Photo: Peter Harholdt for Revs Institute

1953 to 2022

Historic Festival 40 Celebrates 70 Years of the Chevrolet Corvette

Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Conn., September 1-5

Corvette Comes on Board as Presenting Sponsor of Lime Rock’s 2022 Historic Festival

Honored Marque: Corvette

Featured Race Group: Historic Trans-AM

With the full backing of Chevrolet and its iconic Corvette sportscar, Lime Rock Park is pleased to announce that General Motors’ most popular brand has signed on as the Presenting Sponsor of Historic Festival 40, September 1-5, 2022.

2022 is the 70th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette.

For those who might debate whether 2022 is the 70th – versus the 69th – anniversary, let’s talk about it! Those on the “it’s Corvette’s 69th year” side of the fence base it on the fact that Chevy did not sell a model year 1983 Corvette. That was because, due to a variety of supplier and logistical issues, Chevrolet went right from producing the 1982 C3 to the 1984 C4. Regular fourth generation production began on January 3, 1983; the 1984 model year delivery to customers began in March 1983.

So it’s not like Chevy salespeople weren’t writing orders for Vettes in 1983; every year since the first one sold in late summer 1953, anyone could buy America’s sweetheart, the Corvette, the affordable high-performance sports car. So when you break out the abacus and move a bead for every year, starting with 1953 and ending with 2022, the sum is 70 years.

Thus the 70th Corvette Anniversary!

And boy oh boy, look what Lime Rock Park has in store for you as we celebrate those 70 years.

▪ Until this Labor Day weekend, never before have 12 of the best Corvette Concept Cars all been in one place at one time — but we’ve got them here at HF40!

Look at this list: 1959 Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV I), 1959 Sting Ray Racer, 1961 Mako Shark, 1964 CERV II, 1969 Manta Ray, 1972 Reynolds Aluminum Corvette, 1973 Aerovette, 1986 Corvette Indy, 1990 CERV III, 1992 Stingray III and 2009 Sting Ray Concept.

Plus we have the famous 1953 “Waldorf” Display car, the Corvette shown during the Motorama Show in January, 1953, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. And the 1956 Corvette SS. And the 1959 Scaglietta Corvette. And the 1963 Corvette Rondine by Pininfarina.

Phew, we’re getting excited just typing up this cavalcade of Corvettes…

But we’re not done!

▪ How about 20 of the best Corvette race cars, all in the same place? From Cunningham’s 1960 Le Mans racer, Yenko’s 1963 Z06 “Gulf One” and Penske’s 1966 L88 Daytona to Paul Newman’s 2002 GT1 and more, the most exciting Corvettes to ever hit the race track will be here at Historic Festival 40.

▪ As 2022’s Honored Marque, you will also see dozens of historic Corvettes in the Sunday in the Park Concourse d’Elegance, while LRP fans will bring at least an equal number of their own Corvettes to the Gathering of the Marques, brought to you by our good friends at FCP Euro.

So keep your eye on your inbox over the next several weeks for more exciting news about what we think might be the best Lime Rock Historic Festival ever, with thanks to presenting Sponsor Chevrolet and America’s most popular sports car, the Corvette.

Click here for the Historic Festival 40 web page.

Click here for the Historic Festival ticketing page.