PURPOSE
Racing at any level can be dangerous.
We, therefore, have rules and regulations which we hope will be helpful in making your participation both enjoyable and safe.
As an overview, we divide safety into two categories: Car and Driver. An old car cannot be made as safe as a modern car. A McLaren with a monocoque tub is definitely safer in a crash than an M.G., Ferrari or Bugatti. The driver of the old car is subjected to more possible injury due to car construction, seating position and inability to use selected modern safety devices to their best advantage.
We want you to be aware of these facts. You can get hurt in these cars. Making a car safe is one approach to safety. Making a driver safe is another. If the car is in good order then the driver must go wrong to have an incident. We place a very heavy emphasis on the driver. He is responsible for the preparation of the car (either directly or indirectly) and operates it. We expect entrants and drivers to understand the purpose of our events as stated and conduct themselves accordingly.
The overlying principle is that all cars must be period correct.
The purpose of the Historic Motor Sports Association is to encourage the restoration, preservation and use of historic, sports and racing cars. Our events and races are for fun with nothing to be won. Satisfaction and camaraderie among friends is the reward.
Our serious interest is in the cars. We want to see old cars with racing history RESTORED. Today many believe the term restore means, “…to make new”. Webster says, “restore… to bring back to a former condition. We accept the latter. The enjoyment for us is in driving and experiencing the cars as they were. To support that we arrange our race groups by age and their engine size. Modern technology can make vast improvements in performance possible but that is not our desire and our rules are written with the intent to prevent such modification. We want the cars to be as they were not what they could have been.
Restoration, Preservation and Use.
Our events are not intended to offer individuals a “career option”. There are other professional organizations which would be a better choice. HMSA is for the less driven (excuse the pun). Driving well is important, winning is not. Safety is very important and driving is a major contribution.