Vintage Speed! The 36th annual Lime Rock Historic Festival
The 36th running of the East Coast's premier vintage race
The Festival
The Vintage Festival at Lime Rock Park is one of the premier vintage race events on the East Coast, and offers a great mixture of classic race cars, wonderful atmosphere and a very unique Concours.
This year’s event offered the largest-ever gathering of vintage Bugattis, featuring parade laps, a special racing class, and concours class.
Getting there
From North Carolina this year I traveled up to my in-law’s place in North Eastern Pennsylvania with my 1-and-a-half-year-old son on Friday, my wife and older son following a few hours later. Saturday morning at 5am my older son and I headed to Bloomsbury, NJ to pick up fellow Alpha Gearhead Dave and his step-son and off to Lime Rock Park… 752 miles in all. Fully worth it though!
Saturday's racing!
Entering the parking lot we’re greeted almost immediately by a new Mustang GT350 and an Aston Martin Vantage. Nonstop action from there on out for the remainder of Saturday.
As with most of these vintage events the paddock area is fully open for up close experience with the cars, and teams. It’s a great opportunity to meet some great drivers and see cars that are more often reserved to museum visits.
Saturday Night
There’s a pub about a 30 minute drive from Lime Rock in Collinsville, CT called Crown and Hammer. Dave and I visited this pub the last time we went to Lime Rock in 2007… We went back this year and it was still spectacular. Highly recommended! Seriously… don’t miss it!
Sunday's Concours
Sunday there’s no racing. Instead special classes are set up on the front straight for judging, this year including an entire class of vintage Bugattis. But around the track enthusiasts line up their “special” cars. Aston Martins, Bentleys, more Porsches and BMWs than you can count.
Stunning Bugatti with original artwork from Paul Chenard
If you have the chance to go to Lime Rock’s Historic Festival, or any other vintage race event, take it! You won’t be disappointed!
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Comments (19)
Great article Brandon! Wish I could have been there :( And LOVE the Hero E-Type!!
Those Donovan racing Es absolutely dominate. Finished 123
Great job!
You got some great photos! I was there sunday only so I saw some slightly different stuff but it was an incredible event and one I will not soon forget!
Would have been cool to meet up. I was on a somewhat compressed schedule Sunday. Maybe next year!
Well this is a treat! I work at LRP, on their major race weekends, and it’s so cool to meet & see the reactions of so many people down in A-paddock. I work at pit out [orange shirt] near the first aid building so I’m either altering the crowd to oncoming race car traffic or chatting up a storm with a fellow gearhead! Glad you and yours enjoyed your visit!
PS - thanks for the “reminder” regarding the Crown & Hammer, I’ve heard of it but never been. Will definitely have to check it out next time I’m down at the track.
Hopefully I'll be back next year, will try to catch up with you!
And yes do get to Crown & Hammer!
A 12 hour drive. I admire your dedication.
Still, I'd do that to see a Bugatti Atlantic.
It was definitely a lot of driving, but also definitely worth it. The Atlantic was sweet. Also just crazy to see that many Bugsttis in one place.