Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) has launched the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage, a new racing series for retired stock cars in the Group 8 Historic Stock Cars division. This series will debut at the VIRginia International Raceway on August 23-24, during the IMSA Michelin GT Challenge at VIR. The HSR NASCAR Classic is designed to meet the rising interest in vintage stock cars among racers and fans, bolstered by a partnership with the Historic Stock Car Racing Association (HSCRA). Successful past events at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen International, and other major U.S. circuits have set the stage for this new series.
HSR President Chris Ward highlighted the broad appeal and rapid growth of the Classic Stock Cars category, which led to the creation of the dedicated HSR NASCAR Classic series. The series will feature stock cars built to previous NASCAR specifications, excluding current models like the Cup series Generation 7 chassis, and will require authentic, period-correct liveries. Petty’s Garage’s sponsorship coincides with the Petty family’s 75th Anniversary, adding a competitive element to their celebrations. The series will feature a maximum of 30 select entries per round, with key events at Watkins Glen and VIRginia International Raceway anchoring the 2024 schedule.
Full Press Release Below
Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) officials announced today the introduction of the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage, a racing series for HSR’s growing Group 8 Historic Stock Cars division. The NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage debuts at VIRginia International Raceway, August 23 – 24, with the HSR NASCAR Classic at the IMSA Michelin GT Challenge at VIR.
Open to stock cars that have been retired from active competition, the introduction of the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage is a direct response to the increasing popularity of the Group 8 Historic Stock Cars category with HSR competitors and fans alike. The interest has been further bolstered by HSR’s partnership with the Historic Stock Car Racing Association (HSCRA) that has produced several successful event weekends at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen International and other top U.S. racing circuits in recent years.
“The across-the-board support for and the rapid growth of the HSR Classic Stock Cars category made starting a dedicated series around the division an easy decision,” said HSR President Chris Ward. “NASCAR stock cars of all generations are perhaps the most identifiable category of race cars in the U.S. to motorsports enthusiasts, competitors and even mainstream audiences. We have experienced this incredible growth and popularity with several HSR Historic Stock Cars showcase events in the last few years, particularly in partnership with the HSCRA. We can’t thank enough HSCRA Founders Chris Evans and Carlus Gann and all of the HSR Group 8 competitors, and we look we forward to continuing to race with them in the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage series for many more years to come.”
Eligible NASCAR Classic cars include those built to previous NASCAR rule book specifications for Cup, Xfinity, Truck and ARCA competition. Current editions of the rules-eligible cars in each series, such as the Cup series Generation 7 chassis, are not eligible in NASCAR Classic competition.
Additionally, all rules eligible cars must carry authentic and period-correct liveries previously seen in NASCAR competition over the years. A maximum of 30 select entries will be accepted by HSR for each of 2024’s HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage rounds.
The Petty’s Garage presenting sponsorship is a perfect fit for the HSR NASCAR Classic at a more than appropriate time. With one of Stock Car racing’s “First Families” celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2024, the NASCAR Classic partnership adds an on-track competition component to the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the legendary Petty family that has been in full swing all year.
The VIR event date was part of 2024’s full-season schedule unveiled last year, but the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage announcement coincides with two new race additions to this year's calendar.
HSR Historic Stock Cars now return to Watkins Glen for the second-straight year for a support race on the New York track’s NASCAR weekend, September 13 – 14, which will now be known as the HSR NASCAR Classic at the Go Bowling at the Glen.
The other addition is the HSR NASCAR Classic at the NASCAR Bank of America ROVAL 400, October 11 – 12, which is HSR's first appearance at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
For more information on the HSR NASCAR Classic presented by Petty’s Garage, and HSR overall, please visit https://www.hsrrace.com/.
The VIR HSR NASCAR Classic – the first time HSR has been part of an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race weekend – is the next event on HSR’s 2024 schedule of events, August 23 – 25. Spectator tickets are available at https://virnow.com/.
About HSR: Now an IMSA property, Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from the past. As a "time machine" of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions 10 vintage and historic racing events at some of the world's most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and more. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR's website at www.HSRRace.com. Look for the HSR Channel on YouTube and follow HSR on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HSRrace/ and on Twitter and Instagram at @HSR_race.
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