Thread: Lotus Cup USA to Bring Lotus Racing and Track Events Nationwide in 2011

Proud to announce a new project I'm a part of... and MMR will work closely with me as one of our Lotus Cup USA driver coaches. Hope to see some of you Lotus owners out at our events!

Lotus Cup USA to Bring Lotus Racing and Track Events Nationwide in 2011

February 1, 2011 (Las Vegas, Nev.) – A new chapter in Lotus racing in the United States will be written in March of this year when the green flag drops on the first round of the Lotus Cup USA.

Lotus Cup USA is the newest component of Lotus’ worldwide involvement in motorsports, and is the foundation of a racing program that will involve GT-3, GT-4, LeMans GT-2 and LMP2, as well as open-wheel programs in GP2, GP3, IZOD IndyCar Series, and Formula 1. Lotus’ 360-degree race program involves multiple race series, grassroots driver development and Exos – the ultimate in exclusive driving experiences.

With a strong demand in the United States for Lotus cars and racing – the country is Lotus’ largest market – Lotus Cup USA will satisfy the demand for owners looking for an affordable and exciting way to reach the limits of their race-bred machines. The 2011 Lotus Cup USA schedule will feature eight west coast events and three east coast events, with classes for purpose built Lotuses such as Evora GT-4, 2-Eleven, Exige Cup, as well as production-based cars such as Evora, Exige, and Elise. Lotus Cup series are also organized in Europe, UK, Italy, Eastern Europe, and Japan.

While the headliner of the Lotus Cup USA will be road racing which features multiple classes racing together, the series will also have a Time Attack, VIP Client Experience, and Driving Academy for the new track enthusiast. The series grew from a small group of drivers attending track days to wheel-to-wheel racers within a few years as the Lotus Challenge Series. Moving forward, the Lotus Cup USA will replace the Lotus Challenge Series and offer the best motorsports experience for Lotus enthusiasts.

At the helm of Lotus Cup USA is newly announced series director, Robbie Montinola. Montinola has held numerous marketing positions in the automotive industry, including production of national and regional events of the first D1 Grand Prix competition in the United States and the Import Drag Racing Circuit. Montinola brings a background of ten years of professional racing, having competed in numerous open-wheel racing series, including Star Mazda, Formula BMW USA, and Barber Dodge Pro Series.

"With his unique combination of on track experience coupled with his marketing background it was an easy decision to pick Robbie over a large pool of qualified applicants,” said Jim Navarro, Series President.

“It is an exciting time for road racing with Lotus making such a commitment in a variety of motorsport disciplines,” said Montinola. “Lotus Cup USA is a big part of that commitment and will serve a need that exists with so many Lotus owners who want to race wheel-to-wheel or get on track. Our program will visit some of the premier racing facilities in the country and will be a true challenge for Lotus enthusiasts.”

Lotus Cup USA will kick off in approximately one month’s time at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California. The event will be held in conjunction with Redline Time Attack, the popular time attack and race series.

2011 Lotus Cup USA Schedule
March 5-6 Willow Springs Raceway - Rosamond, California

April 9-10 Firebird International Raceway - Phoenix, Arizona

May 9 Watkins Glen International - Watkins Glen, New York
May 28-29 Auto Club Speedway - Fontana, California

June 25-26 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - Monterey, California

July 31 Road Atlanta - Braselton, Georgia
August 27-28 Miller Motorsports Park - Tooele, Utah

September 5 Watkins Glen Raceway - Watkins Glen, New York
Sept 24-25 Buttonwillow Raceway Park - Buttonwillow, California

October 15-16 Spring Mountain Motorsports Park - Pahrump, Nevada

November 5-6 Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Las Vegas, Nevada

About Lotus Cup USA
Lotus Cup USA features an exciting mix of time attack and wheel-to-wheel racing for Lotus enthusiasts throughout North America. Participants will enjoy competing on the best racetracks in the country through professionally run motorsports events for awards, prizes, and, of course, bragging rights. The highly competitive series features multiple classes racing together for action everywhere on the racetrack, as well as a VIP Client Experience and Driving Academy for the new track enthusiast. Lotus Cup USA is licensed to 777 Racing, Inc, a Nevada Corporation, by Lotus Group UK.

Registration and additional information are available at Lotus Cup USA :: The Official Racing Series for Lotus Enthusiasts.

We'll have a great grid for Round 1. If you're interested in competing, please contact me at robbie@lotuscupusa.us. We have a class for all drivers in either Time Attack or the Race group.

Also, for those wanting to come watch... Here's a FREE sunday ticket to the event that also features Redline Time Attack and their new Pro Track Challenge.

Free Ticket to Round 1 Willow Springs! Redline Track Events - Road Racing with a Twist!

Hope to see some of you out there!

drive a race car for a day
Driving Experience Days, a driving school offers a wide range of driving experience depending on what kind of driving one is doing. From rugged 4x4’s to smooth Ferraris and Lamborghinis, however the driver want to taste the heady cocktail of speed and power, excitement and jubilation, Virgin Experience Days can put the driver firmly in the driving seat.

I attended the Bondurant Racing School, it was fun.