11 September 2002: The US-born Legends oval racers make their début at Tipperary Raceway next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 14/15, bringing a truly international motor racing flavour to the Rosegreen oval, and headed by Hinckley's Des Chandler, the current British Champion.

The Oval Track Legends Series is promoted in the UK by Incarace, the original American Hot Rods being 5/8th scale replicas of Ford and Chevrolet Sedan and Coupés. As part of the 15-round championship, the Yamaha FJ1200 motorcycle-engined Legends pay their first visit to Tipperary.

Chandler will be well-supported on the grid by Norfolk's Derek Hales, one of the original Legends racers in the UK and a former Superstox Champion. Hales has been around the ovals and long circuits for many years competing in several different formulas and has a wealth of experience under his belt. He will be joined by his son, Ian Hales, the current National Champion, 2001 Long Track, National and Points Champion and all achieved with no previous racing experience before he started in Legends in 1999, when he won the National title in his first year.

Another father and son combination, Keith and Stuart Whalley (Tamworth, Staffs), are both former grass track drivers now racing in their first seasons in Legends. Son Stuart has a Legends win to his credit already while many predict that Keith will also be taking a victory before long.

Formerly a BriSCA Formula 2 Stock car driver, Brian Barlow, from Nottingham only turned his hand to Legends racing in July, taking his first heat win last month, while ex-Rebel racer, Pete Jenkins from Hinckley is also a heat winner this year and is well up in the point table. A former British Kart Champion, Trevor James from Dorset, has been consistently in the frame all year.

National Hot Rods add another high-speed dimension to the Tipperary Raceway weekend, the purpose-built saloons competing for the Denis Kinane Honda Challenge with a ¤1000 purse for the winner of the final on Sunday following Saturday's heats. The meeting also counts for the second round of the World Series Qualifier.

Flying the Denis Kinane Honda colours in his Ford Focus will be Ballyduff's Tom Casey, while Rathdowney's Neville Stanley is likely to provide Casey with the usual heated competition in his Stanley Tractor Dismantlers Ford Focus.