The golden era of 2-litre sports-racing cars in the 1970s will be brought back to life next season in a new series of races run by the Historic Sports Car Club. The initiative, which in 2011 will take in four or five events in the UK and Europe, will be for Group 6, open-cockpit, 2-litre sports-racing cars produced prior to the end of 1978.

Through the 1970s, the FIA European Sportscar Championship provided superb racing as Chevron, Lola, March, Toj, Alpine and Osella competed for glory. Leading drivers of the era included Jo Bonnier, Brian Redman, Chris Craft, John Burton, Vic Elford, John Miles, John Lepp, Guy Edwards, John Hine and Dieter Quester. Now, the cars from that era will again have a dedicated race series.

In more recent years, the HSCC ran the RJB Mining Championship for 2-litre sports cars through the 1990s. This new series will be open to cars running to FIA Appendix K, using Avon A11 tyres and competing in two classes. Cars with wings will run to a minimum weight limit of 575kg excluding the driver, while cars without wings will run to a minimum of 500kg.

The race format will be one qualifying session and two races of between 25 and 30 minutes each weekend. 'We expect to have four or five race weekends in 2011, starting at the Silverstone International Trophy meeting in mid-May,' said Grahame White of the HSCC. 'Beyond next season, we would like to run this series alongside the Historic Formula 2 Championship, running at some wonderful circuits across Europe.'
The HSCC is now urging anyone with a suitable car, or an interest in racing one, to contact the club office so that a complete database of potential racers can be compiled over the coming weeks.

For more details about the HSCC, please visit www.hscc.org.uk