2024 NI Group Events

[RP420]

@blindside Jimmy, @Cooper Andy, @AR13 MEO Gareth, @KeithK Keith, @5pence Spencer, @Tris... Tris, @SSurpal Susheel, @1973 JPS Richard, @Mike150 Mike, @Alastair_M Alastair, @AndyW-VX Andy, @CooperLotus Neil, @Chris28 Chris ,@R400DVA Craig, @desmondf Desmond, @Barry McFall Barry, @MBRC150 Martin, @Honcho [Name TBC!], @Keith B Keith

 

A very belated 2024 "Hello" to all NI TLF members!

Apologies to all for the radio silence in 2024.  I'm afraid work and family commitments have got very badly in the way for me so far this year. To be fair, the weather has been so bad that I haven't been keen to test the aquaplaning performance of my Cup2s either but ... as I write, the sun is eventually out, and the weather forecast suggests that there might be more than 2 consecutive days where the temperatures exceed 20 degrees - so it's now or never for sports car enjoyment!

I do have 2 requests for you all, and would be really grateful if you would let me know your thoughts:

1. Is there appetite for TLF-organised events in NI?
   
   I'm conscious that there are a huge number of car forums and car events in NI throughout the year (not least Andy (@Cooper)'s excellent RMS Motoring forum) and I appreciate that the NI TLF group could be simply adding more noise to a crowded market.  I'm certainly enthusiastic about helping to build the NI Lotus community via the TLF forum and it's been great to meet a number of you at the events organised over the past couple of years - but equally I don't want to waste anyone's time if there isn't really appetite for this particular forum.  All thoughts posted on this thread are most welcome!
    
2. If you are keen to participate in the forum, please do join the Members list
   Many of you kindly did so a couple of years ago, but TLF functionality temporarily changed in between and the Member group was lost.  At the time of writing there are currently 4 of our number who have registered as "Members" on the NI Group.  Please do re-join now and make sure to "Follow" all the various NI Group threads, so that you are automatically notified of new postings.

 

Regarding 2024 events, I'm going to make the following suggestions for discussion, suggesting one event approximately monthly for the next 4 months.  The following are merely my own thoughts and I will be delighted to change/revise/cancel/add new as meets the desires of group members.  Again - please don't hesitate to make comments about your enthusiasm or otherwise for the ideas below and please don't hesitate to make your own suggestions!

 

• Friday night Fish & Chip run from Lisburn to Newcastle.  Suggesting meeting Friday 5th July @ 7pm at McDonalds Sprucefield (Lisburn) for an indirect run to Newcastle through Co. Down.
  I appreciate that many may be away on holiday at this time so the date can be re-arranged if there is interest but not availability.
   
• Supercar Saturday and/or Sunday - Saturday 27th and/or Sunday 28th July.  We have attended the annual NI Supercar Saturday (North Coast) /Sunday (Bishopscourt, Downpatrick) event in 2022 and 2023 and the event is back again for 2024.  It has been a really great event, in particular with the opportunity to drive your car on the track at Bishopscourt on the Sunday.
   
• Friday night Coffee or Guinness Zero run on the Antrim Coast Road.  Suggesting meeting Friday 30th August @ 7pm at Corrs Corner hotel car park.  I'm not as familiar with this part of the world as Jimmy @blindside and Keith @KeithK so I will defer to their or anyone else's suggestions, but perhaps stopping for that coffee or Guinness Zero in the Londonderry Arms in Carnlough, before turning back for home?
   
• Anglesey track day.  OpenTrack.co.uk are running a track day at Anglesey on Saturday October 19th.  This would require taking the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead on the afternoon of Friday 18th and returning on Sunday 20th.  Return ferry would be circa £350-£400 and accommodation for 2 nights would also be required (from £60 in a Premier Inn).  The track day itself costs £169.00.  If costs for Anglesey were too high, we could perhaps arrange a day at Mondello instead?

 

I will set up each of the above in the "Events" section of the NI Group.  If you are willing to attend any/all, please register via the Event page so that we all know who is attending.

 

One final appeal - do please let me know your thoughts, your enthusiasm or otherwise for any of the above suggestions, and any other ideas that you would like to suggest in the thread below.

 

Thanks to all and I look forward to hearing from you!

Ryan

[AndyW-VX]

I’d be up for that.

There is a Facebook/whatapp group that organises runs as well that I often meet up with

I’ll a link post later 

 

[Chris28]

Yeah I’m up for all of that. Although I’m not 100% sure on the Anglesey trip yet.
 

