08 Sep

The 38th Annual Historic Festival Crosses The Finish Line

lrp382

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

lrp37_2

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

14 Sep

LRP Historics 35 Sunday in the Park Concours: The Show Went On Despite Heavy Rains

lp351

Lakeville, Conn. – The first Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance at Lime Rock Park that required inters and even full wets on the golf carts came to a successful end in damp-but-drying conditions as a full squadron of them snaked down Sam Posey Straight piloted by Festival Chairman Murray Smith, concours organizers Bill Scheffler, Kent Bain and Ryan McIntosh, plus photographers, reporters and various other hangers-on. The flotilla stopped at each class plaza to interview the winning owners and present the trophies, cars in situ.

With all 28 winners duly recognized, dry weather concours protocol was ordered by the stewards; the People’s Choice and Best of Show winners were driven to the presentation area.

Two very special silver Ferraris were winners in the wet:

People’s Choice was a fabulous 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB long-nose/six carb owned by Robert Wilder of New York, N.Y.

Best of Show was sponsored by Analog/Shift, the premier retailer of vintage timepieces. The winning car was the 1961 Ferrari GT Berlinetta Competizione Speciale, the one-off, alloy-bodied Pininfarina aerodynamico coupe, owned by Peter Sachs, of Stamford, Conn. Analog/Shift’s James Lamdin presented a beautiful Universal Geneve Gents dress watch along with the Best of Show trophy.

A complete list of Sunday in the Park winners Presented by the Prestige Family of Fine Cars is available at Historic Festival 35

In the meantime, please enjoy these Sunday photos from Greg Clark, Brian Ciancio and Taylor Kemp posted on Lime Rock Park’s Facebook page.

lp352 lp353 lp354 lp355 lp356 lp357

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

25 Oct

Lime Rock’s Historic Festival Nominated among “World’s Best”

lr_best1LAKEVILLE, Conn. – Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 34 (September 2-5, 2016) has been nominated in the category of “Motorsport Event of the Year” by the U.K.-based International Historic Motoring Awards (IHMA), presented in association with Octane magazine and EFG Private Bank.

The search to find the “best of the best” in the international historic motoring world reached its final stages last week, as the panel of expert judges assesses the nominees that have been shortlisted in each 2016 category. The IHMA categories celebrate the diversity and depth of the historic motoring industry and the individuals that work within it.

Judges such as Derek Bell, car designer Peter Stevens and Pink Floyd drummer and historic car collector and racer Nick Mason did not have an easy task, with a splendid range of international candidates to choose from across the various categories, including Denmark’s Rømø Motor Festival, Italy’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Germany’s Eifel Rallye Festival and no less than three American automotive museums. The winners of each category will be announced November 17 when the “great and the good of the historic motoring world” gather at London’s Guildhall.

Lime Rock Historic Festival Chairman Murray Smith said, “I have to say, I see this Motorsport Event nomination as reward for all the hard work and creativity everyone at Lime Rock brings to bear for each year’s Festival. I like to think the IMHA recognizes the uniqueness of our having historic racing and a premier concours at the same venue at the same time. We are absolutely humbled and honored to be considered among other such prestigious events.”

For 34 years, America uniquely has one vintage automotive event that combines a prestigious concours d’elegance with authentic vintage and historic racing competition, all on the same property, all on one extended weekend. In 2016, Historic Festival 34 (and its concomitant Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance) saw 264 authentic race cars competing over three days in a total of 36 races (including 28 authentic, 1966-1972 SCCA Trans-Am cars, all with documented, in-period race histories), while the Concours had 281 invited entrants plus another 588 collector cars of all stripes in the “Gathering of the Marques” exhibit.

American racing legends John Morton and Peter Brock were the Honored guests (following 2015’s Sir Stirling Moss and Jochen Mass), with Morton racing in six of the weekend’s races.

Lime Rock’s Historic Festival is by far the venue’s biggest, most popular, highest-attended event. It’s a massive affair, with dozens of automotive elements including “swap meets,” a vibrant Fan Midway and special displays to once-in-a-lifetime car collections (e.g., Ralph Lauren’s), demonstration laps (e.g., the 1939 Mercedes-Benz W154 Silver Arrow Grand Prix car) and iconic Honored Guests and Collectors.

Historic Festival 35 is already scheduled for Labor Day weekend next year, September 1 – 4, 2017 and it promises to be another spectacular event that should be on every car enthusiast’s calendar.

For the complete list of categories and nominees, click here

Extremely popular race group at Historic Festival 34 was that of the authentic Trans-Am cars.  Photo Casey Keil

Extremely popular race group at Historic Festival 34 was that of the authentic Trans-Am cars.
Photo Casey Keil

A terrific collection of Formula Fords provided excellent open-wheel action. Photo Casey Keil

A terrific collection of Formula Fords provided excellent open-wheel action.
Photo Casey Keil

Photo Casey Keil

Photo Casey Keil

Courtesy Lime Rock Park

18 Oct

Lime Rock Park Announces 2017 Major Event Schedule

lr17-1

LAKEVILLE, Conn. – General Manager Steven Sewell has announced Lime Rock Park’s 2017 major spectator event schedule, noting that it models the successful 2016 season.

