WHEN the winner of the FAB award was announced at the end of the Andy Mort Tour, no-one was more surprised than Russ Dawson.
As owner of the Lotus Elise Racetech picked as the best-presented car on the day, he didn’t think he had been in with a chance.
“I was really shocked when the heard the words ‘Lotus Elise’ called out, as there were some fabulous cars on the event. It is a real honour to get the award and it capped off a brilliant day,” said Russ.
“We hadn’t planned to do the AMT in the Lotus but the weather intervened. I have a classic Mini which is my real pride-and-joy, however it is a ‘garage queen’ and doesn’t go out in the wet. I’m glad it was raining now!”
Lifelong Lotus fan Russ, who owns Educational Printing Services (EPSL) in Blackburn, only bought the car in April, with the intention of using it for track days and some weekend fun.
“I had three Lotus cars in succession in my younger days, so I think I saw the Elise as a way of re-living my youth,” he joked.
“The dealer I bought it from reckoned there were only three Racetech models produced in the distinctive Lave Orange colour scheme, and two went abroad, so potentially this is the only one in the UK.
“I persuaded my good friend Ian Shorrock, who I have known since school, to sit alongside and we loved very moment of it. It was our first Andy Mort Tour and certainly won’t be the last. We can’t wait for entries to open next year.”
