Performance Drivers Education Day at Watkins Glen

Lotus, Ltd. and Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA) are proud to announce another exciting High Performance Driver Education Day and Laps and Lunch at Watkins Glen International race track on June 19, 2019. We are pleased to announce the addition of the Performance Driver Experience.

Watkins Glen International, at the southern tip of Lake Seneca in New York, is one of North America’s oldest road courses and was home to the U.S. Grand Prix for many years. Lotus won several times with Innes Ireland, Jimmy Clark, Jochen Rindt, Ronnie Peterson, and Emerson Fittipaldi while others such as Mario Andretti also took podium finishes for Lotus.

What better way to explore the handling of your Lotus but on one of North America’s premier road courses.The intent of the Lotus, Ltd./MBCA’s Driver Education program is to teach you the skills to handle your car better. Besides having plain old fun with your car, the techniques you’ll learn will make you a safer, more aware driver on the street! Afraid to take your car on the race track because it might get damaged? That’s understandable, it can happen. However, it can also happen on the street. The race track is a controlled environment in which you have far more freedom to make a “mistake” than on the street. (But if you really want your car protected, read about optional track insurance coverage below) If you are a novice driver, during our High Performance Driver Education Day, you will have a seasoned instructor with you at all times to guide and teach you at a pace with which you are comfortable. There is no pressure and no trophies at a Driver Education day. It’s all about safety, fun, and car control! Yes, in that order.

You do NOT need a Lotus to attend this event. Any marque is welcome if properly equipped. You do NOT need to be a Lotus, Ltd. or Mercedes-Benz Club of America member to attend. You are encouraged to tell you friends about this event and have them join us for a wonderful day at Watkins Glen!

The cost for this year’s, Lotus, Ltd./MBCA Performance Driver Education Day is $350(US) when you register prior to May 19, 2019. After May 19, a $50 late registration fee will be applied without exception. The late fee is necessary because we WANT YOU TO REGISTER BEFORE May 19, so we can do the necessary planning to hold the event. Registration has been extended to June 7th, so sign up before it’s too late! You can register NOW at Club Registration Website.

More Information:

Novice and intermediate drivers requiring instructors will be approved as we get an instructor for you and will be assigned on a first registered basis. So, register early to increase your chances of getting an instructor and into the event. All fees will be refunded if we do not have an instructor for you. Garage space at the track will be available for an additional $40 on a first come first served basis. Lunch will be offered at the Event Center, located between the garages and pits, also for an additional charge. (At the time this is going to press, the final amount for the lunch cost had not been determined but last year it was $25 and we expect it to be the same or within $5-$7 of what we paid last year).

If you are an instructor and wish to participate please contact David Nagler at: Lotushack(at)lotusowners.com for consideration as an instructor.

Registration and Day-of Information:

Registration is now open at Club Registration Website. If you don’t already have a clubregistration.net account, it’s a simple, free signup on their website. If for some reason you cannot do that please let us know and we will make alternate arrangements but we prefer all to register on-line at Club Registration Website. Just search on Watkins Glen after you register on their site to find our event on the Club Registration Website.

We have arranged for Tuesday night trailer and car drop off at the track. The track will be open for drop off between 6pm and 8pm. Even if you’re not dropping a car off, we encourage you to come to the track between 6:00pm and 7:30pm for registration and tech to ease the rush in the morning. Following the drop off, we will be holding a get together at the Nickel Pit BBQ on Franklin St, www.nickelspitbbq.com, arriving there about 8-8:30 PM on Tuesday night.

We now have two sources for your HPDE day car insurance should you wish to insure your car for the day. We do have a welcome change to inform you about. If you use Hagerty for your street insurance coverage. Hagerty will now offer HPDE day insurance for your car whether or not Hagerty insures you car for street use. Visit their website at https://www.hagerty.com for more information.

We are also letting you know that a few of our drivers are using On Track Insurance (https://www.ontrackinsurance.com). You can also call them to provide coverage for your car should you desire.

I found the rates for both companies to very reasonable. I was just quoted about $240 for $30,000 coverage with a reasonable 10% deductible. Please understand that neither club has any connection with Hagerty or On Track Insurance other than to let participants know that their coverage is available to those that wish to purchase it separately from the registration fees.

Registration and Day-of Information:

New this year is our Performance Driver Experience.

We call it the Performance Driving Experience. Cost is $100 and we want to give you a taste of our Performance Driving Events. What you will get are laps in the morning with an instructor with you as a passenger. And then in the afternoon, your instructor will accompany you in your car with you driving. Speed are not to exceed 70 mph and you will be behind a pace car. No passing will be allowed and speeds will be strictly enforced with gentle braking and moderate cornering speeds. No helmet is required and you may use any car as long as it is street registered, inspected and insured. Please also keep in mind that your everyday car insurance will probably not cover you when you are on a race course. The event enrollment will be limited and will be taken on a first come, first taken basis and is really limited by the number of instructors we have for the event.

