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One of the more positive things to happen relating to Lime Rock, was triggered by the Jug End Sports Car Club, who donated a silver Challenge Trophy together with $100 to any driver who broke the Lime Rock track record. This would be awarded each time the record was broken, subject to it occurring at a sanctioned spectator event, and in competition, not practice.
The end of the year though, was a time of change at Lime Rock Park triggered by the immanent sale of the Lime Rock Corporation.
New for 1963, the SCCA had introduced an open-wheel category under the heading of Formula Libre. Formula Junior had faded from the race picture, but the cars were back in a new guise with engine choice determined by the owner, not the manufacturer of the car. Formula Junior was conceived as a poor man’s race car but prices for new Juniors soared as the big race car builders started to compete for honors in this Class. The engine size restriction called for more and more expensive engineering, the costs passed down to the customers, as speeds went up. In the end the advances were so rapid that a winning car today could be obsolete within six months. The Formula Libre Class was introduced as a catch-all for combinations of chassis and engines.
MAY 4, 1963
“Funniest event of the day was when a huge snapping turtle wandered out on the course. The course marshal had to drive down with a long-handled broom before the turtle could be convinced he couldn’t join the hares.” (Competition Press)
The season at Lime Rock opened with a meeting organized by the Long Island Sports Car Association. Highlight of the meeting was when Jim Haynes set a new course record during the fifth race, driving his Lotus 18-Ford. He won the $100 prize offered by the Jug End Sports Car Club for breaking the record, achieving a lap time of 1:02.9.
The day had started with the race for Class 1,2 and Sedans, with the well-prepared Class 2 Austin-Healey Sprite driven by Bob Dahnken out-pacing the rest of the field.
Class 3 and 4 cars started the second race, and what was to prove to be a successful day for Bill Weir driving his Turner 950 Sports. Not only did he win this race ahead of some strong opposition but went on to come
TOP: A LISCA dash plaque given to contestants at the May 4 meeting. (JM)
SECOND: A ticket stub for the May 4 LISCA meeting. (TON)
ABOVE: The Volvo PV 544 belonging to Norman Horowitz and the Morgan Plus 4 driven by Bob McArthur together in the paddock area, May 4. (ES)
BELOW: An unidentified Formula car sitting on a trailer in the paddock, May 4. (ES)
CHAPTER EIGHT • 1963: PRESSURE TAKES IT’S TOLL
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LIME ROCK PARK • THE EARLY YEARS 1955-1975
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