CLNZ Alpine / Track tour

[Kylie]

Lotus 60th Birthday
Intermarqe New Zealand Alpine / Track Tour
10 October to 28 October 2008


Any of you guys considering doing this or stages?
Its very tempting, even just to do the North Island ones for starters.

[Omerta]

If its coming through Wellington could be fun to join up for a bit. Is there any info on routes or start/end points available?

[Kylie]

http://www.clublotus.org.nz/CLNZ2008/

Ive just copied the info from the Word doc thats on the site

Club Lotus New Zealand is planning a national celebratory tour and is extending an invitation for
all worldwide Car club members to attend

Lotus 60th Birthday New Zealand Alpine/Track Tour.
The purpose of the tour is to not only to celebrate Lotus 60th anniversary, but with Lotus’s historical connection to NZ race tracks, to take in all the current public race tracks in a national tour. Commencing at Auckland Domain Friday 10th Oct 2008 in 4 stages that include New Zealand’s best scenery, roads, and race tracks, 60 Lotus cars accompanied by other British marques, will tour New Zealand in 4 stages, visiting and competing on all 6 track days over an 18 day tour.

The tour has been designed so that residents and visitors alike will take in the most beautiful and diverse scenery in New Zealand including Taupo, Rotorua, Kaikoura coast, The Desert Road, Milford, Queenstown, Haast, Nelson, and all the spectacular Lakes, Alpine and rolling farmland regions of the country. Restaurants, Ferry crossings, race tracks, and Town center car displays and events have all been organized to gain maximum enjoyment for participants.

This unique opportunity to take advantage of New Zealand’s excellent traffic free rural roads in your classic Lotus, British car, or even Touring hire van, with a like minded social group of enthusiasts in a spectacular road show visiting all major regions is a once in a lifetime opportunity not to be missed. For those who wish to take part but cannot attend the whole tour, you can book to take part in a single or multiple stage, then leave the tour as it moves into the next stage. Members can then take part in the event as it moves through each region.

Track use will be in the nature of MSNZ type regularity trials and will take place over a minimum of 4 events per track. You do not need a race car to participate. A legally registered road car is all that is required to compete.*

Due to the complex nature of planning this tour, entry information is available on www.lotuscars.net.nz and www.clublotus.org.nz . If you wish for further info, or want to discuss any options you can contact me on 64 (0) 21 512 568 anytime…Looking forward to meeting y’all in October

Roger Phillips
President Club Lotus
CEO Lotus Cars NZ Ltd



Lotus 60th Birthday New Zealand Alpine/Track Tour Itinery

• Stage 1 North Island

Fri 10th October 2008 10am depart depart Auckland Domain tour via Glen Murray/Gordonton
12 noon lunch/refuel Cambridge. Driving time est 2 hours (2h)
1 pm tour via Maungatautri/Horahora/Arapuni/Rotongata/ Mangakino/
Atiamuri/Taupo, O/Nite Taupo 2 nites (evening Boat tour booking reqrd) 2h

Sat 11th 9am Taupo track Private hire 20 laps ea

Sun 12th 7am, Depart Taupo H’way 1 to Vinegar hill, H’way 54 to Fielding 9am 3h
Manfield track private hire
O/nite Manfield 20 laps ea

Mon 13th 10am, Depart for 2.15pm Wellington Picton Ferry via H’way 3, 2h (booking
reqrd) (* back to base for Stage 1 Finishers)
Budget Entry fees $300 plus fuel, meals accom allow $500 Total $800

• Stage 2. South Island

H’way 1 arrive Wellington noon for 2.15am departure, arrive Picton 6 pm
Evening Display in town park, O/nite Blenheim. H’way 1, 1h
Tues 14th 9am depart for Hamner via h’way 1 Kaikoura Lunch/fuel stop
H’way 70 to H/way 7-7a Hamner Springs O/night, 3h

Wed 15th 9am depart for Christchurch via h/way 7 to h/way 1. arrive CHCH
12 noon lunch, 2h, car display Christchurch square, Run via port hills to
Akaroa and back, 3h, O/nite Christchurch, 2 nites 15th & 16th

