David Hobbs raced everything — Trans Am, Formula One, sports cars, touring cars, Indy cars, IMSA, NASCAR, and Can-Am. He competed in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona, and made twenty starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans during one of the most dangerous and exciting eras in motorsport history.

This Labor Day Weekend, one of the most beloved personalities in motorsport returns to Lime Rock Park as a Special Guest of Historic Festival 44. A Trans Am Champion, Formula One driver, Le Mans competitor, television broadcaster, and legendary storyteller, “Hobbo” remains one of racing’s great characters — quick behind the wheel and even quicker with a one-liner.

“My first trip to Lime Rock,” Hobbs recalls, “was in 1969… I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the area, the adulation of a local driver, Sam something, and the fantastic, very challenging track.”

That “Sam something,” of course, was Sam Posey.

Hobbs quickly became part of Lime Rock lore himself — winning at the circuit and setting a track record that stood for years. But his connection to American road racing was just beginning.

His first Trans Am race came later that same year at Riverside in California, driving one of Terry Godsall’s Pontiac Firebirds alongside teammate Jerry Titus. The field was packed with names that still echo through racing history: Mark Donohue in the Penske-backed Sunoco Camaro, Parnelli Jones and George Follmer in Mustangs, Dan Gurney and Swede Savage in Chrysler’s factory effort, Peter Revson, and Sam Posey. Many of the same cars from that golden era will return to Lime Rock this year as Historic Trans Am joins HF44.

But it was 1983 that became the defining chapter in Hobbs’ Trans Am career.

“My first Trans Am season with DeAtley Motorsports came out of the blue,” Hobbs says, “but it worked out rather well.”

Two weeks after getting the call from team manager John Dick, Hobbs was on a plane to Portland, Oregon. Waiting for him were a pair of Chevrolet Camaros in Budweiser livery and a team convinced they could win a championship.

The first test at Portland International Raceway was eye-opening. Despite not having driven a big American sedan in nearly a decade, Hobbs broke the track record within a handful of laps.

It turned out to be the start of a very good year.

The opening round of the 1983 season at Moroso in West Palm Beach saw Hobbs finish second, ahead of another tough competitor and Lime Rock legend, Paul Newman. At the next race at Summit Point — a track Hobbs had never even seen before — he started second and won by nearly 30 seconds over Tom Gloy, with Newman finishing third in Bob Sharp’s Nissan 280ZX Turbo.

That victory moved Hobbs to the top of the standings, a position he would never surrender.

He followed with another win at Sears Point, a circuit he loved immediately. “The way the track flowed just suited me,” Hobbs remembered. “I remember driving through the gate and thinking this is a funny little bit of road.”

At Portland, the team’s home race, Hobbs qualified on the outside pole, but mechanical issues dropped him to fourth while teammate Willy T. Ribbs took the win, giving DeAtley Motorsports a dominant 1-2 in the championship standings. Seattle proved difficult for both drivers, handing the win to defending series champion Elliot Forbes-Robinson in the Huffaker Racing Pontiac, but Hobbs quickly returned to form.

At Mid-Ohio, he battled teammate Ribbs to another strong finish. At Road America, he dominated — taking the pole, winning the race, and celebrating properly afterward at Siebkens. Another DeAtley 1-2 followed at Brainerd, with Hobbs finishing second.

He missed the Trois-Rivières round in Canada due to a prior commitment to drive a Porsche 956 for John Fitzpatrick Racing at Spa, but the team hardly missed a beat. John Paul Jr. filled in and promptly won.

By the second visit to Sears Point, Hobbs was firmly in command of the championship. He took the pole again and finished second behind Ribbs before arriving at Riverside, where his fourth victory of the season officially locked up the title.

“As it turned out,” Hobbs reflected, “Riverside was the last significant race I ever won.”

The final round at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas — run as a support race for the Formula One United States Grand Prix — required only a careful finish. Hobbs cruised home in fourth place to secure the championship.

“It was one of the very few races in my career where I just cruised around protecting my position,” he said. “Something I did not like doing, but I really wanted that championship, and I won it at the age of 44.”

More than four decades later, Hobbo remains one of the most recognizable and approachable figures in the paddock. Fans know him not only for the victories and championships, but for the stories, the humor, and the unmistakable voice that helped define generations of motorsport broadcasting.

“Lime Rock to me epitomizes the birth of American road racing,” Hobbs says. “The track just carved through the local terrain — a true racer’s layout. I always relish my visits, whether driving, as a TV pundit, or as a guest.”

David Hobbs will be at Historic Festival 44 throughout Labor Day Weekend meeting fans, signing autographs, and sharing stories from one of the great careers in motorsport history. Be sure to stop by, say hello, grab a selfie, and pick up a copy of his fantastic autobiography, HOBBO, for him to sign during our autograph sessions.

Some drivers win races. Hobbo wins people over.