Series News: Celebrating Memorial Day at Lime Rock Park
Series News: Celebrating Memorial Day at Lime Rock Park
We hope that everyone in the International GT family of competitors, teams and associates had a wonderful Memorial Day whether you were able to join us at our annual Lime Rock Park event or not. In celebration of the holiday and honoring our fallen veterans and their families, we thought it only appropriate to begin this race recap with CHARLIE CRAIG‘s beautiful #761 SpeedSport Competition, stars and stripes Cup car getting a little “air” at Lime Rock Park.
Read on for the full report.
Once again the Lime Rock round of the International GT Series was presented by INTERLAKEN INN. Just a few miles from the circuit, the best place to stay when visiting Lime Rock Park.
The beautiful red and black liveried Mission Foods GT3 Cup car raced by PAUL and JOHN REISMAN #78 Hudson Historics swept the wins in all three races in the 4 liter category.
International GT continues to grow our presence at Lime Rock Park with another strong field on the tight 1.47 mile course in beautiful upstate Connecticut.
The fireworks started early in qualifying. Two newcomers to International GT, BARON JACOBS #68 Hairy Dog Grrrage and THOMAS GRUBER #991 fought it out for pole position. Ultimately Jacobs in his Mission Foods GT3 Cup 3.8 car would grab the top position for Sprint race 1.
Showing true IGT camaraderie, although not teammates, Jacobs (a veteran of the Lime Rock track) gave Gruber very helpful hints in maneuvering the tricky “bullring” at Lime Rock, which he admitted later was key in his quickly learning the track.
Gruber would take the overall win in both Sprint races in the GT4.R category and came in second in the enduro. He had the enduro well in hand until a late race flat tire caused an unscheduled pit stop and dropped him in the running, although he made a great comeback to finish fourth overall.
MARK MATHYS #77X returned to International GT competition with a new car, joining the ranks of the GT4.R category. Mark took the win in the enduro and gets the high flying award for the weekend.
The Mission Foods GT Cup 3.8 liter category was a shuffle of podium positions throughout the weekend. After his qualifying triumph, BARON JACOBS #68 won Sprint 1 and 2. He miss calculated the pit stop times and was penalized in the enduro but took it all in good stride as a Series learning experience.
Meanwhile MAX EHRLICH #75 Hudson Historics won the enduro and took second in Sprint 1 and third in Sprint 2.
JOE VIOLA #193 competed for the first time in International GT and was on the podium in Sprint 1 with a third and went on to take second in the enduro.
Part of a contingent of competitors we see annually at Lime Rock, TODD PAJONAS #806 took second in Sprint 2.
One of the IGT competitors who took part in the West Coast swing racing at both Sonoma and Laguna Seca, NICK GROOMBRIDGE #56 SpeedSport Competition would not miss his home race at Lime Rock Park (although in a different car than what he raced on the West Coast). Nick stood on the podium in third for the enduro.
We welcomed another newcomer to International GT, MIKE IAPALUCCIO #006. Mike was quite distinct in his white/black/gray/red livery.
In the Mission Foods GT3 Cup 3.6 category we were happy to see two drivers we welcome annually at Lime Rock. A master of the Lime Rock circuit, STEVE KATZ #113 won Sprint races 1 and 2. Meanwhile taking a pair of seconds in both sprint races was GREG JERARIAN #40 Hudson Historics.
ROLAND VEIT #16 Pocono Sportscar also joined the excellent racing at Lime Rock in his beautiful red Ferrari 458. Veit who was a longtime resident of New York (now in Florida) is very familiar with the Lime Rock circuit and had fun mixing it up with the Cup cars.
In the Stuttgart Cup 3.8 category, ALEX BLAKER #76 made his debut in International GT competition by sweeping the wins in all three races. Blaker was given constant pressure in the three races by JOHN KOSTER #573 (another newcomer to IGT) who finished second in Sprint 2 and the enduro, third in Sprint 1 and NELSON HEUMANN #58 with a second in Sprint 1 and a couple of thirds. Meanwhile in the Stuttgart Cup 3.4 category ZACH ERLICH #5 Hudson Historics swept the category winning all three races on the weekend.
Lime Rock Park is always a family affair for the Reisman’s with Paul (middle), son John (right) and grandsons Zach (left) and Max (not shown, probably in a race car at the time). They bring the full support of Hudson Historics!
