanical restoration.

WCLM T-Shirts
We have also been hard at work on the official T-shirt of the WCLM which will be given to all WCLM attendees. Kiyoshi has done an outstanding job on the graphic design and we can now give you a sneak peek at design. Done in a JPS-styled color scheme, the t-shirt shows correctly scaled silhouettes of important Lotus passenger cars starting from the Seven and continuing down to the Evora. We will have a limited number of extra t-shirts at the event for folks who would like to buy some extras for friends and family.
WCLM T-shirt

Sponsorship
I would like to welcome two new associate sponsors – Sports Car World and Sector 111. Both have a long history of supporting Lotus and we are delighted to have them on-board as sponsors of the 2014 West Coast Lotus Meet. The 2014 WCLM would not be possible without the generous support of all our sponsors and I’d like to personally thank them all for extending their support to the event.

The WCLM is a great way to promote products and services to the Lotus enthusiast community. Along with display advertisement on the web, sponsors will be listed in event banners and can distribute promotional materials during the event. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please visit the WCLM sponsor page.

Those are all the WCLM updates we have for the moment. As more things happen we will continue to post them on the GGLC blog as well as on the WCLM Facebook page. If you have not registered for the 2014 WCLM yet, head over to http://westcoastlotusmeet.com/ and sign up today for the best Lotus event of the year. I look forward to meeting everyone in person on October 2nd.

Rahul Nair
Chair
2014 WCLM

West Coast Lotus Meet Update

I’d like to start with giving a huge thank you to the Lotus community for their enthusiastic response to WCLM 2014. Early registration has just ended and we are on track for having the largest WCLM in a decade. With registered attendees from Colorado, Montana, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California, this is your chance to meet Lotus fans from all over the Western US. If you havent signed up already head over to http://westcoastlotusmeet.com/ and sign up today!

Events Update
The WCLM organizers have been busy scouting the various events and sites for the 2014 WCLM and I am happy to say that everything is on track to make this another successful Lotus event. We scouted the sunrise drive and can say that while it has an early start, the roads and the photo opportunities make it well worth getting out of bed.

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The route for the High Sierra tour is in the advanced planning stage as well. We can announce that we have secured passes that will allow us to use sections of SR207 which will be closed to the general public for the duration of the event. Click here to see the tentative route for the drive.

The WCLM banquet is also shaping up to be one of the marquee events of the 2014 WCLM. Dinner will be served around the ex-Dan Gurney Lotus 38 Indy car and is followed by a private tour of the National Auto Museum. Having tasted the menu, I can safely say that the food will be spectacular as well.

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After a site visit and speaking to several locals we have decided that the track surface at Reno Fernley Raceway is not up to the mark and are canceling the planned friday track day. However track rats need not despair, we are looking into organizing a replacement track day at the brand new Thunderhill West racetrack to be held on October 6th. Stay tuned for more details.

thunderhill west

Accomodation
The WCLM has reserved a large block of rooms for WCLM entrants at extremely attractive rates. The block is at 50% occupancy at the moment – reserve now for rates as low as $69/night.

Sponsorship
The 2014 WCLM would not be possible without the generous support of all our sponsors and I’d like to personally thank them for extending their support to the 2014 WCLM.

The WCLM is a great way to promote products and services to the Lotus enthusiast community. Along with display advertisement on the web, sponsors will be listed in event banners and can distribute promotional materials during the event. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please visit the WCLM sponsor page.

Those are all the WCLM updates we have for the moment. As more things happen we will continue to post them on the GGLC blog as well as on the WCLM Facebook page. If you have not registered for the 2014 WCLM yet, head over to http://westcoastlotusmeet.com/ and sign up today for the best Lotus event of the year.

Rahul Nair
Chair
2014 WCLM

2014 West Coast Lotus Meet Announcement

The West Coast Lotus Meet (WCLM), the premiere event for Lotus enthusiasts in Western North America, is heading to Lake Tahoe. With the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains and the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe as backdrops, the 2014 WCLM will encompass four days of total Lotus celebration starting Thursday, October 2, and ending Sunday, October 5.

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Hosted by the San Francisco Bay Area’s Golden Gate Lotus Club (GGLC), this event will be a joint effort with the Southern Nevada Lotus Club, Lotus Owners of Phoenix, Club Lotus Northwest, Lotus Car Club of British Columbia and the Evergreen Lotus Car Club. Without a doubt, the 2014 WCLM will have something for every Lotus enthusiast from hard-core track junkies to vintage cruisers as well as everyone in between.

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The WCLM organizing committee has planned a fantastic series of events that include: a Casual Concours; a private tour and banquet at the famous National Automobile Museum in Reno, NV; a Lotus Autocross; and an optional Lotus track day at challenging Reno-Fernley Raceway. In addition, there will be great awards, lunches and spectacular scenic drives!

