vintage | New England Auto Museum

16 Jan

Palm Beach Cavallino Classic Celebrates 24th Anniversary January 21 – 25

The 24th annual Palm Beach Cavallino Classic will be held January 21-25, 2015. This extraordinary gathering is a multi-day convention of automotive owners and collectors and participants attending with their 400 exotic and classic automobiles from the U.S and Europe.

The Palm Beach Cavallino Classic is regarded as one of the top automotive events in the world and the premier Ferrari event in the US. The winners of three different Cavallino Classic Best of Show Awards have gone on to win the prestigious international Louis Vuitton Classic Concours Award for the ultimate Best in the World automobile.

There are two days of track at the Palm Beach International Raceway, including the fourth year of the Cavallino Classic Competition, a racing program for older Ferraris, Maseratis, and pre-war race cars.

There is a Tour of Palm Beach, which will take visitors through the most elegant and beautiful sites of the town and its surroundings. There are evening events also: a Jet Aviation party at Palm Beach International Airport and a Beach Club gala at a members-only Breakers Hotel venue.

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The premier event of the weekend is the Concorso d’Eleganza on the front lawn of the famous Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach on Saturday, January 24. A total of 150 Ferraris will be judged by leading international experts. Awards are distributed at a gala evening party after the Concorso.

This exceptional week is crowned with an unrivaled Sunday program – Classic Sports Sunday held at the exclusive and private Mar-a-lago estate on January 25. Here 120 vintage and classic sporting automobiles of various marques will be displayed and judged on the lawn. This year’s featured marque will be Bugatti. Awards are presented at a charity luncheon for the American Council of the Blind held in the opulent ballroom.

Host Hotel: The Breakers, Palm Beach FL
Reservations: www.thebreakers.com/cavallino24

03 Dec

Early Offerings at RM Auctions Paris February 3 – 4, 2015

Joseph Paul and Marcel Mongin drove the Delahaye 135 S to second overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1937 (photo: Collection Jean Paul Tissot)

London – RM Auctions will return to Place Vauban in Paris on 3-4 February, 2015 for its annual sale during the Retromobile show week. A permanent fixture on RM’s global calendar, the Paris auction will open the company’s 2015 European calendar with a roster of 60 automobiles.

“Paris 2014 was an important sale for RM, as it allowed the company to establish an auction in what is regarded as one of the most important weeks on the European collector car calendar. After such an incredible debut sale last year, we are excited to return with what is already shaping-up to be a wonderful roster of cars,” said Augustin Sabatié-Garat, Car Specialist RM Auctions.

Leading early entries is a 1935 Delahaye 135 S, chassis no. 46094. The Delahaye has resided in France all of its life, including many years in the ownership of Jean-Philippe Peugeot, of the Peugeot Motor Company. It raced competitively from 1936 through 1949, extensively in the hands of the well-known French driver, Joseph Paul. In addition, it was a competitor at many Grand Prix events throughout the 1940s, claiming victory at the Grand Prix des Frontières in the hands of Willy Mairesse. A veteran of no less than three 24 Heures du Mans, the car’s most notable performance came in 1937 when Joseph Paul and Marcel Mongin piloted it to second position overall in the famed endurance race.

For decades, chassis 46094 has been a familiar sight on the international classic car scene, competing in many of the world’s leading historic races driven by its former owner, Jean Sage. Suitable for road or track, it’s a versatile entry into almost every significant event around the world (Est. €1.200.000 – €1.600.000).

Another early highlight from the RM Auctions Paris 2015 sale with French history and one set to command strong local interest is the 1934 Lancia Belna Eclipse. The Lancia features coachwork by Pourtout and dramatic Art Deco design by Georges Paulin, a dentist who sketched many of the most beautiful French automobiles of the pre-war period and went on to be a hero of the French Resistance.

Paulin was a pioneer of aerodynamic design and new ideas in coach-building, most prominently, one of the world’s first retractable hardtops, which he dubbed “Eclipse.” A simple system, it featured a one-piece hardtop that unbuckled at the windshield frame, with a reverse-hinged rear deck that would be raised to store the hardtop underneath. The patented design was simple and effective and was mainly utilized by French coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout up to the outbreak of World War II. Paulin then went on to join the war-time Resistance movement, passing secrets along to agents who would come to his dental office, until he was tragically captured and executed on March 21, 1942.

