• What is a Legends Car?
 
• What are the different fiberglass body styles offered?
 
• What can I add to my Legends Car and what can I adjust?
 
• What is the maintenance program between the races for the Legends Cars?
 
• What keeps Legends Cars racing affordable?
 
• How many cars are in competition today?
 
• How often do the Legends Cars race?
 
• Do the Legends Cars only compete on ovals?
 
• What makes Legends Cars visually appealing?
 
• What are future plans for the Legends Cars?

What is a Legends Car?

In April of 1992, a revolutionary new race car, the Legends Car, was unveiled at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. H.A. "Humpy” Wheeler, President and General Manager of CMS, and EIliott Forbes-Robinson, famed road racing champion, designed these 5/8-scale fiberglass full-fendered versions of the famed NASCAR modifieds driven by legendary drivers such as Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner, Buck Baker, Speedy Thompson, and Banjo Matthews.

The idea was to create a fun, safe, and affordable "spec" class of racing for everyone. Competitors are not permitted to make any major changes to the original car. Add a strict set of rules including a $4,300 engine claim rule and a tough technical inspection, and you have a series that is fair for everyone involved. The cars feature a “new” Yamaha FJ 1200 motorcycle engine which produces approximately 125 horsepower. Horsepower is not a significant factor in the Legends Cars Series because the rules require the use of a 13 inch, 60 series BF Goodrich radial "Legends Edition" tire mounted on a 7-inch wide steel wheel. The tire is of a moderately hard compound and no alterations may be made to the tires.

In test runs on both 1/4-mile dirt and asphalt ovals, the drivers found that it is almost impossible to reach the 80% power band because of the limited tire traction. Eliminating the need for the final 20% of the power band prevents a driver from being able to "stand on the gas" in the corners, thus putting more challenge and fun back into driving. This is a great cost containment program since one could spend well over $10,000 on an engine for more horsepower which really would not make much of a difference in performance since the radial tires could not handle the extra power. The "spec" tires also last for many races (at least 30) thus keeping the cost of maintenance as much as 75% lower than late model stock cars, midgets, or sprint cars.

Legends Cars are sold only through 600 Racing, Inc and its authorized dealers. A full tubular roll cage sits atop the frame rails which are firmly braced. The cars utilize a recycled Toyota rear-end, front disc and rear drum brakes, rack and pinion steering, Carrera coil-over shock suspension on all four corners, a four-gallon fuel cell, AC Delco battery, Simpson five-point safety belts, factory manufactured racing seat, Moog Automotive suspension components, Wagner brakes, and Belden wire & cable. Both doors are operational for easy entrance and exit of the cars.

Wheelbase = 73"
Overall width = 60"
Overall length = 10' 6" (with bumpers)
Height = 46"
Weight = 1,080 to 1,200 pounds (maximum 52% left side and rear %)
Engine = stock Yamaha FJ 1200 (compression ratio < 10: 1)
Tires = spec 205/13R60 BF Goodrich TA Comp HR4 Legends Edition
Wheels = Steel; 7" wide; 13" diameter; 3"- 3 1/4" offset

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What are the different fiberglass body styles offered?

1934 Ford Sedan1937
Chevy Coupe 1937
Chevy Flatback Sedan
1937 Dodge Coupe
1937 Ford Coupe
1940 Ford Sedan
1937 Ford Flatback Sedan
Future Styles: Bandelero hi-tech racer!!!

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What can I add to my Legends Car and what can I adjust?

The official Legends Cars rulebook is your guide as to what you can and cannot do with the car. It tells you exactly what you can add or change on the car, and if it is not stated, then it should be considered illegal. Some of the things that may be added include oil coolers, electric fans, duct work, tachometers, fire extinguishers, mirrors, and safety related items such as roll bar padding.

The only adjustments that may be made are front end camber, caster, and toe; tire pressures; spring rates; rear end gear ratios; and the weight distribution by setting the coil over suspension.

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What is the maintenance program between the races for the Legends Cars?

Legends Cars require about three to four hours maintenance between races provided that there are no serious problems. The program includes cleaning the car, changing the oil, checking all fluids, cleaning the air filters, checking the tightness of all bolts, checking for broken or damaged parts, and setting up the car for the upcoming race. A recommended maintenance program and set-ups are all explained in the detailed "New Owner Packet" that every owner receives when they purchase their car.

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What keeps Legends Cars racing affordable?

The strict rulebook and the enforcement of these rules has been the method that INEX, Corp. has used to keep the costs of the cars at a bare minimum. With all of the cars being manufactured by 600 Racing, Inc., all of the cars are exactly the same in terms of suspension point locations when the cars come out of the shop. A set of twenty technical inspection jigs have been developed to assure that the original locations are maintained on every car, The "hard" spec tire and narrow wheels do not allow a driver to utilize all of the power from the engine thus eliminating the need to spend more money for extra horsepower.

