Do you drive a pre-1970 BMW or Mini racing sedan or hardtop? If so, Lime Rock’s 34th Historical Festival wants you—and your car.
Historic Festival 34 Chairman Murray Smith announced a new race group for Lime Rock Park’s 34th Historic Festival, which will take place at the Lakeville, Connecticut track September 1–5, 2016. “I’m sounding the clarion call for owners and drivers of saloons and ‘tin tops’ to join us in early September to create a fabulous grid of pre-1970 racing sedans,” said Smith. “This rare race group will be in the manner of the cars in Goodwood’s St. Mary’s Trophy: Ford Galaxies, BMWs, Mini Coopers, Lotus Cortinas, Anglias, Alfa Romeo 1600s, Jaguar Mk2s, Hillman Imps, and the like.”
Smith is referring to the very popular vintage sedan race at the very well-attended annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. “I imagine this race group will be extremely popular with the spectators, not to mention the other 250-odd racing entrants,” explained Smith.
Murray Smith has served as the chairperson of Lime Rock’s long-running vintage celebration since Historical Festival 27. That’s the year 2009, in normal terms. Smith pointed out that existing race groups in the Festival already have a sprinkling of saloons, but now he wants to try a race group of nothing but tin-tops. “We might be a bit relaxed this first year with regard to makes and models, but we hope to attract a wonderfully wide range of suitable cars,” he said.
Potential entrants may contact Murray Smith by e-mail at murray.smith@ctspeed.com, or Historic Festival 34 Executive Administrator Jeanette Veitenheimer at historics@limerock.com.. The Entry Form is available at limerockhistorics.com/entrants/participationform/.
If you have a vintage BMW hardtop or sedan racecar and you don’t see it listed below, contact Murray Smith anyway. You never know.
Cars eligible for the Lime Rock Historic Festival 34 “Tin-Top" Race Group include, but are not necessarily limited to:
Alfa Romeo GT, GTA, 1600, 1900, Giulia
Austin A40/A35
BMW 502, 700, Ti, 1800 TiSA
Borgward Isabella
Chevy Corvair/Yenko Corvair
Datsun 510
DKW F2
Dodge Dart/Plymouth Valiant
Fiat Abarth, 124, 1500S
Ford Cortina, Lotus Cortina, Escort, Zephyr, Zodiac, Galaxy, Thunderbolt, Falcon, Anglia, Prefect
Hillman Imp, Minx
Isuzu Bellett
Jaguar MkI/MkII/MkVII
Lancia Fulvia, Aurelia
Mercedes 220, 300
MG Magnette (ZA/ZB/MkIII/MkIV)
Mini (all)
Morris Minor 1000
Peugeot 203
Renault R8, Gordini, 4CV
Riley 1.5
Rover P4
Saab 96
Standard Ten, Vanguard
Sunbeam Rapier
Volvo 1800, P544, Amazon 122 S
Westminster A105
Wolseley 1500
In case you’re wondering about Murray Smith’s reference to the St. Mary’s Trophy Race at Goodwood, the video below of the 2015 event will prove just how entertaining and exciting vintage sedan racing can be. These drivers are fast and skilled and they don’t like losing. Watch the video and you’ll see they get just about everything their cars can give, and then some. It would be great to watch such a race at Lime Rock in September.—Scott Blazey
[Photos and video courtesy of Lime Rock Historic Festival 34 and Goodwood Road and Racing.]
