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 latter 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

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

1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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