Topic summary
Clubmans
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Clubman (racing car class).
Birth
Clubmans evolved from categories such as the 1,172 cc formula for Ford-based specials and several of the 750MC's entry-level formulae. It was intended as a low-cost formula for open-top, front-engined road-going sports cars like the Lotus 7, which had been crowded out of the mainstream by rear-engined cars such as the Lotus 23. Before long, the cars rapidly evolved into highly specialised and very quick sports-racers – retaining the front-engined/rear wheel drive layout, but acquiring in due course wings and slicks. Unlike endurance-oriented forms of sports car racing, Clubmans tend to run at club-level meetings. Races were typically short (15–30 miles) and driver changes and refueling were not part of the strategy.