Yearly visit to Leicestershire for series as part of Convoy in the Park
Midlands racer Miles Rudman leading standings ahead of Rds9&10
Only one week since the first half of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres season came to a close, competitors and teams from Britain’s best big grid racing are already gearing-up for the resumption of the 2021 campaign which gets underway at Donington Park this coming weekend.
Running back alongside the British Truck Racing Championship as part of the Convoy in the Park festival on Saturday, 21st August, and Sunday, 22nd August, the Legends Cars drivers are relishing the annual visit to Leicestershire for rounds nine and 10.
At Croft in North Yorkshire a week ago, championship leader Miles Rudman (Sutton Coldfield) continued his seemingly impervious form en-route to his sixth and seventh race victories of the year and, as a result, wrapped-up the first half of the season 555 points clear at the top of the standings.
With two wins at Cadwell Park during the series curtain-raiser in April, a fabulous hat-trick during the American Speedfest event at Brands Hatch in early July and then his latest successes just over a week ago, Midlands ace Rudman is very much flying high as he heads to his ‘home’ track.
Likewise, Will Gibson (Camberley) is delivering a very high standard on-track with some outstanding performances. Although the gap to Rudman is significant, Gibson could certainly close Rudman down across Donington’s six races – especially with 200 points available for a win.
Both drivers have been largely bullet-proof in 2021 and with Gibson having also been a race winner at Croft, crucially his least favourite track on the calendar, he is carrying unsurprising confidence to Donington where he has always gone well. So far this year, Gibson has four race victories.
John Mickel (Horsham), the five-time former champion, is always in the mix and will start the fifth event of the season third in the standings, just 115 points shy of Gibson. With five race wins already, Mickel is as quick and competitive as ever as he pursues a remarkable, unprecedented, sixth crown.
Another of the Midlands contingent, Jack Parker (Wolverhampton), arrives at Donington fourth in the championship after leapfrogging Sean Smith (Marlow) in the points table at Croft. Parker, like Rudman, was a double race winner in North Yorkshire and enjoyed some good fortune for once.
Smith, back this year after a season away in 2020, has been consistently racking up the points – as his fifth position in the title battle confirms – and is a driver more than capable of winning this weekend at Donington. Sixth in the championship is Steve Whitelegg (Bury), a two-time race winner this year and another who will unquestionably be a front-running force at Convoy in the Park.
Nick Bridgeman (Baldock), a race winner at Cadwell at the start of the season, is seventh in the championship and will arrive at Donington Park a married man having tied the knot with his bride Fran this past Saturday!
Completing the top 10 in the standings are reigning Legends Cars Champion Daniel Clark (Darras Hall), multiple Masters Champion Paul Simmons (Lingfield) – who was a race winner at Brands Hatch in June – and Marcus Pett (Boston).
First year Legends Cars competitor Chris Brockhurst (Westgate), a former front-runner in Silhouette racing, has been impressing all season and has regularly mixed it at the front with the established contenders. Ahead of Donington, he leads the Rookie class title battle by a mere 40 points over the similarly impressive ex-Superkart ace Andy Bird.
As ever this year, the Legends Cars grid is delivering fantastic quality and quantity in equal measure and rounds nine and 10 of the championship – six races in total across the Donington weekend – are guaranteed to be sensational.
With grids drawn by ballot for the Heats in each round and the highest scoring drivers starting the Finals each day from the back of the grid, the racing simply cannot be beaten. For the ultimate in overtaking, lap-by-lap drama and excitement, look no further!
Ahead of the return to Donington Park, Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres owner Phil Cooper said: “I can’t believe we’re already at the halfway point of the season and about to begin the run-in to the championship finale at Brands Hatch in November. It’s been a tremendous season so far, with incredible racing and some remarkable performances up and down the order.
“Miles [Rudman] has been in superb form all year and Will Gibson has been extremely impressive too. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how the next chapter of this season’s story plays out at Donington at the weekend, a fantastic track where we always enjoy brilliant action. It’s great to be back as part of Convoy in the Park as well, we’re looking forward to seeing plenty of fans!”
Qualifying at Donington Park ahead of round nine will take place at 09.00 on Saturday, 21st August, with Heat One beginning at 11.15, Heat Two at 14.10 and the day’s Final at 18.20.
On Sunday, 22nd August, round 10 qualifying will commence at 09.00 ahead of Heat One at 11.10, Heat Two at 14.25 and the Final at 17.15. Live timing will be available HERE
Provisional 2021 Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres Points:
1st Miles Rudman, 4220pts; 2nd Will Gibson, 3665pts; 3rd John Mickel, 3550pts;
4th Jack Parker, 3125pts; 5th Sean Smith, 2990pts; 6th Steve Whitelegg, 2305pts
Image: John Mickel, Kieran Beaty, Chris Brockhurst (courtesy Graham Holbon)
