08 Sep

The 38th Annual Historic Festival Crosses The Finish Line

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PICTURED: No. 25 Tony Carpanzano , Danbury, CT 1993 Reynard 93H Formula Atlantic receives checkered flag for Group 1 Race 3

PICTURED: No. 25 Tony Carpanzano , Danbury, CT 1993 Reynard 93H Formula Atlantic receives checkered flag for Group 1 Race 3

Lakeville, Conn. – After five days of activities, the 38th annual Historic Festival came to an end after another spectacular September day. The event featured 184 drivers, almost exclusively from the Northeast, racing vintage cars that ranged from a 1928 Bugatti 37A to a 1993 Ralt-RT-41A. Nineteen different drivers topped the podium in 32 races.

More than 500 cars were on display during the Sunday in the Park Concours and Gathering of the Marques. We celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Datsun Z-Car with multiple years represented.

“Faced with COVID-19 our goal was to have a quality event that was safe. We allowed no spectators on the racing days because of concerns of a crowded paddock. On Sunday we felt it was safe to have limited spectators as the cars were displayed all around the track. We had half of the normal number of cars and restricted the crowd to about one-eighth of our capacity. Good racing, quality cars, happy and I believe safe participants,” said Skip Barber, Lime Rock Park President.

For Full Race Results Click Here

The 38th annual Historic Festival By The Numbers:

  •  5 days of activities including 3 days of on track action
  •  32 races throughout the weekend
  •  184 drivers
  •  Cars that races ranged from a 1928 Bugatti 37A to a 1993 Ralt-RT-41A
  •  More than 500 cars on display at the a Sunday Concours and Gathering of the Marques
  •  a 17-mile parade that kicked off the event on Thursday featuring more than 75 cars that traveled through 3 local towns

CLICK HERE FOR FACEBOOK PICTURES

PICTURED ABOVE: Left: Best American, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, Robert Boutot, Wolcott, CT Center: Best in Show 1930 Packard 745 Phaeton, Dr. Denis Bouboulis, Greenwich, CT Right: Best International 1967 Lancia Flaminia Convertible, Donald Schwarzkopf, Carefree, AZ

PICTURED ABOVE: Left: Best American, 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, Robert Boutot, Wolcott, CT Center: Best in Show 1930 Packard 745 Phaeton, Dr. Denis Bouboulis, Greenwich, CT Right: Best International 1967 Lancia Flaminia Convertible, Donald Schwarzkopf, Carefree, AZ

Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 38
historics@limerock.com
www.limerockhistorics.com
497 Lime Rock Road | Lakeville, CT 06039 | Phone: 860.435.5000

Courtesy Lime Rock Park

19 Jun

Lime Rock Park Entries Are Now Open For Historic Festival 38 September 3rd to 7th, 2020

ENTRY FORMS
HISTORIC FESTIVAL INFORMATION

Lakeville, Conn. – Get ready to be a part of Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 38, this coming Labor Day Weekend – Thursday, September 3 through Monday, September 7, 2020.

Better than ever before, this year’s Festival will be sanctioned not only by the Vintage Sports Car Club of America (VSCCA) but also by the Vintage Racing Group (VRG). The combination of the two groups will reflect the most significant and positive aspects of vintage racing.

The team running the weekend is filled with decades of experience. Murray Smith remains as the Historic Festival Chairman while Paul King of VRG and Bill Gelles of VSCCA will join him to help ensure that the interests of all will be recognized. Dave Handy of SascoSports will join the management group as Murray’s special assistant with reference to racing. Lowell Paddock will assume responsibility for Sunday in the Park and Gathering of the Marques. Paddock is a globally experienced automotive industry executive and has already rolled up his sleeves to start planning one of the best Concours in the Northeast. In addition, the presence of JR Mitchell aided by Tivvy Shenton should reassure potential entrants that the standards of technical preparation established at this event will be strictly maintained.

TUESDAY TEST & TUNE:
For competitors, the opening segment of the event will take place on Tuesday, September 1 with Test and Tune. As in the past, those participating in Test & Tune will be allowed to park their trailer or rig for the duration of the event at that time.