1934 Lancia Belna Eclipse by Pourtout (photo: Darin Schnabel)

The Lancia on offer, chassis F341349, is one of only two known examples featuring the Pourtout-built Eclipse coachwork. Built on a French-manufactured Belna chassis, it was discovered by its present owner in Tennessee and was duly restored to feature its current black and bright yellow paintwork with a genuine ostrich skin interior. Widely shown at various American Concours d’Elegance events, including at Pebble Beach in 2004, it has been awarded a string of accolades over the years, including Best in Class at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance (2005), and the Concorso Italiano (2006), along with being judged 99.75 points by the Classic Car Club of America (Est. €300.000 – €375.000).

The February 2015 sale follows in the footsteps of the company’s debut in the French capital earlier this year, an event which grossed €17.7 million in sales and was headlined by a 1955 Jaguar D-Type at €3.696.000.

The RM Auctions Paris 2015 auction will be held at Place Vauban immediately after the Festival Automobile International, 4 December 2014 to 1 February 2015. This event will gather a display of concept cars and pay tribute to car designers from around the world.

For further sale information, or to view a frequently updated list of entries, visit www.rmauctions.com or call RM’s London office at +44 (0) 20 7851 7070.

[Source: Sports Car Graphic]

05 Nov

Lime Rock’s 2015 Event Schedule is Announced

Lime Rock, CT – Today, Lime Rock Park announced its 2015 Major Event Schedule:

Lime Rock’s Traditional Memorial Day Weekend Season Opener
Featuring the Trans Am Series & the Sunday Royals Car Show
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 22-24

Trans Am cars are big, bad ass and brutal – and really fast at Lime Rock. With Dodge coming on board to Trans Am in 2014, the real “Pony Car Wars” are back: Mustang versus Camaro versus Challenger. The next day is the sixth annual Sunday Royals Car Show, Connecticut’s best “workingman’s” show, the anti-concours concours; great cars of every kind, from hot rods to sports cars and everything in between. If it’s cool, it’s here.

TUDOR United SportsCar Championship
Featuring IMSA Prototype Challenge and GT Daytona
Plus Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge
Friday & Saturday, July 24-25

IMSA is back after a one-year hiatus, with the super-quick PC Prototypes and the GT Daytona (GTD) production-based sports cars racing together in this mid-summer spree of speed! The ORECA FLM09 prototypes reach more than 150 mph on Sam Posey Straight – and the GTDs (everything from Aston Martins, Audi R8s and BMW Z4s to Ferraris, 911s and Dodge SRT Vipers) aren’t far behind. PLUS, both classes of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge – some of the best stock car road racing in the world – are here. You’ll see the big, loud and fast Camaros, Porsches, Mustangs, Aston Martins, BMWs and 370Zs banging fenders in GS, while the ST race has the quick and agile Hondas, VWs, BMW 128/328, Mazda 3/MX-5 and Porsche Boxsters. IMSA has been racing at Lime Rock since the early 1970s, and the tradition continues.

Lime Rock’s Traditional Labor Day Weekend Historic Festival 33
Featuring the Thursday Race Car Parade and the Sunday in the Park Concours & Gathering of the Marques
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday, September 3-7

Since 1983, the East Coast’s premier vintage and historic motorsport event has been Lime Rock’s Historic Festival and its companion Sunday in the Park Concours & Gathering of the Marques. Honored Guests and Honored Collectors help create five days of motoring magnificence that begins with the free Vintage Race Car Parade and Falls Village Street Fair on Thursday, Sept. 3, continues with racing on Friday and Saturday, the Concours and Gathering on Sunday (more than 1,200 cars are in the Park!), and ends at 6:00 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7, when the final checkered flag falls on the last of 40 races. As always, more than 250 vintage and historic race cars will fill A Paddock, the Swap Meet in B Paddock will be packed, the Midway is alive with activities – and the racing on the track is non-stop from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Monday. Historic Festival 33… There’s nothing else like it anywhere in North America.

Tickets www.limerock.com

03 Nov

First Vintage 24 Hour Race at Daytona Nov. 12-16

Daytona, FL –The traditions of the 24 Hours of Daytona will be revived and relived at full speed on the high banks and infield road course of Daytona International Speedway from November 12-16, 2014 at Historic Sportscar Racing’s inaugural Classic 24 race weekend.

The inaugural HSR Classic 24 Hour Daytona vintage races are dedicated to cars and drivers that raced in Daytona’s classic endurance races of the past. High speeds, high banks and a long night of six period-correct race groups competing on a rotating schedule, the Classic 24 is open to all significant Daytona sports cars that raced from 1961 through 2010.

