Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 35 Racing: Fast, Feverish and Fun

Three days. Nine groups. Worldwide drivers. Lime Rock Park Historic Festival 35 promises spirited historic racing at its most exciting and intense combined with a healthy dose of fun and friendly competition.

As in previous years, the race groups at Lime Rock Park's 35th iteration of its Historic Festival have a somewhat quirky touch emanating from Festival Chairman Murray Smith. "It is apparent that all grids will be full, notably with two grids of perhaps 40 Formula Juniors and a full grid of unusual and spectacular cars in the revolutionary 'Tin Top' grid," he says.

SCCA period-correct, production-based cars take to the track in the "Kent's Domain: Not Quite Street Legal" group, exemplifying "then and now." Kent Bain, noted automobile restorer and accomplished vintage racer, explains that his long-time friends and not-so-fierce competitors, "stay within the rules but get every advantage we can out of those overworked and overstressed, price point-engineered production car components. We love it; it is creative and makes the most with the least, and is good racing!

"Triumph guys Bill Warner (founder of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance), Dave Gussack and I have shared the podium time and again with others of the same ilk. Gussack and I both drive 1300CC Triumph Spitfires and Bill fires up an ex-group 44 TR-6. The Lime Rock circuit is and the great equalizer; its design neutralizes advantages between the big and the little – between power and handling/braking."

Warner remarks that, "racing with Kent and Dave are my best memories after 40 years in a race car. The fact that they double up on me means they are racing with 2.6 liters, isn't that correct?"