The only routine cost between races is for oil, oil filter, about five gallons of gas, and quarters for the car wash provided that there are no other problems such as bend bumpers or broken fenders. The fiberglass fenders are easily repaired with a simple fiberglass repair kit and the bumpers can be repaired with a large hammer or replaced for about $30. An average budget for the first year can range from $15,000 to $20,000 which includes the cost of the car, a trailer, driver's apparel (helmet, suit, shoes, etc.), a cooling system and routine maintenance.

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How many cars are in competition today?

To date there are more than 1,900 cars in existence. There are car owners from forty states, ten foreign countries and the series is gaining momentum with every race. Legends Cars drivers come from all walks-of-life and range from 15 to 73 years of age. 600 Racing, Inc. recently purchased a 92,000 square foot manufacturing plant in North Carolina and plans are underway to build over 600 Legends Cars in 1997.

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How often do the Legends Cars race?

In 1992, the first year of the Legends Racing Series there were only 14 races in three states. In 1993, the Legends Racing Series was comprised of more than 50 point and non-point races in seven states. In 1995, the AC Delco Legends Racing Series literally exploded with 680 races at 150 different tracks including events in Canada, Mexico, England and Australia. In 1996, there have been over 950 races at 198 different tracks.

This incredible growth has made the Legends Racing Series the fastest growing form of motorsports in the world today! Each year all drivers, sponsors and car owners are invited to the exclusive Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway for a year end banquet. At the 1995 banquet over $75,000 in prize money was distributed. Of course the banquet is just a small part of the action at Charlotte Motor Speedway when the Legends Cars compete in the National Championships. 250 Legends Cars attended the 1996 AC Delco National Championships and close, "wheel to wheel" competition was the order of the weekend, as the Legends drivers put on a great show for the ever growing fan base at Charlotte. With Legends Car sales at an all time high, 1997 is assured to be even more of a success as we continue to grow and improve on our series.

At Charlotte Motor Speedway, the cars are divided into four divisions; the Pro, Semi-Pro, Chargers, and Masters. The cars do not change in the least, the drivers racing experience makes the difference. The Pro division showcases racers who have actual racing experience and drivers who have just moved up from the Semi-Pro division. The Semi-Pro division features drivers who just purchased their cars and have limited racing experience. The Chargers division consists of drivers who have no racing experience, but this division offers them valuable track time without the pressure of racing with the experienced drivers. The Masters division is for drivers age 40 and older. The various divisions offer the opportunity to race with competition that is at your level, in order to give everyone an equal chance of success. Another advantage of this separation is that it allows more than one driver to compete with the same car on any given night. For instance: a father may compete in the Masters division while his son competes in the Semi-Pro division races on the same night.

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Do the Legends Cars only compete on ovals?

No, the Legends Cars are legal for competition in SCCA events. Elliott Forbes-Robinson (EFR) has won several solo SCCA events in his Legends Car. "It stunned everyone." said EFR about the first SCCA event that the Legends Car competed in.

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What makes Legends Cars visually appealing?

One of reasons for the success of the Legends Car is undoubtedly the car's appearance. These fiberglass-bodied cars are almost exact replicas of the 1934 and 1940 Fords and Chevys that founded the grassroots of racing as we know it, and remain extremely popular today. Every two inches of the original car bodies were measured and reduced by computers to insure authenticity. Unlike larger, full-size cars, the Legends Car has a "cute" appearance at first glance. But 120 horsepower of Yamaha FJ 1200 will quickly dispel any notions that this race car means anything but business. Additionally, 600 Racing, Inc. offers various colors of Legends Cars: white, black, red, yellow, and blue gel coat finishes are standard options on every car.

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What are future plans for the Legends Cars?

The Legends Cars are here to stay! National television coverage for the Legends Cars was quite extensive in 1996, with 28 races shown either live or tape delayed on ESPN, ESPN2, SportSouth and Prime Network. A national television summer series is also scheduled for 1997. Legends Cars will be shown live on SportSouth and Prime Network every Tuesday night starting in June 1997. The series will consist of ten weeks of racing and each race will be broadcast live.

Many of the top Legends Car drivers have used the AC Delco Legends Racing Series as a stepping stone into other forms of professional racing. There are numerous former Legends Car racers in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series, two former Legends Car racers in the NASCAR Super Truck Series and one in the Goody's Dash Series. As media coverage continues to rise we expect many up and coming drivers to use this series as a way of proving their driving ability.

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_{Information provided courtesy of 600 Racing, Inc.}