The Hot Lap Challenge is a monthly racing competition where drivers compete to set the fastest lap time around a circuit.
With prizes and a place on the leaderboard at stake, how fast are you?
“If you’re not first, you’re last.”
The Car: Caterham – Pure Driving Pleasure
The Caterham is a modern evolution of the legendary Lotus Seven, a lightweight, no-frills sports car designed to deliver an unmatched connection between driver and machine. Built with simplicity and performance in mind, Caterhams are famous for their razor-sharp handling, power-to-weight ratio, and raw driving feel. With minimal electronics, low weight, and rear-wheel drive, the Caterham is the ultimate test of skill—where precision and control matter more than outright power.
Raced in dedicated Caterham championships worldwide, these cars have carved out a special place in motorsport history, proving that you don’t need downforce or big horsepower to go fast—just talent and commitment.
The Track: Buttonwillow – A True Driver’s Circuit
Located in California’s Central Valley, Buttonwillow Raceway Park is a technical, high-speed playground loved by racers and driving enthusiasts alike. Featuring multiple configurations, challenging corners, fast sweepers, and elevation changes, it’s a circuit that rewards consistency and confidence.
Buttonwillow is a staple of club racing, time attack, and endurance racing in the U.S., offering a unique blend of technical slow-speed corners and thrilling high-speed sections. The unpredictable desert winds and surface conditions make it a true test of adaptability, ensuring that no two laps feel exactly the same.
The History: Caterham Meets Buttonwillow
While the Caterham’s roots lie in British motorsport, its lightweight, agile nature makes it a perfect match for Buttonwillow’s flowing corners and technical sections. The combination of low weight, high grip, and minimal driver aids makes every lap a battle of skill, balance, and bravery.
Buttonwillow has hosted countless club racing events, grassroots competitions, and endurance races, with Caterhams regularly making appearances in track days and time attack series. The mix of long straights, tight technical turns, and unpredictable grip levels makes it a perfect proving ground for one of the most engaging driver’s cars ever built.