Historic Festival 32 Gathers Big ‘Heads’ of Steam
Stirling Moss, Ralph Lauren’s Cars Coming to Lime Rock
LAKEVILLE, Conn. (March 28) – Organizers of Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 32, Friday, August 29 through Labor Day Monday, September 1, have announced that Sir Stirling Moss and wife Lady Susie are reprising their popular 2012 Festival visit and will be this year’s Honored Guests.
In addition, world renowned designer Ralph Lauren has accepted the Festival’s invitation to be its Honored Collector, following previous honorees Miles Collier, Laurence Auriana and Peter Sachs.
Festival Chairman Murray Smith confirmed that Lauren would show a small group of cars from his magnificent collection which will reflect his superlative automotive taste and provide a very rare opportunity for enthusiasts to appreciate some extremely special cars that are rarely, if ever, seen in public.
“Ralph’s cars are simply fabulous and we are pleased to announce his desire to show some of them, uniquely, at Lime Rock Park,” Smith said.
Regarding Moss, Smith said, “It is no exaggeration to say that Sir Stirling and Susie immensely enjoyed their visit to Lime Rock Park two years ago and, well, he asked me if we would like them to come again. Of course, I couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough.”
Sir Stirling will drive demonstration laps Friday, Saturday and Monday in cars of particular import to his racing career, including the strong likelihood of the appearance of his 1953 Sebring 12 Hour-winning OSCA MT-4b, entered by Briggs Cunningham. Autograph sessions will be scheduled, too.
While Maserati is celebrating its 100th anniversary at various venues in 2014, Lime Rock will instead devote attention to the cars of the Maserati Brothers after they left their eponymous firm… OSCA. Little jewels which, driven by notables such as Giulio Cabianca, achieved extraordinary results. The Festival will also honor the notable engineer Carlo Abarth together with a large group of the cars he designed and campaigned at Cisitalia and Abarth. Reaction from enthusiastic owners of these delightful cars has been tremendous and Chairman Smith expects a record-breaking group of these cars racing and on show at “Sunday in the Park,” the Concours d’Elegance integral to each year’s Historic Festival.
Smith also revealed that he is in discussion with “two significant manufacturers, one of which will enjoy a celebration as Featured Marque.”
Racing entries and Sunday in the Park Concours applications are flowing in; Smith advises interested parties to “navigate your way to limerockhistorics.com as soon as possible so as to not be shut out.”
Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 32, Sunday in the Park Concours and Gathering of the Marques begins Thursday, August 28 with the Vintage & Historic Race- and Sports Car Parade (a 150-car, 17-mile rally from the track to the Falls Village Street Fair), then 300+ historic race cars compete on-track Friday, Saturday and Monday. On Sunday, August 31, 250 concours vehicles join 700+ collector cars for Sunday in the Park and Gathering of the Marques. Concours and racing entrants are encouraged to visit www.limerockhistorics.com for applications and information.
Sources:Rick Roso/Lime Rock Park PR