Custom cars to compete for die-cast glory at Hot Wheels Legends Tour stop in KCK

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Thousands of fans, hundreds of wild custom cars, and one chance to become a legend. That’s what’s on the radar as the Hot Wheels Legends Tour rolls into Kansas City for the first time since the tour began in 2018.

For generations of toy collectors and gearheads alike, Hot Wheels was a first love that sparked an enthusiasm for automotives. Now, that love will hit the pavement on July 12, as one custom car has the chance at becoming the next die-cast icon, immortalized in Hot Wheels legend.

Manning the judges panel sits Bryan Benedict, the Key Principal Designer at Hot Wheels. After two decades at Mattel where he meshes his work with his passion, Benedict wants automotive enthusiasts around the world to have the same opportunity.

“I set out to be a car designer from the first time I could pick up a pencil,” Benedict says. “It’s just amazing to see both the enthusiasm for the brand and the enthusiasm for individuals, and it’s just such an exciting thing to be a part of, to sort of make someone’s dream come true.”

Hundreds of custom cars will enter the competition, but only won will be crowned the winner. Benedict and the judges panel will choose based on three distinct categories: authenticity, creativity, and garage spirit.

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For authenticity, judges will look for cars that capture the Hot Wheels spirit of pushing the boundaries of automotive design, as well as purpose-built performance.

“We’re asking ourselves, ‘Is this car authentically Hot Wheels?’” Benedict says. “Do you look at it and you think, this is an iconic Hot Wheels? Hot Wheels is all about relevant vehicles that also look cool and organically modified, exciting and on trend.”

The next checkbox is creativity; something new and unique that Hot Wheels has never made before and would be a fresh addition to the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends.

“There might be an amazing build; it might be the best build in the entire show,” Benedict says. “But if it’s not unique and different enough, it’s not going to stand out enough for our particular show.”

Last but arguably the most important is garage spirit. The judges will question if the car and its builder have the drive to be legendary.

“Does it have physical evidence of late nights, early mornings and the grit and determination of that builder working on that build, and the passion behind it?” Benedict asks. “We want to make sure there’s a personal story; that it’s not just someone who bumped out a bunch of money to have something built. We want someone to have personal involvement in that build.”

Kansas City also holds special meaning for the Legends Tour, as it was one of the first stops when the event began in 2018. That year, a Baby Blue ‘38 Dodge Superior Bus won the KC crown. The city also holds special meaning to the tour as it adds a specific variety.

“We try to hit a lot of key areas to get a broad sampling of the different trends in the US,” Benedict says. “[Kansas City] has this kind of an All-American sort of vibe to the car scene there that’s maybe different than you might see in LA or Miami or Detroit, so it’s really cool to go to each location and see sort of the sometimes-bold differences and sometimes-subtle differences between the different communities around the country and around the world.”

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Entering the global event’s eighth year, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour has been growing each lap around the Sun, adding new stops and larger crowds. Benedict believes that events like these are what keeps Hot Wheels connected to the automotive culture.

“Our brand isn’t just about toy cars,” Benedict says. “We’re really a brand for everyone, and this is a way to really connect with those people that are true automotive enthusiasts and give them an opportunity to be seen and heard and give them potentially a chance to have their car immortalized as a Hot Wheel.”

The Legends Tour is a free event that will take place from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 12, located at 1725 E. Santa Fe St. in Gardner, Kansas.

The event will offer something for everybody as hundreds of unique cars and the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends will be on full display, including iconic builds like the Bone Shaker and the Twin Mill. There will be play spaces for children to interact with Hot Wheels toys, as well as food trucks offering unique meals exclusive to the Legends Tour. Visit the website for more information.