Thurs 16th Ruapuna track day 20L

Fri 17th 7am CHCH for Timaru via H/way 1, arrive Timaru 10am Levels Track 3h,
Test day with min 4 x lotus closed sessions 20L
depart 4pm for Oamaru via h,way 1, o/nite 2 nights 17,18th 1h

Sat 18th Alpine Tour Otematata/Mt Cook, Pig route options 2h+lunch+2h

Sun 19th 10am,Oamaru Old town Markets, Display, Lunch, 1pm depart via h/way 1
Milton, H/way 8 to Raes Junction, h/way 90 via Gore to Invercargill,O/nite
(*Or back to base for stage 2 finishers) 4h
Budget Entry fee $300 plus fuel meals accom allow $1,500 Total $1,800
Plus ferry xing $250 (Car + 2 adult passengers)

• Stage 3, South Island

Mon 20th Invercargill Teretonga track day 10am to 4pm 20L
Depart 3pm h’way 99 via Manapouri O/Nite LakeTe Anau. 2h

Tues 21st 9am depart Te Anau for Milford Sound, 2h,12 noon lunch, boat trip. Return
Via h/way 94 to Mossburn, Five rivers, h/way 6 to O/Nite Queenstown 3h
Evening, Central Car display, Hilltop restaurant meal booking reqrd)

Wed 22nd 10am Depart h/way 6 to Wanaka (War Birds Museum) 12noon lunch.1h
H’way 6 to Fox/Franz Josef Glaciers, H/way 73 O/nite Arthurs Pass 5h

Thurs 23rd 8am Depart via Jacksons to Stillwater, h/way 7 to Springs junction
H/way 6 to Murchison/, 4h, lunch, Moutere vinyard, O/nite Nelson 2 nites

Fri 24th 10am departure, upper Moutere Vinyards (to be Booked) for lunch
Afternoon/evening central Nelson Car display 1hr

Sat 25th 9am departure via H/way 6, Left after Kaituna to h/way 1 to Picton,
(*Back to base for stage 3 finishers) 2h
Budget $150 entry fee plus fuel meals accom allow $900 total $1,050

• Stage 4 North Island

1.15pm noon sailing into Wellington 5 pm.
H’way I to to Sanson, H/way 3 to O/nite Wanganui. 3h

Sun 26th 10 am Town car display/ lunch, depart 1am H/way 4 to National Park,
H’way 47 to Tokaanu, 41 to Kuratau junction,32 to Whakamaru, 30 to
Atiamuri/O/Nite Rotorua 4h

Mon 27th 10am @Whaka Geyserland, lunch, depart 1pm via Ngongataha via Pyes Pa
to Tauranga,. H/way 2 to Bombay O/nite/Pukekohe/Auckland 4h

Tues 28th 9am Pukekohe Track CLNZ Track day, Reg Trial & Sprints. Conclusion
Dinner ( track to be confirmed $3,500) 20L+
Budget $150 entry fee plus fuel, meals accom allow $600 total $750
Plus ferry xing $250 (Car + 2 adult passengers)
Total 4 stage cost = 6 tracks + 2 x ferry Xings = $1,400 (late fee $400 xtra)
Plus budget fuel/meals accom $3,600, Total cost est $4,900-$5,300
Notes: Entrants can attend all or individual stages, individual accomodation bookings to be completed by entrant. Contact local website information centres for accomodation bookings (see below). Full tour $1,400 Entrant $300 discount booking cutoff date Aug 30th. Bookings pay for Stages plus ferry only, balance of costs budgeted (fuel accommodation & Meals Guide only) entrants responsibility.

Edited by Kylie on Wednesday 11th June 03:05

[GravelBen]

Sounds like a great trip, even as a non-Lotus owner I'd be interested in tagging along for some of the SI parts. Some superb roads have been chosen.

[Esprit]

Basically all-comers are welcome... so long as you're a Lotus Enthusiast... but then again, who isn't?!

I'll deffo be doing some of it... not sure exactly how much or how little my budget will stretch to and how roadworthy my car will be by then, but assuming my bank balance is reasonably intact then and the car's a going concern then I shall be doing some of it. Would be VERY keen to do the South Island as I've never driven those roads in a Lotus before, and I think it'd be a great way to see the country (from the back of a low-loader )

[Kylie]

You should do it George the experience doing in convoy with other enthusiasts would be brilliant!