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The 2014 WCLM will be headquartered at the Ridge Resorts in Stateline, NV, and discounted rates (as low as $69/night) have been negotiated for event attendees. Each room includes a covered parking spot, and onsite trailer parking is available. Everyone staying at the Ridge Resorts will have full use of the resort’s facilities, which include: golf lockers, complete health club (with racquetball), year-round sports complex (with tennis), billiards room, indoor/outdoor swimming pool, whirlpool, spas and saunas, movie theater, guided hikes, yoga and aerobic classes, weekly cooking demonstration and wine tasting.

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Registration for the 2014 WCLM is now open. Be sure to take advantage of the lowest rates by signing up before the early-bird deadline of June 16. Members of any regional or national Lotus club will receive an additional $25 discount. Registration is per person, and it includes access to all WCLM events except the optional track day. The key events included in your registration for the 2014 WCLM are the opening reception, group drives, autocross, main banquet and casual concours. In addition, lunch will be provided October 3–5.

07 WCLM Seattle-155

To sign up for the 2014 WCLM, or to get more information about this spectacular fall weekend at Lake Tahoe, please visit http://westcoastlotusmeet.com/. This comprehensive site includes details about all of the weekend’s events as well as specifics regarding registration and hotel arrangements.

2004 WCLM Panorama

2000 miles in a Seven

One of things that I’ve always wanted to do in the Seven was go on a long road trip. However I’ve always been afraid of mechanical breakdowns which is why I took the Elise to LOG 31 in Vegas two years ago. Once the 2013 West Coast Lotus meet was announced for Seattle in July, I started toying with the idea of taking the Seven but kept prepping both cars so that I could make a last minute decision. As luck would have it I was changing the oil on the Elise a couple of days before the trip and found a transmission leak which meant that the Seven was now the only option for the 2000 mile trip.

I started checking weather forecasts along the route and thankfully it appeared to be little chance of rain which is a good thing in a roof/door/window/windshield-less car with potentially dodgy electrics. I did see that a heat wave was expected with temperatures in excess of 100F but having done a 98F trip down to Buttonwillow in the past I felt pretty confident that I would be able to handle it with my cool suit. In terms of mechanical reliability I had driven the car several hundred street miles in the past few months which made me feel good about making it to Seattle without an issue. The risky bit would be the track day at Pacific Raceway but if a terminal issue cropped up Rob @ DiestchWerks said he would be able to trailer it back on his race trailer if needed. With all this worked out I decided to take the Seven on an epic roadtrip.

Epic road trip begins

I started out with fellow Ultralite owner and GGLC member Jim R who was going to drive up with me till Shasta City. We started out at 7 am as I wanted to cover as much ground as possible before sunset and had set myself the goal of reaching Medford at the very least with Eugene as a stretch goal. Since the planed distance was only just over 400 miles, we even took a slightly longer route to get the obligatory pic with the Golden Gate Bridge just like my last trip tor WCLM 08.

Required photo op

The first couple of hours went quite well and we covered 100+ miles before it warmed up enough that I had to start up the cool shirt which is basically a shirt which pumps cold water through it to keep the wearer cool. They were originally designed for surgeons but are now used by firemen, military, hazmat and of course racing. I originally picked up a cool shirt to use it in Lemons racing but after I got the Seven I realised that it was the perfect way to stay cool in the car as well. Jim and I made it up to Shasta Lake before stopping for a bite to eat at the Basshole Bar & Grill in Lakeshore CA just after noon.

By this time the time the mercury was really rising and Jim decided to head home while I continued on to towards Oregon. As I entered the mountains below Mt Shasta the weather was quite pleasant (though assisted by the Cool Shirt :)) and I was feeling quite good about my progress for the day. That came to crashing halt as I got passed the mountains and entered Oregon where the weather really shot up. The temperatures in Ashland were well above 100F (Jim saw 108F at one point on his way back) and it was so hot that I literally just pulled off the highway and parked under a tree.

Heat break

At this point the ice cooler part in the Cool Shirt came in handy as it meant that I had some cold refreshments to help cool myself down. I then decided to try driving a little bit without my helmet on but the hot air hitting me in the face made it hard to breathe so I put the helmet back on and kept going in short 30 min stretches. By around 5 pm the temps started dropping and by the time I got to Eugene at 6 it was pleasant enough that I took the helmet off off and cruised up to Salem, OR where I spent the night. The next day I was up and running again and made it to Seattle despite some extreme heat and traffic in the Olympia area. My dash got so hot at one point that my phone overheated and shut down. In the end I did make it to Seattle with the car running like a champ with only the organic bit behind the wheel having issues with the heat (see below). BTW if you think I’m complaining too much about the heat, it was so bad that the WDOT had to shut down a bridge and water its deck to prevent excessive heat expansion.

