Unbeatable Andy Kern

 

For the second consecutive year, Motul is the partner of the Lotus Cup USA as its official lubricant. Without having yet reached the scale of the Lotus Cup Europe or the Lotus Cup UK, the American series is growing in importance which proves it is appreciated! This popularity was also evidenced by the many cars on the starting grid, on 30 June, of the Laguna Seca event, which marks the mid-season. At this time of the year and in this region of California, the weather is usually favourably predictable, so it was under a perfect sky that the drivers battled it out on the 3.58 km circuit, driving their Evora GT4s, 2-Eleven GT4s, 2-Elevens, Exige Cups, Elises and Evoras.

This Laguna Seca meet comprised the two types of events usual in this championship: a normal race and a time attack race, which takes place against the clock, in three laps.

In Sprint, after clinching the best time in the qualifyings, Andy Kern underwent the assaults of Robb Bonanno who even managed to take the lead until a little mistake brought him back to 2nd position. From then on, Kern remained rapid and constant, keeping the lead until the arrival. Behind him, Glen Irani and Kevin Marshall were battling it out, to the final benefit of the former who climbed the third step of the podium.
In Time attack, Cappy Pratt, driving his Elise, clinched the best time of 1'42"81/10. Behind, Jeff Raggio and Craig Knowlton completed the podium.

Andy Kern also earned the Motul Sportsmanship Award for never missing a round of Lotus Cup USA competition.

The series will now be suspended for two months of 'holidays', the next meet being scheduled on 22 and 23 September at the Buttonville circuit.

Results
Wheel-to-wheel race
01// Andy Kern
02// Robb Bonanno
03// Glen Irani

Time attack
01// Cappy Pratt
02// Jeff Raggio
03// Craig Knowlton

Photo credit: Lotus Cup USA