VIDEO: One-make Lotus Elise racing is crowded, thrilling
Click above to see the video of Dean Evans going from 16th to 1st in one lap
It is the lap every driving simulator player dreams of putting together – except this one was real. It actually happened way back in 2005 (but has just come to our attention now and was too good to pass up), when Sydney motoring journalist Dean Evans drove in one of the Lotus Trophy Races that supported the Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar race in Australia. We hope the other drivers were taking notes, because Evans doled out some serious learnin.'
Starting in 16th, Evans has said that the track was greasy from rain, his car wasn't even the most powerful one in the race, and his right mirror was folded back because of some tight racing off the line, but not a single panel on the car was bent. He won the race by 14 seconds. With apologies for the video quality, follow the jump to see Evans put on a clinic.
[Source: Car Domain]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TBlueMax 3:09PM (5/22/2009)
"but not a single panel on the car was bent" - I don't see how based on that video but masterful driving and it looked like quite a bit of fun!
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Willem B 4:05PM (5/22/2009)
look especially around 1.18 - 1.19
it looks like he gets hit by the yellow car
bhtooefr 10:39PM (5/22/2009)
I see how.
The Lotus Elise has a fiberglass body. That doesn't bend, it cracks. ;)
Randy 12:28PM (5/29/2009)
@bhtooefr
except when the fiberglass parts are replaced with carbon fiber parts... which do dent.... i.e. bend (has to bend to dent). Just not sure what these cars are made of...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gU3hJvHODk
Jared 3:09PM (5/22/2009)
Yikes, that was some tight racing.
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foxdude0486 3:10PM (5/22/2009)
Yeah, saw this at least a year ago just posted between friends. Does look like a lot of fun. Love getting to know the edges of a car so that you can make quick decisions that bring you within an inch or two of "tapping" something.
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AUTOMANIAC 3:13PM (5/22/2009)
looks a little bit amateur.no one except Evans follows trajectories.
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Tim 3:26PM (5/22/2009)
Months ago? It's been around for years!
Some come to the party a little late.
Maybe Autoblog should label certain vids "Classic Video" or some such to
differentiate from more late breaking news and vids.
After all, most come to this blog for the latest auto news.
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nighttime__ 9:24PM (5/22/2009)
yeah! I remember seeing this on an aussie forum a while back with the original poster.
it's still nice to see it though :)
cwoolman 3:35PM (5/22/2009)
What, no crash in turn one? Somebody put these guys behind the wheel of an F1 car!
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dUN 3:44PM (5/22/2009)
if only the police were equipped with these car...and the driving skills...
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Deams 4:08PM (5/22/2009)
so old....
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hotpot 4:06PM (5/22/2009)
The grid was reversed. The camera car was one of the fastest on the grid. This kind of laps happen all the time at these events.
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Jaffarn 8:15PM (5/22/2009)
I hope you mean reverse grid based on driver skill... not engine power. All the lotus' are 89kw with the exception of the Dark green one that was ahead of the pack which was 141kw...
and you can see when he is going uphill he is dropping behind abit indicating that hes car was lacking.
If any1 of you can drive with that precision ... id like to see it!
Noah 1:30AM (5/23/2009)
Reverse grid determined by the qualifying time. Pole position starts in last, because they rock it. Awesome video!
noodlz 4:41PM (5/22/2009)
Looked to me like everyone else just sucked.
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wako 1:41PM (5/23/2009)
and im sure your driving is better, mind posting a video of it then?
Francis 8:46PM (5/22/2009)
Wow, talk about nerves of steel.
If this was truly an amateur event, to have the guts to race in the pack like that amongst amateurs, you must need ice water in your veins.
And hitting the downhill turns flat out like that looks like it took some confidence too :)
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DeanE 12:55AM (5/23/2009)
Wow, awesome driving!!!... though I am a touch biased...
If you want to see the latest clip, YouTube "Lotus Targa" for a run up the tricky Queenstown stage of Targa Tasmania. Cheers, Dean Evans
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cyclonic 10:05AM (5/24/2009)
Too bad we don't get to see your mackin' skillz too eh bro!