Reigning Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres Champion Miles Rudman (Sutton Coldfield) will return to defend his crown during the 2020 season, after today being confirmed among the first 16 drivers officially registered for the eagerly awaited 48-race campaign.

Heading a fantastic early list of competitors for the category’s 26th year, Rudman will certainly face a stern challenge for the coveted title with a whole host of ultra-competitive names determined to get their hands on the Legends Cars crown.

Former series Vice-Champion Steve Whitelegg (Bury) announced his return after a year away at last month’s Autosport International Show in Birmingham. He will race under the Bridgeman Motorsport banner alongside team owner Nick Bridgeman (Baldock).

Multiple race winner Will Gibson (Camberley), who was fifth in last year’s championship, will undoubtedly begin the new season as one of the favourites to take the fight to Rudman, as will fellow race winner Jack Parker (Wolverhampton) who is always a rapid, front-running contender.

Another mainstay of the championship, Nathan Anthony (Horley), is confirmed for the 2020 grid and will be as determined as ever to challenge for his maiden win at the wheel of his trusty Se-Van, the only ‘van’ in Legends racing.

Championship sponsor Phil Turner (Potters Bar) is back for his third season of Legends Cars action with Team 247, with long time Legends competitor Mike Schlup (Cuckfield) and former champion Robin Fountain (Boston) also among the lead entries for the new season.

Clark Motorsport will make its full season debut in Legends Cars this year with former MSA Superkart Champion Daniel Clark (Darras Hall) leading the squad’s entry alongside wife Elby

[pictured with legendary Small Faces drummer Kenney Jones in her car]. Daniel starred during a one-off outing at Donington Park last year, 13 years after he last raced in Legends, securing a best result of seventh place and a total of five top 10 finishes from the six races.

Elby, meanwhile, impressed on her Legends bow during last year’s Brands Hatch finale where she became the first female competitor to race in Legends Cars since 2011. As things stand she will again be the sole female entry in the National Championship as well as being eligible to compete in the Rookie Cup.

Chris Needham (Altrincham), another to make heads turn when he sampled Legends last season at Snetterton, is a welcome full-season addition to the grid and the multiple 125cc Superkart Champion joins Elby Clark in the Rookie class along with newcomer Gareth Sheridan (Altrincham).

Also racing in the Rookie Cup will be Connor Hughes (Hullbridge) and ‘Team Car’ pairing Florian Robin and Lenny Woodcock (Chichester). Away from the track, Woodcock is a professional stunt-rigger and stuntman and has worked on Hollywood blockbusters such as Star Wars VII The Force Awakens, Star Wars VIII The Last Jedi and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

With two months still to go until the start of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres season at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent over the weekend 4th/5th April, series owner Phil Cooper is delighted with the quality and quantity of the 2020 entry list so far.

“We’re thrilled our reigning champion Miles Rudman is back to defend his title this season and he heads a fantastic entry thus far for our 2020 championship”, Cooper commented, “Of course, with the likes of Will Gibson, Jack Parker and Nathan Anthony confirmed, and with Steve Whitelegg back with us after a year on the sidelines, the championship battle looks set to be as tough and exciting as ever.

“We always love to welcome newcomers to Legends Cars and it’s a delight to have so many drivers already in the Rookie Cup. We obviously know Elby Clark, Chris Needham and Lenny Woodcock from last season, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they all get on over the course of, what is set to be, a packed championship with 48 incredible races.”

The 2020 calendar has also now been officially finalised with Pembrey in South Wales hosting the penultimate event of the year on 3rd/4th October, rather than Silverstone which had been slated to replace Pembrey.