Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Monthly Meeting
    • Join the Club
    • Stay informed
    • Membership Application
  • Events
    • Current Events
    • Day Run Sign On Form
    • Articles
    • Lotus 2019
  • DTC
    • DTC Entry
    • 2021
      • DTC Live Results – Feb 2021
    • 2020
      • DTC Live Results Sept 2020
      • DTC Live Results August 2020
      • DTC Live Results June 2020
      • DTC Live Results March 2020
    • 2019
      • DTC Live Results Oct 2019
      • DTC Live Results Sept 2019
      • DTC Live Results July 2019
      • DTC Live Results March 2019
      • DTC Live Results Feb 2019
    • 2018
      • DTC Live Results Aug 2018
      • DTC Live Results July 2018
      • DTC Live Results April 2018
      • DTC Live Results March 2018
    • 2017
      • DTC Live Results Aug 2017
      • DTC Live Results July 2017
      • DTC Live Results June 2017
      • DTC Live Results March 2017
    • DTC Articles
  • Calendar
  • For Sale
    • Classifieds
    • Merchandise
  • Technical
    • Expert Panel
    • Model Info
    • Driving
      • Paul Stokell’s Driving Events
    • Autokhana Layouts
  • Links
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Video Links
    • Lotus Racing
    • Lotus Cortinas
      • Lotus Cortina Articles
      • Lotus Cortina Videos
  • Galleries
    • All Galleries
      • Gallery 2020
      • Gallery 2019
      • Gallery 2018
      • Gallery 2017
      • Gallery 2016
      • Gallery 2015
      • Gallery 2014
      • Gallery 2013
      • Gallery 2012
      • Gallery 2011
      • Gallery 2010
      • Gallery pre-2010
    • Articles
  • Magazine
    • Magazine 2020
    • Magazine 2019
    • Magazine 2018
    • Magazine 2017
    • Magazine 2016
    • Magazine 2015
    • Magazine 2014
    • Pre-2014
      • Magazine 2013
      • Magazine 2012
      • Magazine 2011
      • Magazine 2010
      • Magazine 2009
Clive-trying-to-get-a-grip

Skid Pan Day with Paul Stokell and his team

Skid Pan Day – Saturday 11th June

By Adam Kingston, Photos Gloria Wade

With the not too distant memory of 25mls of rain on the previous Saturday, a group of excited Lotus owners mingled at the Mt Cotton Truck Skid Pan, on a beautiful Queensland winters’ morning. It was 8.30 am, a bit fresh, but the sun soon warmed us.

The cones had been strategically placed, the water had started flooding across the pristine bitumen, a few “skid pan virgins” had even washed their cars. Our instructors for the day, Steve Owen (Mark Winterbottom’s co-driver) and Andrew Price (from Paul Stokell Motorsports) ran through the program – three different courses through the day. On the first course, which was ready for us, we would have a few test runs, then the timing would start. The competition was on!

After the obligatory procession around the course, just to learn the route, the first few drivers made their initial runs. The discussion on the grandstand (Toilet block with coffee making facilities and some shade from the rising sun) was about which turns were causing the most difficulties. There also seemed to be quite a few drivers struggling to slow enough to stop inside the finishing box, ultimately resulting in a two second penalty. The challenge for some, was traction control on or off – others didn’t have the luxury. Some, myself included, always wondered what the button on the dashboard DTC actually did… we certainly found out.

The race between the 7’s/Caterham’s was as competitive as usual, with Shane, on his skinny tyres posting the best times, but the main competition was between El Presidente` showing electric pace, with his new tyres on the green S1 Elise and Garry in the heavily modified red S2. With each driver pushing, trying to find the limit – which they managed to do with ease and regularly spinning, finding the balance between power and the trusty handbrake, it was Garry on the final run who managed to shave a second off his previous time and pip Clive.

The biggest cheer from the grandstand, during the morning session was for an out of control Garry who managed to spin just in front of the finishing box, as he slid sideways towards the cones, somehow, he managed to slide the car in backwards, demonstrating the fine art of reverse parking at speed.

A big thank you for the hearty BBQ lunch which was provided and cooked by Mal and his two capable assistants, Jake and Lachlan. While we ate and discussed the finer detail of the morning’s event, the course was modified to allow two cars to race against each other. Clive threw down the gauntlet to Gary and the rest of us, with a quip about only seeing the back end of his car this time. Would he be able to back it up?

