Rolex Vintage Festival To Feature More Than 200 Race Cars Plus Legendary Drivers John Fitch, Phil Hill, Hans Stuck
LAKEVILLE, Conn., Aug. 26, 2003 -- For as little as $5 for a Friday admission, or $45 for a complete weekend pass, race car fans in the Northeast can re-live 80 years of motorsports history at the 2003 Rolex Vintage Festival at Lime Rock Park presented by BMW in the foothills of the Berkshires at Lime Rock Park.
This Labor Day weekend, from Friday, August 29 -- Monday, September 1, that inseparable connection between the tradition of sports car racing and the men and machines that made it happen will come alive with nine classes of races from pre-1941 sports cars to 1966-72 historic Trans-Am racers.
With practice sessions and races Friday, Saturday and Monday, the nine classes will be on the track a total of six different times during the weekend.
Prominent amongst the great drivers present will be John Fitch, the event's "honored guest," Phil Hill and Hans Stuck.
This year the featured marque is Bugatti, with 15 Bugatti racers entered from the pre-1939 era. Also, the new Bugatti Veyron 16.4, the 16-cylinder supercar powered by twin banks of Volkswagen W8 engines, will make its first on-the-track-and-running East Coast appearance during the weekend. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 has four turbochargers, and develops 1001 horsepower at 6000 RPM.
On Sunday, August 31, fans will be able to enjoy new activities including an Elite Concours for Formula 1 machines. These Grand Prix cars represent the pinnacle of performance for their time from the great marathons of the early years of the last century to the latest Formula 1 cars. Two of these cars, the McLaren M23 and the Tyrrell 002, will do hot laps Monday on the Lime Rock circuit.
Another new addition is Bimmerfest East, a BMW enthusiast car show for all model lines, including modified late-model BMWs and pristine classics.
These special events Sunday are in addition to the Vintage & Historic Car Show, which attracts some of the finest foreign and domestic automobiles in the country from well known manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa-Romeo, Jaguar and MG to the harder to find makes such as Siata, Allard, Bugatti, Aston Martin, Delahaye, Delage, Citroen and DeTomaso.
On display all weekend will be the Show of Shelbys, containing virtually every year and model car Carroll Shelby produced between 1962 and 1970. The Festival Swap Meet, which runs throughout the weekend, is a showcase for automotive memorabilia where fans may find anything from out-of-print shop manuals, or old racing magazines and programs to die-cast models or used cars.
Also, the Rolex Moments in Time Exhibit features a select group of remarkable racing cars, their achievements and colorful history. Visitors will find these historically-significant cars set amidst informative and entertaining murals and videos. The exhibit is a highlight of the open, yet bustling, expo area.
The Rolex Vintage Festival presented by BMW also will pay tribute to a Lime Rock Park icon, John Fitch. Fitch has had a distinguished career in sports car racing, winning Sebring in 1953 as well as helping to design Lime Rock's 1.53-mile layout, and serving as the track's director from 1955 to 1964.
Fitch and Phil Hill, the first American World Champion, will drive demo laps and will join the other legendary drivers, including IMSA and world sports car champion Hans Stuck, will sign autographs.
2003 ROLEX VINTAGE FESTIVAL TICKET INFORMATION FRIDAY, August 29 $ 5.00 - Advance $ 5.00 - At the Gate SATURDAY $ 15.00 - Advance $ 20.00 - At the Gate SUNDAY $ 5.00 - Advance $ 10.00 - At the Gate MONDAY $ 25.00 - Advance $ 30.00 - At the Gate WEEKEND SUPERTICKET $ 45.00 (includes gift) - advance only Advance ticket sales end Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 4 PM
Tickets are available by calling 1-800-RACE-LRP for credit card sales or a list of Lime Rock retail ticket outlets