I did the Anglesey track day last year and it’s was great. We only stayed one night though. We stayed over the night before and then back on the late ferry after the track day itself. 
 

[RP420]

Hi Andy @AndyW-VX and Chris @Chris28

Many thanks for your swift responses! 

Great news that you are both up for the suggestions! 

Keith @KeithK - thanks too for your RSVPs on the events pages!

So that's a great start of 4 of us. 

Chris - thanks too for your thoughts on Anglesey - let's discuss on our 5th July trip.

Also included below are links to the event pages - see below:

5th July Fish & Chip run

27th/28th Supercar Saturday/Sunday

30th August Antrim Coast Road

[1973 JPS]

Great, I'm in.... Definitely for the run to Newcastle and the coastal trip.... I don't think my old girl could cope with a rattle round Anglesey 

[blindside]

Hi Ryan,

First of all thanks very much for taking the time and effort to plan a great proposed schedule for NI Lotus owners on this forum. Your hard work & open approach is much appreciated. 
They are all good proposals. I’m especially interested in the Bishops Court & Anglesey meets.

Looking forward to.catching up with other members over the summer!

[RP420]

@1973 JPS @blindside

Hi Richard and Jimmy

Thanks both for your posts and look forward to seeing you at the events over the summer!

Ryan

[RP420]

@Honcho - thanks for joining the club! Hope you can make it to some of the planned events!

Ryan

[AR13 MEO]

Hadn't relaised I had been excommunicated, Ryan.  Joined again.

My car still in dry dock for a while but glad to see the events your suggesting.  Look forward to being able to join again in the future.  Might see some of you at Bishopscourt but I won't be in a Lotus this year.

Edited June 28 by AR13 MEO
typo

[RP420]

Hi Gareth

Many thanks for your note and for joining up again!

Nobody was excommunicated - the club functionality was just turned off and all previous data was therefore lost.  Bibs has kindly turned it back on again, but it does mean we all need to "rejoin".

Hope to see you at Bishopscourt at the end of July - and also that the Elise gets out of dry dock soon!!

Cheers

Ryan

[blindside]

@RP420 Ryan, I’ve just signed up to the Air Ambulance events. Taking the GT430 on Sat 27th & Porsche to Bishopscourt on Sun 28th.

[RP420]

@blindside Jimmy

Great news and thanks for confirming! Out of interest which option did you go for on Sunday - full day on track or just afternoon? 

Unfortunately I couldn't make it to the pre-event at The Boulevard on Sunday past, but it seems to have been a great event and very well supported. 

Look forward to seeing you on 27th and 28th!

Ryan

[blindside]

Opted for full day on track on Sunday Ryan 👍

[RP420]

Was considering that too Jimmy! 

[RP420]

That's me booked for both NW Pits and Bishopscourt - went for the full day track too!

For all others considering going to Bishopscourt, note that there are 3 options this year:

1. "Static Car Display Pass" - park in the area on the outside of the track - no track time
2. "Car Display Pass" - park in the paddock area inside the track - track time for a couple of hours in the afternoon
3. "VIP Car Display Pass" - park in the paddock area inside the track - track time in the morning and afternoon

[RP420]

@blindside Jimmy, @Cooper Andy, @AR13 MEO Gareth, @KeithK Keith, @5pence Spencer, @Tris... Tris, @SSurpal Susheel, @1973 JPS Richard, @Mike150 Mike, @Alastair_M Alastair, @AndyW-VX Andy, @CooperLotus Neil, @Chris28 Chris ,@R400DVA Craig, @desmondf Desmond, @Barry McFall Barry, @MBRC150 Martin, @Honcho [Name TBC!], @Keith B Keith

 

All - reminder that our Fish & Chip run to Newcastle is planned for this Friday night at 7pm.  Meeting Friday 5th July @ 7pm at McDonalds Sprucefield (Lisburn) for an indirect run to Newcastle through Co. Down.

@KeithK has confirmed he is going on the specific Event page.

@AndyW-VX Andy, @Chris28 Chris and @1973 JPS Richard have also indicated above that they are attending.

Anyone else up for it?  Please do respond on the Event page linked above if you can make it.

Hope to see a convoy of Lotus on Friday night!

