Lotus Cup USA 2011, Round 1, Day 1

Lotus Cars staging to hit the track during the first practice session in the Lotus Cup USA Round 1 challenge. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Lotus Cup USA 2011, Round 1, Day 1

The morning began cool, but not wintry cool, and soon warmed up to a gathering crowd anticipating that something unique was about to get underway. At the Lotus Cup USA tent, four 2011 Evora's from Van Nuys, CA based Galpin Lotus Cars were lining up for the Evora Experience. The paddock area behind the tent was abuzz with the tuning activity and engine warm-ups as everyone was getting ready to take to the track. Willow Springs International Motorsports Park is just about the same latitude as Edwards Air Force Base where the B2, flying wing, stealth bomber was developed and Space Shuttles land when the weather on the East Coast isn't helping.

Lotus Cars as they sit in the paddock area getting ready for another session on the track. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Today is the day that an official Lotus Cup Series of races get underway for the first time in North American history. This is not to say that Lotuses (or is that Loti - as in multiple Lotus Cars take over a track for an exclusive race between themselves) have never raced in North America, but this is the first time sanctioned event by the manufacturer - hence Lotus Cup USA.

Session one timing and scoring sheets. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

Out of curiosity, what do Lotus fans, drivers, and followers call themselves?

People who work for XEROX refer to themselves as XEROIDS, people who live in Los Angeles are known as Angelenos, and people who live in Buenos Aires are called "Portenas". So, what do people who associate themselves with Lotus Cars, and the motor culture of Lotus Cars call themselves? An interesting ponderance.

Galpin Evora's staged for the Evora Experience where people who are interested in purchasing or recommending the Evora to car buying friends, take an Evora out on the track and run it through its paces. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

They may have already named themselves in Europe where the sporting effort of Lotus Cup is going strong, but it is a well-known American tradition to have a quick nickname ready for something they like.

Using the examples above:

XEROID = Lotoid (nope)

Angeleno = Loteno (nix)

Manhattanite = Lotite (nada)

English = Lotish (no way)

IBMer = LOTer (uh-uh, as in a negative head nod)

Pakistani = Lotusi (gettin' closer)

Technorati / Literati / Blogerati = Loturati (WAY! - that's it).

[50 photo slideshow HERE>>]

Loturati! This is pretty good. The suffix of "rati" denotes the elite of a particular group. One could easily and honestly say, gathered around the Lotus Cup tent this first day of the first round of the first ever Lotus Cup USA, that we all found ourselves in the presence of ... Loturati.

Coming out of turn 3 and approaching turn 4 at Willow Springs International Motors ports Park.Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)

If day one warm-ups were any measure, the qualifications on March 6 at 8:55 AM, followed by the first race, set to start at 1:00 PM, the first round of eight scheduled in 2011, will be an unqualified success ... Loturati all!

... notes from The EDJE