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1959 LIME ROCK FORMULA LIBRE RACE

Lime Rock    "THE RACE"
from the pen of John Coelho and coldplugs.com and the photos of don cooke

Ask any Lime Rock veteran about The race and they'll know exactly which one you mean. John Fitch has called it "the best race ever held by anybody, anywhere".  It occurred on July 25th, 1959 - the race was sanctioned by USAC, paid prize money, and the invited drivers could race what they wanted. The mix of cars and drivers was incredible.  There were international stars like Pedro Rodriguez,  landmark cars like Bill Mitchell's Stingray (the model for the later Corvette Stingray), well known US sports car drivers like George Constantine, Denise McCluggage, Dr. Dick Thompson, Chuck Daigh, and Lance Reventlow, and American good 'ole boys like Rodger Ward with a Kurtis Midget.

Who would you bet on? Daigh, with his ex-Fangio Formula 1 Maserati?  George Constantine in (probably) the fastest Aston Martin in the world? John Fitch in a Cooper Monaco? Would you have even given a thought to Roger Ward in a 91 cubic inch Offenhauser powered midget, with a one speed transmission, rear brakes only - an eleven year old car with over 1,000 races to its credit?

Back to Lime Rock main page

Click this link to read the story of THE FASCINATING STORY OF “THE RACE” BY THE DEAN OF MOTORSPORTS JOURNALISM, THE GREAT CHRIS ECONOMAKI

Featured
 The pace lap has Constantine and Ward side by side

The pace lap has Constantine and Ward side by side

 First lap and that pesky midget is not giving the huge Aston an inch.

First lap and that pesky midget is not giving the huge Aston an inch.

 Constantine leads Ward but not by much.

Constantine leads Ward but not by much.

 Duane Carter, Midget and Lance Reventlow FII Cooper dice it out.

Duane Carter, Midget and Lance Reventlow FII Cooper dice it out.

 Rodger Ward laps Ray Saidel’s Jomar SSR 1.  Ray had a good day in an under-powered car to finish 13th.

Rodger Ward laps Ray Saidel’s Jomar SSR 1. Ray had a good day in an under-powered car to finish 13th.

 Doc Thompson looks over his shoulder “Is that midget lapping me”?

Doc Thompson looks over his shoulder “Is that midget lapping me”?

 His speed was amazing and Indy winner Rodger Ward was a master.  Here he corrects at speed in the dirt. Nothing unusual for a sprint driver.

His speed was amazing and Indy winner Rodger Ward was a master. Here he corrects at speed in the dirt. Nothing unusual for a sprint driver.

 Lots of Speedy Dri makes it dusty in the esses as Reventlow leads Rodriguez who has Dick Thompson on his tail.

Lots of Speedy Dri makes it dusty in the esses as Reventlow leads Rodriguez who has Dick Thompson on his tail.

 All weekend long Ward and Constantine were battling each other.  Lime Rock with its huge forests is simply a magic place for a race.

All weekend long Ward and Constantine were battling each other. Lime Rock with its huge forests is simply a magic place for a race.

 Pedro Rodriguez, 3.0 Maserati leads Lance Reventlow in his FII Cooper

Pedro Rodriguez, 3.0 Maserati leads Lance Reventlow in his FII Cooper

 Loyal Katskee’s Ferrari races with Joe Grimaldi’s D Jag.

Loyal Katskee’s Ferrari races with Joe Grimaldi’s D Jag.

 Chuck Daigh in his F1 250F Maserati is about to lap Jocko Maggiocomo in his Ferrari-Chev.

Chuck Daigh in his F1 250F Maserati is about to lap Jocko Maggiocomo in his Ferrari-Chev.

 Revenlow leads Tony Bettenhausen’s Midget. Bettenhausen with Roger Klar finished 10th. Notice the sign advertising Denise McCluggage’s column in the late NY MIrror.

Revenlow leads Tony Bettenhausen’s Midget. Bettenhausen with Roger Klar finished 10th. Notice the sign advertising Denise McCluggage’s column in the late NY MIrror.

 Here is the versatile Denis McCluggage in Cunningham’s Porsche 550RS. Competition Press sticker on the front fender.  Denise was one of the founders of CP.

Here is the versatile Denis McCluggage in Cunningham’s Porsche 550RS. Competition Press sticker on the front fender. Denise was one of the founders of CP.

 Vic Meinhardt in a Porsche 550RS. Meinhardt’s transmission packed up and he was classified 19th.

Vic Meinhardt in a Porsche 550RS. Meinhardt’s transmission packed up and he was classified 19th.

 Jocko Maggiacomo in his Ferrari 857 Monza-Chev finished 11th.

Jocko Maggiacomo in his Ferrari 857 Monza-Chev finished 11th.

 Loyal Katskee came all the way from Nebraska to finish 14th in his Ferrari 750 Monza.

Loyal Katskee came all the way from Nebraska to finish 14th in his Ferrari 750 Monza.

 Bert Brooks drove a great race to finish 8th in his Midget Offy.

Bert Brooks drove a great race to finish 8th in his Midget Offy.

 Bob Colombosian, the Colombo Yogurt mogul, was 5th in his Lister-Bristol.

Bob Colombosian, the Colombo Yogurt mogul, was 5th in his Lister-Bristol.

 California’s Chuck Daigh in an ex-Fangio Maserati 250F finished 2nd.  He led Ward for many laps putting his right wheels off the road kicking stones up at Ward to hold him back.

California’s Chuck Daigh in an ex-Fangio Maserati 250F finished 2nd. He led Ward for many laps putting his right wheels off the road kicking stones up at Ward to hold him back.

 Dick Thompson in Bill Mitchell’s Sting Ray squeezed our a 9th.

Dick Thompson in Bill Mitchell’s Sting Ray squeezed our a 9th.

 Great view from Lime Rocks spectator hill.  Still one of the best places anywhere to watch a race.

Great view from Lime Rocks spectator hill. Still one of the best places anywhere to watch a race.

 Geroge Constantine’s Aston won one heat, was second in another and retired in the 3rd giving him 6th for the day.

Geroge Constantine’s Aston won one heat, was second in another and retired in the 3rd giving him 6th for the day.

 John Fitch did drive for Charlie Kreisler but in this Cooper Monaco.  Fitch did well and was 4th.

John Fitch did drive for Charlie Kreisler but in this Cooper Monaco. Fitch did well and was 4th.

 Gordy MacKenzie in the C Type he raced for years in the northeast.  Gordy finished 16th.

Gordy MacKenzie in the C Type he raced for years in the northeast. Gordy finished 16th.

 Lance Reventlow taking some time away from the Scarabs came east to drive this Cooper FII car to 7th.

Lance Reventlow taking some time away from the Scarabs came east to drive this Cooper FII car to 7th.

 Pedro Rodriguez laughs with John Fitch and Chuck Daigh.

Pedro Rodriguez laughs with John Fitch and Chuck Daigh.

 Pedro had a decent car in the Maserati and took it home to 3rd place.

Pedro had a decent car in the Maserati and took it home to 3rd place.

 The late sun beams off the Rodriguez Maserati’s windshield as he takes it up Lime Rocks climbing turn.

The late sun beams off the Rodriguez Maserati’s windshield as he takes it up Lime Rocks climbing turn.

 Paul O’Shea in a very cumbersome Bocar Corvette lost brakes and never came out for the 3rd heat.

Paul O’Shea in a very cumbersome Bocar Corvette lost brakes and never came out for the 3rd heat.