Ryan

[AndyW-VX]

11 hours ago, RP420 said:

@blindside Jimmy, @Cooper Andy, @AR13 MEO Gareth, @KeithK Keith, @5pence Spencer, @Tris... Tris, @SSurpal Susheel, @1973 JPS Richard, @Mike150 Mike, @Alastair_M Alastair, @AndyW-VX Andy, @CooperLotus Neil, @Chris28 Chris ,@R400DVA Craig, @desmondf Desmond, @Barry McFall Barry, @MBRC150 Martin, @Honcho [Name TBC!], @Keith B Keith

 

All - reminder that our Fish & Chip run to Newcastle is planned for this Friday night at 7pm.  Meeting Friday 5th July @ 7pm at McDonalds Sprucefield (Lisburn) for an indirect run to Newcastle through Co. Down.

@KeithK has confirmed he is going on the specific Event page.

@AndyW-VX Andy, @Chris28 Chris and @1973 JPS Richard have also indicated above that they are attending.

Anyone else up for it?  Please do respond on the Event page linked above if you can make it.

Hope to see a convoy of Lotus on Friday night!

Ryan

Hope to be there.

Anyone going to kirkistown on Sunday?

[CooperLotus]

booked on to bishopscourt "Car Display Pass", might regret not buying the full day access but maybe someone will be kind enough to let me jump in a spare passenger seat for a sighter in the morning 🙂

are we able to park together for a lotus section?

don't think I will make this Friday night for the fish & chip run but will let you know if that changes.

[AndyW-VX]

I just booked my full day at supercar Sunday this week👌🏻

[RP420]

HI Neil and Andy

Thanks for the updates and looking forward to seeing you both at Bishopscourt (and perhaps see one or both of you on Friday night too).

Andy - I do hope to get along to one of the Trackskills sessions soon.  Not sure that I will make it this Sunday as I think there are already family plans and my car isn't quite ready for the track yet, but hopefully will be by the 28th....

Neil - yes we usually do try to all park together in the Paddock at Bishopscourt, but it does depend a bit on timing of arrivals.  We will certainly try to do so.

Cheers

Ryan

[Cooper]

Unfortunately I can't make it for the Newcastle run but i'll see you guys at Bishopscourt for sure.

[RP420]

@Cooper

Hi Andy

Thanks for the update. No problem about this Friday and look forward to seeing you at Bishopscourt! 

Ryan

[Mike150]

Hi Ryan

I doubt I'll make it on Friday night as I'm doing an RSA event on Saturday at Aghadowey in my Crosskart and some preparation work to do. 

I appreciate you taking the time for this. 👍

Thanks,

Michael 

 

[RP420]

Hi Michael

Many thanks for your note and kind words. No problem at all and hopefully you might be able to make it to one of the other events coming months. 

Good luck in the Crosscart on Saturday!! 

Ryan

[RP420]

Leaving Sprucefield now. 

This is the route for anyone playing catchup. 

Shared route
From (54.4922489,-6.0592065) to Newcastle via A1.

1 hr 1 min (41 mi)
1 hr 1 min in current traffic

1. Head south
2. Turn left towards Hillsborough Rd/A1
3. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit
4. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Hillsborough Rd/A1
5. At Sprucefield Roundabout, take the 1st exit onto A1
6. Exit the roundabout onto A1
7. Keep left to stay on A1
8. At Hillsborough Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Hillsborough Rd/A1
9. Exit the roundabout onto Hillsborough Rd/A1
10. Turn left towards Rathfriland Rd
11. Turn left onto Rathfriland Rd/B10
12. Slight right onto Sentry Box Rd
13. Turn right onto Mays Corner Rd
14. Merge onto Dromore St
15. Turn left onto Main St/A25
16. Turn right onto Hilltown Rd
17. Turn left onto B8
18. Turn right onto Rostrevor Rd
19. Turn right
20. Arrive at location: Hilltown
21. Head north-west towards Newry Rd/B8
22. Turn right onto B8
23. Turn right onto Kilkeel Rd/B27
24. Turn right
25. Arrive at location: Spelga Dam Car Park
26. Head north towards Kilkeel Rd/B27
27. Turn right onto Kilkeel Rd/B27
28. Turn left towards Slievenaman Rd
29. Turn left onto Slievenaman Rd
30. Turn right onto Bryansford Rd/B180
31. Turn right onto Bryansford Rd
32. At the roundabout, continue straight onto Bryansford Ave
33. Turn left onto Shimna Rd/A2
34. Turn left onto Dunwellan Park
35. Turn right to stay on Dunwellan Park
36. Arrive at location: Newcastle
For the best route in current traffic visit

https://maps.app.goo.gl/o5vxJku2nr5nhCwr9?g_st=ac