The Classic 24 Hour Daytona 2014 will be the longest and the toughest vintage and historic car race in North America, an American-flavored version of the Le Mans Classic 24 hour historic car race that runs every other summer on the famous Le Mans 24 hour circuit in France. Competitors will race on the full nine-turn, 3.56-mile Daytona 24 Hour road-oval circuit that includes the infield road course and the steeply banked 2.5 mile Daytona “tri-oval”.

Since 1966 the 24 Hours of Daytona has been a premier fixture on the international racing calendar. Originally the opening race of the World Sports Car Championship the Daytona 24 Hour has long been a magnet for European and Asian racing teams.

“That Daytona tradition will continue in the Classic 24 Hour on November 15th and 16th,” said HSR President David Hinton. “This event really struck a nerve internationally. We already have over 140 entries in the six race groups for the Classic 24, many from European teams. The latest is a Porsche 907/LH entered by Willi Kauhsen Motorsport to be driven by Le Mans winner Jurgen Barth.”

A fleet of European Group C prototypes from the 1980s is expected, along with a cadre of Daytona’s endurance racing’s all-stars. Five-time Daytona 24 Hour winner Hurley Haywood leads a cast of Daytona superstars who will race in the inaugural Classic 24 on November 15-16, 2014.

Joining Haywood on the Classic 24 grid will be Porsche factory racer Patrick Long, 1989 Le Mans winner Jochen Mass, Daytona, Le Mans and Sebring winner Andy Wallace, three-time Daytona 24 Hour winner Brian Redman, Brian Johnson (Lead Singer, AC/DC), two-time Daytona 24 Hour winner Elliot Forbes-Robinson, Forest Barber, World Touring Car Champion Dieter Quester, Sebring 12 Hour winner John Fitzpatrick, grand prix and sports car ace Arturo Merzario, two-time Grand-Am GT Champion Leh Keen, GTD Championship-leader Cooper MacNeil, Rolex 24 winner Rob Dyson and son Chris Dyson in one of their Rolex 24 winners.

An early Classic 24 entry is the Porsche 934 raced by the late Bob Wollek in the 1976 and 1977 World Championship in races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours and 1,000kms of the Nurburgring.

The Classic 24 Hours’ six race groups will be organized chronologically and correspond to the history of the 24 Hours of Daytona and its ancestor, the Daytona Continental.

Classic 24 Hour Daytona 2014 – Race Groups

Group A – Sports racers, prototypes and GT (Grand Touring) cars from 1960 through 1972. Corvettes, early Porsche 911s and Ferraris.
Group B – Cars from 1973 through 1982 – Corvettes, Porsche 934 and 935 Turbos, BMW 3.5 CSL. Porsche Carrera RS and RSR.
Group C – Cars from 1983 through 1993 – Group C and GTP
Group D – Cars from 1994 through 2002 – GT1 and World Sports Cars such as the Ferrari 333SP
Group E – Cars from 2003 through 2010 – Audi R8, Daytona Prototypes
Group F – HSR Group (HSR approved racing sports and GT cars)

“The Classic 24 hour race starts with the green flag for Group A at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 15, 2014 and Group F goes under the checkered flag at 1:00 PM Sunday November 16th,” said Hinton. “Each group races for one hour…four times, day and night.”

Friday November 14th will feature a full slate of HSR races starting at 8:00 AM with qualifying races for the Classic 24 beginning at 9:30 AM. Friday’s races conclude with the 5:00 PM Bob Woodman Tires International/American challenge. Weekend passes start at $35.00 per person.

For more information, visit Classic24Hour.com.

[Source: Sports Car Graphic]

26 Oct

Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival to Feature Cars of the Rich & Famous Nov. 1-2

Clockwise from left, Anne Ford’s black-over-black Continental Mark II, William Clay’s blue car and Benson’s green one. Credit Kirk Hansen/National Parts Depot

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing automotive and motorsports enthusiast event weeks, takes a more glamorous approach with its annual “Life” exhibit and presents Life of the Rich & Famous sponsored by Marriott Vacation Club. Life of the Rich & Famous is the sixth annual “Life”-themed exhibit on the Festival’s Motoring Midway. Past themes include Life on the Beach, Life on the Farm and, the one that kick-started it all, Life on the Road.

