Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids was the 2018 CWRA Stars to Legends Tour Champion. (Contributed photo)

The Central Wisconsin Racing Association (CWRA) Stars to Legends Tour as presented by Smiley’s Old Time Diner has scheduled an 11-race slate at four different racetracks for the 2019 racing season.

Events will be contested at Golden Sands Speedway in Plover, Marshfield Motor Speedway in Marshfield, Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells, and the State Park Speedway in Wausau. All are paved, short-track ovals that will feature super-fast Late Model racing.

The 2018 CWRA Stars to Legends Tour Champion, and five-time winner during the year, Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids, has indicated he will be back to defend his title, beginning with the opening event, Saturday afternoon, May 4, at the 1/2 mile Marshfield Motor Speedway. The Marshfield track is the longest on the circuit and always features tight, side-by-side racing.

Weinfurter will have his work cut out for him, as 2017 Tour Champion Frank Nitzke of Berlin has also filed an official entry. Others that will be challenging include four-time main event winner in 2018 Mark Mackesy of Wausau, two-time 2018 winner Darek Gress of Neillsville, along with his father, Monty Gress of Neillsville, two-time 2018 main winner and “Rookie of the Year” Jesse Bernhagen of Stevens Point, third in final 2018 Tour points Darren Jackson of Wisconsin Rapids, and the only female ever to win a main event in CWRA competition, Rachel Kallas of Winneconne.

Following the Marshfield opener will be a Friday, May 17, event at Golden Sands Speedway, honoring popular central Wisconsin racer Marv Marzofka.

The Tour then moves to Dells Raceway Park, for the Lyle Nabbefeldt Memorial race on Saturday, May 25. Saturday, June 1, sees a return to Marshfield Motor Speedway for the Salute to America event.

On Friday, June 14, it’s the Albert Getzloff Memorial race at Golden Sands Speedway.

State Park Speedway in Wausau is set to come into the fold with the next three CWRA Stars to Legends Tour events on Thursday nights, which are scheduled for June 27, July 18 and August 8. The July 18 race will feature a book signing event by Racing Father Grubba, which honors longtime favorite drivers Dick Trickle and Tom Reffner.

The August 8 race in Wausau will honor Mike Miller, who competed on the circuit from the 1970s through the 1980s.

Tour racing returns to the Dells Raceway Park for the Marlin Walbeck Classic Saturday, August 10. Walbeck was the first true superstar of short-track racing in the state and this event will serve to honor him and his accomplishments.

Marshfield Motor Speedway will host the Tour again Saturday, August 17, while the Season Championship is set to end ending the 2019 season Friday, August 23, at Golden Sands Speedway.

The CWRA Stars to Legends Tour Features a unique format in that it holds Group Qualifying, similar to what is done in NASCAR, to determine starting lineups for the two to four, depending on car count, Feature events it holds at each event. The format has resulted in extremely competitive racing and has proven to be very popular with fans.

For additional information on the CWRA, go to the official web page at cwra.co or to the group’s Facebook page, Central Wisconsin Racing Association. Contact CWRA President, Dale P. Danielski, with questions or concerns at [email protected], or at 715-344-9072 and 608-518-2478. Additional CWRA info is also available at www.starmakermultimedia.com under the news category. Mailing address for CWRA is P.O. Box 187, Plover, WI, 54467. Street address is, 701 Indiana Ave, Stevens Point, WI, 54481.

2019 CWRA “STARS TO LEGENDS TOUR” SCHEDULE

Marshfield Motor Speedway, Marshfield, WI.           Sat, May 4 (Afternoon)

Golden Sands Speedway, Speedway, Plover, WI.       Fri, May 17 (Marv Marzofka race)

Dells Raceway Park, Wis. Dells, WI.                                Sat. May 25 (Nabbefeldt Memorial)

Marshfield Motor Speedway, Marshfield, WI.           Sat, June 1 (Salute to America)

Golden Sands Speedway, Plover, WI.                                  Fri. June 14 (Albert Getzloff race)

State Park Speedway, Wausau, WI.                                   Thurs, June 27

State Park Speedway, Wausau, WI.                                   Thurs, July, 18 (Trickle, Reffner Honor)

State Park Speedway, Wausau, WI.                                 Thurs, Aug, 8 (Mike Miller race)

Dells Raceway Park, Wis. Dells, WI.                                Sat, Aug, 10 (Walbeck Classic)

Marshfield Motor Speedway, Marshfield, WI.                  Sat, Aug 17

Golden Sands Speedway, Plover, WI.                                  Fri, Aug, 23 (Tour Championship)