Miles Rudman on Course for UK Legends Crown as Season Prepares to Conclude at Brands Hatch

WEST KINGSDOWN, KENT, ENGLAND : More than 30 cars are expected to line-up on the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres grid at Brands Hatch next weekend, 2nd/3rd November, as the category’s spectacular 25th anniversary season reaches an explosive finale.

Forming part of the ‘Fireworks Spectacular’ event at the Kent track’s 1.2-mile Indy Circuit, the last six races of the 2019 Legends Cars campaign are set to provide some sensational action and leading the way, by some margin too, is ever-improving talent Miles Rudman (Sutton Coldfield).

Carrying an immense 560 point lead into the final weekend of the season, former Rookie Champion Rudman is looking all-but certain to lift his first outright Legends Cars crown – and what a victory it would be as the pocket rockets celebrate a magnificent quarter century of incredible racing.

With 200 points up for grabs for a race win, so a possible total of 1,200 points available across the entire weekend, championship glory for Rudman isn’t a foregone conclusion and there are some very rapid drivers queuing up to try and spoil the party.

Sean Smith (Marlow) is currently second in the championship, less than 140 points clear of third placed Sy Harraway (Weston-super-Mare), while reigning and five-time champion John Mickel (Horsham), Marcus Pett (Boston) and Will Gibson (Camberley) are all in with a chance of the title.

Rudman and Harraway share six race wins apiece, Smith has five victories under his belt this year and Pett and Gibson have each taken four. Of the top six in the standings, Mickel has been the least successful in terms of race wins with two so far in 2019.

Paul Simmons (Lingfield), Jack Parker (Wolverhampton), Nathan Anthony (Horley) and James Hall-Morton (Cleckheaton) complete the championship top 10 ahead of the finale and of those four only Brands local Anthony is seeking a maiden victory in his trusty, and ever popular, Se-Van.

Charlton, Needham and Woodcock all set for Legends debuts
Next weekend’s visit to Brands, the third trip this year to the Kent track for the Legends Cars, will mark a series of championship debuts – not least the arrival of Short Circuit Gearbox Karting driver Elby Charlton (Darras Hall), the first female to compete in the series since Jess Gwynne in 2011.

Elby, the fiancée of Daniel Clark who made a spectacular return to Legends at Donington Park back in August, will compete under the Clark Motorsport banner and will be dipping her toe in the water ahead of a planned full campaign in 2020.

Former Superkart Champion Chris Needham (Altrincham) will make a very welcome return to Legends action, having impressed on his debut at Snetterton in Norfolk in early September where he posted a best result of eighth position in his very first race in the championship.

Professional stuntman Lenny Woodcock (Chichester), who was originally slated to make his bow in Legends Cars last time out at Pembrey in South Wales, will now make his competitive debut next weekend at Brands. Woodcock is a vastly experience stunt co-ordinator and stunt-rigger, and has worked on major Hollywood blockbusters such as Star Wars VII, Star Wars VIII and Rogue One.

Looking ahead to what is guaranteed to be an incredible weekend of Legends Cars action, owner of the championship Phil Cooper said: “We’ve enjoyed an immense season in our 25th anniversary year and with six incredible races still to go, there could yet be some twists and turns before we know the identity of our 2019 champion.

“Miles Rudman is obviously in a very strong position ahead of the finale, but he has some very fast and extremely capable competition all ready to pounce and seize any opportunities to make in-roads on his current points lead. One thing is for sure, we know Brands will deliver six absolutely cracking races and a fantastic end to a memorable, landmark season for the Legends Cars.”

He added: “We’re obviously delighted to welcome Elby Charlton to the championship and looking forward to seeing how she gets on with the support of her partner Dan Clark. It’s also great to see Chris Needham return and we’re pleased Lenny Woodcock will be making his belated debut, with 30 cars in total expected at Brands it’s going to be a tremendous send-off for this year’s championship.”

Qualifying for the penultimate day of 2019 action for the Legends Cars will get underway at 09.00 on Saturday, 2nd November, with Heat One starting at 11.35, Heat Two following at 13.10 and the Final beginning at 15.10. On Sunday, 3rd November, qualifying will commence at 10.00, Heat One follows at 11.55, Heat Two begins at 13.45 and the Final starts at 15.40.

All of the action from the final weekend of the Legends Cars season will be filmed by Digitex Television, with sponsorship from 24hr Solutions, and broadcast at a future date on Amazon Prime, BARC TV, Motorsport.tv and the Front Runner channel.

UK Legends press release / Photos by George McNeill