Ferrari Racing Days @ Lime Rock Park

[Noah930]

OK, not P-car related. Perhaps the arch enemy of Porsche, if anything. But racing cars are racing cars, and this was a fantastic event. So many rare cars, even for a jaded Southern Californian like myself. To actually see and hear most of them racing around a track was a treat. So here goes...

Some more modern exotica--unpacking the cars early in the morning:




A bit of Ferrari supercar history, all lined up...

[Noah930]

Whoops. A little big. Let me try to resize future pics...

[Noah930]

At least some German car content (MB motor powers this Pagani Zonda, IIRC)




Unfortunately, these were mainly "show cars" from a NY dealer, as opposed to "go cars." The only time they fired up were to unload them into place, and load them back up into the trailer. However, the FXX did do some demo laps at lunchtime. That thing sounds absolutely sick.

[widgeon13]

What was the occasion for the Fcar get together. Were they allowing anyone to enter the track on that day?

[Noah930]

Every summer, Lime Rock has an Italian car weekend. It's meant as a vintage racing event. They have a class for drum-braked cars, and one for disc-braked ones. In the past, they also had one round of the Ferrari Challenge, though that was scrapped this year and filled in with a Ferrari Club DE event. There must have been about 30-40 non-racing Ferraris doing lapping days. They were mostly 348's & 355's (some of them ex-Challenge cars), and 360's. A couple 333SP's were present as well as an F40, too.





There were interesting non-tracked F-cars in the paddock, too (presumably driven up to the track by owners who had their track cars trailered in?).




Note the immaculate 330GTC in the background behind the Maser.

[Noah930]

333SP. Beautiful car. Sounds incredible. Too bad the few I've ever seen on the track have been driven like they were out for parade laps. Or maybe the car's so competent that it just looks like it's going slow, even though it's not...

[Noah930]

This is why it's called a Birdcage. The intricate welds were absolutely gorgeous. But I can't imagine trusting my life to such a delicate-looking frame.

[Noah930]

And some vintage F-cars, too:
3 of these were out there, racing.

[Bill Verburg]

Nice! Thanks for sharing

[nostatic]

show cars suck. Go cars rule.

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by nostatic
show cars suck. Go cars rule.

I have to agree. I used to drool over the garage queens. Before I had any idea what it was like to *drive*. I really respect those that get out there and *drive*. I have never seen Ferraris really tear it up.

[nostatic]

if its in a museum, i'm ok with it. At a concours...well, I suppose if you have to. But bringing a sports car to a race track to have it sit under a canopy? That is lame. Kinda like putting a chastity belt of Pamela Anderson or Tera Patrick.

My opinion. ymmv.

[Noah930]

Just a couple more pics to finish up. (Had to run off to a BBQ.) My personal favorites of the weekend were the 5 GTO's in attendence. Not just sitting pretty, but running at the requisite 8/10ths on the track. Very nice to see them sliding out of turn 1 with a touch of opposite lock. Imagine that; 36 were made in total from 1962-64. And 5 showed up to race.

[nostatic]

now *that's* cool!

[Noah930]

Forgot one (the 37 car):



And here's what a $10 million weed whacker looks like (37 car, again):


And even though it's worth more than what I'll probably make in my entire lifetime, combined, in the end, they're just cars. Nice to see no one freaking out that this "museum piece" was getting a little wet.

[Hugh R]

Wow, those are beautiful. The older maroon one looks to me to be a Zagato-bodied car.