Guards Trophy Championship

The Guards Trophy Championship is contested by sports racing cars (SRs) and grand touring cars (GTs) from the 1960s. Grouped into similar performance classes, running on (Dunlop) control tyres and racing on track together, there are separate awards for each class at each race. At the end of the season separate overall Sports Racing and GT Champions will be crowned, ensuring that the GT drivers share the spotlight with the sports racing drivers.

The race format is a mini-enduro, 50-minute race with a mandatory pit-stop and optional driver changes. Dual driven cars are actively encouraged, but solo drivers are not penalised.

Promising grids of 30-plus cars, the Guards Trophy remains a highlight of the HSCC’s race weekends.

Three anniversaries will be celebrated in 2024 as well: 60 years of the Lotus Elan 26R (and variants), 60 years of the TVR Griffith and 60 years of the first running of the Guards Sport Cars Championship, the spiritual beginning of the current Guards Trophy. Snetterton, Thruxton and Brands Hatch will be used respectively to celebrate each of the anniversaries with special awards being presented to the winners of the applicable cars entered.

Events

The following rounds are planned in 2024:

 

Date	Circuit
20-21 April	Snetterton
8-9 June	Donington Park
22-23 June	Thruxton
13-14 July	Brands Hatch GP
10-11 August	Mondello Park†
12-13 October	Silverstone Circuit

^† Two races scheduled, but only first race will count towards the Championship.

Dates may be subject to change, final dates/days will be published as soon as confirmed.

News

• HSCC celebrates 2024 champions (6th Nov)
• Croft Historic Festival is a big hit (12th Aug)
• HSCC shines at Brands Hatch (15th Jul)
• HSCC races feature at Thruxton Classic (17th Jun)
• Fine racing at HSCC Donington Park (10th Jun)

Eligible Cars

The revised for 2024 Guards Trophy Championship is open to Sports Racing, Sports Prototype, standard Grand Touring (GT), Competition Grand Touring (GTS) and Grand Touring Prototypes (GTP) from FIA Periods E1, F1 and G1 (and built prior to the dates specified below under class structure). All cars should have, as a model, international competition history in period.

There are also Invitation Classes (not eligible for the championship points) for unlimited capacity Standard GT, Competition GT and GT Prototype cars built prior to 31/12/72 and for unlimited capacity Sports Racing and Sports Prototype cars built prior to 31/12/66.

Regulations are as FIA Appendix K, namely full period racing specification in accordance with manufacturers’ homologation forms.

All vehicles must have an FIA HTP Historic Technical Passport or a valid Vehicle Identity Form (VIF) to be eligible for championship points.  Cars entered with a VIF must comply with the equivalent technical requirements of the appropriate FIA Appendix K requirements and may be subject to further scrutiny prior to any race entered.

Classes cover the following FIA periods:

Period E1  1947-1961

Period F1  1962 – 1965

Period G1  1966 – 1971    

Class Structure (revised for 2024):

GTA          All Standard, Competition GT & GT Prototype cars up to 1,650 cc built to FIA Period E1, F1 and G1 from 01/01/1960 – 31/12/1969. *

GTB          All Standard, Competition GT & GT Prototype cars 1,651 – 2,500 cc built to FIA Period E1, F1 and G1 from 01/01/1960 – 31/12/1969. *

GTC          All Standard, Competition GT & GT Prototype cars 2,501 – 5,500 cc built to FIA Period E1, F1 and G1 from 01/01/1960 – 31/12/1969. *

GTI            All Standard, Competition GT & GT Prototype cars, unlimited capacity, built to FIA Period G1 specification 01/01/1970 – 31/12/71.

SRA          Sports Racing and Sports Prototype cars under 1,600 cc built to FIA Period E1 and F1 specification from 01/01/1960 – 31/12/1965. *

SRB          Sports Racing and Sports Prototype cars up to 2,000 cc built to FIA Period G1 specification from 01/01/1966 – 31/12/1968. *

SRC          Sports Racing and Sports Prototype (closed-coupe) cars up to 2,000 cc built to FIA Period G1 specification from 01/01/1969 – 31/12/1969. *

SRI            Sports Racing and Sports Prototype cars, unlimited capacity, built to FIA Period E1, F1 & G1 specification from 01/01/1960 – 31/12/1966.

* Cars built after the cut-off date but manufactured to pre-cut off dates will be allowed, subject to the approval of the Championship Organisers.

Tyres

For 2024, tyres will be Dunlop L or M 204 compound for all GT Classes and Dunlop CR65/82 Post Historic 484 compound (additional hand cut grooves are permitted) for all Sports Racing/Sports Prototype classes. Where appropriate sized tyres are not available for a specific car then the driver is responsible for agreeing the choice of tyres with the Championship Organiser before the start of the championship.

Champions

2024 Sports Racing: Robert and Ben Tusting (Lenham P69)

2024 Grand Touring: Bruce White (Lotus Elan)

2023 Sports Racing: Steve Nuttall (Chevron B8)

2023 Grand Touring: Eddie Powell  (Lotus Elan 26R)

2022 Sports Racing: Peter De La Roche (Lotus 23B)

2022 Grand Touring: John Davison (Lotus Elan 26R)

2021 Sports Racing: Andy Newall (Chevron B6)

2021 Grand Touring: John Spiers (TVR Griffith)

2019 Sports Racing: Benn Tilley (Lotus 23B)

2019 Grand Touring: Ross Hyett (Lotus Elan 26R)