THURSDAY LOAD-IN & PARADE:
PARADE ENTRY FORMS
Be a part of the 17-mile parade and street fair that kicks off the Festival on Thursday afternoon. Entry acceptance is determined at the discretion of the Parade Committee. Please send in your entry and we will get back to you promptly. Load-in and the well-established Race Car Parade to Falls Village will take place on Thursday, September 3.

FRIDAY, SATURDAY & MONDAY ON TRACK:

RACING ENTRY FORMS
Applications are now being accepted for racing at Historic Festival 38. Entry acceptance is determined at the discretion of the Chairman. Please send in your entry and we will get back to you promptly. On-track activities begin Friday, September 4 with Practice and Qualifying. It’s important to note that your practice times will determine your starting position for race 1 on Saturday, September 5. Your starting positions in races 2, 3, and 4 will depend on your fastest lap in the previous heat. Monday, September 7, will include races 3 and 4 for all groups. Race groups for 2020 will at least include places for the following:
• Pre-war
• Medium Bore Sporting Cars
• Large Bore Sporting Cars
• Formula Fords
• Sports Racing Cars of the 50s and 60s
• Formula Junior
• Tin Tops
• GT Cars (Pre-2000)
• Wings and Slicks
• Sports 2000s
• Lime Rock Drivers Club Miata’s

FRIDAY & SATURDAY DINNERS:

Evening activities this year will include the always entertaining Participant Party in Hospitality Village, which is included in your entry, and on Saturday night we expect to have a serious panel discussion with guests well versed in racing and the particular idiosyncrasies of German and French cars. Details about both events, and their relevant guest speakers will be released shortly.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK:
CONCOURS APPLICATION
Sunday in the Park, on September 6, will see the whole of Lime Rock Park devoted, as it has been in the past, to some of the most important, beautiful, and significant cars in the world.

QUESTIONS or CONCERNS:

Email historics@limerock.com

08 Sep

Race and Concours Winners from Lime Rock Historic Festival 37

Lakeville, Conn. Following five days of activities, the 37th annual Historic Festival crossed the finish line Monday to close out another successful race season at Lime Rock Park.

Andy Williams of Stamford, Conn., in a 1958 Lotus 11 (left) and Greg Amy of Middletown, Conn., in a 1974 Porsche 914-4 (right). The two raced in Group One: A Sporting Mixture — Small bore sports and sports/racers. Photo: Lime Rock Park.

Andy Williams of Stamford, Conn., in a 1958 Lotus 11 (left) and Greg Amy of Middletown, Conn., in a 1974 Porsche 914-4 (right). The two raced in Group One: A Sporting Mixture — Small bore sports and sports/racers. Photo: Lime Rock Park.

RACER Founder & Incoming Vintage Motorsport Publisher Paul Pfanner attended, calling it a “wonderful” event from flag to flag. It featured 212 drivers from 21 states and two countries racing historic and vintage cars that ranged from a 1925 Bentley to a 1986 Porsche. Take a look back, thanks to images from VM photographer Bill Stoler.

Although the final races on Monday afternoon were canceled after heavy mid-day rains left a portion of the circuit unsuitable for competition, 29 other races went into the record books. Get all results from Race-Monitor.com.

More than 800 cars were on display during the Sunday in the Park Concours and Gathering of the Marques. Ninety of them received an award from the judging panel. See awards for concours classes and the Gathering of the Marques

The Best in Show – Sport honor went to the 1961 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa of Ralph Lauren that had won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1961 with driver Phil Hill and defended its title the following year with drivers Joakim Bonnier and Lucien Bianchi. Best in Show – Touring was awarded to Peter Kalikow’s 1958 Ferrari 250 GT PF Cabriolet.

The two Best in Show winners from Lime Rock Park’s Sunday in the Park Concours. Left: Ralph Lauren’s 1961 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (Best in Show - Sport). Right: Peter Kalikow’s 1958 Ferrari 250 GT PF Cabriolet (Best in Show -Touring). Photo: Lime Rock Park.

