Racing in the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival has been on my bucket list since I was a teenager.
The first time I attended, in 1989, they reenacted the 1959 Formula Libre race, in which drivers could literally drive anything they wanted. Competitors showed up in cars as diverse as a Maserati 250F Formula One car, Ferrari and Porsche sports cars, an experimental Corvette, and an Offenhauser-powered midget sprint car driven by Indy 500 winner, Rodger Ward. Ward had hoped to use the event to launch a road racing career and was none too happy when his deal to drive a proper sports car vanished, leaving him with an 11-year-old Kurtis Midget.
Ward prevailed over the more sophisticated machinery, and the reenactment included many of the same cars. I was hooked.
I’ve raced at Lime Rock, but not for many years, and never in a vintage car. I thought that racing in the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival would remain elusive, especially since I now live 2000 miles away. Life is short, and if your bucket list items are attainable, you have to go for it. So, 36 years after first attending the Lime Rock Historic Festival, I’m one of the lucky entrants. I wanted to share the steps I’m taking to prepare for a successful race weekend.
My plan for a successful race weekend
My success on track will be governed by three things: the quality of my equipment, my familiarity with the track, and the goals I set for myself.
Step 1: Equipment preparation
I don’t own a race car, so I’ve organized an arrive-and-drive rental from the folks at Olde Speed. My only responsibility is to show up with my helmet and racing suit. They take care of the rest, so that I can focus on driving.
Olde Speed rents sports racers, specifically first-generation SCCA Spec Racers powered by a four-cylinder Renault engine. It’s unlikely I’ll be the quickest car out there, which is ok. I'm just looking to have a good time racing against the other cars, and with 38 of us out there, the action will be exciting. The other cars in my class include Lotus Super Sevens, Porsche 914s and 356s, as well as obscure sports cars like a Tojeiro Climax and a couple of Bobsy sports racers.
Step 2: Learning the track from home
I used to know Lime Rock well. I once attended a three-day Skip Barber racing school there and raced a Rabbit GTI well enough to finish fifth in a 30-car field. But that was many years ago, and while the track layout is the same, some characteristics are likely gone. So, I’ve got to relearn the track. To do so, I’ve spoken with people who’ve driven it more recently. One sent me detailed track notes that I will commit to memory before arriving in Connecticut.
Videos help, too, and there is plenty of in-car footage from races around Lime Rock to be found on YouTube. I watch those every night. More importantly, I purchased a Virtual Track Walk from racing coach Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets site. It's two hours long and offers great tips on how to get around Lime Rock quickly.
Racing is a mental game, and I want my brain to be prepared for the visceral aspects. I’ve been channeling the sounds and smells of being in a race car while remembering what it feels like to corner a car at the limit. Once I’m in that headspace, I’ll put it all together, imagining what it’ll be like to carve through Lime Rock’s Big Bend in the Spec Racer.
Last, and most important, is risk management. When I visualize laps in my mind, I’m constantly thinking about what could go wrong and where it’s safe to drive off track to avoid a spinning competitor.
Step 3: Setting attainable goals
The key to a successful race weekend is to set goals, and I’ve settled on a few that are attainable for each of the three days that I’ll be on track.
Day 1 is a practice day. My only goal is to get used to the car and begin to explore its handling limits as I become more familiar with the track.
Day 2 is a race day. My goals are to improve my lap times throughout the day, while also driving within the cultural expectations of this group. We’ll still be racing wheel-to-wheel, but I assume the drivers will be more conservative than when I race modern cars. Please don’t let my competition know I might be nice.
Day 3 is the final race day. My plan is to put together all that I’ve learned and have the best result possible. Since I don’t know how fast the Spec Racer is, my goal is to beat the other Spec Racer that’s signed up. With any luck, I’ll score a podium, too, but I’m not counting on it. It will have been a successful weekend if I can finish Monday’s race with a personal best lap time.
What else am I excited for?
Historic racing isn’t just about the racing; it’s also about cars and car culture. This year, the event celebrates car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. I’ve always been a fan of his work, including the Alfa GTV, De Tomaso Mangusta, and the Iso Grifo. That said, my favorite is the most pedestrian, a Volkswagen Rabbit, and I know there will be many of those in the car park, if not on the race track.
View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article
Race cars will be celebrated, too. Rob Dyson’s collection will be on display. I grew up near Rob, and we had friends in common, though I only met him once. Still, I remember cheering for the local guy as he dominated the competition in his Porsche 962.
I was lucky to attend Car Week in Monterey this year, and was immersed in the history of racing on that peninsula. Well, this year, Lime Rock will showcase the Del Monte Trophy Race Group, pitting the cars that once roared around Pebble Beach against their East Coast counterparts. If you’re interested in attending, tickets are still available. Lime Rock is one of the most beautiful race tracks in the world, nestled in the mountains in northeast Connecticut. If you do attend, please cheer for me and stop by the Olde Speed paddock to say hi.
Final thoughts
I love racing in any form, but vintage racing has always been closest to my heart. It's the history that gets me. While I can never go back and watch the actual racing action from the 1950s and 1960s, vintage races allow me to experience what it must have been like. Racing in the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival has been a dream for many years, and I'm hopeful that my preparations will allow me to have a fun and memorable weekend.
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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