Officials from Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) and the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association (VSCDA) have announced the HSR and VSCDA North-South GT Challenge, a championship that will feature the popular era of GT-3, GT-4 and GT Lite (GTL) race-prepared, small-bore GT cars.

The championship will run throughout the North and South regions of the US, with five races – four VSCDA events and one HSR race – in the North, along with a trio of HSR races in the Southeast. The season begins on 12-15 February at the HSR Sebring Pistons and Props at Sebring International Raceway.

Downsized versions of 1990’s era Trans-Am, IMSA GTO/GTS and All-American GT (AAGT) cars, GT-3, GT-4 and GTL machines are tube-frame and winged competition cars powered by race-prepared small-bore engines and fitted with the bodywork of the top small sports cars, coupes and sedans of the day. Popular machinery includes the Mazda RX-7, Toyota Celica, Nissan 200SX, Acura RSX, Mazda RX-3 and other familiar compact sports cars and sports sedans of the era.

Both GT-3 and GT-4 cars that were SCCA-style tube-frame GT classes in North American club and regional racing – as distinct from today’s global GT3/GT4 – and GTL raced in national and regional competition in addition to being the featured cars in the popular Westcoast NASPORT series that ran competitively well into this century are included. Now just past their competition prime and timing out in some series, competitors are finding a new home in HSR and VSCDA competition.

“For me and so many others, GT-3, GTL and even their GT-4 counterparts, truly represented a golden era in American road racing leading into the early 2000s,” said HSR President John Doonan. “As these cars reach the end of their competition cycle with other racing organisations, we have heard from several competitors – some already racing in HSR and VSCDA – looking to find a new home for these quick little cars. It is an honour to once again partner with VSCDA in creating this exciting new championship that is in direct response to what so many competitors are seeking.”