Im considering chucking in the idea of the Xmas trip for this event but meeting everyone at start and in CHCH onwards. I was going to do Stage one then return home and do South Island at Xmas but im really not sure what to do

Ill need a sponsor....anyone?

[Esprit]

I probably won't be doing the NI trackdays... and maybe only Taupo if I do. I might leave in convoy, head to Hawkes Bay, have a few days with the folks, join up again on the ferry and do the South Island and trackdays.

Given that the trackdays are looking to be short ones just so that owners can say they've done them and have a little bit of fun, there's little value in me doing the tracks I've already done... would love to get the Exige on Ruapuna/Teretonga though.... we shall see... much has to pass before then... priority #1=get Exige back together.... this will take some time.

[GravelBen]

Levels could be well-suited to the Exige/Elises too, its a fairly tight technical track. Bet Memphis would have you down the back straight at Teretonga though

I suspect the mighty MX5 may have trouble keeping up with any of the Lotus brigade, but it could be fun trying!

[Esprit]

GravelBen said:

Levels could be well-suited to the Exige/Elises too, its a fairly tight technical track. Bet Memphis would have you down the back straight at Teretonga though

I suspect the mighty MX5 may have trouble keeping up with any of the Lotus brigade, but it could be fun trying!

As soon as there's a sniff of a straight line, Memphis would be gone!

As for the Exige, yes.. Levels should suit it

I've been on track with many MX5s over the years, and some of them aren't the quickest, but on trackdays I've been to, the person with the biggest smile throughout the day is almost invariably an MX5 driver... and that sums it all up for me

[GravelBen]

Esprit said:

I've been on track with many MX5s over the years, and some of them aren't the quickest, but on trackdays I've been to, the person with the biggest smile throughout the day is almost invariably an MX5 driver... and that sums it all up for me

Better look into getting myself a helmet then...

[CRM]

You should all do the South Island part. Those roads are simply mint and with other Loti around, unreal.

Will look to join some of the action and may even drag another couple of TVR's along for the ride.

[izza]

I better keep the 17th October free to pop out to Levels.


thou why are they going to Oamaru then up to Mt Cook??
The Timaru - Tekapo road is better than Kurow - Omarama.
Plus thats a massive amount of double backing.

[Kylie]

^^^
Agreed, I looked at that as well. Dosent make a whole bunch of sense.

[GravelBen]

Yeah looks like they're having 2 nights in Omo with a loop to Mt Cook and back (maybe via Pigroot and I assume Lindis, wouldn't expect them to take Loti over Dansey's), I'd think they'd be better off to spend a night in Timaru after the trackday there, then to Omo via Cook/Lindis/Pigroot. Not sure why they're stopping in Omo at all to be honest, why not go Timaru-Cook-Lindis-Pigroot-Dunedin instead of repeating the boring SH1 sections to go to Omo.


PS The day after that goes Omo-Milton-Raes Junction-Gore-Invers, if you go a bit past Raes before turning south you can take the Moa Flat road (discussed in great driving roads thread) instead, similar distance but much more fun and much less traffic.

Edited by GravelBen on Friday 13th June 00:16

[Kylie]

So anyone on here doing this ?

It looks like were going to Taupo at least anyway. Got some friends doing same plan as us but nice to see some other PHers on route.

[Esprit]

Nope... car in bits... am a bit gutted as I was hoping to do some of this, maybe even take in some of the South Island... oh well.

[Kylie]

Do you know which track is being used at taupo George? Full track? I may do a few laps but not 40 ! Shame about missing this one George

Edited by Kylie on Thursday 4th September 05:55

[Esprit]

Kylie said:

Do you know which track is being used at taupo George? Full track? I may do a few laps but not 40 ! Shame about missing this one George

Edited by Kylie on Thursday 4th September 05:55

Have a suspicion it's the full one yeah.

And fear not.... whenever my car finally DOES get running again... it'll be in pretty mean shape for the future

Edited by Esprit on Thursday 4th September 06:28

[GravelBen]

The Silver Fern is on around the same time (16-23 October), could be quite amusing if the groups of cars got mixed up together during a touring stage...


Whats Memphis like on gravel?


www.silverfernrally.co.nz

[Kylie]

Would be a crap idea! ....why his nuts getting gravel rash would look nasty