This is what 850 miles in 100 degree weather looks like

The first official event at the West Coast Lotus meet was a track day at Pacific Raceways which was put on by the folks at ProFormance Racing School. We started out with some lead-follow laps as most of us had never driven the track before. Pacific Raceway is a fairly technical track with 350 feet of elevation change which means you have a lot of blind late apex corners. Plus the track is very different from my usual tracks with very little run-off or exit kerbing and plenty of surrounding greenery – it feels more like a hillclimb course instead of a closed circuit track.

After a few sighter laps and some conversations with the instructors I was able to work out a reasonable line and really got into the groove at the track. As you can see from the video below I was not pushing very hard as I did not want to break anything at the track. One thing to note is that I did discover that top speed on my car is 125 mph which I hit 2/3rd of the way down the looong straight – it was actually a bit disappointing as I thought that the Seven was a bit faster than that but I guess crappy aero performance really does take its toll. We did have a modified Elise (slicks, 300 hp, sequential gearbox, paddleshift) that was quite a bit faster and was hitting 140 mph down the same straight.

The most interesting moment of the video above was when I go off at the 14:20 mark. This was due to a stuck throttle though luckily it was stuck partially open and not at full throttle. I didnt realise this initially as the revs do go down when I get off the gas but the car did not slow down enough. I keep adding more brake pressure and end up locking the front wheels before I go off the course. At this point I go both feet in and the engine revs rise to ~4k rpm and I realise what the problem was. I was able to use partial clutch to get into the pits and killed the engine as soon as I got in. When I opened the hood I found that the bracket that the external throttle release spring attached to had broken off and the stock throttle spring was not strong enough to close it all the way which is why the engine was stuck at part throttle. I was able to ziptie the spring back together to get the car going again but called it quits for the track day as I didnt want to risk it happening again on course.

Went off with a broken throttle return supporting bracket. Back running with a quick ziptie fix

After the track day I headed over to the event hotel which had organized some excellent “Lotus Parking” for the duration of the event. This meant that we not only got to see the cars all together, but we also got to chat with all the owners as we came in and out of the lot. After the cocktails and reception many of us headed out into the parking lot to check out the cars and shoot the breeze with other Lotus fans.

Lotus everywhere

Day 2 started with an excellent tour of Paul Allens Flying Heritage Collection. Nothing to do with Lotus but it is an excellent collection of WW2 era machinery including airplanes, rockets and tanks. Many of the airplanes are still airworthy and are flown a few times a year. Its also right next to the Boeing Dreamliner factory where a bunch of planes were getting fitted for their customers. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes mechanical objects.

In the afternoon we headed over to the parking lot of Bellevue Community college for the WCLM autocross. It was a very tight course that you lapped multiple times to set a time. Most people were doing the course in first gear though due to my low gearing I was able to launch and do the entire run in second gear instead. The following video is of my 31.165 second run which ended up as the top time of the event. I was even able to avoid hitting “my cone” which folks were taking odds on whether I would hit it. Facebook users can see more photos from the autocross at the WCLM FB album

After the autocross we headed over to the Snoqualamie Casino where we had an excellent buffet dinner along with drinks on the roof right in the shadow of the mountains. Plus it was another great chance to check out the cars and we got a lot of regular casino guests coming by to ogle at the cars.

WCLM Dinner

I was feeling a bit under the weather on day 3 so I skipped the SOVREN Historic Races and the parade laps at Pacific Raceway. I directly went over to the LeMay museum in the afternoon where we were taking a group photograph before dinner and a private tour of the museum itself. The album below shows some of the cars on display in the museum, as well as some shots of the cars lined up for the group photo. Another wonderful place to attend and much better organized than the original warehouses that they used when I first visited the LeMay in 2010. After the LeMay trip I was hanging out with some Canadian attendees at the hotel who were quite surprised to learn that I had driven the Seven all the way from CA. Hopefully at the next WCLM we can have a some of them drive all the from Canada instead 😉

The final stop on the WLCM calendar was at the Griots Garage retail store in Tacoma where we got look at some of their cars and also got a demonstration of their car car products. Not very Lotus specific, but they are definitely car guys as evidenced by their McLaren display below. I have to say that Doug and the ELCC really put on a great WCLM and are going to get a lot of repeat business the next time they host a WCLM.

McLaren

After lunch I headed out around 2pm with the goal of making it back to Eugene, OR before nightfall. The return trip was going well until I stopped just before the WA-OR border and noticed that the left side of the car was covered with coolant. The upper radiator hose had sprung a leak and was dripping coolant under pressure.

