Racing action.
Story and photos by Ted Waddell
KAUNEONGA LAKE – Legends motor racing is like a blast from the past with a 21st Century twist, and is one of the more popular events at Bethel Motor Speedway.
Legends on the track as drivers vie for position.
Legends are 5/8-scale replicas of American autos from the 1930s and ‘40s, and are set up to extremely strict specifications to make sure the cars are similar, as they utilize the same parts (full tubeframe with integral rollcage, FIA approved five-point harness, coil over with Bilstein shocks) 205/60R 13 BF Goodrich Comp TA HR4 tires, and sealed Yamaha 1250cc motorcycle engines, pumping out 122 hp.
Weighing in at 1,300, the little cars of yesterday have a high power to grip ratio, a factor that makes for exciting racing.
According to the rule book governing Legends, they are classified as INEX-Legends, which stands for “INEX”pensive.
In 1992, race officials at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (previously known as Charlotte Motor Speedway), noted a need for less costly racing cars with
little maintenance, and discovered the motorcycle-engined Dwarf Car, a 5/8-scale steel-bodied fenderless replica of a 1935 Ford coupe, manufactured in Phoenix, Arizona by the Dwarf Car Company.
A Legend at speed.
To meet their idea of racing, they adapted the Dwarf Car to create the Legends Cars, which are manufactured from less expensive fiberglass with enclosed fenders.
These cars competed in early NASCAR Modified Tour races, and the first Legend car took to the track at Lowe’s in April 1992, introduced to the world by track president and general manager Humpy Wheeler and road racer
Elliott Forbes-Robinson.
Legends Cars are produced by 600 Racing, Inc. of Harrisburg, North Carolina, reportedly the largest mass producer of race cars in the world. Available body styles: 1934 Chevrolet coupe, 1934 Ford sedan, 1934 Ford coupe, 1937 Chevrolet sedan, 1937 Dodge coupe, 1937 Ford sedan, 1937 Ford coupe, 1937 Chevrolet coupe, 1937 Dodge sedan, and 1940 Ford coupe.
The popular form of motor racing started in the United States, but has spread around the globe to include Canada, England and Scotland, which also host championships.
Fifteen-year old Chris “The Young One” Young took the checkered flag in first place.
Several internationally famous drivers have stepped up from seats in Legends to faster rides, drives the likes of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Reed Sorenson, David Regan, Kyle Busch, and Kurt Busch.
*This is the third story in a series on the Bethel Motor Speedway. Be sure to check back for future stories, both here, on our main page, and in the Chronicle’s Sullivan Sports Snapshots.
To read more about “The Young One” see the Sullivan Sports Snapshots.section.
To view more photos or to purchase prints from A “Legendary” Tradition visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.
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The Catskill Chronicle 
A “Legendary” Tradition
October 25, 2009 by The Catskill Chronicle
Racing action.
Story and photos by Ted Waddell
KAUNEONGA LAKE – Legends motor racing is like a blast from the past with a 21st Century twist, and is one of the more popular events at Bethel Motor Speedway.
Legends on the track as drivers vie for position.
Legends are 5/8-scale replicas of American autos from the 1930s and ‘40s, and are set up to extremely strict specifications to make sure the cars are similar, as they utilize the same parts (full tubeframe with integral rollcage, FIA approved five-point harness, coil over with Bilstein shocks) 205/60R 13 BF Goodrich Comp TA HR4 tires, and sealed Yamaha 1250cc motorcycle engines, pumping out 122 hp.
Weighing in at 1,300, the little cars of yesterday have a high power to grip ratio, a factor that makes for exciting racing.
According to the rule book governing Legends, they are classified as INEX-Legends, which stands for “INEX”pensive.
In 1992, race officials at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (previously known as Charlotte Motor Speedway), noted a need for less costly racing cars with
little maintenance, and discovered the motorcycle-engined Dwarf Car, a 5/8-scale steel-bodied fenderless replica of a 1935 Ford coupe, manufactured in Phoenix, Arizona by the Dwarf Car Company.
A Legend at speed.
To meet their idea of racing, they adapted the Dwarf Car to create the Legends Cars, which are manufactured from less expensive fiberglass with enclosed fenders.
These cars competed in early NASCAR Modified Tour races, and the first Legend car took to the track at Lowe’s in April 1992, introduced to the world by track president and general manager Humpy Wheeler and road racer
Elliott Forbes-Robinson.
Legends Cars are produced by 600 Racing, Inc. of Harrisburg, North Carolina, reportedly the largest mass producer of race cars in the world. Available body styles: 1934 Chevrolet coupe, 1934 Ford sedan, 1934 Ford coupe, 1937 Chevrolet sedan, 1937 Dodge coupe, 1937 Ford sedan, 1937 Ford coupe, 1937 Chevrolet coupe, 1937 Dodge sedan, and 1940 Ford coupe.
The popular form of motor racing started in the United States, but has spread around the globe to include Canada, England and Scotland, which also host championships.
Fifteen-year old Chris “The Young One” Young took the checkered flag in first place.
Several internationally famous drivers have stepped up from seats in Legends to faster rides, drives the likes of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Reed Sorenson, David Regan, Kyle Busch, and Kurt Busch.
*This is the third story in a series on the Bethel Motor Speedway. Be sure to check back for future stories, both here, on our main page, and in the Chronicle’s Sullivan Sports Snapshots.
To read more about “The Young One” see the Sullivan Sports Snapshots.section.
To view more photos or to purchase prints from A “Legendary” Tradition visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.
Click any service in this box to share this post with your friends!
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