As an active member of HSR and SVRA and the owner of an eclectic mix of
vintage race cars, one thing I have noticed is that the number of cars at the
events are always increasing. The HSR Sebring, Walter Mitty, And Mid-Ohio
events and the Lime Rock Fall Festival all saw a record number of entries
this past season. Vintage racing is growing as people who want to be more
then spectators and can not afford to go professional racing are able to
participate in the experience at what ever level they can afford (it ain’t
cheep).
As there are fans for all different classes of professional racing, people
and organizations should be able to race many different types of vintage cars
as long as three criteria are met; 1) the cars should be well maintained and
safe. This is not only for the safety of the driver but for others on the
track as well. 2) The cars should be prepared as they were during the period
they were originally raced (with the exception of safety equipment). Running
a '67 Mustang with a current Rousch engine and suspension is going a little
too far. 3) The car should not have a current series in which it would be
competitive. There are three vintage racing organizations that are based on
the East Coast, HSR, SVRA and VSCCA, and each have different rules about the
type and age of the cars they will allow to run. Take for example a Porsche
911 derivative, VSCCA will not allow it to run except at the Fall Festival,
SVRA will only allow it to run if it has racing "history" and HSR will allow
a person to take a 911 street chassis and build it to ’74 RSR specs and run
it.
Vintage means different things to different people. In SVRA I have to run
my 935 in exhibition but in HSR I can run it against other GTP cars.
(Granted, I also have to run it against "vintage" Winston Cup cars in some
events but you get used to it.) Any way you look at it, vintage racers are
passionate about race cars and as there people drive all manners of street
cars, there should be venues for people to race all types of old cars.
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