Only a week remains until the all-action Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres bursts back into life for the opening two rounds of the hotly anticipated 2021 season, one tipped to be the best in the category’s 27-year history.
Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, one of the most spectacular and picturesque tracks in the UK, makes a very welcome return to the Legends calendar – and even more so as the venue for the championship curtain-raiser next weekend, 24th/25th April.
With a grid of 32 cars set for rounds one and two, and the potential for some eleventh hour entries to be added as well, six absolutely barnstorming races are in prospect to get the eagerly awaited new campaign off to an incredible start.
Daniel Clark (Darras Hall) heads the pack as the reigning Legends Cars National Champion but will face some fierce competition as he tries to defend the coveted title, not least from 2019 champion Miles Rudman (Sutton Coldfield) and five-time title winner John Mickel (Horsham).
Multiple race winners Jack Parker (Wolverhampton), Will Gibson (Camberley) and Steve Whitelegg (Bury) all return, and each of them begins the 2021 season with a very real chance of challenging for a maiden Legends Cars title. Whitelegg, of course, was Vice-Champion in 2018.
Returning to track action after a year on the sidelines are fellow race-winners Sean Smith (Marlow) and Marcus Pett (Boston), two more names very capable of mounting a title challenge. Add to that list of potential champions Paul Simmons (Lingfield), a multiple Masters Champion and race winner.
Robin Fountain (Boston), the 2000 champion, is back for more after returning to the category in 2019, along with Nick Bridgeman (Baldock), Mike Schlup (Cuckfield), Neil Shenton (Middlewich), Steve McGill (Bo’ness), Jonty Norman (Wakefield), Bill Read (Oldham) and Dave Ward (Braintree).
Another very welcome returnee, after a year away, is Nathan Anthony (Horley) and his distinctive Se-Van. Connor Hughes (Hullbridge), son of former champion Paul Hughes, will be on the grid for his sophomore year in Legends and Chris Needham (Altrincham), who starred with victory at Snetterton last year, is back.
Two lots of siblings will do battle with championship debutant Charlie Budd (Henley-on-Thames) joined by his brother Daniel (Didcot), the latter having some past experience of Legends Cars, while Kieran and Mark Beaty (Gosforth) will both be in action. It’s also a family affair at Clark Motorsport with champion Daniel again joined on the grid by wife Elby – the sole female racer on the entry list.
The ‘Rookie’ battle is set to be one of the most competitive in years, with six drivers all eligible to battle for the class crown. Charlie Budd, Chris Dewey (Wisbech), former British Superkart Champion Andy Bird, ex-motorcycle racer Tom Brown (Stevenage), Silhouette race winner Chris Brockhurst (Westgate) and multiple Pick-Up Truck Champion Scott Bourne (Worthing) are all entered.
“What a grid we’re going to have at Cadwell, I’m looking forward to this season more than I think I have any other”, said Phil Cooper, owner of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, “We have a packed entry of quantity and quality with a fantastic mix of vastly experienced Legends racers and a strong number of championship rookies too.
“It’s impossible at this stage to pick anyone out as this year’s potential champion, there are so many drivers capable of winning races and putting together a title challenge. It will be intriguing to see how our newcomers get on and I think it speaks volumes for the booming popularity of Legends Cars we have drivers joining us from the likes of Ginettas, Pick-Up Trucks and even motorcycling!”
As always, amazing action is guaranteed from the Legends Cars and especially with the immensely popular format of two Heats and a Final each day. With grids for the Heats determined by ballot rather than qualifying times, the unpredictability brings yet another intriguing aspect to the action.
Points accrued over the Heats then go to determine starting orders for the respective Finals, with the highest scoring drivers having to start at the rear of the grid. In short, racing and overtaking of the highest quality is guaranteed from the remarkable 1250cc motorcycle-engined pocket rockets.
Cadwell Park’s weekend of action will begin with a practice session at 09.25 on Saturday, 24th April, followed by qualifying at 11.15. Heat One will get underway at 13.10, Heat Two at 14.45 and the round one Final is set to start at 17.05. On Sunday, 25th April, qualifying begins at 09.00 with Heat One commencing at 10.55, Heat Two at 13.00 and the round two Final at 14.35.
At a glance: Provisional Legends Cars Entry List – Cadwell Park
No.1 – Daniel Clark
No.2 – James Newbery
No.3 – Mike Schlup
No.4 – John Mickel
No.7 – Miles Rudman
No.13 – Jack Parker
No.15 – Elby Clark
No.18 – Steve McGill
No.21 – Sean Smith
No.22 – Chris Dewey (R)
No.29 – Nathan Anthony
No.30 – Andy Bird (R)
No.31 – Robin Fountain
No.33 – Kieran Beaty
No.35 – Neil Shenton
No.40 – Connor Hughes
No.43 – Jonty Norman
No.44 – Charlie Budd (R)
No.47 – Daniel Budd
No.49 – Dave Ward
No.51 – Paul Simmons
No.57 – Will Gibson
No.66 – Steve Whitelegg
No.67 – Tom Brown (R)
No.68 – Nick Bridgeman
No.79 – Marcus Pett
No.85 – Mark Beaty
No.89 – Chris Brockhurst (R)
No.91 – Scott Bourne (R)
No.98 – Matt Isherwood
No.99 – Chris Needham
No.333 – Bill Read
(R) – Rookie