“Feedback from the fans was overwhelmingly positive with regard to having Pirelli World Challenge over Memorial Day weekend and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in July,” Sewell said. “The long-running Historic Festival is of course a Labor Day weekend staple at Lime Rock.”

May 25 – 28 Pirelli World Challenge – no-pit-stops sprint racing – features all eight PWC classes: GT, GTA, GTS, GT Cup, SprintX, plus the three Touring Car classes – TC, TCA and TCB. GT is where manufacturers such as Cadillac, Acura, Bentley, Audi, McLaren, Ferrari, Nissan, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz all come to play. Many teams in the GT and GTS classes will also compete in two 60-minute “SprintX” races, with racing duties shared by two drivers. Sunday features the return of the popular Royals Car Show.

lr17-2alr17-2bJuly 21 -22 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, endurance racing at its finest, will again feature the extremely popular GT Le Mans (GTLM) division and the GT Daytona cars (GTD is closely aligned to the international GT3 rules package, very attractive to the world’s carmakers). The IMSA event includes the separate Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Championship race; Grand Sport (GS) and Street Tuner (ST).

lr17-3alr17-3bSeptember 1- 4 Historic Festival 35 – details to come – is always a tremendous automotive and racing extravaganza that showcases close to 2,000 historic, vintage, racing and collector cars over its four days, from race car parades through town and three dozen
vintage races to a prestigious concours on Sam Posey Straight and a huge collector car show. With Honored Collectors, Honored Guests and dozens of other special features, Historic Festival 35 is a must-do for any car enthusiast.

lr17-4alr17-4bTickets for all events, hospitality packages, season passes, camping, RV, Insiders Club membership, new merchandise and more will go on sale early November – many with discount pricing for the upcoming holiday season – at www.limerock.com
Courtesy Lime Rock Park

11 Sep

Lime Rock Sunday in the Park Concours Winners

Best of Show, 1959 Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage"; more winner's photos below. All photos by Greg Clark and Casey Keil except Russ Truelove, by Michael DiPleco

Best of Show, 1959 Maserati Tipo 61 “Birdcage”; more winner’s photos below. All photos by Greg Clark and Casey Keil except Russ Truelove, by Michael DiPleco

Best of Show
1959 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage #2452, Tony Wang, Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.
Though Wang has raced this Birdcage at the Lime Rock Historics previously – 2010 and 2012 – he’s not racing it this weekend, but did enter it into the Sunday in the Park Concours “Pick of the Paddock” class

People’s Choice
1912 Thomas Flyer 6-40, John F. & Carol A. Jones, Prospect, Conn.
This imposing machine wowed the spectators: It’s a 6-cylinder, 7-passenger Thomas that had previously won Most Outstanding Vintage Car 1912-1920 at Greenwich in 2008

Peter Brock Award
1968 Fiat 850 Spider, Jane & Jerome Roth, West Cornwall, Conn.
This was the car Honored Guest Peter Brock chose as the car he’d most like to own, telling the crowd he was so impressed with its lithe lines when he first saw one in Europe years ago

John Morton Award
1938 Marchese Special Indy Roadster, Jerry Lettieri, Rocky Hill, Conn.
Honored Guest John Morton chose the Marchese as the car he would love to take home. Morton told the crowd he was stunned when he came across this Indy car on the concours line: it was the very car he saw win a race at Milwaukee when he was a boy

Wayne Carini Award
1935 Ford Deluxe 3-Window Coupe Hot Rod
Always a fan of the everyman’s car, Honored Collector Wayne Carini loved this extremely well-executed rod with its worked flathead V8

Skip’s Sunday Best
Like a kid in a candy store, Historic Festival 34 Patron and Lime Rock President Skip Barber awards “Skip’s Sunday Best” trophies to machines he would like in his garage…

1951 Jaguar Mark V Cabriolet, Chris Owen, Stockbridge, Mass.
1964 Porsche 356C, Andrew Benenson, Darien, Conn.
1967 Gurney Eagle 67 (AAR #42) Indy car, Rob Dyson, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Sunray DX L88 race car, J.R. Amantea, Meriden, Conn.
1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 25000 Sport Touring Superleggera Berlinetta & 1931 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron Dual-Cowl Phaeton, Dragone Classic Motorcars, Bridgeport, Conn.