The two Best in Show winners from Lime Rock Park’s Sunday in the Park Concours. Left: Ralph Lauren’s 1961 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (Best in Show – Sport). Right: Peter Kalikow’s 1958 Ferrari 250 GT PF Cabriolet (Best in Show -Touring). Photo: Lime Rock Park.

More Photos: Lime Rock Historic Festival 37
Article by Cyndi Paceley
Courtesy Vintage Motorsport Magazine

18 Aug

Don’t Miss the Historic Festival at Lime Rock – Coming up Labor Day Weekend

lrp37_1Historic Festival 37
featuring the Sunday in the Park Concours & Gathering of the Marques

Thursday, Aug. 29 – Monday, Sept. 2, 2019

Now in its 37th year, the Historic Festival at Lime Rock Park has been a time-honored tradition since 1982. Enjoy vintage car racing at its best.

The event opens on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, with the Vintage Race Car & Sports Car Parade presented by Salisbury Bank. This 17-mile tour through the local towns culminates in a free street fair in the charming town of Falls Village. Then continue your nostalgic journey through time and enjoy three days of authentic vintage car racing with practice and qualifying on Friday, Aug. 30, and a full day of racing on Saturday, Aug. 31 and Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2.

On Friday, Saturday and Monday, the Festival is in full swing with open paddocks, three concession stands, book and poster signings, vintage hat showcases, the Harpoon beer tent, food trucks and vendors on The Midway, the Kids Club area, unique merchandise in the Lime Rock Store, and the Swap Meet with car parts and unique automotive collectibles.

Of the Festival’s highlights, the Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance and Gathering of the Marques brings nearly 1,000 motorcars and motorcycles to the track on Sept. 1. Stroll the Park and tap into your inner car enthusiast as you admire rare and exotic historic and vintage cars. Another featured event is the Saturday Night Dinner & A Panel. Held in the main tent in hospitality village overlooking the front straight, the gathering is an entertaining charity event open to competitors, VIPs and fans alike.

New This Year at Historic Festival 37

  • Special tribute to Formula Ford, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the single-seater class which launched the careers of many Formula 1, Indy Car and sports car drivers. Read More
  • Formula Ford 50th Anniversary Saturday Night Dinner & A Panel will be a celebration of this important class and the people that made it successful. Read More
  • Italian motorcar masterpieces such a Ferrari, Lamborghini and many more will be the stars Sunday’s Concours d’ Elegance. Read More
  • A special celebration of the Morgan, celebrating the marque’s 110 year history. Read More
  • Luigi Chinetti Junior, a name synonymous with Ferrari, takes the position of Historic Festival’s Honored Guest. Read More
  • Honored collectors B.Z. and Michael Schwartz, showcasing their 11 masterfully restored collection of Post-War Italian GT and Dual-Purpose and Sport Racers. Read More
  • The Italian-made motorcycles of Gregory Rathe, the Festival’s honored motorcycle collector. Read More
  • The new Touring Group welcoming sports cars of up to the late 1970s to be part of several pace-car-led run sessions. Read More
  • The Riverside Cafe, a VIP hospitality tent, is now open to the public via advance ticket purchase during Sunday in the Park. Read More
  • The preliminary Entry List with the Racing Groups is now available for viewing. Read More
  • The preliminary Weekend Schedule of Events is now available for viewing. Read More

Explore the Historic Festival

Go inside the Historic Festival and what makes it an internationally acclaimed historic car event. Check out these snapshots highlighting previous Festivals.

