Lime Rock Park facts for kids
| "Road Racing Center of the East" | |
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Grand Prix Circuit (1957–present)
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| Location | Lakeville, Connecticut, United States |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (UTC−04:00 DST) |
| Coordinates | 41°55′39.68″N 73°23′0.95″W / 41.9276889°N 73.3835972°W |
| FIA Grade | 2 |
| Owner | Lime Rock Group, LLC (April 2021–present) Skip Barber (1984–April 2021) |
| Operator | Lime Rock Group, LLC |
| Broke ground | 1956 |
| Opened | 27 April 1957 |
| Major events | Current: Trans-Am Series Trans Am Memorial Day Classic (1967–1974, 1981, 1985–1989, 1992–1993, 1995–1999, 2002–2003, 2010, 2012–2015, 2019, 2021–present) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series LiUNA! 150 (2025) ARCA Menards Series Lime Rock Park 100 (2025) Former: IMSA SportsCar Championship Northeast Grand Prix (1958–1964, 1986–1992, 2004–2013, 2015–2019, 2021–2023) International Race of Champions (2024) Pirelli World Challenge (1992–1993, 1995–2005, 2007–2008, 2013, 2016–2018) Rolex Sports Car Series Lime Rock Grand Prix (2000–2001, 2006–2008, 2010–2013) NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (1993–2010) |
| Grand Prix Circuit (1957–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 1.530 mi (2.462 km) |
| Turns | 7 |
| Race lap record | 0:45.105 ( Juan Manuel Fangio II, Eagle MkIII, 1993, IMSA GTP) |
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Lime Rock Park Race Track
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Area | 325.2 acres (131.6 ha) |
| Built | 1956 |
| Built by | Jim Vaill |
| Architectural style | Race track |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001380 |
| Added to NRHP | October 16, 2009 |
Lime Rock Park is a cool place in Lakeville, Connecticut, where people race cars on a special track. It's called a "natural-terrain" track because it follows the hills and curves of the land. It's one of the oldest race tracks in the United States, opening way back in 1957.
For a long time, a famous race car driver named Skip Barber owned it. He also started a racing school there. Since April 2021, a company called Lime Rock Group, LLC has owned the park. This track is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
Contents
The Story of Lime Rock Park
How the Track Began
The idea for Lime Rock Park started in 1956 with a person named Jim Vaill. He worked with John Fitch and the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory. Together, they built the track using the best safety ideas for roads at that time.
The very first race happened on April 28, 1957. It featured different types of cars, including Alfa Romeos and MGs. Ted Sprigg won in an Alfa Romeo, and Charles Callanan won in an MG.
In 1959, something surprising happened at Lime Rock. A driver named Rodger Ward won a big race in a small car called a midget car. These cars usually race on oval tracks, but Ward used his skill to beat much faster sports cars. That same year, Charles Callanan and Roger Penske won the "Little Le Mans" race.
In 2008, the track got a makeover. Workers repaved the surface and added two new turns to make racing even more exciting.
The Sunday Racing Rule
Lime Rock Park has a unique rule: no racing on Sundays. This rule came about in 1959. A local group and a church went to court to stop Sunday racing. The court agreed, and the rule has been in place ever since. This means races only happen on Fridays and Saturdays.
Famous Drivers at Lime Rock
Many famous people have raced at Lime Rock Park. These include actors like Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. Racing legends like Mario Andretti, Stirling Moss, and Dan Gurney have also driven here. Some parts of the track are even named after famous racers like Sam Posey and Paul Newman.
Exploring the Track Layout
A Track in the Mountains
Lime Rock Park is built in a beautiful area among the Berkshire Mountains. These mountains are part of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. You can even see parts of the famous Appalachian Trail hiking path from the track!
What makes Lime Rock special for fans is that there are no big grandstands. Instead, people bring their own chairs and blankets. They sit on grassy hillsides under the shade of trees to watch the races. It's a smaller track, but it offers a really close-up view of the action.
How Long is the Track?
For many years, everyone thought the track was 1.530 miles long. The story goes that someone measured it with a car's odometer right after it was built! After the track was rebuilt in 2008, they measured it again. It turns out the main track is about 1.500 miles long. There are also different ways to set up the track, with 7, 8, 9, or 10 turns.
Exciting Races and Events
Lime Rock Park hosts many different types of races throughout the year.
Current Events
- May: The Trans-Am Series holds its Trans Am Memorial Day Classic.
- June: You can see the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the LiUNA! 150 and the ARCA Menards Series in the Lime Rock Park 100.
- July: The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association brings classic cars for the Lime Rock SpeedTour.
- September: The Lime Rock Historic Festival is a popular event featuring old race cars.
Past Events
Many other racing series have visited Lime Rock Park over the years. These include the American Le Mans Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship, and the Rolex Sports Car Series. These events brought different kinds of sports cars and drivers to the track.
Fastest Laps at Lime Rock Park
Drivers at Lime Rock Park are always trying to set the fastest lap times. The quickest unofficial lap ever recorded during a race weekend was 43.112 seconds. This was set by P. J. Jones in a Toyota Eagle MkIII in 1993. The fastest official race lap record is 45.105 seconds, set by Juan Manuel Fangio II in an Eagle MkIII in 1993. Many different types of race cars have set impressive lap records on this challenging track.
Images for kids
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Lime Rock Park, Connecticut
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Lime Rock Park, Connecticut
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Lime Rock Park, Connecticut
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View from the Sam Posey Straight spectator area during an American Le mans Series event
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GT3 cars battle through "The Left Hander", turn 3, headed up towards Paul Newman Straight during an IMSA event at Lime Rock Park
See also
In Spanish: Lime Rock Park para niños