And now we're dumping coolant

I filled it up with some water and Rob @ DiestchWerks a call to see if I could get him to trailer the car back. It ended up he was about 45 minutes ahead of me so I limped the car over there while he stopped at an auto parts to see what he could find. In the end he cut the hose at the point that it was leaking at and used a plastic coupler and some hose clamps to put it back together again. I then got back on the road and started driving with frequent stops to check the coolant levels and to watch for any further leaks. I was able to make it to Canyonville before nightfall and stayed at the Seven Feather Casino which was the site of the WCLM 08.

Spending the night at the home of WCLM 08

I decided to drop my original plan to drive straight down I-5 as the temperatures in the central valley were expected to be well over 100F and I did not want to put additional stress on my cooling system. Instead I took US-199 over from Grants Pass to Eureka and then took 101 all the way to SF. This turned out to be a great decision because though the trip would be longer, it was much much cooler plus US-199 is an fun road to drive in a sports car.

Lunch at the Samoa Cookhouse

After having lunch at the Samoa Cookhouse above, I took the famous Avenue of the Giants route through Humboldt Redwood Park which was another fun detour.

The Avenue of the Giants in a not very giant car

At this point I was far enough inland that it was starting to heat up again and I had to put my cool shirt on again. Plus the temps never went about 95 which meant that the cool suit was able to keep me quite comfortable. I then stopped off to meet a friend in Windsor, CA and was able to avoid much of the evening heat before making the final 90 minute drive back over the Golden Gate Bridge and through SF to get home again.

Home at last

All in all the car ran quite well and apart from the throttle and coolant issues it gave me no trouble at all in over 2000 miles in some blistering heat. I got lots of weird looks and several photos taken of me on my trip but I have to say that it was great fun and I would say that all Seven owners should consider doing at least one long road trip in their cars – it is an experience that you will not forget and you’d be surprised how reliable our cars can be. Now where is WLCM 2014 going to be? 🙂

Rahul Nair


View Larger Map

Cross posted on my personal blog

West Coast Lotus Meet (Nov 5-9, Las Vegas, NV)

WCLM_2009_logo

Registration for the 2009 West Coast Lotus Meet is now officially open!

The Lotus Car Club of Southern Nevada will host the event from November 5-9 at the ultra hip Red Rock Hotel and Casino with assistance from other Lotus clubs on the west coast.

EVENTS

Drive, Drink, Play, Party. WCLM 2009 in Vegas has a sampling of the best car events and outrageous recreational events Vegas has to offer inspired by the old and new Sin City.

Friday and Saturday will offer drives to Lake Las Vegas, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire and the WCLM Autocross and Lotus Car Show (Concours). Sunday is the track event (optional) in Pahrump.

The schedule is now tentative, and looks like this:

SEMA ends 11/5
Thursday 11/5

  • check-in – reserved area around the pool for relaxing & cocktails – evening open

Friday 11/6

  • check-in – afternoon autocross (tentative – still working on this)
  • 6-8 informal meet n’ greet cocktail buffet in the VIP reception area
  • 8-10 Lotus Challenge Bowling Bash
  • 10 + whatever

Saturday 11/7

  • 10-12 Car Show (Casual Concours)
  • 2-5 Lake Mead Cruise
  • 7-8 Cocktails and entertainment
  • 8-9:30 Dinner, Awards, etc.
  • 9:30 + whatever – Just remember 8 hours Bottle to Throttle

Sunday 11/8

  • all day track event at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump

HOTEL
The Red Rock Hotel & Casino – Step inside and be completely immersed in the “Happy Endings” ambiance of ultra hip architecture, design and flavor of the Red Rock Hotel and Casino while playing or relaxing. Enjoy cocktails by the luxurious pool! Hot times in the nightclub! Win at the Tables! Relax in the Spa!

TRACK DAY (optional)

Drive fast, drive well and finish well. Enjoy an exciting day on the track at the most luxurious racetrack in the west. Spring Mountain Motorsport Ranch has it all – 2.2 mile twisty track run from the lower paddock, luncheon at the Member’s Club House, observation tower, pool, spa, weight room, jacuzzi, massage rooms and more. The track event is on Sunday, November 8th and if you want more stay for a 2nd track day on Monday, November 9th using the 3.1 mile course!

Take your Lotus out on the track with challenges for the most advanced drivers and expert instruction for beginners. Never been on a racetrack before? We will have coaches ride with you to get you acquainted with the track and help you withg high speed driving techniques, all with safety in mind.

INFORMATION
For the most up-to-date information about the 2009 WCLM, please visit the official website at www.westcoastlotus.com

WCLM Contacts:
Cory Newberry (Southern Nevada Lotus Car Club)
zzyzxco@earthlink.net

Kiyoshi Hamai (Golden Gate Lotus Club)
webguy@gglotus.org