Plan Your Weekend:

Find yourself immersed in the grassy park setting along the hillsides and under the trees while enjoying road racing at its best. There are no bleachers, no grandstands, no assigned seating. Spread out your blanket or pop open the lawn chair, sit for a while or walk along the infield’s fence line to take in the on-track action from various viewing points. Tour the open paddocks for no extra charge and get up close to the cars and meet the competitors. Lime Rock Park is simply Beauty, Tradition and Speed. Here’s how you can experience Lime Rock during the annual Historic Festival:

Schedule, Pricing & Tickets
Free Admission For Military & Youths
Hospitalities & Upgrades
Car Corrals & Parade Laps
Weekend Camping
Sunday in the Park
Saturday Night Dinner
Vintage Car Parade & Street Fair
Area Accommodations
Participate in Historic Festival

For more information, questions or to purchase tickets and passes by phone, call (860) 435-5000 Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Become a Participant

From competing in one of the races or in the concours to riding in the parade or bidding in the auction, there are numerous ways to be a part of Historic Festival 37.
FIND ENTRY FORMS HERE

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Event Information Courtesy Lime Rock Park

14 Aug

Lime Rock Park Historic Festival’s Honored Guest Brings $40M Bugatti

Peter Mullin to be the Honored Guest & Collector at Historic Festival 36, Bringing With Him the Fabled “World’s Most Expensive Car”

1936 Bugatti Type 57S Atlantic famous as “World’s Most Expensive Car”

1936 Bugatti Type 57S Atlantic famous as “World’s Most Expensive Car”

LAKEVILLE, Conn. — Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance and the Gathering of the Marques, to be held on Sept. 2, 2018, as part of Lime Rock Park’s 36th annual Historic Festival, will be one of the largest showing of motorcars in the Northeast. According to organizers, more than 1,000 motorcars and motorcycles are expected to be showcased along the 1.5-mile Lime Rock Park track, including more than 50 Bugattis—a record setting amount.

Held over Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 30 – Sept. 3, 2018, the festival is the only North American classic car race and concours held in the same location. Historic Festival Chairman Murray Smith explained, “No other event in the U.S. combines a first-class Concours d’Elegance with quality vintage competition on the same property, all on the same weekend. This year, the registrations have been impressive and we fully expect to have over 1,000 vehicles on display.”

Sunday in the Park is segmented into two parts: the Concours d’ Elegance, a showcase of nearly 300 outstanding and rare entries that will be judged with class winners honored during an award ceremony, and the Gathering of the Marques with 800-plus vintage and historic cars of all types.

Peter W. Mullin, the American businessman and philanthropist, will be the honored guest and collector for the Historic Festival 36. Mullin is the founder of the M Financial Group and chairman of its subsidiary, M Financial Holdings. Additionally, he serves as the chairman of Mullin Barens Sanford Financial. He is the founder and patron of the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California.

Peter was born in South Pasadena, California near Los Angeles, California, and after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, he founded Mullin Consulting in Downtown Los Angeles in 1969. He served as its chief executive officer until 2003 and as its chairman until 2006.

Mullin co-founded the M Financial Group with Mark Solomon, Carl Mammel, and Eli Morgan in 1978. He serves as the chairman of its subsidiary, M Financial Holdings. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, it offers life insurance and other financial services to “the ultra-affluent and corporate markets.”

An avid car collector, Mullin established the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, in 2010. Additionally, he serves as the president of the American Bugatti Club. He is also a member of the Bugatti Trust.

1936 Bugatti Type 43 Roadster

1936 Bugatti Type 43 Roadster

As well as being Honored Guest and Collector, Mullin will be racing one of his Bugatti’s during the Bugatti Grand Prix portion of the Festival and will be bringing with him four show cars, including Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic – which was described as “the world’s most expensive car” in 2010 when it was purchased by Mullin. The $30 to $40 million dollar car was purchased by Mullin in 2010 and is on display at the Petersen Museum in California.

Additional multimillion-dollar Bugattis featured at Sunday in the Park will include the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Gangloff Drop Head Coupe from the Ralph Lauren collection as well as the Type 59 Grand Prix Bugatti of Greg Manocherian. “These Bugatti’s will be making rare and much-anticipated appearances,” Smith said.

More information about Peter Mullin will be found in The Daily Rev, the program guide available during the Historic Fest. Learn more about Lime Rock Park’s at Historic Festival 36.

