LIME ROCK PARK HISTORY WITH IMSA STARTED 50 YEARS AGO — Petersen Automotive Museum

Initial IMSA Winner at Lime Rock Park Bob Bailey to be honored as Grand Marshall

This July 15-16 will mark the 50th anniversary of IMSA athletics car or truck competitors at Lime Rock Park – a legacy dating all the way back to 1972. Back again then, Lime Rock Park was currently an recognized circuit, internet hosting main events which include SCCA’s experienced Trans Am and System 5000 races.

Acquiring debuted with a Components Ford race at Pocono Global Raceway in late 1969, IMSA was even now the new kid on the block in 1972. With IMSA launching its GT sequence in April 1971 at Virginia Intercontinental Raceway, 1972 proved pivotal as sponsorship from R.J. Reynolds’ Camel manufacturer assisted to press the sequence to a new level with Lime Rock Park web hosting the Camel 200,  the fourth race of the campaign, on Memorial Working day.

It was a one particular-day party – with follow, qualifying and racing all held on Memorial Day. Finishing the bill ended up ARDC Midget races, racing on a street training course for the final time.
The Camel GT highlighted 4 creation-based mostly classes: GTO (Above 2.5 liters), GTU (Below 2.5 liters), Touring Vehicles around 2.5 liters, and Touring Cars and trucks Below 2.5 liters. These around conformed to FIA courses of the era.

The “Under” classes took to the restricted Lime Rock layout, beating their larger-displacement counterparts in equally GT and Touring.

Bob Bailey and Jim Locke ended up both of those in general and GTU winners of the 200-mile function, driving the No. 31 Locke Relatives Enterprises Porsche 911S. They done 131 laps on the 1.5-mile circuit, beating the No. 49 Porsche 911S of Klaus Bytzek by three laps.