In the world of motorsports, Legend Cars have been a vehicle of choice for countless drivers in taking their love for racing from the stands to the track. With its accessibility, affordability, and tight-knit racing community, the Legend Car has become a beacon for hobby racers across the United States. Three hobby racers, each with their own unique story share their experiences through their Legends journey and why Legend Cars are the ultimate choice for chasing their passion and need for speed.
With Legend Cars being around since 1992, many drivers’ journeys began through a familial connection. 21-year-old hobby racer Kyle Caissie from Massachusetts began driving his own Legend Car because of his father's involvement and it has now prevailed into his number one hobby.
“I think it's (Legends racing) a perfect mix of competition for a quality price,” Caissie said. “It’s just something fun for me personally as a hobby racer just to go and compete on the weekends.”
As Caissie looks to graduate college and join the workforce, he says being able to balance his hobby of racing with the other parts of his life is so important and being a Legends driver makes it possible.
In any sport, budgets can be a constraint but Caissie acknowledges that the issue is even more prevalent in the sport of motor racing. While he recognizes that it can be a challenge, his passion and love for Legend Cars is what keeps him going.
“The cars aren’t all that expensive compared to say a Late Model or something,” Caissie said. “Just going against those kids that are showing up with new tires every weekend, new engines, top-of-the-line stuff… It’s a little difficult trying to compete with those people but for me, it’s just about going out there and having fun no matter what,” Caissie said.
Similarly, hobby racer Brian Sommers, a 51-year-old Masters Division driver from Oklahoma, found himself drawn to Legend Cars because of familial ties, as well, along with the convenience of Legend Cars and races. Inheriting his late father's Legend Car and equipment, Sommers says he appreciates how accessible Legends races are. “For most people, if they’re hobby racers, they have a track nearby and that track is running Legends,” he affirmed.
Navigating the demands of a full-time job alongside racing poses its share of challenges as both Caissie and Sommers attested to, however, the support within the Legends community makes it much more doable for both competitors. Sommers says the unique atmosphere that comes within the Legends community is so special as competitors support each other and are willing to lend a helping hand.
“The biggest challenge as a hobby racer with a full-time job that’s not in the racing industry is the time,” Sommers said. “But, even if we (him and other competitors) might be a little upset with how the race turned out, we sit there and break bread together every weekend. The same thing goes for working on the cars. I had an engine problem this past weekend [at Hallet Motor Racing Circuit] and four of my fellow competitors were out there wrenching on my car to change engines and get me going.”
For Golden Master Division Driver Tim Franz, out of Wisconsin, the motivation to continue with Legend Cars stems not only from the thrill of competition but also from the practicality of a Legend Car and what it offers to hobby racers like himself.
As Franz reflected on his motorsports journey, he too realizes that being a hobby racer is something special because “time is money,” but “Legend Cars gives so much flexibility when it comes to both of those hurdles,” he said.
Franz says that a Legend Car is his car of choice because of its compact size resulting in easier travel as well as how its maintenance and upkeep compare to other cars. “When I sometimes hear people say, Legend Cars are really getting expensive, they’re really not when you look at other kinds of race cars,” Franz said.
As a 61-year-old Golden Master Division Driver who’s been in the Legends community for 12 years, Franz attested to the fact that it is a space where people are able to attain their dreams of racing no matter what age and situation.
“If you’ve always wanted to race cars and you think that it’s beyond the time in your life when you’re able to do it, go for it. I think Legends is a good place that allows you to do that.”
Every racer's journey is different, and that is underscored with hobby racers. What set the Legend Car apart from its counterparts is the flexibility that comes with it and how a driver can make it their own. A Legend Car's ease of use and maintenance, and its versatility provides drivers from all over the world an opportunity to leave their mark in racing, and have fun, too.
“I’m just somebody who works hard for what they have and I work hard to race because that’s what I find fun,” Kyle Caissie concluded.
Franz ended with saying, “I’m a big supporter and believer in Legends. It allowed me to go live my dream."