NEW SERIES FOR JAGUAR SALOONS

Separate category to cater for Mk1, Mk2 and Mk7 models from 2017

A new race series for pre1966 Jaguars will be run in 2017 by the Historic Racing Drivers’ Club.

Following the success of its entry-level, one-make Academy Series for Austin A30/35 cars, the HRDC has unveiled the Coombs Jaguar Challenge for all saloon models of a type that raced in period from 1950 to 1966.

HRDC boss Julius Thurgood says the time is right to offer a series for Jaguar saloons, covering the lumbering Mk7s and Mk1s and Mk2s. “There is a strong need to run the touring cars away from the sports cars,” said Thurgood.

“We’ve had a growing number of Jaguars racing with the HRDC and more are bubbling below the surface. There seems to be more Mk1s coming out than ever, including some that have been dormant for a while,” said Thurgood, who aims to gather enough support to justify stand-alone races next season.

As well as a gaggle of Mk1s and Mk2s, Thurgood hopes to see up to half a dozen of the earlier Mk7s, first produced in 1951. More than 37,000 Mk1s were built in the late 1950s, while over 80,000 Mk2s were built between 1959 and 1967.

Eligible cars will race on an invitation basis and run on mandatory Dunlop CR65 historic racing tyres.

Mk7s and Mk1s will run to existing HRDC technical regulations while Mk2s will run to FIA Appendix K standard.

Over the balance of 2016, a class for the Jaguars will run within the HRDC’S Touring Greats Series as a precursor to next season.