1931 Bugatti Type 49

1931 Bugatti Type 49

To read more about Peter Mullins’ Bugatti’s to be featured at Historic Festival 36, upload this document overview of each vehicle.

Courtesy Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 36

28 Apr

Four Hands on the Wheel: An Exclusive Screening presented by NEAM

Proceeds to benefit New England Auto Museumscreening

The story of the legendary winning partnership
between Mark Donohue & Roger Penske

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 7:30pm
Doors open at 6:45pm

Buy Tickets

VIP Ticket Bundle

On the 50th Anniversary of Mark Donohue’s unprecedented 1968 eight-win Trans-Am Championship season, New England Auto Museum is hosting an evening motorsports enthusiasts won’t want to miss!

This captivating 47-minute 1969 film chronicles the very special relationship between Roger Penske and Mark Donohue, arguably one of the most successful pairings in motorsports history. The film features rare footage of both Penske and Donohue behind the wheel in a wide variety of legendary machines including the Zerex Special, Corvette Grand Sport and Chaparral as well as Penske Racing entries in Can-Am, Trans-Am, USRRC and more. Plus, intimate interviews with both men give insights into this remarkable team.

The evening will also include:

Historic Penske racecars on display:
•  1966 Daytona and Sebring-winning L88 Sunoco Corvette
•  1968 Sunoco Camaro driven by Mark Donohue and Sam Posey

A panel discussion with the people who were there:
•  John “Woody” Woodard: Penske Racing Chief Mechanic
•  Chuck Cantwell: Team Manager of Penske Trans-Am Racing
•  Judy Stropus: Legendary team timer/scorer (before computers)
•  Kevin Mackay: Restorer and owner of the #9 1966 Penske L88 Corvette
•  Irwin Kroiz: Owner of #16 1968 Sunoco Camaro
•  Sam Posey – Famed race-car driver & TV personality; driver of the No. 16 1968 Penske Camaro

Silent & live auction of racing memorabilia and never-before-seen photos

Tickets: $47
VIP Meet & Greet Ticket Bundle: $97
Includes:
6pm pre-show reception
Meet & Greet with the panel
Merch item

Sponsored by:
 

Proceeds will benefit:

22 Mar

The Winning Daytona 24 & Sebring 12 Drivers Racing in PWC Lime Rock Opener, May 26-27

lr171LAKEVILLE, Conn. – The winning drivers of January’s IMSA Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and last weekend’s IMSA Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – the brothers Ricky and Jordan Taylor – will be racing in Connecticut at Lime Rock Park in the USAC Pirelli World Challenge series, the opening event of Lime Rock’s 2017 season, Memorial Day weekend May 26-27.

Ricky (l.) & Jordan Taylor are SprintX-ing with the Cadillac PWC team on Memorial Day weekend

Ricky (l.) & Jordan Taylor are SprintX-ing with the Cadillac PWC team on Memorial Day weekend

The Bros. Taylor, sons of prototype and GT racing icon Wayne Taylor, are longtime General Motors stalwarts, even at the tender ages of 28 (Ricky) and 26 (Jordan). They race the #10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R prototype for their father’s team, Wayne Taylor Racing, in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

At Lime Rock, the Taylor Boys have been contracted to join Cadillac V-Performance Racing drivers Johnny O’Connell and Michael Cooper in the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) GT races. O’Connell and Cooper drive the #3 and #8 Cadillac ATS-V.R, respectively.

New for 2017, the two Lime Rock PWC GT races will be the SprintX 60-minute format: Two drivers per car, with a mandatory driver and tire change at 25 minutes.

O'Connell's PWC #3 Cadillac ATS-V.R

O’Connell’s PWC #3 Cadillac ATS-V.R

The Cadillac driver pairings haven’t been finalized, but word on the street is that Jordan will be O’Connell’s co-driver, and Ricky will be with Cooper.

“I’m really looking forward to the PWC season,” O’Connell, 55, said. “We had one bad weekend last year that really cost us, and I’ve been training hard all winter looking for some redemption. Ricky and Jordan are doing a great job proving themselves on the world stage, especially with these great Daytona and Sebring wins. I am very much looking forward to working with them this season in the SprintX races.”

