The 34th renewal of the Lime Rock Historic Festival at Connecticut’s scenic Lime Rock Park produced a full weekend of racing action as well as the annual Sunday in the Park Concours d’Elegance. The racing was highlighted by three drivers who won each of the weekend’s four races in their individual groups, while the concours selected a 1959 Maserati Tipo 61 “Birdcage” (above, Greg Clark photo courtesy of Lime Rock Park) as its Best of Show winner.
The three quadruple race winners were 1961 Ginetta G4 drive Harvey Parke in Group 1, Sean Brown (1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS) in Group 5, and 1965 Jaguar XKE-mounted Jack Busch in Group 7. Two other drivers won three of their four races, Bill Fickling (March 75B) in Group 8 and Dave Gussack (1963 Triumph Spitfire) in Group 9. The winners are all listed below.
At Sunday’s concours, the Best of Show-winning Birdcage Maserati owned by Tony Wang is a regular contestant in the Lime Rock races, but this year was enteed only in the concours, comiing away with the top prize. The full list of Concours winners is listed below.
Lime Rock Historic Festival 34 Race results
Group 1 – Sat 1 – Harvey Parke – 1961 Ginetta G4
Sat 2 – Harvey Parke – 1961 Ginetta G4
Mon 3 – Harvey Parke – 1961 Ginetta G4
Mon 4 – Harvey Parke – 1961 Ginetta G4
Group 2 – Sat 1 – Glenn Taylor – 1979 PRS FF
Sat 2 – Joseph Griffin – 1981 Crosslé 45F
Mon 3 – Joseph Griffin – 1981 Crosslé 45F
Mon 4 – Dan Cowdrey – 1970 Titan Mk6
Group 3 – Sat 1 – Peter Greenfield – 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2600
Sat 2 – Peter Greenfield – 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2600
Mon 3 – Peter Giddings – 1955 Lancia D50
Mon 4 – Peter Giddings – 1955 Lancia D50
Group 4 – Sat 1 – Ken Epsman – 1972 AMC Javelin
Sat 2 – Chris Liebenberg – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Mon 3 – Jim Hague – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Mon 4 – Chris Liebenberg – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Group 5 – Sat 1 – Sean Brown – 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS
Sat 2 – Sean Brown – 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS
Mon 3 – Sean Brown – 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS
Mon 4 – Sean Brown – 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS
Group 6 – Sat 1 – Alan Tossler – 1965Lotus Elan
Sat 2 – Mitch Eitel – 1965 Elva MK7S
Mon 3 – Mitch Eitel – 1965 Elva MK7S
Mon 4 – John “Chip” Fudge – 1964 Genie MkVII
Group 7 – Sat 1 – Jack Busch – 1965 Jaguar XKE
Sat 2 – Jack Busch – 1965 Jaguar XKE
Mon 3 – Jack Busch – 1965 Jaguar XKE
Mon 4 – Jack Busch – 1965 Jaguar XKE
Group 8 – Sat 1 – Bill Fickling – 1975 March 75B
Sat 2 – Bill Fickling – 1975 March 75B
Mon 3 – Bill Fickling – 1975 March 75B
Mon 4 – Ben Sinnott – 1991 Lola S2000
Group 9 – Sat 1 – Dave Gussack – 1963 Triumph Spitfire
Sat 2 – Kent Bain – 1965 Triumph Spitfire
Mon 3 – Dave Gussack – 1963 Triumph Spitfire
Mon 4 – Dave Gussack – 1963 Triumph Spitfire
CONCOURS SPECIAL AWARDS
Best of Show – 1959 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage #2452, Tony Wang, Lloyd Harbor, New York – Though Wang has raced his Birdcage at the Lime Rock Historics previously – 2010 and 2012 – this year he entered it only into the Sunday in the Park Concours “Pick of the Paddock” class
People’s Choice – 1912 Thomas Flyer 6-40, John F. and Carol A. Jones, Prospect, Connecticut – 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 and Jerome Roth, West Cornwall, Connecticut – Honored Guest Peter Brock chose this 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, Connecticut – .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 Indycar on the concours line as 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. Skip’s selections this year were:
1951 Jaguar Mark V Cabriolet – Chris Owen, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
1964 Porsche 356C – Andrew Benenson, Darien, Connecticut
1967 Eagle Mark 2 Indycar – Rob Dyson, Poughkeepsie, New York
1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 – J.R. Amantea, Meriden, Connecticut
1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 25000 Sport Touring Superleggera Berlinetta
1931 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron Dual-Cowl Phaeton, Dragone Classic Motorcars, Bridgeport, Connecticut
CONCOURS CLASS WINNERS
The Word’s First Wheels – 1931 Buick 56C, Allan and Pat Kehrley, New York, New York.