Again, after a couple of drives through the course, to learn the route, we lined up to take on the next challenge. With instructor Andrew doing his best impression of the start of the car race in the movie Grease, luckily without the outfit, we got under way. Surprisingly, or not, the biggest challenge seemed to be getting the cars around the correct course with many drivers, crumbling under the pressure of competition and missing some of the cones.

The final course change for the day, turned the entire arena into a mini Queensland Raceway, with a high speed sweeping horseshoe, starting and finishing in the same box.

Unfortunately, I and a few other drivers were unable to stay to the end of the day, the call of watching the Wallabies take on the old foe England at Suncorp pulled us away. I can only imagine the conversation in the grandstand, of, if only, and how much fun was that!

Thanks to the silent few who organised the day and to the Lotus Club who subsidised the event, it certainly is a great and safe way to find out what the cars and drivers are capable of.

A contemplative Dick
Aaron
Adam and Paul
Adam
Alan
Cat 'n' Seven
Cat vs Elise
Cats getting ready to pounce
Clive giving it a bath
Clive trying to get a grip
Clive with Lachlan
Danielle
Daryl, Dick and Shane
Daryl, Steve and Adam
Daryl
Dick
Garry
Girls just wanna have fun
Jake with Mal
James

[Show slideshow]
1 2 3 ►
A Definite Plus – the Elan Plus 2 DTC Lakeside – Sat 27 August

Related Posts

dtc-may-16

DTC, Events, Homepage

DTC – 28th February 2021

ICC-Europa-banner

Events, Gallery 2021, Homepage, ICC, Racing

Interclub Challenge MGCCQ – Hillclimb Round

targa2020-banner

Articles, Events, Gallery 2020, Homepage, Racing

Off-street parking in Cairns

Random images

img_1048
DSC_5333
IMG_0285
P1080261
P1080263
Hethel_8th_March_1999
lec_0184
2006_08_27_Gympie_Skid_Pan0091
IMG_4906
main-11
Mike-W-followed-by-Jeff-
Daryl
Derek's-Elise
Mal-and-Garry
main-5
main-22
Mar-main-3
Mar-main-15
Mar-main-76
Mar-main-99
IMG_4293
IMG_6401
IMG_8464
IMG_7387
P9180016c1
IMG_3643
IMG_0516
IMG_0547
IMG_8029
IMG_8062
IMG_3194
IMG_4019
IMG_5643
197_197
P1060339
Clive
PICT7288
30a
MG_3796
IMG_5204
IMG_7622
IMG_5314
image_109
image_186
121_2200_IMG
IMG_8423
IMG_8982
IMG_0744
Class_Winner
15.Lunch-orders
MG_9623
MG_9632
btiu-07
btiu-11
Rob-taking-his-turn-in-the-line
19-Clive-Tim-John-Penny-Rob
Jason
Crossing the finish line
_MG_4731 as Smart Object-1
_MG_4992 as Smart Object-1
plus-2
Exige_pic3
Exige_pic4
NSX_pic1
IMGP0055
20161105_103008
elises-3
vb-GTR XU1
The Crew 2
IMG_2469
IMG_0474-3
Big-Daz
Glass-House-Mtn-Tavern_gw
ICC-Top-Hat-Test
Warwick-July-2019
All-the-Exiges
Elises
Martin
Over-3000cc-sports-car-podium
Milling_around_after-morning_tea
Through-the-canefields-Trevor-Doyle
Clive & John
photo-11
IMG_1896
Drinks are Served
Dick and Dick
unnamed
now-theres-a-bonnet-emblem
Display-7
vyvs-plus2-1
Elises
MG-TSeries-2
awaiting the line
Vyvyan on the Line
MG_3909
IMG_6184
Love those Avons
main-102
IMAG6159
IMAG6201

Recent Articles

  • DTC – 28th February 2021
  • Interclub Challenge MGCCQ – Hillclimb Round
  • Off-street parking in Cairns
  • Targa 2020 for Rookies
  • Mid Week Run
  • A Very Special Thank You
  • Townsville Supersprint 2020
  • DTC – Friday 14 August 2020

Latest Gallery Images

The-Europas Shanes-Seven Europas-new-and-old Daryls-Seven Daryl-manning-the-timing IMG_20200621_104957

Search articles by category

Archived articles

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