LOUDON — Officials at New Hampshire Motor Speedway unveiled the new Granite State Legends Cars dealership Thursday afternoon, touting the 5/8-scale fiberglass full-fendered versions of the NASCAR modified cars.

Starting in the $12,000 range, Legends Cars are designed to fit in an 8-foot truck bed. Many famous drivers raced Legend Cars in their youth, including Kyle and Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Austin Dillon and Timothy Peters.

Guests at unveiling included NHMS General Manager Jerry Gappens, Speedway Motorsports Inc. founder and Chief Executive Officer Bruton Smith and Don Hawk, vice president of business affairs at Speedway Motorsports.

Hawk, in a presentation before about 200 spectators, reported that the company has now sold more than 5,700 Legends Cars and they are now in 23 countries. Just seconds before his announcement, he learned via cell phone that the company just sold six cars to Japan.

“We want to be a force to be reckoned with in New England.” Hawk said a huge amount of driving talent is generated out of New England to North Carolina.

Legends Cars racing is gaining worldwide appeal. Hawk said the company sold 44 cars to Africa last year and 30 cars to Russia. He has a picture on his cell phone of some Legends Cars parked at the Kremlin and others of Russians racing in three feet of snow with temperatures at 22 below zero.

“Can you tell I get excited about Legends, Bandoleros and road cars? If it has an engine and tires on it and one of you in it, I get excited about it,” Hawk said.

The dealership, which will serve the Northeast and Canada, also will sell and service the slightly smaller Bandalero series cars, which start at $5,995.

Gappens said the dealership would grow the fan base and generate new drivers and race teams.

“There are over 800 short tracks around the United States. ...What we found was some of these racing classes became so expensive the average person could not afford to go racing every week,” Gappens said.

The speedway has created a Legends race program with an oval and road course. Gappens said the program has a full schedule for 2013.

Many young Legends drivers were on hand for the presentation, dressed in driver’s suits and interacting with the crowd. The drivers will race on Saturday night.

Taylor Martin of Windham, 15, who will drive in front of as many as 100,000 people, said she started racing go-carts when she was 7.

“My dad used to take me to NASCAR races. I fell in love with the speed,” she said, adding her Legend car (No. 20) can reach speeds up to 130 miles per hour.

Wyatt Alexander, 13, of Ellsworth, Maine, started driving carts when he was 4 1/2 years old. His father and grandfather all raced cars growing up.

“It’s a family tradition,” said the poised youngster, whose number is 96 — same as Dad and Grandpa.

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Larissa Mulkern may be reached at LMulkern@newstote.com.