1991 Racing Season — Lotus X190R

For 1991, IMSA began promoting the Bridgestone Potenza Supercar Championship, a series with rules very similar to SCCA’s World Challenge but with a much wider audience, including being televised. To campaign against factory-backed temas from Porsche, Mazda, and Chevrolet, it was decided to establish LotuSport under the leadership of Jack Ansley. Besides team founder Doc Bundy, drivers added to the lineup included David Murry, Michael Brockman, Bobby Carridine, Paul Newman and Bo Lemler.

For the 1991 season, one of LotuSport’s main sponsors was Eclipse, an audio subsidiary of Fujitsu and based nearby the Lotus Cars USA headquarters in Atlanta.

(Who was Duncan Drye?) While the X180R was initially debuted by Duncan Drye? at Lime Rock and Watkins Glen, the official LotuSport team did not debut until the fifth Bridgestone Supercar race of the season, missing Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Laguna Seca, and Portland. However, on the first outing, Doc Bundy took home a win in his Type 105 X180R.

For the Bridgestone Supercar Championship, all race cars were required to run on Bridgestone Potenza RE71 tires, trimmed to semi-racing depth, except during wet races where full depth RE71 tires were allowed.

• Drivers: Doc Bundy, Bobby Carradine, Paul Newman, Michael Brockman, Bo Lemler
• 3 IMSA Bridgestone races + 6 World Challenge races

IMSA Bridgestone Potenza Supercar Championship

• 1 win (33% of 3 races the X180R campaigned in out of the 8 for the IMSA Supercar season)
• At least one top two finishing driver in every race entered
• 5 podiums (in 3 races)

SCCA Escort World Challenge

1991 Lotus Cars USA Press Release

Lotus Makes Successful Comeback Racing in America

by Lotus Cars USA, Inc.

Lotus will return to the race tracks and street courses of Aaerica campaigning three 1991 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE race cars.

Sports is at a time where it is fashionable for making comebacks, with the likes of Mark Spitz and George Foreman making headlines. However,_ Lotus beat everyone to ·the winners circle in 1990, winning four races, six pole positions, three top ten finishes and three top five finishes after a 25 year absence from American road racing The 1991 Lotusport Team will return to Sears Point Raceway on May 4th, and will attempt to repeat its historical winning performance of 1990. With only fourteen laps of testing before the season’s first race at Sears Point Raceway, a Lotus Esprit Turbo SE qualified fifth and went on to win, adding yet another notch in Lotus racing history.

The elite Lotus team will once again compete against a full field of American and imported car manufacturers battling for the Manufacturers, Drivers and Team Championship titles. Lotusport, Inc., from Atlanta, Georgia owns and operates the three car team and will campaign thea in the 1991 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Escort World Challenge Series.

The 1991 driver lineup will include stars that have winning results on and off the track. Doc Bundy, who finished second in the 1990 point chase will be joined by professional drivers and actors Paul Newman, Bobby Carradine and Michael Brockman. Bundy’s teammates have extensive racing and winning experience as professional race car drivers. The star studded team will surely provide American racing enthusiasts with an exciting show on and off the track in the ten race series.

Carradine, and Brockman have competed in American and imported cars - the same cars, as Lotus drivers, that they will now compete against.

Lotus Cars USA, Inc., in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and Lotus Cars and Engineering, in Norfolk, England will provide technical support to the team. Former Formula One driver, John Miles will also be on staff to once again provide the team with his valuable engineering and driving talent. Miles returned to racing in 1990 with the 24-Hours of Mosport in a Lotus Esprit. The Lotus Team finished sixth after entering the first 24-Hour race since the last 24-Hour win for Lotus at Le Mans in 1964.

“For years Lotus road cars have benefitted from on-track experience. We have already made changes to our production cars with the knowledge that we obtained from the 1990 racing season," said Lotus Cars USA, Inc., President Ronald Foster.

Carradine summarized his involvement with the Lotusport Team: “I think it’s really great to drive a car as special as a Lotus. It really stands alone on and off the track with its' aerodynamic look and its fast pace. My goal this year is to repeat the 1990 winning performance, keep it up front, and get Lotus to the winners circle."

1991 Lotus Racing Program Overview (Lotus Cars USA Racing Program)

Lotus returned to the race tracks and street courses of America campaigning four 1991 Lotus Epsirt Turbo SE race cars.

The 1990 season saw the return of Lotus to road racing in America after 25 year absence by geting to the Winner’s Circle 4 times, 2 one-two victories, scoring 6 pole positions, in 8 races.

In 1991 the Lotus team is again competing against a full field of American and imported manufacturers battling for the Manufactures, Driver and Team Championship titles.

LotuSport, Inc., from Lawrenceville, Georgia owns and operates the 4 car team and is campaigning in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Escort World Challenge Series and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Bridgestone Potenza Supercar Series.

The 1991 driver lineup includes stars that have winning results on and off the track.

• Doc Bundy (Gainsville, Georgia) - Finished second in the 1990 SCCA World Challenge points chase with 3 victories, 2 pole positions. Has raced since 1980 in SCCA Trans Am and IMSA GTP and GTO.

• Paul Newman (Westport, Connecticut) - Oscar winning actor and Indy Car team owner and race driver. Racing since 1972 in SCCA Trans Am, GT-1 and IMSA GTU and GT.

• Bobby Carradine (Los Angeles, California) - Well known international actor. Racing since 1976 in SCCA Escort World Challenge, SCCA Corvette Challenge, IMSA Firehawk GT and IMSA GTO.

• Mike Brockman (Los Angeles, California) - Road test editor for Motor Trend magazine and actor. Racing since 1973 in IMSA GTP, GT Lights, GTO and GTX.

• Bo Lemler (Bonita, California) - Veteran racer, racing since 1958 in NHRA, IHRA Top Fuel Dragsters, IMSA Firehawk Champion, and Barber Pro Series.

Lotus Cars USA, Lawrenceville, Georgia nad Lotus Cars Ltd. and Lotus Engineering of Norfolk, England providing technical support to the team. Former driver and member of Team Lotus (Lotus Formula One Competition team), John Miles is just one of the members on staff to provide the team with vauable and driving talent.

LotuSport team is proud to have the following sponsors assist in our efforts: Eclipse Mobile Audio, Delco Moraine, Goodyear Tire, Isuzu handling by Lotus, Mobile 1, Monroe Shocks, Monarch, Race Spec Race Car Lettering, Revolution Wheels, and Teton Springs.