Photos: Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 40

By VM Staff | 9.4.22 8:47 AM

Northwestern Connecticut’s annual Labor Day weekend vintage racing spectacular kicked off Thursday with the Historic Festival Parade. An eighteen-mile jaunt through local towns, the parade ended in Falls Village with a street fair.

Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 40 began on-track action Friday with practice and qualifying before heading into heat races Saturday and final races on Monday.

Saturday concluded with two special events, including a Corvette-focused dinner “Corvette Design: Past, Present … and a Hint of the Future” as well as a very special ceremony to dedicate the “Paul Newman Straight” as Lime Rock Park announced a new relationship with Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camp as a partner.

“Paul Newman’s name now lives in perpetuity at Lime Rock Park, not in recognition of Paul’s fame which was considerable, but for the authenticity of his experience here at the Park,” said Dicky Riegel, President and CEO of Lime Rock. “Even with all his racing wins here on this legendary circuit and elsewhere around the world, it was Paul’s expression of joy at Lime Rock Park in every drive and every visit that cemented this place as his true home. The balanced appellation of the Sam Posey Straight, dedicated in 2013, and the Paul Newman Straight dedicated today pay homage to these amazing and pioneering drivers and friends of Lime Rock Park.”

On Sunday, the track will host Sunday in The Park as well as the Gathering of the Marques presented by FCP Euro car show.

With Corvette as the featured marque for the weekend, this 1963 Corvette Grand Sport deserved all the attention it received with Dave Handy behind the wheel.

A highlight of the weekend was the return of Historic Trans Am to LRP with the 21-car field drawing lots of attention.

Tom Clifford charging hard in his 1929 Bugatti 37A.

Ben Sinnott wins Group 4’s first race of the weekend aboard this 1997 Lola T97/20.

Fox Sports’ Mike Joy (seen here driving his 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28) and son Scott made the trip to Lakeville as part of the Historic Trans Am contingent.