This year’s exhibit, Nov. 1 – 2 at the Port Royal Golf Club, will be highlighted by three 1956 Continental Mark IIs that pay homage to this year’s Honorary Chairman, Edsel B. Ford II, and the entire Ford family. Each Continental was specially ordered by a Ford family member, including one that was built to the specifications of Henry Ford II for his wife, Edsel Ford’s mother, Anne. All three cars are currently owned by Jim Schmidt and his son, Rick, from Ocala, Florida. Following its debut at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, the Mark II quickly became the car of choice for many of America’s famous names, including Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. Warner Bros. studio gave a 1956 Continental Mark II to Elizabeth Taylor, custom-painted to match her distinctive eye color.

“We feel privileged to have all three of these styling masterpieces on display at the Festival this year, including the only Mark II in the world with a cloth-upholstered roof,” said Carolyn Vanagel, President of the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival. “To our knowledge, this is the first time that Mr. Ford will be seeing all three of these family cars together – it is an honor to share this experience with him.”

Other vehicles in the Life of the Rich & Famous exhibit include:

1955 Porsche Spyder – the exact same year, make and model of Porsche’s first true sports racing car that was romanticized by the late James Dean (The Brumos Collection, Jacksonville, FL)
1961 Jaguar E-Type currently owned by Indianapolis 500 Champion Bobby Rahal, an honored guest at this year’s Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival
1965 AC Cobra originally owned by Bob Shane, founder and lead singer of the Kingston Trio
1985 Daimler Ds420 Limousine originally owned by Lady “W” of America’s largest retail family (the name of Lady “W”, according to the purchase agreement, cannot be disclosed)
1989 Daimler DS420 Limousine specially built for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s week-long visit to New Zealand for the Queen’s 50th year tour in February 2002
1990 Jaguar XJR-9R owned by British racing great and team owner Tom Walkinshaw and built from a 1988 XJR-9 chassis and body designed by Peter Stevens for street use
1995 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car, one of only 527 1995 Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars manufactured and one of only 75 actual Pace/Festival Cars used at the Indianapolis 500, assigned to and driven by Steve Rossi, Senior GM Executive

For more information on the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, visit the official website at www.HHIMotoringFestival.com. Tickets for the 2014 Motoring Festival are available for sale online at http://www.hhimotoringfestival.com/tickets.

20 Oct

Savannah Speed Classic Weekend Opens on Oct. 23

Savannah, GA Nestled across the water from the famed River Street, Savannah’s own little private island comes alive with the roar of engines October 23 – 26, 2014. The week long motoring festival starts with the pace lap party in Ellis Square Thursday, October 23^rd.

With its storied past and cobblestone streets, Savannah, unbeknownst to most, is the birth place of Grand Prix racing. Celebrating that heritage, the Savannah Speed Classic is a unique road race experience offering an intimate look at the inner workings of racing.

Savannah, GA, thought of by most for its Southern charm, storied past and relaxing pace, is not typically linked to fast cars. American auto racing today is synonymous with cities such as Indianapolis and Daytona. However, unknown to most, the unlikely city of Savannah, GA is, in actuality, the birthplace of Grand Prix racing in America. Imagine back to 1908 – the unpaved city streets of Savannah filled with hundreds of thousands of spectators from across the United States; over 1,500 soldiers serving as human barricades to protect those watching from the racing cars zooming past; people traveling by train and steamship to be a part of the historic occasion; downtown hotels opening their ballrooms to serve as campgrounds for visitors; the greatest names from Louis Chevrolet to Henry Ford to the Vanderbilts all in attendance.

From 1908 to 1911, four major automobile races were hosted in Savannah, Georgia in which automobile drivers from around the world participated in a grand prix auto racing on a twenty-five mile race course laid out southwest of the city proper.

The four Savannah races included:

Grand Prize Race of the Automobile Club of America (November 26, 1908) – Won by Louis Wagner in a FIAT
American Grand Prize (November 12, 1910) – Won by David Bruce-Brown in a Benz
Vanderbilt Cup Race (November 27, 1911) – Won by Ralph Mulford in a Lozier
American Grand Prize (November 30,1911) – Won by David Bruce-Brown in a FIAT

In 2008, racing was finally brought back to the city of Savannah. The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance reopened the track at Hutchinson Island with the Savannah Speed Classic.

HSR brings wheel to wheel racing back to its roots in Savannah. Featuring series races, enduros and even more excitement with hot lap rides, test drives, an off road experience, and pit access. The Savannah Speed Classic is a great destination for drivers, crew, family, friends and spectators alike.

