Lotus in the Sunset was commissioned by David Lockton, together with its identically-sized sister painting The Loner, to adorn the walls of the Victory Circle Club at the Ontario Motor Speedway. Hung on opposite walls, the paintings pitted the legendary British Lotus driven by Jackie Stewart against the American dragster driven by Tony Nancy – nicknamed ‘The Loner’ due to his ability to practically field a car by himself. The speedway’s proposed site had been subdivided into parcels of land owned by 150 individuals, many of them Hollywood celebrities. It is through this environment and his close friendship with the likes of Tony Curtis that Laing is thought to have received the commission. The Victory Circle Club was a pioneering private members’ club, hosting the likes of Kirk Douglas, James Garner and Steve McQueen.
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