Lime Rock Park shatters attendance records with NASCAR Craftsman Trucks weekend

Under a flawless summer sky, Lime Rock Park came alive with the kind of energy that only a massive, enthusiastic crowd can create, drawn together by thrilling racing and unforgettable moments in one of the most picturesque settings in the country.

Tucked into the base of the Berkshire Mountains and surrounded by lush, green tree-filled hills, the historic road course in Lakeville, Connecticut, transformed into a vibrant destination for race fans from across the country, all here for the LINUNA 150. They arrived early in droves, filling campgrounds, crowding Spectator Hill, spilling into The Midway and packed outfield to witness a moment they knew was bigger than just racing.

For the first time ever, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series roared through The Park’s legendary road course, joined by the ARCA Menards Series and the debuting HSR NASCAR Classic.

The result? A record-setting crowd for the millennium that turned the lush, green expanse into a sea of energy, noise and color, outpacing even The Park’s previously largest weekend with IMSA in 2023.

Fans came from all over the United States, thousands for the first time, to witness history at the track nestled in northwestern Connecticut. Heavily populated by fans on blankets chairs or just the grass, it was hard to find an empty space anywhere along Spectator Hill as fans filled it from fence to tree line, and the Midway Marketplace buzzed with the kind of vibrancy that only comes with a true motorsport milestone.

“There’s no question about that,” said Lime Rock Park president and CEO Dicky Riegel when asked if this was a modern-day attendance record. “You couldn’t walk Spectator Hill, there was no room for another chair unless you were too low or around the corner where you couldn’t see anything. It was absolutely packed.”

For Riegel and the team behind the scenes, this moment wasn’t just a big race. It was the culmination of years of planning, vision and partnership.

“There’s an immense sense of satisfaction after three incredible years of working together with our new partner, NASCAR, to make this event happen,” he said. “We created the facility they need to race here, welcomed them in as our partners and I think it made a tremendous impact, not only economically here in the community, but also reputationally. Lime Rock Park is 68 years old, but we’re thinking about the future.”

The track’s partnership with LIUNA, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, added another layer of excitement, and on race day, their presence was impossible to miss.

“LIUNA turned Lime Rock Park orange today,” Riegel said. “Their banners, their shirts, their hats, it was honestly pure joy to have them here. I think we have a really great future together.”

As fans filtered out at the end of the weekend, some sun-kissed, others still cheering, all buzzing with the thrill of the experience, the message was clear: Lime Rock Park is not just steeped in history, it’s writing a bold new chapter.

“This is a community track,” Riegel said. “And the community showed up in every sense of the word. We’re proud, we’re grateful and we’re just getting started.”

The fan experience extended far beyond the racing itself. Drivers met face to face with fans in autograph sessions and made special appearances throughout the facility, creating unforgettable moments for attendees. LIUNA’s interactive presence in The Midway included hands-on equipment simulators and family-friendly activities. Call Before You Dig hosted the CBYD Kids Dig Zone, filled with giveaways, educational games promoting safety and fun kid-focused activities. Camp Airstream at Hummel Hill provided an intimate VIP setting for fans.

From the smell of barbecue drifting through the paddock to kids playing in the Tonka Sand Pit at CBYD to the roar of race cars echoing off the hills, the weekend captured everything special about Lime Rock Park. It was more than just a race. It was a homecoming, a turning point and a promise for the future.

As the sun set over the Berkshires and campers packed up their sites, fans left knowing they had been part of something rare. Something that made history.

And for Lime Rock Park, the LIUNA 150 weekend provided the promise that some traditions are just getting started.