Historic Motor Sports Association

What Historic Motor Sports Association does

Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA), founded in 1977 and headquartered in San Clemente, California, is a private nonprofit member-based association that sanctions premiere historic racing events across North America. HMSA positions itself as the only U.S. organization requiring cars to be period-correct to the era they originally raced, governing historic production cars built through 1966 and purpose-built Formula and Sports Racing cars built through 1984. It is described as one of the largest high net worth member-based associations in the historic motorsports space, with members who own, restore, preserve, and race significant collector vehicles.

HMSA's core offering is its event portfolio held at marquee venues including Long Beach, Coronado, Mont Tremblant, Laguna Seca, Portland, Reno, and, as of 2026, Apex Motor Club in Maricopa, Arizona. Membership is a prerequisite for race registration, and entry fees are published at $750 per car (e.g., for the Historic Grand Prix of Arizona, November 19-21, 2026). Complementary products include an e-commerce store (HMSA Store) selling branded apparel, mugs, posters, patches, and accessories, a book publishing line (HMSA Books, anchored by the 60th Anniversary of the Can-Am book at $125), and a digital newsletter ("The Inside Line").

The business model combines recurring membership dues, per-event race entry fees, and merchandise/content revenue, with go-to-market executed through the HMSA website, newsletter, photo gallery, and direct event participation. The organization operates with a very lean team of approximately 5 employees and has no disclosed sponsorship, venture, or institutional backing, reflecting its member-governed nonprofit structure.

Name

Historic Motor Sports Association

Legal name

Historic Motor Sports Association

Website

https://hmsausa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) is a 1977-founded nonprofit association that sanctions period-correct historic racing events across North America for high net worth members who own and race pre-1984 sports and Formula cars.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Motor Racing Event Sanctioning

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Motorsports Sanctioning Bodies & Governing Organizations (MPAKAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Motorsports Series & Championships (Sanctioned Racing Calendars) (MPAKAGAA), Motorsports Events (F1, NASCAR, Rally, Moto) (MPAGAMAD), Motorsports Fan Engagement & Membership Programs (Series/Team-Owned) (MPAKAGAI)

Keywords

• Historic racing sanctioning
• Vintage motorsport events
• Membership racing association
• Race entry registration
• Classic racing merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

San Clemente

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Race Entry Fees: Revenue from race entries at events such as the Historic Grand Prix of Arizona at $750 per car, which includes Friday Test Day access.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees supporting the organization and providing access to events and member benefits. HMSA is described as managing one of the largest high net worth member-based associations.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sales of branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, polos, hats), books (60th Anniversary of the Can Am at $125), mugs, posters, patches, and accessories through the HMSA Store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Historic Motor Sports Association is a member-based nonprofit that sanctions and produces historic racing events for production cars built through 1966 and Formula/Sports Racing cars built through 1984. It sells annual memberships required for race entry, charges per-car event entry fees, and runs an e-commerce store offering branded apparel, accessories, and commemorative books such as the 60th Anniversary of the Can-Am volume.

Product overview

The Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) operates as a membership-based organization sanctioning premiere historic racing events in North America. The organization offers a unified portfolio comprising membership access to historic racing events, online event registration, a digital newsletter ("The Inside Line"), and an e-commerce merchandise store. The merchandise line includes branded apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, polos, hats), accessories (mugs, mouse pads, patches), and collectible prints and books. The organization specializes in historic production cars built through 1966 and purpose-built Formula and Sports Racing cars built through 1984, with events held at venues including Long Beach, Monterey, Laguna Seca, Portland, Reno, Mont Tremblant, Coronado, and Arizona.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HMSA Membership Annual membership to the Historic Motor Sports Association granting access to historic racing events, restoration and preservation community, and benefits for owners of historic production cars (through 1966) and purpose-built Formula/Sports Racing cars (through 1984).
• Historic Racing Event Registration Per-car online registration for HMSA-sanctioned historic racing events, such as the Historic Grand Prix of Arizona at Apex Motor Club (November 19-21, 2026) at $750 per car including Friday Test Day; membership required.
• HMSA Store (Branded Merchandise) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront selling HMSA-branded apparel (t-shirts $20-30, hoodies $40, polos $45, hats $22.50-29.95), mugs ($15-20), posters ($22-30), patches, mouse pads, framed prints, and accessories ($20-$45.95).
• HMSA Books Specialty hardcover book publications covering historic racing topics, including the 60th Anniversary of the Can-Am commemorative volume priced at $125.
• HMSA Newsletter ("The Inside Line") Digital newsletter subscription delivering news and updates on HMSA historic racing events, membership news, and organization activities.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Apex Motor ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership with Apex Motor Club in Maricopa, Arizona for the Historic Grand Prix of Arizona event (November 19-21, 2026). HMSA is one of the very few outside organizations granted access to this private members-only racing facility. The venue features newly completed world-class circuits and the brand-new Apex Clubhouse.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Barrett-Jackson: Barrett-Jackson operates the leading collector car auctions in the US. Comparable as a destination for high net worth classic car collectors who overlap with HMSA's membership base, though its core business is auction rather than racing.
• RM Sotheby's: RM Sotheby's is a leading collector car auction house whose clientele overlaps with HMSA's high net worth historic racing members. Related ecosystem player rather than direct competition.
• Gooding & Company: Gooding & Company is a collector car auction house with strong ties to the Pebble Beach/Monterey Car Week ecosystem that surrounds HMSA events. Adjacent participant in the historic car collector community.

Direct peers

• Masters Historic Racing: Masters Historic Racing is a UK-based historic racing series for pre-1980 GT and sports cars. Comparable as a sanctioning body focused on period-correct historic racing events for owner-drivers.
• Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR): HSR is a leading US sanctioning organization for vintage and historic racing, running multi-class events at premier circuits. Closely overlaps with HMSA in target participants, venues, and event format.
• Goodwood Revival: The Goodwood Revival is a UK-based, period-themed historic racing event held at the Goodwood circuit, exclusively featuring cars and motorcycles from the circuit's original 1948-1966 era. Highly comparable to HMSA's period-correct ethos and HNW enthusiast audience.
• Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA): SVRA is the largest vintage and historic racing sanctioning body in the US, organizing amateur vintage races at major tracks. Directly comparable to HMSA in sanctioning historic motorsport events for amateur owners.
• Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (SCRAMP): The Monterey Motorsports Reunion is the marquee annual historic race held at Laguna Seca during Monterey Car Week, featuring period-correct cars. Directly competes with HMSA for vintage entrants during the same Car Week window.

Broad incumbents

• IMSA: IMSA is the dominant North American sports car sanctioning body. While focused on modern endurance racing rather than historic, it operates in the same motorsport sanctioning and event production space as HMSA and shares overlapping venues and partners.
• SRO Motorsports Group: SRO is a globally recognized sanctioning body and promoter of GT and sports car racing series. While not strictly historic, it competes for owner-driver participation and venue slots relevant to HMSA's audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hmsausa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Historic Motor Sports Association