Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
Login
Register
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
    • Member Login
  • Events
    • Calendar
  • Motorsport
    • Lakeside DTC Timed Laps
    • LAKESIDE DTC RESULTS
  • Magazine
  • For Sale
    • Merchandise
    • Classifieds
  • Posts
  • Galleries
  • Directory
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Advertisers
  • Archives
bseries-banner

Morgan Park B Series Rd 1 – May 2017

Story by Vyvyan Black, Photos by Gloria Wade & Vyvyan Black.

The day started at the wretched hour of 4.30am. What strange misadventure is this, I thought.

What kind of idiot gets up at this time? What I didn’t know was that all the sensible people leave late on Friday and stay overnight. Never mind. Off I go, into the blackness and the cold, and the fog. And what a fog it was!

The further from Brisbane, the thicker it got. So much so that at one point I’m zooming along at over 120kmh with just ten feet ahead visible – only the occasional reflector as my guide. It was almost dreamlike and I might have lost myself in it if it weren’t for the thought that a big red roo could jump in front at any moment. Where was I heading?

Just outside of Warwick there’s a track at a place called Morgan Park, that I’ve heard about but never actually seen. Being the webmaster of this glorious club I get to look at all the photos that have ever been taken at the various events members attend, and this event comes up a lot. Looks pretty serious I thought.

For those who don’t know, I’ve recently acquired my 1968 Plus 2 and have managed to have a go at a couple of hill climbs. These events marked the first time in my life I have ever raced a car. Well, apart from my foolish youth – and that was only on public roads where I always was a bit of a leadfoot! Still can’t stand slow drivers in front – sheesh!

So, I’m a complete novice. I have to say it’s pretty daunting when you turn up, having driven to the track, and you see the magnificent vehicles that you’ll be driving against. They all seem to have arrived via trailer, unregistered and built specially for track use. Slicks, and modifications everywhere, even sponsorship logos. What am I doing here?

But there’s a number of cars that also drove to the track, mostly have very few modifications and don’t have any sponsorship decals. These cars are of course the Elises. No chance against them either, but luckily everything’s roughly classed into like capacity.

So here’s my first real race situation. But I quickly felt at ease, and after a bit the Elise guys turned up. Here’s the club attendees and times:

Geoff Noble S2 (SC Honda) Silver 03:54:581
Garry Pitt S2 (NA Honda) Red 04:20:366
Martin O’Brien S3 (SC Toyota) Orange 04:20:627
Joe Arico S2 (NA Ford) Black 04:28:337
Jason Patulo S2 (NA Honda) Yellow 04:28:579
Clive Wade S1 (NA Honda) Green 04:34:474
Rob Stevens S2 (NA Rover) Blue 04:43:830
John Flynn S1 (NA Rover) Green 04:51:190
Vyvyan Black Elan Plus 2 (NA Lotus) Navy & Silver 05:33:068

It’s a very nice track. Recently resurfaced and lots of variety. On my first warm-up lap I was getting giggly. This will be a gas! In a way I felt like a lad again. Pity I don’t have the daredevil attitude and the stamina I used to. But what fun!

Some had hiccups – Geoff repaired a small suspension component and Clive was alarmed by a noise in his newly refurbished powerplant that actually turned out to be a window rattle. Over the course of the two day weekend I got slightly better each run, enjoyed some ding dong bouts with a couple of the others in my group and had a total ball. On the drive home I realised that I didn’t think (and the scrutineer didn’t ask) to remove my spare steel wheel, tools and wooden boot lining. Talk about just adding lightness!

I cannot understand why more members don’t do these events. There’s nothing like it for driving your car the way it was meant to be. It’s not even that expensive. And if a complete schmuck like me can do it, what’s stopping you?

Check out the fog
Thank god youre here
Waiting for go
Downforce One
A pretty pair
A bit of banter
Rob Stevens
Old girl among the young'uns
The pointy end
720kg
Joes car up close
Aussie Elises decal
Raw
Immaculate 69 GT Falcon
GT-Cortina-Mk2
GT-Cortina-Mk2 in dock
Highly tuned Mini
Beep Beep
Boy talk
Calling all cars

[Show slideshow]
1 2 ... 4 ►
More Duratec Madness HSCCQ Khanacross – May 2017

Related Posts

mp-banner

Events, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

Morgan Park Sprints R4

gold-rush-banner

Events, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022

leyburn-banner

Events, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

Leyburn 2022

Random images

image_190
MG_9481
MG_8945
P1020861
IMG_0051
IMG_0736
IMG_3773
IMG_8431
IMG_6883
Jason-HPE
lot_032
Aug_F02_2399a
IMG_7616
IMG_0955
119_1975_IMG
113_1308_IMG
IMG_7406
Shane
20130814_093123
on-the-road
Class 1 Winner, Colin
Adam and Paul
Ken
The-Criterion
Mitch and Martin
SANY0073
Early-Morning-Crew
Dick Reynolds DTC
Tony ahead of Liam
Shanes Rubber
Geoff-Nobles-Elise-still-king-of-the-mountain-by-Emma-Morley
IMG_4674
20220220_093616
33_MG_2624
img_9455
IMG_0333
IMG_0101
Custom door levers and lexan windows
IMG_0039
Antibes_France
Elnbulance
F1000011
IMG_0331_1
P1010412
P1010424
IMG_4841
image001
main-11
Daryl-getting-by-with-a-little-help-from-Clive
John-Derek-and-Tim-driving-the-S-bends
09c
PICT7251
IMG_3246
Cane_field_run_5
IMG_7988
DSC03861
DSC03851
IMG_5143
Time-is-up
Mar-main-83
Dinner-preparation
image_137
In-the-snow-in-UK
photo-6
IMG20210427110240
IMG_20200621_104957
One-of-the-better-bridges-in-the-Gobi
Milla-Milla-2
The Seven Challenge
highly-modified-xjs-jag
George-and-Garry
Oil and Water OK
Darryl
Mavis's Kitchen, Mt Warning and the cars
Clive & Life Member, Craig_gw
vyvs-plus2
Aussie Elises decal
_MG_9650 as Smart Object-1
Catch ups
Organisers, Penny & John_gw
Display-8
Jason on the straight
George and Co
Rob-blending-his-wines_GW
Monaro
George-Rows-11-2
Peter and Normas unwilling passenger
Really-think-I-should-have-the-last-piece
M100-1
IMAG6044
main-42
group-shot
Jason
Zaid and Co
Winner Dick
Matchbox cars
Rob and Clive
main-104
IMAG6007
IMAG6156

Recent Articles

  • Morgan Park Sprints R4
  • Kev’s Big Day Out
  • Duratec Elise – better late than never
  • Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022
  • Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022
  • Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane
  • Leyburn 2022
  • August 2022 DTC

Latest Gallery Images

20220220_093834 20220220_093818 20220220_093827 20220220_093743 20220220_093812 20220220_093730

Search articles by category

Archived articles

Lotus Club Queensland
© Lotus Club Queensland   |   Site by Black Eye Studios