“All of the Cadillac fans should be as excited as I am to have Jordan and Ricky with us for the SprintX races this year,” Cooper, 27, said. “Jordan has tested with us numerous times the last few years, so I’m sure they’ll slot right in and make their presence known. They are a perfect fit for Cadillac Racing’s SprintX program.”

“I am extremely excited to share the ATS-V.R with the guys,” Ricky Taylor said. “I have always been a huge fan of the ATS-V.R program and of Johnny and Michael, so getting a chance to contribute to the team and hopefully another championship is a great opportunity. Lime Rock is an extra special one for me as I have won there three times and it was my first professional win while driving with Max Angelelli.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting back in the Cadillac ATS-V.R,” Jordan Taylor said. “It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Lime Rock. It’s a track that I’ve always enjoyed… a true, old school American road course. The layout is very enjoyable for a driver and presents a big challenge for the engineers.”

In last year’s two “regular” PWC GT races at Lime Rock, O’Connell had a third and a 17th, while Cooper finished eighth and 14th.

Cooper's PWC #8 Cadillac ATS-V.R

Cooper’s PWC #8 Cadillac ATS-V.R

Purchase general admission tickets at a discounted pre-event price now at limerock.com. Mohegan Sun Fan Hospitality and Personal Cabana passes are available, too. GA tickets are $23 for Friday, $45 for Saturday, and $60 for Fri./Sat./Sun. (the Sunday Royals Car Show) weekend.

Fan Note 1: For all Lime Rock Race Weekends, veterans and active military are free; youths 16 and under w/adult free; parking free; paddock access free

Fan Note 2: For Memorial Day weekend, immediate family of vets and active military also free

Courtesy Lime Rock Park

17 Nov

It’s a high-octane night with NBC’s F1 Racing commentators on November 28 at The Ridgefield Playhouse

Leigh Diffey, David Hobbs and Steve Matchett reporting from the Monaco Grand Prix in May  Photo NBCSN

Leigh Diffey, David Hobbs and Steve Matchett reporting from the Monaco Grand Prix in May
Photo NBCSN

Ridgefield, Conn. – After a sold out evening in 2015, NBC’s F1 Racing commentary team are set to return to The Ridgefield Playhouse. Danbury Porsche will present Inside F1: 2016 Year in Review with Leigh Diffey, David Hobbs and Steve Matchett on Monday, November 28 at 7:30 p.m. For 65 years, F1 racing, the pinnacle of motorsport, has thrilled audiences all over the world. Drawing on a rich heritage that has a global resonance associated with precision, excellence, innovation, bravery, and no shortage of glamour, it has introduced us to iconic legends, fueled some of the greatest rivalries in sport and provided high-octane theatre-on-wheels.

Outside of the Olympic Games and the Soccer World Cup, Formula One is the most watched sport in the world. This up close and personal night will take you behind the scenes of the upscale race weekends on the day after the final race of the season! This multimedia event, including behind the scenes footage, will review the 2016 season and take you into the world of F1 with insight, humor and some rare stories. VIP tickets include a pre-event cocktail party from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., meet and greet with the commentators and a signed limited edition picture. This exciting night is partially underwritten by 109 Cheese & Wine and Moffly Media.

Formula 1 racing’s popularity has grown many times over in recent years. It isn’t that hard to see the appeal that the sport has to fans of all ages. F1 racing has gone from being an isolated sport for wealthy people mainly in Europe to an international phenomenon. Formula One is coming off its most-watched season ever for a single cable network, averaging 385,000 viewers for its 12 races on NBCSN.

