U.S. Legend Cars International and INEX Racing Series is self-marketed as an affordable route of racing that is for all ages and competition levels, and for three previous NASCAR affiliated workers it is that and much more. Jeff Bolen, Shawn Parker, and Brandin Wrisley have had experience and a long history with racing, whether that is working on the cars behind the scenes or behind the wheel themselves. Their love for racing may have started out as fans, but has developed into a crucial aspect of each of their lives; their love for the sport growing and changing along with them through the different stages of their lives.

Jeff Bolen’s professional career in motorsports began as an intern at Charlotte Motor Speedway under the late H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, and even had a successful run in Legends in the early 2010s. He then progressed into developing his own team, Bolen Motorsports, competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series until 2017.

Shawn Parker has had a long history within NASCAR, starting as an engine mechanic and working his way up through the ranks. With notable jobs along the way, such as being the rear left tire changer in Jeff Gordon’s Rainbow Warriors pit crew from 1992 through 1995, Parker made numerous career moves that ultimately got him to his goal of crew chief in 2003 for Dale Jarrett.

Brandin Wrisley started out as a NASCAR fan with connections at Bill Davis Racing, which led him to obtaining a role as a volunteer pit support member with the team. “I was an extra set of hands wherever they were willing and able to utilize me,” Wrisley said. “It was literally putting up banners, taking things for pit stops, simple stuff, but I loved it. I just wanted to be around it.”

Their time working in professional motorsports had its highs and lows, just like behind the wheel of a car itself. Each faced hardships in some capacity that could have held them back and caused them to quit, but their love for the sport still persevered.

Bolen Motorsports had solid success in the truck series before encountering the harsh reality of the financial difficulties for low-budget teams. “I am competitive and wanted to do what we could with what we had and obviously that takes a lot of funds,” Bolen said. “It is unfortunate how the financial expenses can sometimes get in the way of the goals and desires sometimes, but it's the way that it is.”

Parker experienced the sudden loss of his first wife shortly after becoming a crew chief in 2003 and when their adopted son, Jagger, was only six weeks old. “That drastically changed my mentality and path, I had to take time and take a step back from what I thought was going to be my big break,” he said.

“Despite all of the negativity of the loss of my first wife, the lawsuits, the court dates, I just focused on what I could do as a father and as a professional in my career. Not letting the negative overtake me, but finding the positives to help me keep my passion.”

Just like the others, Wrisley believed motorsports was an extremely humbling profession and there would always be struggles or negatives. However, he tried to always keep a positive perspective.

“Failure motivates me to a degree that is unthinkable, but I do not let it keep me up at night at all,” he said. “I just stay focused and realize that I have to identify a mistake and then move on from it. If there has been any adversity or struggles in the past, I have done my best to not let it weigh down on me.”

Despite the setbacks and difficulties faced working within the sport, each of them found their way back onto the track for the same purpose- to have fun in the sport they have always loved. “We aren't doing it for any kind of fame, glory, or money, it's just showing up and enjoying being competitive and having the fun adrenaline,” Parker said.

The days of high-stakes racing may be over for them, but they now enjoy using their competitive nature to just have fun behind the wheel and help the next generation of drivers. Parker and Wrisley have not only been able to enjoy racing again for themselves, but also through watching their sons race Legends with them.

Parker says racing with Jagger gives him joy not only on the track, but also in the shop working on their cars together. “I try to teach him things that I learned going into NASCAR that people taught me along the way,” Parker said. “I trust him to help with repairs and adjustments because that is something he has been raised in. I am hoping what I have taught him has helped him develop confidence for himself.”

Wrisley found his spark for racing reignited through watching his sons, Sterling and Preston, begin to develop a love for racing themselves. “It was hard to relate to the boys and give them correct advice when they needed it since I had been out of the car for so long,” Wrisley said. “I knew getting back behind the wheel would ultimately help them too.”

Through racing with his sons, he was able to not only teach them, but also learn new things himself. “That’s the family dynamic right there, how to balance the good days from the bad together,” he said. “Luckily, it has been a great bonding experience for me and the boys.”

Each of them has always loved racing, with it being a part of their entire lives. However, their love for the sport has shifted and matured over time just as they have. For Brandin Wrisley, his joy is not necessarily for his own success on the track, but watching his sons grow and succeed.

“Ultimately, seeing them happy and watching them progress means more to me than anything that I could do in a race car, which is why it makes this whole experience so fun for me.”

Similarly, Parker has been able to enjoy the family dynamic of racing now more than ever before. In addition to Jagger racing with him, he is also in the works of expanding his Legends family dynasty. “We are also trying to get my wife (Deborah Renshaw) into her own Legend Car to get a full family competition,” he said. “Once you have that competitive nature in you, it's hard for any of us to let that go.”

Bolen has been able to shift gears through Legends, going from teaching and training drivers to enjoying being behind the wheel himself. “Selfishly, I love being behind the wheel, I just enjoy the racing aspect and competition of it,” he said. “It is funny cause I have got some of these younger guys showing me stuff, which has been cool to be on the other side of that.”

Legend Cars have been a vessel for these men to not only get behind the wheel after careers in the industry, but provide them with further love for the sport at an inexpensive level. Each of them has been able to enjoy racing at this level not only because of the affordability, but also the enjoyment it brings. “Legends gives us an affordable and fun way to continue our passion and competitive nature within motorsports without the time schedule or financial stress,” Parker said.

To put it simply, racing means more than just the competitive nature and winning to Jeff Bolen, Shawn Parker, and Brandin Wrisley. Their experiences may have been in many different forms, but they all started as fans just seeking to be in the exciting atmosphere. Now, their love for racing has been able to transform and grow through the different phases alongside them. It has been something that has brought their families closer together, both on the track and in the shop. Through this new vessel of racing with Legends, each of these men have been able to not only enjoy being behind the wheel themselves, but also allow the sport that has been a part of their entire lives to influence them in new ways on and off the track.