Host Hotel:
Westin Savannah Harbor Resort
1 Resort Drive
Savannah, GA 31421

Information: www.hhiconcours.com

10 Oct

Important 1912 Mercer Raceabout & Thrall Automobile Collection to be Sold by Dragone Auctions Oct. 18

Dragone Classic Motorcars is will be offering a vast array of extremely rare and exciting motorcars at their fall auction for 2014 on Saturday, October 18. The event will take place at the Dragone Classic Motorcars gallery in Westport, Connecticut. This auction features a rare 1912 Mercer Raceabout, which is the second Mercer Raceabout to be sold this year, following the $2.5 million sale in August by RM Auctions in Monterey, California. The event will also feature a 1935 Auburn Speedster that has been a one-family owned since 1954, several of the finest Corvettes, and the entire contents of the Mason Thrall Estate Collection. “There’s something in this auction for everyone at all levels of the market,” said Manny Dragone of Dragone Classic Motorcars.

The Thrall collection carries a rich and diverse number of motorcars, reflecting all aspects of the collector car market. Among the highlights are: a 1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Landaulet with coachwork by Barker, previously owned by the Ellenville Auto Museum in New York. This magnificent car is presented in original condition. Also featured are several micro cars including: a Messerschmitt K200 and two BMW Isettas. Collectors of the unusual will find delight with a 1931 De Vaux and a 1926 Moon. The Thrall collection also features marques such as: Peerless, Packard, Hupmobile, Franklin, Graham, Oakland, Chrysler, and Studebaker to name a few. For the muscle car enthusiasts “without a doubt, this is one of the most eclectic collection of motorcars we’ve ever offered,” said Dragone including a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda, a 1984 Oldsmobile Hurst/442 with only 657 original miles since new, two 427 Corvettes from the 1960s and a stunning 1969 Ford Shelby GT500 with a 428 Cobra jet engine. Thrall spent an entire lifetime acquiring this most unusual assortment of cars.

The beautiful 1912 Mercer Raceabout is fully documented, with lineage going back to the 1940’s. This Mercer is perhaps, one of the most original in existence with ties to names like Webster Knight, Edward Malley, Alec Ullman, and David V. Uihlein, Jr. There’s also the 1935 Auburn Speedster that was recently cosmetically refurbished and presented in its original black livery.

For collectors of America’s sports car, the auction features some of the rarest and best Corvettes with a 1957 fuel-injected four speed, a 1959 with dual-quad carburetors, and a 1962 fuel-injected model. “The quality, fit, and finish on these Corvettes is amazing,” said Dragone. In addition, offered is a fully documented, rare aluminum bodied 1950 Jaguar XK120 that has been fully restored to its exact factory specifications. This exquisitely styled body, along with its 3.4 liter dual overhead cam inline-six, set a world standard for what a performance car should be in its day. Additionally, a wonderful piece of art deco history is being offered, styled by the great French industrial designer Raymond Loewy, an aerodynamic Hupmobile coupe from 1935; also offered, a Chrysler Airflow and a 1934 Brewster, all very rare and unique automobiles.

This will be the fourth sale since 2012 when the Dragone brothers began auctioning some of the world’s rarest and most unique classic cars found all over the globe. On Friday, October 17^th,there will be an all-day preview of the classics that will be for sale on auction day starting at 10:00am, followed by a cocktail party at 5:00pm to celebrate the following day’s event with classic car collectors, prospective bidders and friends. This auction promises to “satisfy a spectrum of different automotive tastes,” stated Manny Dragone.

Dragone Fall Auction,
Classic Motorcars Gallery,
176 Post Road,
Westport, CT 06880
Saturday October 18, 2014 at 1 PM
www.dragoneclassic.com

02 Oct

Bonhams Auction of Preservation Cars Returns October 6th

Philadelphia PA – Bonhams, one of the world’s foremost automotive and fine art auction houses, will be returning to the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum for their third “Preserving the Automobile” Auction, to be held on Monday, October 6th. Preview days will be Saturday, Oct. 4th and Sunday, October 5th.

Bonhams’ focus for this auction will be to offer exceptionally fine and original automobiles for sale, providing collectors with the opportunity to purchase fully documented, original automobiles that have either been sympathetically restored or recently unearthed. Select automotive ephemera, spares and accessories will also be included allowing collectors a useful resource for accurate restoration of their cars.

Details on the event are on the Bonhams’ site, located here.

The Simeone Museum is located at 6825 Norwich Drive, Philadelphia PA

02 Sep

3rd Annual Boston Cup celebrating racing in New England on Sunday, September 21

Boston Ma – Racing in New England began with horses. With the advent of motorized vehicles, the early pioneers constantly looked for ways to make them go faster. This racing exhibition will feature over 100 years of racing heritage from the corners of our home tracks to corners around the world.

