Well another year is almost up and I was thinking…what sort of year has it been…Well I had my first taste of a track day with a ‘Scare Yourself Sensible’ Lotus day at the factory in April. This made me determined to get my S1 Exige on the track. So I did at Castle Coombe back around May…what a day, what a car. I then went to Donnington which has been one of my favourite tracks for some time and it didn’t disappoint.
In July I sold the Exige S1 and got myself a 135R Elise…this lasted all of 3 months when the lure of a shiny S2 Exige got too much.
What about the non Lotus stuff…well my wife fell pregnant last April with the new addition arriving in January…or anyday now looking at her.
What of next year…I will be caoching Lucy(we are having a girl, wanted to call her Elise but wife put her foot down on that one)to understand the importance of Lotus and showing her what a GoCart looks like…(Age 6 British carting champion, age 20 First women F1 champion)
I will definatly be trying out far more track days this year and it is my mission to meet up with more of the guys from Exiges.com.through the year.
Anyway what sort of year have you all had?
With that I would just like to wish all Exigers a very Merry Christmas and a Lotus filled New Year.
Although it did see the firdst enjoyment of the newly fitted of new suspension/bushes/ends as well as the heralded gauges, plus its C service. Has made it all the more special.
Although I think Sean’s going to win on whose done the most to their Exige this year!
Trackday highlights were Bedford (a car shouldn’t be able to take that much punishment and just drive home!), Silverstone (other end of the spectrum , shocking in the wet), Brands (melted a clutch at the end of the day) and of course the Exiges.com event at Croft.
2005 was such a [censored] year in my books although had a couple of high points at Silverstone and Brands Hatch. Roll on 2006 - It’s going to be a good one .
I sold my 550bhp per tonne Caterham, and sat with the money burning a hole in my pocket for about 2 days, then went and bought my S1 Exige. Not used it as much as it deserves, but when I do I tend to drive it like my arse is on fire. Had a few good track days (Noise permitting ) and look forward to lots more next year, as well as a trip to europe. Also I’ve enjoyed being on the forum here with you all having a chinwag.
Have a great time over christmas, and have a splendid new year too.
Time warp!
Have you been watching Back to the Future?
2005 has been I would say the busiest year ever for me.
Bought a house, moved in but it’s not completely finished (It looks like it’s going to be the way we want it in another year or so).
Working on the car has been difficult and frustrating, not having a garage. It seems to rain a lot up here , so not done as much as I wanted.
Had the Exige off the road (:o literally!) to have the front clam and crash structure changed after the off at Tut Towers
Been experimenting with exhausts and am very happy with the reults.
Stopped going to SELOC and became a bad boy for having used Simon for the engine.
Changed jobs and have been increasingly busy.
Bought a go kart for my daughter and we haven’t been to the track as much as we wanted.
Finally found out that I’m intolerant to gluten (any wheat product), coffee, milk, tea, and am p!ssed off about it
A good friend of mine (and avid Lotus driver) just died tragically on Monday, in the most bizarre circumstances and that has made me think a lot (info on S_E)
In all, very busy and my life has changed a lot.
There were a few trackdays and events I wish I could have gone to but couldn’t.
But next year I promise to…
-restart Thai Boxing
-finish the garage so I can…
-work on the suspension (Nylatrons, Nitrons)
-do the 'Ring
-start the build of a racecar
But all through the year there has been a common element: Exiges.com
Fast forward to March and I was selling my 111S. The April 11th was a special day as it was the day I picked up my red beast.
10 days later, 850 miles later I had use of the 2nd cam
My first track day @ Knockhill plus another five outings there including driving the 240R in monsoon conditions
A trip down to Croft with Mark
6000 miles, 270 post and 3 AO48s later I am hooked!
I would like to say thank all the guys and girls on her have been nothing but patient, welcoming and willing to share the massive amounts of knowledge and experience. A big thank you!
I have a feeling that 2006 might be even better…
Merry Christmas and wish you an even better 2006
PS only thing I wish I had been able to make was the Croft Exige day have to put that right next year
Well 2005 has been pretty good in my opinion. Got my Exige in January and instantly started to have more FUN at track days than I ever did in my Escort.
Met some really great people on here!!! Looking forward to seeing you all in 2006
Have taken the Exige from standard, to well… I guess not very standard at all.
2006:
Start racing and enjoy myself even more
Keep up the modding, the obvious big thing early next year will be my new engine
Oh and must not forget. FIND A RELIABLE CLEANER!!!
Hoping 2006 will be a more successful year than 2005.
In 2005 I’ve helped get Lotus-On-Track up and running which was good, with a few great trackdays, what should have been the best week ever (Croix, Dijon, Magny Cours) was ruined by clutch failure, thjen a few weeks later after a great day at Zandvoort the big-ends went, just waiting to get the car back at the beginning of 2006, with a more reliable engine. Then trackdays at Silverstone, Cadwell, Oulton, Brands, Spa, Le Mans, Pau, Abbeville, Croft, plus a few others to look forward to.
God I had to open my mouth…waters broke 5 weeks early may induce her tomorrow…could be a Christmas day baby.
Congratulations matey. I don’t know if this is your first nipper, but sleep well tonight, because it will be the last time you will for the next 5 years or so!!!
I like to see you have your peiorities right. Your partner is lying on her hospital bed, huffing and puffing, but it’s good to see there was still time for a quick peek and a post on Exiges!!!
I commend you sir!!!
My best wishes go to you, your wife and your new little daughter!!