This Labor Day weekend, Lime Rock Park will roar to life as the Connecticut track is set to celebrate Ford as the honored marque for Historic Festival 42 (Aug. 30-Sept. 2). The five-day celebration will not only commemorate the 60th anniversary of one of the most iconic and enduring muscle cars in automotive history, the Ford Mustang, but also pay homage to the significant contribution Ford has made to automotive innovation.

Ross Myers, a regular competitor in Historic Trans-Am and a long-time competitor at Lime Rock Park, is the benefactor of Boyertown, Pennsylvania-based 3 Dog Garage Museum and will bring 16 rare Ford-powered cars that will be on display throughout the weekend and during Sunday in The Park, including the Paul Newman-raced Daytona Prototype, Carrol Shelby’s championship-winning 1963 Competition Cobra 289 and several original historic Trans-Am cars.

This is Part 1 of a two-part blog, where we’ll showcase each of the remarkable cars from Myers’ collection that will be on display during Historic Festival 42. Be sure to check back next week for Part 2, where we’ll continue the exploration of these incredible vehicles.

1957 “Battlebird”
Peter De Paolo Engineering of Long Beach, Calif., built this heavily modified Ford Thunderbird specifically for the 1957 Daytona Speed Weeks – back when racing and speed trials were on the beach. This car was clocked at over 200 mph on its first run, but mechanical problems prevented a mandatory second run. After an engine change, the car raced at nearby New Smyrna Beach’s airport course, with NASCAR driver Marvin Panch beating all the Corvettes while finishing second to Carroll Shelby’s Ferrari. That was its final race – it was outlawed soon afterward by the Automobile Manufacturer’s Association.

photo via 3 Dog Garage

1963 Competition Cobra 289
Ken Miles drove Carroll Shelby’s lightweight Cobra to both the 1963 USRRC driver and manufacturer titles in addition to an SCCA championship. The car combined a lightweight English chassic with American V-8 power, along with Shelby’s legendary ingenuity. The car has been restored to its 1963 configuration.

photo via 3 Dog Garage

1965 Shelby GT350 Type R
This is one of 36 R-Models built, chassis 5R108. Its first race was at Green Valley Raceway in Smithfield, Texas, in February 1966. When regular driver Jerry Titus declined to race the car, Mexican star Pedro Rodriguez stepped in and won the race – as promised. The car later drove in the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours and won its class at Sebring, driven by Fred Van Beuren and Paul Jett. It also won the 1967 SCCA B Production National Championship.

photo via 3 Dog Garage

1967 Trans-Am Cougar #98
Dan Gurney and Ed Leslie both drove the No. 98 Mercury Cougar in 1967 Trans-Am competition, with Parnelli Jones driving Bud Moore’s No. 15 entry. Carroll Shelby’s Ford Mustangs edged the Cougars for the title by two points – back then, the main trophy went to the manufacturer, not the drivers.

1970 Trans-Am Mustang No.16
Trans-Am’s “glory years” peaked in 1970, when Detroit’s “Big Three” manufacturers (joined by AMC) battled with factory-backed lineups and all-star drivers. Parnelli Jones drove Bud Moore’s No. 15 Mustang Boss 302 to five victories – including Lime Rock – and won the title by one point over the Penske Javelin of Mark Donohue. George Follmer was third in the No. 16 Mustang, winning a race among eight podiums in 10 starts. This car is acknowledged as the best-preserved original example of the three team cars.

1983 Ford Mustang GTP #06
Future legend Bob Riley designed the front-engine No. 06 Ford Mustang GTP for the fledgling IMSA Camel GTP Prototype category. Drag racer/Ford Engineer Jack Roush made his sports car racing debut with this project, partnering with Zakspeed, which provided a 1.7-liter engine. The car debuted in late 1985 with a victory at Road America for Tim Coconis and Klaus Ludwig, with teammates Bobby Rahal and Geoff Brabam third overall and second in GTP. Roush quit the project after a disappointing performance at Pocono, with Team Zakspeed USA entering the Daytona Finale, placing 16th in GTP in the car’s third and final race.

photo via 3 Dog Garage

1992 Roush Mustang T/A GTO #15
WhistlerRoush/Protofab debuted this car in 1985 as a Capri for the Trans-Am, and modified it two years later for IMSA Camel GTO for Lyn St. James. The car continued racing through 1992, winning the GTO class in both the 1991 and 1992 Daytona 24 Hours and 1991 12 Hours of Sebring, with drivers including Dorsey Schroeder, Wally Dallenbach Jr., Robby Gordon and Mark Martin. Roush chassis #011 was finally retired. Its recent restoration required only minimal cosmetic attention to bring it back to its 1992 configuration.

1996 Roush Mustang T/A #11 All Sport
Tommy Kendall drove Mustangs owned by Jack Roush and prepared by Dan Binks to three consecutive Trans-Am titles in 1995, 1996 and 1997. The 1996 title is significant due to that being the last year for GM support in the series. In 1997, Kendall drove his Mustang to victory at Lime Rock, one of 11 victories in 13 races in a record-setting season.

Historic Festival 42 Details
Lime Rock Historic Festival 42 launches into action over Labor Day weekend with a 17-mile tour through the area on Thurs., Aug. 29 with the Historic Festival Parade presented by NBT Bank. Friday, Saturday and Monday feature non-stop, on-track competition across a diverse set of historic racing classes. On Sunday (Sept. 1), the Lime Rock Concours and Gathering of the Marques will display nearly 1,000 enthusiast cars and motorcycles arranged around the Lime Rock circuit for Sunday in The Park. Learn more & get tickets at https://limerock.com/events/historic-festival-42/