David Hobbs Named Guest of Honor at Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival 43
This Labor Day weekend, Lime Rock Park welcomes one of motorsport’s most versatile and beloved figures, David Hobbs, as Guest of Honor at Historic Festival 43. On Friday night, Hobbs will share the stage at the Competitors’ Dinner with Grand Marshal Rob Dyson, promising an evening filled with storytelling, laughter, and a deep dive into racing history. A limited number of tickets will be made available to the public for this rare opportunity to hear two legends swap tales in an intimate setting.
Adding to the excitement, Hobbs’ iconic 1974 Carling Black Label McLaren M16C/D IndyCar #73 will be on display all weekend—courtesy of Rob Dyson’s personal collection. With its striking black-and-red livery, the car remains one of the most unforgettable sights from an era when McLaren’s presence loomed large in both Formula 1 and IndyCar paddocks.
Though often described as a privateer entry, Hobbs has clarified that the #73 car was, in fact, McLaren’s second team entry at Indianapolis in 1974, run by the factory team itself. Hobbs qualified strongly and showed speed throughout the month, ultimately finishing fifth in the race. “I should really have been third,” he recalled. “Billy Vukovich, who did come third, was slower than me all through the month.” An early pit stop, prompted by a sudden change in car balance from qualifying, proved costly. “It was a huge mistake—I should have managed it better, as no sooner had I pitted than a yellow came out, putting me a lap down.”
While Indy wasn’t his usual stomping ground, Hobbs brought considerable McLaren experience to the effort. He won the 1971 L&M Formula 5000 Championship driving a McLaren M10B, campaigned the McLaren M20 Can-Am car for Roy Woods Racing in 1973, and drove the Yardley McLaren Formula 1 car in both the Italian and Austrian Grands Prix in 1974.
While his international résumé spans Le Mans, Formula 1, Trans Am, and IMSA, Hobbs carved a meaningful chapter of his racing legacy right here at Lime Rock Park. In 1971, he dominated the L&M Continental 5000 Championship, including a victory at Lime Rock. His win in the open-wheel thunder of the Formula 5000 era helped seal the title and earned him a devoted fan base in the Northeast.
“The circuit is very challenging,” Hobbs recalled. “Always a big bump through turn one, and the track flowed nicely. The fast downhill was always a challenge, with serious consequences if you got it wrong—good straight for passing into turn one.”
Hobbs would return to Lime Rock Park in the early days of the IMSA GTO era. “I came with the BMW 320i a couple of times and the car loved the track, although we never had much luck there. But they were great days, along with the hospitable Sam Posey and his mom, Mary Moor. Had some great times at her home.”
Off the track, Hobbs became a familiar face to American race fans as a broadcaster for ESPN, SpeedVision, and NBC Sports, bringing his dry wit, encyclopedic knowledge, and British charm to millions of viewers. His unique perspective—equal parts racer, historian, and raconteur—makes him an ideal Guest of Honor for Historic Festival 43, where past and present blur into one long love letter to racing.
Whether you remember Hobbs from his Le Mans runs with Gulf Ford, his time in Formula 1 with BRM and McLaren, or his fierce Trans Am battles at Lime Rock, this year’s Historic Festival is your chance to reconnect with a racing legend. See the iconic #73 Carling Black Label McLaren up close from the Rob Dyson collection, and hear Hobbs and Dyson share stories from their extraordinary careers—live on stage.
Meet David in person during our weekend autograph sessions, alongside other Lime Rock legends. Share a story, grab a signature, and be part of history. Discounted tickets are available now at limerock.com.
