How do you define vintage racing? If you’re the Vintage Racer Group, vintage racing now goes up through 1989.
“In addition,” the release explains, “recognizing the safety standards incorporated into the design of many of these 1980s production cars allows VRG to relax the fuel cell requirement for many of these cars. These changes will allow select SCCA IT cars …
Related to the original news topic: The yellow Miata at the end of the row? Supposedly being prepped for vintage. 
I know it's because of the natural passage of time, but it's wild to think '80s cars are classics now.
In reply to Colin Wood :
Some of them were classics when they left the factory.
This is both exciting and possibly catastrophic to my bank balance.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Some but surely not all?!?!? I mean an econo 4 door sedan is going to remain that isn't it?
Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Corvette. OK.
But a 4 door automatic sedan, even it is tarted up with numbers and a roll cage? I understand people with limitations using an automatic but at least a car with sporty pretensions .
Mk2 16v gti racing just became a thing again
In reply to captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :
Totally yes--perhaps with some Firehawk history.
All of the car listed are solid iconic cars from that era. I say bravo VRG.
In Tom's world any 30yr old car properly prepared would be accepted.
We are having the discussion about vintage racing among the F500 group. I ran my 87 Novakar this past fall, I think I was the first person to run one at a vintage race and some might question this but how is a 34 year old race car not a vintage race car?
So again bravo VRG
frenchyd said:In reply to David S. Wallens :
Some but surely not all?!?!? I mean an econo 4 door sedan is going to remain that isn't it?
Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Corvette. OK.
But a 4 door automatic sedan, even it is tarted up with numbers and a roll cage? I understand people with limitations using an automatic but at least a car with sporty pretensions .
Just for fun, I thought I'd try to think up what might be the sportiest cars that were made in the '80s, sold in the US, and had four doors, four cylinders, and an automatic. Something like a Volvo 240 or 740 would have been a presence in club level racing for quite a while, of course, but let's see if there's something that also doesn't quite fit the "boxy but good" styling.
Shelby did put together a few of his tuner cars with automatics, like the Shelby Lancer.
From Germany, it appears you could get a Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 with an automatic.
What other contenders are out there?
St Mary's Trophy at Goodwood. 4 doors seem to have an awful lot of racing history.
In reply to MadScientistMatt :
I remember a guy racing a Volvo 244 in ITB.
There are tons of 4 door cars from that era; I'd love to do a Cressida, they had a detuned Supra motor and came with 5 speeds. They were my favorite car when I worked at the Toyota dealer in the early 80s.
In reply to MadScientistMatt :
Alfa Romeo MIlano/75
Also, the Alfa Berlina and TI were very successful. But that's not the era we are talking about.
Can go newer- the Mondeo- which would include the Contour. And the Neons'
Not sure why the number of doors decides if race car or not. Especially compared to some super cars that were not really raced (like 80's Aston Martins).
In reply to alfadriver (Forum Supporter) : that actual 75 Evo IMSA in your photo raced in our race at Watkins Glen in 2020. Very cool car.
Lawton said:In reply to alfadriver (Forum Supporter) : that actual 75 Evo IMSA in your photo raced in our race at Watkins Glen in 2020. Very cool car.
On the absolute opposite end of the racing spectrum, I understand that the Milano is a very successful crap can racer. Had I stayed in racing, I would have very much tried to be a part of a Lemons team who was planning a Milano locally.
Still, some good 4 door racers from the 80's out there.
My Mercury Cougar was designed in the 80s, does that count? The ABS is a convoluted system that doesn't work anymore, does that make it vintage enough? 
Really I just want to find some place to race it so I have an excuse to not bother putting the dashboard back together.
In reply to alfadriver (Forum Supporter) : no limitation on #doors. We accept 2, 3, 4 or 5.... As originally equipped.
French car anyone?
In reply to vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) :
look ooo ooo a 504, nice.
I've run my 1987 190E 2.3-16 with VRG as part of the Pittsburgh Vintage GP a couple of times over the last few years. So, I guess they've already been open to '80s cars for at least a little while now.
frenchyd said:Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Corvette. OK.
But a 4 door automatic sedan, even it is tarted up with numbers and a roll cage?
Lots of homologation specials in the 80's and 90's were based on econoboxes. What makes a '70s Vette more of a racecar than a Sierra Cosworth?
Here come the 3rd gen Camaros...
LanEvo said:Lots of homologation specials in the 80's and 90's were based on econoboxes. What makes a '70s Vette more of a racecar than a Sierra Cosworth?
Exactly, hence my posting pics from Goodwood; they have cars that run the full spectrum because racing runs the full spectrum.
I like groups that welcome a wide range of cars. When I first joined the SCCA 32 years ago most people were racing IT cars. Well those cars are now pushing 40 years old. Again this move by VRG makes total sense.
When I started at GRM in 1994, a 30-year-old car was an MGB, E-type or 356. Now a 30-year-old car is a CRX, GTI or Miata.
MadScientistMatt said:frenchyd said:In reply to David S. Wallens :
Some but surely not all?!?!? I mean an econo 4 door sedan is going to remain that isn't it?
Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, Corvette. OK.
But a 4 door automatic sedan, even it is tarted up with numbers and a roll cage? I understand people with limitations using an automatic but at least a car with sporty pretensions .Just for fun, I thought I'd try to think up what might be the sportiest cars that were made in the '80s, sold in the US, and had four doors, four cylinders, and an automatic. Something like a Volvo 240 or 740 would have been a presence in club level racing for quite a while, of course, but let's see if there's something that also doesn't quite fit the "boxy but good" styling.
Shelby did put together a few of his tuner cars with automatics, like the Shelby Lancer.
From Germany, it appears you could get a Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 with an automatic.
What other contenders are out there?
You can also get them as taxi cabs.
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