Formula Vee celebrated its 60-year anniversary during the SCCA New England Regionals competition held at Lime Rock Park June 16-17. Twenty-four Formula Vee cars took to Lime Rock’s challenging layout and tight turns, providing the perfect canvas for Formula Vee drivers to exhibit their skills during the double feature. Legendary racer Sam Posey was also in attendance to celebrate the remarkable milestone. 

60 Years of Formula Vee and Sam Posey at Lime Rock Park

Lime Rock Park played a significant role in the success story of Formula Vee. Over the past six decades, the picturesque circuit has hosted numerous memorable races that have shaped the legacy of the series and its drivers, including Posey.  

Growing up in Sharon – only a few miles down the road from Lime Rock Park – Posey kindled a love for motorsports through reading many books on famous drivers and European racing history. To encourage her son’s interest, his mother purchased a Formcar Formula Vee race car in 1965 for $2,500 from Lime Rock manager John Fitch. She also purchased shares in the circuit so that Sam could participate in lapping days – even though he was not quite the SCCA-mandated minimum age of 21. Once he turned 21 on May 26, 1965, he began competition, and won his first race that October in a Formula Vee. The following year, Posey’s career took off. He finished 10th in the Daytona 24 Hours the following spring, and went on to compete at Le Mans and the new Can-Am and Trans-Am series in a career that would eventually take him to Formula One, the Indianapolis 500, and racing broadcasting and journalism after he stepped out of the cockpit. Sam Posey’s time in Formula Vee was very brief – but proved to be a giant first step in his storied career.

Close Racing in SCCA Regionals Embodies the Formula Vee Spirit

Since its inception, Formula Vee has captivated racing enthusiasts around the world with its thrilling and competitive races. The series, which features single-seater, Volkswagen-powered open-wheel cars, has become synonymous with close racing, high performance, and an unparalleled sense of camaraderie among competitors.

On Saturday, June 17, the SCCA New England region hosted two Formula Vee races. In mixed conditions, Michael Hinkle claimed the checkered flag by a margin of .077-seconds over second-place finisher Gerard Owen Callaghan. Callaghan returned the favor in the afternoon, nosing out Hinkle by an even closer margin of .014-seconds, a matter of inches. The top-four cars were covered by less than half a second. 

Spectators will have another chance to celebrate motorsports history over Labor Day weekend during the Historic Festival 41 (Aug 31-Sept. 4). Tickets are on sale now at: https://limerock.com/events/historic-festival-41/