For tickets ($50, VIP Meet and Greet Add-on $50), call or visit the box office at The Ridgefield Playhouse, (203) 438-5795. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a nonprofit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT; www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org

Courtesy Lisa Barrett, Ridgefields Hamlet Hub

Mercedes F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Niki Rosberg have been locked in a battle for the championship all season, including this last lap collision in Austria in July  Photo Daily Mail

Mercedes F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Niki Rosberg have been locked in a battle for the championship all season, including this last lap collision in Austria in July
Photo Daily Mail

17 Aug

N.A.R.T.’s 60th Anniversary Celebration; Special Movie Screening in Norwalk September 28th

Paul Newman with Luigi Chinetti Jr. at Bonneville Salt Flats in 1974 Archived Photo

Paul Newman with N.A.R.T Team Manager Dick Fritz at Bonneville Salt Flats in 1974 Archived Photo

Norwalk, Conn. – On Wednesday, September 28th at 6:30 PM, the New England Auto Museum will host a special one-night celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the North American Racing Team (N.A.R.T.) featuring film presentations on the Ferrari team’s Bonneville speed record attempts in 1974 and the development of the Ferrari N.A.R.T. Spyder at the Stepping Stones Multimedia Gallery in Norwalk. The goal is to raise funds for the nonprofit New England Auto Museum, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a permanent facility for display and education in automotive arts and technology.

In September 1974, with N.A.R.T.’s short racing season over, Luigi Chinetti Jr., son of Ferrari legend Luigi Chinetti, decided it would be fun to go to Bonneville in an attempt to break some old speed records; some by Ab Jenkins had stood for over 35 years. To do this would entail taking three cars, and a pit crew. Having raised about $40,000 in sponsorship deals, it was a viable proposition. Two Ferrari 365 GTB4 Daytona’s, one as a spare car, and a Le Mans prototype 512M, were dispatched together with an eclectic mix of drivers, 2-time Formula One world champion Graham Hill, actor Paul Newman and then current N.A.R.T. driver Milt Minter joined Chinetti Jr., to discover what could be achieved under the direction of team manager Dick Fritz.

There were two courses at Bonneville: the straight-line course and also a 10-mile oval. It was the latter that was being used, with its straights of just over two miles in length, and the curves at each end that, through necessity were very long and gradual. The shorter distance records were attempted first in the 512M, and then progressively longer ones in the 365 GTB4, each record falling as the string of drivers took his turn at the wheel. It all seemed surreal, having two cars circulating in the middle of nowhere, coming in for rapid refueling, and driver change-over, and at the same time being filmed by CBS-TV. The only unfortunate thing was that the 24-hour record remained unbroken, as the 365 GTB4’s front right tire burst, affecting the suspension. A half-hour’s work to rectify the problem took the car out of the equation for breaking the record, so the team gave up the unequal struggle. After the event, Chinetti Jr. said, “It was easy to see how the old record had stood for so long.”

Denise McCluggage driving the N.A.R.T. Spyder at Sebring 12-Hour in 1967 Archived Photo

Denise McCluggage driving the N.A.R.T. Spyder at Sebring 12-Hour in 1967
Archived Photo

In addition to the Bonneville film, the program will include documentary footage by Peter Leahey about the development of the legendary N.A.R.T. Spyder. Luigi Chinetti’s influence with Enzo Ferrari was such that he convinced the factory to build a series of 10 275 GTB4/Spyders with bodies by Scaglietti which became known as the N.A.R.T. Spyders. The first N.A.R.T. Spyder was shipped to America in February 1967, just in time for the Sebring 12-hour race where it was driven by Denise McCluggage and Pinkie Rollo. They finished in a respectable 17th place and second in class behind a Shelby GT350, a good result considering that, mechanically, it was a standard production specification car. Of the ten N.A.R.T. Spyders built, the McCluggage car was the only one raced before being sold to a customer. Initially painted in pale yellow, it became even more well-known later on as the car Faye Dunaway drove in the “Thomas Crowne Affair” with Steve McQueen in the lead role. The car was resprayed maroon for the movie, with McQueen famously calling it “one of those red Italian things”.

