Group D Production Sports Cars

Group D Production Sports Cars was a CAMS motor racing category current in Australia from 1972 to 1981.

The Group D category catered for series-production type automobiles, other than those eligible to compete as Touring Cars, which were:

  • Recognised by the FIA as Group 3 or Group 4 cars,[1] or
  • Of a type of which at least 50 examples existed in Australia,[1] or
  • Of a type which CAMS deemed to be eligible[1]

Bodywork could be of an open or closed type and was required to provide adequate accommodation for a minimum of two persons.[1] The original design of the cylinder-block, cylinder-head, transmission and suspension had to be retained and forced induction was permitted only if fitted as standard by the manufacturer.[1] Minor changes to bodywork, mudguards and interior trim were permitted.[1] A 5000cc engine capacity limit which was applied at the time of the introduction of the category[2] was later raised to 6000cc.[3]

Cars from the Group D Production Sports Cars category were eligible to compete in Australian Sports Car Championship races alongside those from the Group A Sports Cars category from 1972[4] to 1975[5] and in May 1975, Production Sports Cars contested the revived Australian Tourist Trophy held at Calder Raceway.[6] In 1976, Group D became the sole category to contest the Australian Sports Car Championship, a situation which applied through to 1981.[7] The category was discontinued at the end of that year[8] and the Group D designation was applied to a new category for GT Cars from 1982.[9]

Group B Improved Production Sports Cars and Group D Series Production Sports Cars

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Prior to the introduction of the new category in 1972,[10] the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport had promulgated regulations for both Group B Improved Production Sports Cars and Group D Series Production Sports Cars, the former for modified vehicles of which at least 100 examples had been produced and the latter for virtually standard cars.[11] Both categories had been introduced in 1964.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Group D (Production Sports Cars), Open and Closed, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1980, pages 288-289
  2. ^ Classification, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1972, page 190
  3. ^ Classification, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1978, page 257
  4. ^ Australian Title Conditions, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1972, page 88
  5. ^ Australian Title Conditions, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1975, page 86
  6. ^ Production Sports Cars, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1976 Edition, Page 176-177
  7. ^ Pedr Davis, The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1988, page 451
  8. ^ Australian Sports Car Championship, Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1981/82, page 140
  9. ^ Classifications, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1982, page 264
  10. ^ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport 1971, page 5
  11. ^ Classifying Vehicles for Road and Track, Australian Motor Manual, May 1965, page 34
  12. ^ CAMS Official Organ, Racing Car News, December 1963, page 23
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