Some of things drivers will need to know before you arrive!

You are responsible for getting your car professionally inspected for safety and for bringing the form with you. All forms are available on our ClubRegistration.net page and will be attached to your registration confirmation letter. You will not be able to participate without the safety form. Cars are required to have equal seating and restraint systems for both driver and Instructor. You will need a Snell (SA) 2010 or Snell (SA) 2015 Helmet. Snell 2005 helmets are NOT acceptable anymore. A motorcycle (M) Helmet are NOT,I repeat NOT acceptable! Cars must be roll over certified by the manufacturer. Lotus Elise/Exige are okay as are the Mercedes-Benz SL’s and Cabriolet from 1990 on, and Porsche 911 and 914 targas and 911 cabriolets from 1997 on. Other open cars must have at least a 4-point competition rated roll bar. Open cars will need arm restraints for both driver and instructor or the top must be in place. You must supply arm restraints for your instructor if you have an open car.

Please contact Jim Roberts at jertoothsaver(at)bellsouth.net if you have any questions about the compliance of your vehicle.

Participants acknowledge that The Mercedes-Benz Club of America and Lotus, Ltd driving events entail known and unanticipated risks which could result in damage to the participant, to property or to third parties, physical or emotional injury, paralysis or death. The participant understands that such risks simply cannot be eliminated without jeopardizing the essential qualities of the driving event. Participation in this event is purely voluntary, the participant expressly agrees to accept and assume all associated risks and elects to participate in spite of the risks.

Cancellations received at least 30 days prior to the event will receive a full refund subject to a $20 per entrant service charge.

Cancellations received at least 2 weeks prior to the event will receive a refund of 50% of their registration fee.

Cancellations received within two weeks of an event WILL NOT RECEIVE A REFUND. Event will be held RAIN or SHINE!!!!!!!

In addition, NO REFUND WILL BE MADE FOR NO SHOWS. If garage space is full and you have paid, your $40 will be refunded.

Spectators are welcome for the event and there is no cost. However, Watkins Glen requires you to be preregistered in order to get into the track. If you would like to come, watch, and hang out with your fellow car buddies, you must contact us so we can get you credentials and entrance into the event. Please email Tony at tvacc(at)lotusowners.com if interested.

The LOONYs have been staying the Watkins Motel for the Lotus Rendezvous that we hold in September and really like the 1960’s look and feel of the motel. The Watkins Motel (https://www.watkinsmotel.net) has only 17 rooms and I have personally booked the entire motel for Tuesday June 19th. The cost is $100 per night by our special arrangement. You can stay earlier or later, same cost, if you wish, just let me know. But as I have reserved the whole motel, You MUST contact ME, tvacc@lotusowners.com, if you want one of the 12 rooms left. I need to confirm those rooms by April 15, so if you want one, let me know ASAP.

Lotus, Ltd. has contacted has contacted the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel, https://www.watkinsglenharborhotel.com, and they offer a “Car Club” rate of $162 plus tax per night (street side) and $182 plus tax per night (harbor side). Please call them, mention the “Car Club” rate if you wish to stay there.

As we are renting the track for the entire day of June 19, 2019, we might as well make the most of it. Laps and Lunch is a completely separate event from the HPDE for those that want a little taste of the track! The Laps and Lunch starts about 11:30am and consists of three laps of the track behind a pace car, with a stop at the start finish line for pictures at the end of lap two. Then, it’s off to the Glen Club for a sandwich lunch. Cost is $50 for the lunch menu and the three laps. If you have a passenger then it adds $25 for lunch per passenger and you must order that separately under Options at the Club Registration Website. Normally the Glen requires a 35 person minimum for this sort of activity, but as we are renting the entire track for the day and using the Glen Club for our event, there is no minimum car requirement!

Your car must be street registered for the Laps and Lunch portion of the event ONLY. (This requirement does not apply to the HPDE portion of the event) No helmets or roll bars are required for the Laps and Lunch portion of the event. You do not need a Lotus for this. Any street registered vehicle is welcome!

Please email Tony at tvacc(at)lotusowners.com if interested in the event and you have any questions. Registration for the Laps and Lunch portion of the event will be handled this year at Club Registration Website. You will have to register for the website and it is a simple process. Remember, if you have a passenger, you must buy his or her lunch separately under Options. Search on Watkins Glen to find our Laps and Lunch event. If you have any questions or problems, please contact me at the E-Mail address: tvacc(at)lotusowners.com.