Weinfurter, Mackesy capture Stars to Legends Tour wins at Jim Back Memorial

Two veteran drivers with many wins under their belts through the years were the class of the field at Marshfield Motor Speedway Saturday, May 26, as Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids and Mark Mackesy of Wausau claimed Feature wins at the Jim Back Memorial race, as part of the Central Wisconsin Racing Association (CWRA) Stars to Legends Tour presented by Smiley’s Old Time Diner.

Mark Mackesy won the second Feature of the Jim Back Memorial race, as part of the Central Wisconsin Racing Association (CWRA) Stars to Legends Tour at the Marshfield Motor Speedway Saturday, May 26.
(Contributed photo)

Held in honor of the legendary driver Jim Back, a many-time champion and extremely popular driver racing throughout Wisconsin from the 1960s through the 1980s, featured main events of 30 and 31 laps, 61 total, commemorating Back who used that car number throughout his career.

Rachal Kallas of Winneconne and Weinfurter started on the front row of main No. 1 via a draw for position prior to the start, and Weinfurter jumped out to an early lead.

It didn’t take long for Darren Jackson of Wisconsin Rapids, from his starting spot in fourth, to begin putting pressure on Weinfurter for the top spot. A caution period briefly slowed action, but back under green flag racing conditions, Weinfurter again took the lead.

Jackson again came up to challenge, and the halfway point of the race saw the two battling side-by-side. Lap after lap Jackson tried to make the outside lane work to make the pass, with Weinfurter using the inside line to deny him.

Finally with just a handful of laps remaining, Jackson slipped just a bit on the backstretch, allowing Weinfurter enough breathing room to take the checkered flag first after 30 laps of intense racing. Jackson placed second, with Mark Mackesy, who started 10th on the grid and was closing on the duo late, settling for third at the finish. Rounding out the Top 6 finishers were a rookie driver on the tour in Brian Henry of Omro, Derrick Van Dreel of Wisconsin Rapids, and Darek Gress of Neillsville.

The 31-lap Feature finale didn’t offer quite the drama of the first main, but saw plenty of side-by-side racing nonetheless. Darek Gress jumped out to the early lead, with Mackesy quickly moving up to challenge.

By lap 6, Mackesy had taken the top spot and was never seriously challenged thereafter taking the win by a comfortable margin.

Weinfurter was the man on the move in the race, as he motored from his sixth starting spot to second by lap 12. A caution flag tightened things up but all the racing was for positions behind Mackesy, who took the checkered flag in front of Weinfurter, Jackson, Darek Gress, Henry and Kallas.

Next up, the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour will be at the Lyle Nabbefeldt Memorial race at Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells Saturday, June 16.

The race will feature two 55-lap main events honoring Nabbefeldt, who raced and won often during the 1960s and 1970s.

RESULTS

30 lap Feature one 1. Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids, 2. Darren Jackson of Wisconsin Rapids, 3. Mark Mackesy of Wausau, 4.Brian Henry of Omro, 5. Derrick Van Dreel of Wisconsin Rapids, 6. Darek Gres of Neillsville, 7. Rachal Kallas of Winneconne, 8. Jesse Bernhagen of Stevens Point, 9. Frank Nitzke of Berlin, 10. Greg Matthews of Wisconsin Rapids, 11. Mike Sievers of Wisconsin Rapids, 12. Monte Gress of Neillsville, 13. Jack Greenwood of Phillips.

31 Lap Feature two 1. Mackesy, 2.Weinfurter, 3. Jackson 4. D. Gress, 5. Henry, 6. Kallas, 7. Bernhagen, 8. Van Dreel, 9. Nitzke, 10. Sievers, 11. Matthews, 12. M. Gress, 13. Greenwood.

CWRA Stars to Legends point standings as of May 26, 2018