Critical to getting Motorsport Australia ('MA') approval and regulation of any proposed Group Nd Requirement and Specific Requirements is gaining the support of the Australian Historic Touring Car Association ('AHTCA'). For those not familiar with AHTCA (https://www.historictouringcars.com.au/ ), they are the national body for 5th Category touring cars in Australia.
Back in April this year we mentioned on the Group Nd Touring Cars Facebook page that this is an ongoing process that originally commenced in October 2024. Discussions at the time in April had involved making a presentation at a regular meeting of AHTCA (by Zoom) that outlined our vision, objectives and basic proposal. Since then AHTCA have shared information and held discussions with each of their State Representatives who have also now been in discussion with their respective State club committees and members.
These discussions being held at all levels of historic touring car committees and across all States has been conducive. At this time there is a growing acceptance of the need to expand Group N in order to ensure the future of historic touring car motorsport in Australia. The need to bring younger people into our sport to ensure its future is being understood as an imperative and something that is well over due. This is reflected in newsletters from AHTCA that were published in February (https://www.historictouringcars.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Newsletter-25-AHTCA-Newsletter-Ed25.pdf) and in July (https://www.historictouringcars.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Newsletter-26-AHTCA-Newsletter-Ed26.pdf) - refer stories "Future of Historic Touring Cars" in the February edition and "Into the Future Discussion Paper" in the July edition.
One of the actions that was commenced on the back of our presentation in April was a commitment to work together. For us we see that this is a reflection on the amount of work we have done to date and an acknowledgement that the extension of Group N is well over due. AHTCA are working to their end and examining ways in which an extension to Group N may be possibly implemented.
Running in parallel to our discussions with AHTCA we have also started discussion with key people at MA who have been involved in our sport for many years. Discussion is at an early point in time and is very constructive. The next meeting is planned for August. We will make a further post to keep you informed, but equally suggest that when you go to AHTCA's page to read the above newsletters that you subscribe to AHTCA's free newsletter to hear from AHTCA too.
