Historic race organiser, Motor Racing Legends, has launched an all-new race series aimed at Group 1, Group 2, and Group A Touring Cars, as raced in British and European Touring Car Championships between 1977 and 1985.

The new series will be called the JD Classics Challenge, thanks to the help and support of the premier classic car dealership, JD Classics. As with all Motor Racing Legends’ series, the races will be for real race cars from the era, running to the correct period specification.

'We believe a lot of the genuine race cars still exist, sitting in garages, but they’re not being brought out en masse as there isn’t a series catering exclusively for them,' explains Duncan Wiltshire of Motor Racing Legends. 'We hope to change all that. We’re also looking at inviting selected cars from American series – IMSA production cars from the 1977-85 period.

'In Europe, it was the era of TWR XJ-S and BMW 528, of Alfa GTV6, Audi Coupé and Ford Sierra XR4i, piloted in their day by such stars as Win Percy and Andy Rouse. Before that came the likes of Triumph Dolomite Sprint, BMW 3.0 CSL and Jaguar XJ 12C – not forgetting the evergreen Ford Capri.

'It’s a time that many of us remember clearly, and even more of us would like to see revived as a historic race series.'

The first round of the new series will be at the brand-new Donington Historic Festival, 29 April to 1 May 2011.