Inaugural Russ Truelove Award
Waterbury’s Russ Truelove, one of the first NASCAR drivers, has for years been bringing his crowd-pulling, crowd-pleasing authentic 1949 NASCAR Mercury Monterey stock car to Lime Rock Park. Going forward, the Russ Truelove Award will be presented at Sunday in the Park to those demonstrating exceptional dedication to the car-showing hobby. Russ is delivering the Monterey to Daytona this fall, and he’ll fly down rather than drive down when the Frances ring him up…

CLASS WINNERS

The Word’s First Wheels
1931 Buick 56C, Allan & Pat Kehrley, New York, N.Y.

Gatsby’s Delight
1930 Aston Martin International (Open Tourer), William King, Redding, Conn.

Off to Work
1967 Ford Fairlane 500XL Ranchero, Kevin Biebel, New Milford, Conn.

Risky ‘n’ Racy
1965 Shelby G.T. 350 “Snoopy” drag car, Robert Walls, Rochdale, Mass.

Rallyist’s Revenge
1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, Hans Abrahams, Riverside, Conn.

Speed & Agility
1947 Cisitalia 202SC Vignale Spyder, Henry Miller, Greenwich, Conn.

Dashing Between the Drops
1957 BMW 507 Hardtop Convertible, Jeffrey McAllister, Ridgefield, Conn.

This Weekend’s Racers are Rewarded
1954 Lancia D50, Peter Giddings, Danville, Calif.

Shiny Side Up
1965 Alfa Romeo Gran Sport Quattroruote Zagato, Joe Nastasi, Long Island City, N.Y.

For the Fun of the Drive
1969 Porsche 912 Targa, Jim & Wendy Petty, Weston, Conn.

Carry Your Weight
1967 Ford Ranchero (390 V8 w/4-speed), William Kokko, Milford, Conn.

Speed, Sport & Spirit
1984 Chevrolet Corvette targa, David Dennis, Thomaston, Conn.

Just a Little Faster
1966 Triumph TR4-A, Steve Francis, New Milford, Conn.

The Historic Trans-Am Race Group
1968 Mark Donohue Sunoco Camaro, Tom McIntyre, Burbank, Calif.

The Tin-Top Race Group
1973 Ford Escort, Ross Bremer, Jacksonville, Fla.

Style, Comfort, Pace
1954 Lancia Aurelia B20S, Chris Robins, Rye Brook, N.Y.

A Businessman’s Express
1967 Porsche 912, Pam & Peter Antosiewicz, New Milford, Conn.

Speed Breeds Success
1974 “Lincoln-Mercury” DeTomas Pantera, Robert DuQuette, East Hampton, Conn.

Outrunning the Wind
1963 Aston Martin DB4 Convertible, Tom Fuller, Lakewood, Ohio

The Weird and/or Exceptional
1996 Porsche 996 GT3, Steven Harris, New York, N.Y.

Weather-Permitting Performance
1941 Packard Model 110 Robert Neubert, Amston, Conn.

Comfort, Class and Wind in the Hair
1961 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible, Jack Haverty, Pleasant Valley, N.Y.

Life at the Top in Comfort & Style
1949 Cadillac Sedanette, Andrew Benenson, Darien, Conn.

Just as We Found It
1910 Rover 8 h.p., Dirk Burrowes, Ashburnham, Mass.

A Fresh Approach
1961 Jaguar Mark II (resto-mod), Scott Lyman, New Canaan, Conn.

Hot Rod
1957 Chevrolet Corvette Hardtop Convertible, Howard Block, Plymouth, Conn.

Up on Two Wheels
1967 BMW R27, Rick Bell, Salisbury, Conn.

Domestic Dynamite
1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28/RS, Tom Petrasek, Huntington, N.Y.

Pick of the Paddock
1954 Lancia D50 Recreation, Miles Collier, The Revs Institute, Naples, Fla.

Rick Bell's brilliant Beemer

Rick Bell’s brilliant Beemer

Dyson Racing owns this terrific example of Dan Gurney's genius

Dyson Racing owns this terrific example of Dan Gurney’s genius

Not restored, it just keeps on running: The 1910 Rover

Not restored, it just keeps on running: The 1910 Rover

John Morton's dad took him to his first-ever race, where they saw this car win

John Morton’s dad took him to his first-ever race, where they saw this car win

Big an' tall is the Thomas Flyer

Big an’ tall is the Thomas Flyer

The Revs Institute is the caretaker of this Lancia D50 Recreation

The Revs Institute is the caretaker of this Lancia D50 Recreation

Carroll Shelby wanted to see his cars win drag races, too. Snoopy did that

Carroll Shelby wanted to see his cars win drag races, too. Snoopy did that

Trans-Am fans need no more information than this photo

Trans-Am fans need no more information than this photo

Russ, we love you. Keep on truckin'...

Russ, we love you. Keep on truckin’…

Press Release from Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance
Contact: Rick Roso, 860.435.5000 / rick@limerock.com