Steve McQueen with the N.A.R.T .Spyder in “The Thomas Crowne Affair” Archived Photo

Steve McQueen with the N.A.R.T .Spyder in “The Thomas Crowne Affair”
Archived Photo

Complementing the Bonneville and N.A.R.T. Spyder film presentations, the event will include a panel of former N.A.R.T. team members who will share reminiscences on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the team’s formation in 1957. At this writing, this group includes former mechanics for N.A.R.T. Roger Colson and Francois Sicard, and it will be emceed by Jerry Cotrone, ex-Chinetti Motors employee and curator of the Malcolm Pray Achievement Center in Bedford, N.Y.

This special one-night commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the N.A.R.T. Racing Team will take place Wednesday, September 28th from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Beverages and hors d’oeuvres, provided by Rive Bistro Restaurant of Westport, will be served in the hour before the show. Weather permitting, the actual Ferrari 512M that went to Bonneville will be on display in the museum’s courtyard. Location will be the Stepping Stones Museum Multi-Media Gallery at 303 West Avenue in Norwalk (Mathews Park). Sponsors of the event include Dragone Auctions, Hagerty Insurance, Pray Auto Body, Pray Achievement Center, Spacefitters Logistics & Technology Group and Rive Bistro Restaurant. Tickets will be $20 per person and space is limited to 150 attendees. Tickets can be purchased at www.neautomuseum.org

Article includes excerpts from “N.A.R.T. A Concise History of the North American Racing Team 1957 to 1983” by Terry O’Neil

N.A.R.T. Bonneville Record Runs
September 23 – 24, 1974

nart5

16 Jul

Exciting Changes for Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 34 September 1 – 5

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LAKEVILLE, Conn. – Since 1983, Lime Rock Park has held its annual celebration of historic motoring significance by combining authentic-car vintage racing with a prestigious Concours d’Elegance. It’s an event unique to North America in that the racing and the concours are all on one property during one major vintage and historic event.

The historic racing on Lime Rock’s classic 1.5-mile, 7-turn circuit on Friday, Saturday and Labor Day Monday sandwiches the Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance, held on the track’s 2,200-foot Sam Posey Straight.

In the past decade the Historic Festival has added a 17-mile race car parade-and-rally over local roads and through three town centers, ending in a community street fair in nearby Falls Village, as well as creating a 1,000-car Gathering of the Marques car show that’s held concomitant with the concours.

New for 2016’s Historic Festival is an automobile auction, “Cars for Enthusiasts.” Conducted by famed New York City house Guernsey’s, the auction will begin immediately following the September 4 Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance awards ceremony.

“As a vintage automobile racer, concours participant, concours judge and enthusiastic sports car fan, I have watched the growth of Lime Rock’s wonderful Historic Festival,” said Arlan Ettinger, Guernsey’s president. “It is our hope that the auction helps to make this terrific event even better.”

Festival Chairman Murray Smith has also confirmed a number of other elements for this year’s Historic Festival 34:

► The Festival welcomes a presenting sponsor, the Prestige Family of Fine Cars, the leading vehicle dealer network in the Tri-State Region with more than 50 years of service to the car-buying public in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The dealer group retails a number of marques including BMW, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Scion, Toyota and Volkswagen, out of Wappinger’s Falls and Middletown, N.Y.; Paramus, Mahwah and Ramsey, N.J.; and Stamford, Conn.

Historic Festival 34’s Honored Guests are the dynamic duo of John Morton and Pete Brock. Among Brock’s numerous accomplishments is, of course, his designing the Daytona Cobra Coupe and founding his wildly successful Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE)… for which Morton was asked to drive and together, they won prodigiously between 1969 and 1972 in BRE Datsun’s in C-Production and 2.5-liter Trans-Am. Morton will race a BRE Datsun 240Z over the weekend, too

New-for-2016 Tin Top race group has already burgeoned to 20+ entries, with more expected

► Another of this year’s nine race groups are the wildly popular cars from the Historic Trans-Am organization; authentic pony cars that raced in Trans-Am in the iconic 1966 – 1972 period

► Along with the expected 250+ entrants in the Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance will be one of the six Duesenbergs (to be announced soon) that have won Pebble Beach’s Best of Show since 1969.

Find more information at www.limerockhistorics.com

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Courtesy Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 34