• Reigning champion Miles Rudman heads entry packed with quality
• Former champs John Mickel, Daniel Clark and Rob Fountain all back
• Rookie line-up including Ben Higgins, son of rally ace Mark Higgins
The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, is back with a bang for the 2022 season with a sensational entry of 34 cars headed by reigning and two-time champion Miles Rudman (Sutton Coldfield).
Confirming a mouth-watering line-up packed with quality, the series featuring 5/8 scale pocket-rockets based on pre-war 1930s Dodge, Chevy and Ford body-styles is preparing for another outstanding year – beginning at Oulton Park in Cheshire in early April.
Rudman will again face a stern challenge in the title battle, with five-time former champion and 2021 Vice-Champion John Mickel (Horsham) back to try and claim an unprecedented sixth National crown and former champions Daniel Clark (Darras Hall) and Rob Fountain (Boston) also on the grid.
Will Gibson (Camberley), who ended last season third in the standings, is another serious contender for championship glory and likewise fellow Legends Cars regulars Jack Parker (Wolverhampton) and Sean Smith (Marlow) – the latter the 2021 ‘Gerard McCosh Napoleon Award’ Masters class winner.
Marcus Pett (Boston), Steve Whitelegg (Bury), Nick Bridgeman (Baldock), all category race winners, bolster the entry’s depth of talent and ability further while championship mainstays Paul Simmons (Lingfield) and Mike Schlup (Cuckfield) will be joined on the grid by their sons Oli and Luke, both of whom will be eligible for the Rookie class.
Last year’s Rookie Champion Andy Bird (Calne), who put together a superb maiden campaign in Legends Cars, will be aiming to build on the excellent seventh place overall championship finish he achieved in 2021.
Along with Schlup Jnr and Simmons Jnr, James Newbery (Burgess Hill), reigning and two-time Grand Prix Midget Champion Daniel Pooley (March), Luke Ttakoushis (Ongar) and Ben Higgins (Powys) complete the Rookie entry.
Higgins brings a strong motorsport pedigree as the son of three-time British Rally Champion and successful international stunt driver Mark Higgins, while Pooley makes the move from oval racing to full circuits. Newbery and Ttakoushis, of course, made selected outings in Legends last season.
Siblings Kieran Beaty (Hexham) and Mark Beaty (Gosforth) are back and their Parc Lane Cars business will be sponsoring the new season’s television coverage – which will be confirmed in due course. More inter-family rivalry will come with brothers Charlie Budd (Henley-on-Thames) and Dan Budd (Didcot) who return for a second season.
Team Car Champion Chris Needham (Altrincham) is confirmed in the No.99 car while team-mate Gareth Sheridan (Altrincham) returns in car No.98. There is also a very familiar face and name returning to Legends Cars action for the first time since 2017, Gary Whitelegg (Handforth), brother of former Vice-Champion Steve, will be making a welcome return to racing.
Completing the huge grid will be Rickie Leggatt (Worthing), who will pilot the SulNOx liveried car backed by the London-based greentech business which is partnering Legends this year, Nathan Anthony (Horley) in his popular Se-Van, Jonty Norman (Wakefield), Tom Brown (Stevenage), Chris Brockhurst (Westgate) and Bill Read (Oldham).
There are also additional Team Car entries from Florian Robin and Eduardo Gago and father and son Lenny Woodcock (Chichester) and Dylan Woodcock – the latter a successful professional Motocross racer.
“What a fantastic entry we have again, absolutely tremendous – I really am delighted with the strength in depth and the overall quality with so many proven race winners, front-runners and champions returning for 2022”, said Legends Cars National Championship owner Phil Cooper.
“We always pride ourselves on having a wonderful mix of talent and we’re achieving that once again this season, with some fabulous Rookie drivers coming into the championship and also names we haven’t seen for some time – such as Gary Whitelegg who we’re delighted to welcome back. Every year we look forward to the best season yet, 2022 is no exception – it’s going to be outstanding.”
Provisional 2022 Legends Cars National Championship Calendar
2nd April – Oulton Park, Cheshire
16th/17th April – Brands Hatch Indy, Kent*
7th/8th May – Pembrey, Carmarthenshire*
11th/12th June – Brands Hatch Indy, Kent**
18th/19th June – Anglesey, North Wales
20th/21st August – Donington Park, Leicestershire*
17th/18th September – Snetterton 300, Norfolk*
5th/6th November – Brands Hatch, Kent*
*supporting the British Truck Racing Championship
**American Speedfest 9
