Quote Originally Posted by Steve Holmes View Post
To me this is a big part of the issue in NZ historic car racing. Why would the rules be built around the cars? Thats all back to front. Surely the cars should be built to the rules? There have been a set of Historic T&C regulations (for saloon cars) set out by Motorsport New Zealand for 30 years. Some people have chosen to build their classic race cars to these rules, some have chosen to do as they please. The trouble is, the rules have never been enforced, and so you've got a situation where, for the last 30 years, everyone has gone off in different directions.

However, with the advent of the internet, the world is becoming a smaller place, those in New Zealand classic racing are looking more and more to what is happening overseas, and seeing perhaps there is a better way of doing things than just letting everyone do what they like. NZ classic racing is slowly organising itself, and event promoters are now beginning to require these T&C rules be enforced in an effort to get everyone on the same sheet of paper, doing the same thing. The annual MG Classic event at Manfield uses T&C rules for its various classic saloon classes, and breaks each group down to lap times, ie, Fast Classics, Slow Classics, etc. Then they have a special race for anything that doesn't fit these groups. It seems to work very well.

Surely its a case of simply building/preparing a car to T&C rules, and being accepted anywhere? Then there is no argument, and no need for debate.

I look to Australia and the Historic Appendix J/Group N rules that have been in place for 30 years. The big difference here is that the Australian governing body, CAMS, have dedicated their efforts to making sure cars that race at CAMS historic events are built to the rules, and stay within those rules. In NZ, Motorsport NZ has never enforced its T&C rules, even though they're a very good set of rules. If they had done, NZ would now be in the same situation as Australia, with everyone knowing exactly where they stand, what the rules are, and what rules they're building their car for. The Aussie situation isn't perfect, but in the last 30 years there have been over 1,000 cars logged with CAMS to their historic rules. To me, that is a massive success story. So this means, if a guy in Queensland builds and races an XU1 Torana, and decides he wants to travel down to NSW to compete at a historic event there, he'll be racing against cars built to the same set of rules. There is no arguing, no confusion, people just get on and race, and have fun.

Imagine if this had been done in NZ 30 years ago!
Totally agree Steve. I was involved with the late Geoff Humphries in the early 1980's when the T&C regulations were formulated largely by TACCOC for the beginning of classic racing. Most of the cars were standard road cars and there was a great deal of fun had by inventing such events as the Le Mans meeting at Pukekohe and racing at Whenuapai. Even then the original rules were skewed to cater for variations. I remember asking why 2" flares were allowed and being told there was an E Type that had flares and they wanted to include it in the racing. Rather than have a set of well thought out regulations, T&C was already trying to be too accommodating.

The proliferation of many different series in the 1990's was really the point where New Zealand turned its back on the Australian type of racing. Instead of having a nationwide set of regulations that everyone used, series organisers would think up their own regulations and in doing so gradually devalued the Motorsport New Zealand regulations. Where we are at now is that we have a set of regulations that act as guidelines only and the many series that are running with different rules fractionate classic racing. But, having said that, some series have been the saviour of classic racing (ERC) after the MSNZ almost ruination of the regulations in the mid 1990's. A race series also gives an organisation and form to a group wanting to race. It is just a pity, for instance, that we have at least 5 Muscle car groups!

As a commission member for the last ten years and personally as promoter of classic and historic meetings we have a clear focus on what we are aiming to achieve. First and foremost is originality and as period correct as possible. All enthusiasts want to see the car as it was, otherwise it's demeaning and disappointing. T&C regulations aren't particularly tight compared to our Australian friends and the leniency in the regulations is very much aimed at keeping people racing with a common sense approach. Period alternative parts are allowed, better brakes, wider and taller wheels, 50 series tyres etc. The balance is to allow some modifications, but not get to the point where competitors refrain from competing because their 'period correct' car is thrashed by vehicles that should be comparable with theirs and then they simply stop racing and we all loose out.

The Allcomers era on the mid 1960's was a product of New Zealand's isolation from the rest of the world. Inventive racers combined the best of parts, sometimes very unlikely, and built a racing car. The original vehicles are fantastic historic vehicles that should be prized. Tribute/replica cars are less valuable, but can be raced if they match the original in virtually every aspect. A series of cars that are built along the same free wheeling relaxed regulations could be run, but they would have to be a separate grid if enough could be made.

COD's are not the complete answer in trying to keep vehicles historically accurate, but they are the best tool that we have at the moment for achieving that. Sure they should have been audited, but MSNZ's quiet policy is gradually making progress.

As a promoter, we are often told we should relax the regulations to get more cars to enter. It has been our experience in the past that this is completely the wrong approach. All it does is alienate half the field who don't bother turning up next time. Keeping the rules tight is the best way for a class to survive and be relevant.