With the 2018 Entry Forms and Regulations now available to download from our website, here are some specific details of the coming season for both the Historic Touring Car Challenge & the Tony Dron Trophy.
- May 4th–6th Donington Historic Festival – 60 mins
- June 2nd-3rd Thruxton 50th Anniversary Celebration – 2 x 30 mins
- July 20th–22nd Silverstone Classic – 45 mins
- August 27th Oulton Park Gold Cup – 50 mins
- October 19th–21st Algarve Classic Festival – 120 mins
The season will kick off in May with a full 60-minute race at the Donington Historic Festival. MSV, the new circuit owners, are investing heavily in the venue so we can expect plenty of really good infrastructure improvements.
After Donington, we have the opportunity to head, for the first time ever, to Hampshire for the special Thruxton 50th Anniversary Celebration meeting in June. The fast-flowing Thruxton circuit will host two 30-minute Touring Car races over this celebratory nostalgia weekend, which will also see the official opening of the new Thruxton Hospitality Centre.
One of the undisputed highlights for HTCC and TDT competitors this season is our return to the Silverstone Classic in July for a 45-minute race. This always draws a bumper Touring Car entry and we expect to be joined by a number of antipodean racers for the weekend.
We will then be returning to the HSCC’s Oulton Park Gold Cup on Bank Holiday Monday in August for a 50-minute race. This worked extremely well last year with nearly 30 cars on the grid and some superb racing.
To round off the season, we will be repeating the fabulous 2-hour endurance race at the Algarve Classic Festival in Portimao in October – a great way to finish the year at a superb circuit in a fantastic location!
We will be continuing last year’s trial to allow the later Group A turbo cars (such as Sierra Cosworth RS500s) to run in the Invitation Class at all rounds. They will be able to race but will not feature in results or podiums.
Finally, a note to remind you that an MRL Engine Capacity Certificate is mandatory for all Touring Cars for this season. It is a very simple and painless process:
- You download an engine certification form here.
- Your engineer books a time for your nearest licenced technical official who inspects your engine as it is being assembled. The scrutineer visits the workshop and measures the bore and stroke, before sealing the engine. Cars with a sealed engine will be checked by our series scrutineer (John Hopwood) at each meeting and those vehicles certified will be recognised within the results. Those not certified, may enter under invitation class only.
- For those of you in the UK, the MSA Blue Book contains a list of licenced Technical Officials or you can download the list which can be searched by location/postcode here.
The indications are looking good for well-supported races this year. We’d recommend getting your entry form in early to avoid any disappointment with over-subscribed meetings.
Historic Touring Car Challenge and Tony Dron Trophy Regulations and Entry Forms are now available download.