New Zealand Historic Saloon Cars Under HRC

[Howard Wood]

OK, so can someone please give me a sensible answer to the question........'why no slicks'. These are racing cars we are talking about....not road cars. None of them are driven to and from the circuit, except perhaps the Classic Trial cars. .....and they dont need a WOF, so why do they need to be to a WOF standard.

There are plenty of period correct classes which allow a slick tyre, for example the Heritage Touring car class at the festival allow slicks because that is what those cars ran in period. Certainly there are plenty of HSC compliant cars which would have run slicks in period as well. Don't forget the proposed HSC cut off is long after the HMC cut off and well into the slick use era. I think it is something that should be considered, not dismissed because HMC don't run slicks.

[Spgeti]

There are plenty of period correct classes which allow a slick tyre, for example the Heritage Touring car class at the festival allow slicks because that is what those cars ran in period. Certainly there are plenty of HSC compliant cars which would have run slicks in period as well. Don't forget the proposed HSC cut off is long after the HMC cut off and well into the slick use era. I think it is something that should be considered, not dismissed because HMC don't run slicks.

I am sorry Howard but Steve's post #31 clarified HSC stance regarding slicks. He summed up the history behind the reasons why. What applies to Group C and A Touring cars does not apply to HSC...different era. Have a look at the overseas historic racing of the era we cover and they all run tyres that are either Treaded Bias Ply or DOT rated radial tyres.

It is time to bring Historic Saloon Racing in this country to match the rest of the world.

The HMC car cut off is 1974 and 3 years difference is seriously not a reason to alter.

The MSNZ defines the cut off dates for what we propose in HSC and we want to work with in those dates.

[Howard Wood]

I am sorry Howard but Steve's post #31 clarified HSC stance regarding slicks. He summed up the history behind the reasons why. What applies to Group C and A Touring cars does not apply to HSC...different era. Have a look at the overseas historic racing of the era we cover and they all run tyres that are either Treaded Bias Ply or DOT rated radial tyres.

It is time to bring Historic Saloon Racing in this country to match the rest of the world.

The HMC car cut off is 1974 and 3 years difference is seriously not a reason to alter.

The MSNZ defines the cut off dates for what we propose in HSC and we want to work with in those dates.

And if that is the regulation, no problem. My point (and Gerald's too I think) was that we should consider the options first rather than just blindly follow other classes regulation. Having set the regulation, the class must enforce it along with the CoD compliance etc or we are back to the Hot Rod situation again. There is a good 1.5 to 2 seconds a lap difference between genuine DoT tyres and either slicks or quasi slicks like the Handcooks.

[AMCO72]

Absolutely my point also Howard. I have been beating my head against a brick wall over this subject of tyres for years as you know. I am only speaking for the Amco mini here, but it was on slicks exclusively for its 2 seasons in 1971/1972, and we have put this to organisers at other events....Manfield, Ruapuna, Teretonga and Highlands Park, and have got dispensation to run on slicks at those meetings.

This is a new class and in my view we dont HAVE to be following other classes slavishly. Now is the time to step back, take a look at what is at stake and perhaps do something about it. We are well into the slick period with these machines and if a cars suspension was designed for them so be it.