[jeff s]

Jeff Smith of Car Craft came up with the term "Pro Touring" way back.
Jeff also was responsible for starting the first magazine shootout of Pro-Touring type cars in Car Craft Magazine in 1985. It was called "Real Street Eliminator".
BTW in 2008 they renamed it "Car Craft Street Machine of the Year" which was held in St Paul at the CC Nats.

I built the 1st Cadillac Pro-Touring car in 1985 it was a 1978 Seville.

I built my second Cadillac Pro-Touring car in 1993, which won the Car Craft RSE shootout in 2002.

Lil John Buttera built Novette in 1984.
I guess my point is this has been going on a long time, longer than most of you newbies think.