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Steve Potter Photo
On May 9, 1970, eighteen thousand fans filled the hills at Lime Rock Park for the Schaefer Trans Am race. The grid felt upside down — legends in unfamiliar colors, factory loyalties reshuffled. Penske fielding the #6 Javelin with Mark Donohue. Jim Hall’s #1 Chaparral Camaro. Dan Gurney in the #48 Barracuda. Only Parnelli Jones remained in familiar Bud Moore Mustang equipment, driving the #15.
Jones had set the fastest lap in qualifying, but a questionable infraction pushed him back to the second row. Determined to make it right, he charged into Big Bend at the start and emerged with the lead. From there, the Mustang was rarely challenged.
By afternoon’s end, Jones stood in Victory Lane, Ed Leslie brought the #2 Chapparal Camaro home second, and Lime Rock’s own Sam Posey hustled the lime green #77 Challenger to third.
This Labor Day weekend, you’ll see many of these very machines return to the circuit as part of the Historic Trans Am group at Historic Festival 44.
Alfa’s Authority at Lime Rock
While V8 thunder shook the main event, precision ruled the under-two-litre class. Alfa Romeo GTA 1600 Juniors driven by Gaston Andrey and Horst Kwech controlled the race, with a BMW 2002 chasing in third. Light, balanced, and relentless, the Alfas proved that at Lime Rock, finesse can rival horsepower.
It is fitting, then, that Alfa Romeo returns this year as Historic Festival 44’s Featured Marque — a brand whose competition history is woven into the fabric of this circuit.
The tradition belongs to this place.
Tommy Kendall Joins HF44 as Guest of Honor
“Back in 1988, I was racing IMSA in a Chevy Beretta and Dorsey was in a Dodge Daytona. They were perfect cars for Lime Rock. Dorsey knew it like the back of his hand from all those laps with Skip Barber, and he was crazy fast. We showed up thinking maybe we could steal one — but Dorsey absolutely waxed us. I was able to hit back years later in Trans Am, but that one left a mark.”
TK
Historic Festival 44 is proud to welcome four-time Trans Am champion Tommy Kendall as a Guest of Honor.
A member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America — alongside Skip Barber — Kendall’s name is inseparable from the modern era of the series. His dominant 1997 campaign, highlighted by eleven consecutive victories, remains one of the most remarkable seasons in Trans Am history. That year at Lime Rock Park, Kendall delivered a commanding performance, leading all 66 laps of the Memorial Day Classic in his Roush Mustang.
Kendall finished his Trans Am career with 28 victories and four championships, ranking second all-time in the series.
As the Trans Am Series marks its 60th Anniversary, Kendall returns to this place where he has raced, won, and built part of that legacy. He will be on hand throughout the weekend, meeting fans, participating in autograph sessions, and celebrating the cars and competition that defined an era.
To revisit Kendall’s record-setting 1997 season and his connection to Lime Rock, read more on our website.
Click Here to Read about TK’s 1997 Season