From the bike board tracks in Springfield and the early days of Readville, Cranston, Epping, Oxford, Thompson and Lime Rock, New England’s race heritage is one of the longest and strongest of anywhere in the country.

Beginning with a 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Renault all the way up to a late modified dirt track racer, the many styles and types of racing will compete for spectators’ attention at the 2014 edition of the Boston Cup. A 1936 stock car, a post war dirt track midget, a prototype Allard J2 first run at Thompson, Carroll Shelby’s Toyota 2000GT, Mario Andretti’s Lotus 79, both a 356 and a 911 Gt3 Porsche, Ferraris, including a rare 1962 GTO on display in the KTR Racing tent, a Corvette B production, a 65 California double engine rail dragster and many more including even a VW race support micro bus.

The New England Antique Racers Association will display the New England racers Hall of Fame. This legacy of racing in New England will pay homage to those tracks that are no longer running but are a part of our history. The show will be held once again at the Boston Common Parkman Bandstand on Sunday September 21st from 9AM to 2PM. It will be free to the public with access inside the fence for paid ticket holders. A limited number of tickets are on sale at www.thebostoncup.com

21 Jul

Bentley Motors Named Presenting Sponsor of ‘Sunday in the Park’

LAKEVILLE, Conn. – Murray Smith, chairman of each year’s Lime Rock Park Historic Festival, announced that Bentley Motors has teamed with Lime Rock to be presenting sponsor of Sunday in the Park, the annual concours d’ elegance on Sam Posey Straight supported by the Gathering of the Marques, an enthusiast meet that sees 800+ collector cars displayed on the remainder of the 1.5-mile circuit.

Sunday in the Park is a signature element of Lime Rock’s traditional five-day Historic Festival, and is organized by noted restorer Kent Bain.

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“Bentley is a brand synonymous with the terms heritage and performance,” Smith said, “and that makes them a wonderful partner for Lime Rock’s concours. Kent goes to great lengths to ensure our Sunday event celebrates both the art of the automobile and the essence of motorsports.”

With roots deeply engrained in motorsport, Bentley gained fame in 1924 when it entered – and won – the Le Mans 24 Hours, with a 3-litre car piloted by Capt. John Duff and Frank Clement, changing the course of Bentley history in the process. All told, the company secured five Le Mans victories between 1924 and 1930, forever immortalizing all their drivers, dubbed the “Bentley Boys.”

Bain said, “This year celebrates both the 90th anniversary of Bentley’s first victory at Le Mans and their much-anticipated return to motorsport with the new Bentley Continental GT3, run by Dyson Racing in Pirelli World Challenge. Bentley’s partnership with Sunday in the Park is a synergy not often realized. We are so pleased.”

Jon DiVaio, Bentley Motors Regional Marketing & Motorsport Manager, said, “While the brand has enjoyed great success on the racetrack, it also continues to produce the finest automobiles in the world, thanks to unparalleled quality and attention to detail that can only come from the hands of Bentley craftsmen. It is this dedication to company heritage and a passion for performance that continues to drive the new era of Bentley products. With our Sunday in the Park partnership, Bentley Motors joins Lime Rock Park in celebrating its victories of the past, present and future.”

Bob Reed of North Kingston, R.I., has entered a 1929 Blower Bentley for the Saturday and Monday historics races, while another ’29, the spectacular Ralph Lauren-owned “Birkin” Blower Bentley, will be on show all weekend. And at least a half-dozen Bentleys are expected to be entered into the Sunday concours. Dyson Racing is bringing one of its new Bentley Continental GT3 race cars, too.

Since 1983, the East Coast’s premier vintage racing and concours event has been the Historic Festival at Lime Rock Park, held annually over Labor Day weekend. No other venue in the U.S. has three days of on-track racing sandwiching a prestigious concours event all on the same property. Historic Festival 32 is Thursday, August 28 (Race Car Parade presented by Abarth U.S.A.) through Monday, September 1, while Sunday in the Park is presented by Bentley, August 31. Historic Festival 32 features Honored Guests Sir Stirling Moss & Lady Susie, and a very rare public showing of five cars from Ralph Lauren‘s personal collection. Schedule: Thursday Vintage Race Car Parade; Friday Practice & Qualifying; Saturday 18 races; Sunday in the Park Concours Presented by Bentley; Monday 18 races. Visit limerockhistorics.com