Just found this, the Historic TransAm Series.

[Al Weyman]

Some real good stuff here, definitely have to try to take one of these meetings in next time I visit the US. Really for American muscle car nuts but there is there is also some none yank stuff in there as well.

http://www.historictransam.com/homepage.htm

[big andy]

looks good al but the 25big ones would nt go far here

[Al Weyman]

True, but some great looking cars.

[R59]

I looked and thought, where are the Buick Skylarks, then I spotted that they were all 302ci

Pah! lawnmower engines

[R59]

It's amazing! Just about every one of those cars in the register is an original Trans-Am race car. None of this "we found a Cortina in a shed, and we're building it up as a Lotus Cortina historic race car".

I'd wager there's a few quids-worth on those grids.

Utterly awesome!

[big andy]

why cant we do this in uk??

[Al Weyman]

Well you see the response on the club site when I suggested a Group A series Andy, just negativity.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by R59

It's amazing! Just about every one of those cars in the register is an original Trans-Am race car. None of this "we found a Cortina in a shed, and we're building it up as a Lotus Cortina historic race car".

I'd wager there's a few quids-worth on those grids.

Utterly awesome!

Awesome yes, but you'll find they parade rather than race.

[Al Weyman]

So what I would love to be part of it with sensible fellow drivers who show a bit of respect for priceless old cars. Have you ever thought thats why something like this will not happen over here when you see old Group A cars up for sale at £75,000, who wants to risk it with a bunch of hell bent win at all costs lunatics with more money than sense. To be honest some of the driving standards creeping into historics is quite frankly appalling. I had an old racer who comes into my shop now and then and he came in yesterday and told me he had seen out Lydden Historic Festival on Channel 5 and the impression it left with him was WTF was all that bash and banging about as it wasnt like that in his day and he was thinking of making a return with my encouragement, he is not so sure now. I remember with our old ModProd series a well known BMW driver bought and prepared the Luigi BMW Spa 24hr Batmobile and was going to bring it out with us. Then someone offered him £65k for it (12/13 years ago) so he sold it and told me there is no way I am racing something of that value, so there is your answer parade or not at least people are getting to see and hear them.

[R59]

Oh Peter, you killjoy!! Let us, at least, dream!!

I was looking through their site and it doesn't mention it's only a parade.

It'd never happen over here. Too many cars from yesteryear have long gone, been butchered, or just plain and simple dissolved! Those that are left are either in museum/collections, or "Martinlabbatts" garage (in the case of RS500's!)

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Awesome yes, but you'll find they parade rather than race.

most of those cars are the rare, one of a kind type of historic. the debate of racing rare cars hard and "parading" will go on.

i did have the chance to see these guys at Sebring a few years back. what a lovely sound it was, hearing a field of 20-30 of these cars, coming down the frontstretch at the start, from the back side of the racetrack.

[johnh875]

Quite an achievement to bring all the cars together on track seeing as they are original, like the Group C and Group A touring cars out here. Who cares if they are not laying it all on the line. If that was the case many of the cars would stay hidden in garages or collect dust in museums!

I will have to chase down some clips of the racing, certainly in the local category some of the drivers go pretty hard, eg Paul Stubber and a Commodore driver I can't think of at the moment starting from the back of the grid at the Muscle Car Masters (Eastern Creek) to provide a bit more entertainment for the crowd as they work their way through the field.

[Al Weyman]

Quite an achievement to bring all the cars together on track seeing as they are original, like the Group C and Group A touring cars out here. Who cares if they are not laying it all on the line. If that was the case many of the cars would stay hidden in garages or collect dust in museums!

Exactly and if we had the same mindset towards racing historic and valuble old Group 2/A cars then maybe this series that everyone says they want to see over here could happen.

[Mike Bell]

There are parades and 'parades'- cars can still be driven at racing speed but (too) close contact avoided- my understanding is that this is the American way in some series and I respect that approach. But again, isn't that what the FIA definition says historic racing should be!

Agree with Al & John, if such an approach encouraged more museum exhibits out, some series would benefit over here.

[Al Weyman]

Lets be honest most crashes are caused by the diving up the inside approaching a corner incident which is why thats a no, no on track days. Have some rules in place what you can and cannot do in these situations and you can still have a good spectacle also start with a good disiplined roller and you will elliminate half the crashes in a stroke..

[Peter Mallett]

Hmm,

Perhaps you misunderstood my comment. I'm not decrying it just advising that it isn't racing per se. Indeed we hear this about many US based series.

Trouble is as awesome as the sight and sound may be it would be better at full chat rather than 80%.

[Al Weyman]

They probably are at full chat at the places that matter.

[johnh875]

Peter perhaps I'm not on the same page as you (this is discussing racing in general not this series) but how is it not racing if you don't stuff one up the inside and bounce off the car in front, but ensure you pass cleanly to avoid unneccessary damage - historic racing to be sure because then and now most owner-drivers would find the extra bills a big deal.

Of course "big" categories have long had teams/manufacturers and a win-at-all costs (especially TransAm) and I'm also aware that the Australian experience is different from the US and Europe in this regard - illustrated well by a quote I can't remember precisely but a chat between a Finnish rally ace and a local championship-winning driver (both in BDA Escorts in the late 70's when international works teams would contest some events out here) along the lines of "so how many rolls have you had this year?" "None." "None??? I have had eight!"

ps just to add I'm having a discussion not an argument here!

[Peter Mallett]

We're not on the same page here.

As I understand it, it's a high speed parade with pre agreed finishing order. There may be passing but that's an aside. A bit like a track day really. The idea is to show the cars off. I'm willing to be proven wrong because I'm only going by what I've been told by those who have seen them.

Here's a link to a previous post on the subject:

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...Am#post2520467

[Al Weyman]

Ah thats the series the guy said I could get my Penske IROC to run in, I would have thought as a 77 it would be too new?

[Moosehead]

No No No

Al, you're '77 IROC car wouldn't be legible for the Transam series.

It would be allowed to race in a series that run at the same meetings as the Transam cars, sometimes.

[Al Weyman]

Ah right thats probably the series the guy was talking about, I thought I hadnt seen this site before.

[johnh875]

Fair enough Peter. I'd imagine in the States they could support a parallel class for non-original vehicles and proper racing.