Lime Rock Historic Festival draws record field

LIME ROCK — Lime Rock Park hosted its 44th annual Historic Festival over Labor Day weekend, drawing thousands of spectators and a record number of entries.

The festivities began Thursday, Sept. 3, with the annual parade and continued through Monday, Sept. 7, with a weekend of racing and celebrations honoring the track’s history.

Nearly 300 race cars were entered for three days of on- track activity. More than 190 cars competed in the Lime Rock Concours on Sunday, with additional vehicles displayed at the Gathering of the Marques. The oldest car in the concours was a 1903 White Sewing Machine Company Model C. Other rare vehicles included a 1994 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Commemorative Edition.

Alfa Romeo, the Italian automaker known for its racing heritage, was the featured marque. Twenty-five Alfa Romeos were displayed at the park in what organizers described as the largest gathering of notable Alfa Romeo race cars ever assembled. On Monday, a field composed entirely of Alfa Romeos raced around the track.

Racing legends Skip Barber, Sam Posey and David Hobbs were at the track throughout the weekend. Barber raced at Lime Rock before founding the Skip Barber Racing School and later owning the track. Posey, an American racing driver and broadcaster who grew up in Sharon, designed several buildings at the park. Hobbs, a former British racing driver, competed in Formula One, NASCAR and endurance racing.

The festival also offered food trucks, vendors and activities for families. Attendees could even get a haircut from Skip Barber’s barber, a tradition that raises money for the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a nonprofit serving children with serious illnesses and their families.

The festival honored actor and race car driver Paul Newman and Bruce MacInnes, a championship-winning driver and instructor at the Skip Barber Racing School. Both were inducted into the Legends of Lime Rock, joining others who helped shape the park’s history.

While the weekend celebrated Lime Rock Park’s past, it also looked toward its future. Families picnicked on Spectator Hill as children played and got close-up views of the historic cars.

CEO Dicky Riegel takes the “park” in Lime Rock Park seriously, emphasizing that the venue is more than a racetrack. It is also a place for families to create experiences and memories for years to come.

Madi Long

Revs Institute, a Florida-based automotive museum, brought its largest-ever collection

of cars to an event, including this 1919 Ballot Type 5/8LC racing car