"We've probably got the best single collection of competition Mercedes."
Murray Smith
For the 33rd year in a row, a collection of classic cars will start their engines in the Lime Rock Historic Festival. The annual event attracts thousands of people to the racetrack in Lakeville, Connecticut.
Among those in attendance will be Sir Stirling Moss and Jochen Mass, two revered professional drivers. Moss was runner-up four times in the Formula 1 Drivers World Championship during his career in the 1950s. Mass won the endurance race 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989.
The focus of this year's festival, which runs from September 3 to 7, 2015, is putting the focus on Mercedes. "We've probably got the best single collection of competition Mercedes," said festival chairman Murray Smith.
Among the vehicles that festival-goers can check out is Ralph Lauren's Mercedes SSK 1928. As expected, the cars being featured are not cheap. Smith said one truck is delivering three cars with a combined value of approximately $60 million and the vehicles are not just for show. "They will actually be racing," said Smith.
Mass will be one of the drivers. "These cars are special because they're over 100 years old, many of them," he said. The driver loves the looks, the smells and the sounds of these cars. "People complain nowadays with modern Formula 1 that they sound a bit muffled and not crisp enough anymore. These old cars definitely wake you up again."
The latest generation of Formula 1 vehicles have been criticized for their relative quietness compared to previous cars. The old, loud cars can be heard during a vintage race car parade and classic car racing in Lime Rock though.
Diane Orson contributed to this post.