Gatsby’s Delight – 1930 Aston Martin International (Open Tourer), William King, Redding, Connecticut
Off to Work – 1967 Ford Fairlane 500XL Ranchero, Kevin Biebel, New Milford, Connecticut
Risky ‘n’ Racy – 1965 Shelby G.T. 350 “Snoopy” drag car, Robert Walls, Rochdale, Massachusetts
Rallyist’s Revenge – 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, Hans Abrahams, Riverside, Connecticut
Speed & Agility – 1947 Cisitalia 202SC Vignale Spyder, Henry Miller, Greenwich, Connecticut
Dashing Between the Drops – 1957 BMW 507 Hardtop Convertible, Jeffrey McAllister, Ridgefield, Connecticut
This Weekend’s Racers are Rewarded – 1954 Lancia D50, Peter Giddings, Danville, California.
Shiny Side Up – 1965 Alfa Romeo Gran Sport Quattroruote Zagato, Joe Nastasi, Long Island City, New York.
For the Fun of the Drive – 1969 Porsche 912 Targa, Jim & Wendy Petty, Weston, Connecticut
Carry Your Weight – 1967 Ford Ranchero (390 V8 w/4-speed), William Kokko, Milford, Connecticut
Speed, Sport & Spirit – 1984 Chevrolet Corvette Targa, David Dennis, Thomaston, Connecticut
Just a Little Faster – 1966 Triumph TR4-A, Steve Francis, New Milford, Connecticut
The Historic Trans-Am Race Group – 1968 Mark Donohue Sunoco Camaro, Tom McIntyre, Burbank, California.
The Tin-Top Race Group – 1973 Ford Escort, Ross Bremer, Jacksonville, Florida.
Style, Comfort, Pace – 1954 Lancia Aurelia B20S, Chris Robins, Rye Brook, New York
A Businessman’s Express – 1967 Porsche 912, Pam & Peter Antosiewicz, New Milford, Connecticut
Speed Breeds Success – 1974 DeTomaso Pantera, Robert DuQuette, East Hampton, Connecticut
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, New York.
Weather-Permitting Performance – 1941 Packard Model 110 Robert Neubert, Amston, Connecticut
Comfort, Class and Wind in the Hair – 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible, Jack Haverty, Pleasant Valley, New York.
Life at the Top in Comfort & Style – 1949 Cadillac Sedanette, Andrew Benenson, Darien, Connecticut
Just as We Found It – 1910 Rover 8 h.p., Dirk Burrowes, Ashburnham, Massachusetts
A Fresh Approach – 1961 Jaguar Mark II (resto-mod), Scott Lyman, New Canaan, Connecticut
Hot Rod – 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Hardtop Convertible, Howard Block, Plymouth, Connecticut
Up on Two Wheels – 1967 BMW R27, Rick Bell, Salisbury, Conn.
Domestic Dynamite 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28/RS, Tom Petrasek, Huntington, New York
Pick of the Paddock – 1954 Lancia D50 Recreation, Miles Collier, The Revs Institute, Naples, Florida.
