Fans of the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres are in for, quite possibly, the best ever season in the category’s history this year with reigning champion Daniel Clark (Darras Hall) set to face fierce competition from an expected capacity grid of well over 30 cars.

Organisers of the UK’s best bumper-to-bumper and wheel-to-wheel circuit racing action have today, Friday, 22nd January, officially confirmed the first 10 drivers for the coming 2021 campaign in which Clark will once again race alongside his wife Elby – the sole female racer in the championship.

At the top of the list of challengers for the champion’s crown is 2019 title winner Miles Rudman (Sutton Coldfield), who ended last year’s truncated championship – the season shortened to 18 races as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions – fourth in the standings.

The prospect of a sensational multi-driver battle for last season’s crown was set to go down to the last corner of the final race of the year at Brands Hatch in early November. When the lockdown was tightened though and the season finale was cancelled, the title was determined from the standings after the penultimate event at Snetterton.

Making a very welcome return this year after a season on the sidelines is 2019 Vice-Champion Sean Smith (Marlow), the multiple Legends Cars race winner consistently one of the quickest drivers in the series over recent years.

Another former championship runner-up, 2018 Vice-Champion Steve Whitelegg (Bury), will also be part of the mix at the front and will again team with the owner of the Bridgeman Motorsport squad, Nick Bridgeman (Baldock).

Ultra-quick front-runner Will Gibson (Camberley), fifth in the driver standings for the past two years, has more than confirmed his status as a genuine championship challenger and 2021 could certainly be his year. As always, he will race with the #ForTim hashtag on his car in memory of his brother.

Completing the first 10 confirmed drivers are the returning Nathan Anthony (Horley), bringing the ever-popular Se-Van back to competition after a season away, championship mainstay and series sponsor Rickie Leggatt (Worthing) and the ever-improving Bill Read (Oldham).

“We’re obviously delighted to officially confirm our first 10 drivers for the new season, and what a list of names it is!”, said Legends Cars National Championship owner Phil Cooper, “It’s fantastic Daniel will be back to defend his title, with Elby alongside too, and he’s going to have his work cut out with Miles Rudman, Sean Smith, Steve Whitelegg and Will Gibson all determined to win.

“As things stand, we’re still planning for the full 54-race schedule and we very much expect this season to be one of the very best ever, perhaps the best in Legends Cars history. We’re on course to enjoy a capacity grid, which in the current climate is a wonderful achievement in itself, and will confirm more drivers very soon.”

Subject to any enforced changes at Government-level linked to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres season will be contested over a bumper schedule of no fewer than 54 races.

Taking place across nine race weekends, six races at each, the championship is provisionally scheduled to begin on 10th/11th April at Brands Hatch in Kent. After visiting Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, for the first time since 2017, the Legends Cars will travel north of the border to Knockhill in Scotland.

From there, the early July American Speedfest at Brands Hatch will welcome the pocket rockets before they head to Croft in North Yorkshire, Donington Park in Leicestershire, Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk and Pembrey in South Wales. The season is set to conclude back at Brands Hatch on 6th/7th November.

Provisional Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres Calendar
10/11 April – Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, Kent*
24/25 April – Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire
29/30 May – Knockhill Circuit, Fife
3/4 July – Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, Kent**
7/8 August – Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire
21/22 August – Donington Park National Circuit, Leicestershire*
18/19 September – Snetterton 300 Circuit, Norfolk*
9/10 October – Pembrey Circuit, Wales*
6/7 November – Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, Kent*

*events supporting the British Truck Racing Championship
**American Speedfest 8