Mark Mackesy of Wausau grabbed two Feature wins in the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour season opener at Marshfield Motor Speedway in Marshfield Saturday, May 4. (Contributed photo)

The Central Wisconsin Racing Association (CWRA) Stars to Legends Tour has its next race scheduled for Friday, May 17, at Golden Sands Speedway in Plover.

In addition to featuring all the stars of the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour, the race will also honor racing legend Marv Marzofka.

In his day, Marzofka was one of the winningest, as well as most liked, drivers on the Wisconsin Racing Circuit.

Having started his career in 1959, Marv describes that first race that gave him the bug. “I went up to Stratford Speedway and raced, and at the end of the night, had won $48,” said Marzofka. “I made $42 working my regular job for a week! It was right then I decided I was going to be a race car driver.”

Marv’s career took off from there, and in one season he captured four track championships on the tough CWRA circuit. In 1979, Marzofka won Season Crowns at Golden Sands Speedway, State Park Speedway in Wausau, Dells Motor Speedway in Wisconsin Dells and La Crosse Interstate Speedway in West Salem.

The Chevy Camaro race car from that memorable season can be revisited on Friday night at Golden Sands, as Jay Capek has restored the car to original and will have it on hand for the show.

Capek plans to pace the 30-lap CWRA Feature race fields with the machine, which is certain to bring back many memories for fans. Marzofka himself will be on hand for the event, and much racing history will be rehashed on the night.

The CWRA group is anticipating a field of more than 25 cars for the event, and they will participate in two, 30-lap Features on the night.

Some of the top drivers participating on Friday night include Mark Mackesy of Wausau, who won both main events in the Tour opener at Marshfield Motor Speedway May 4, Jeff Weinfurter of Wisconsin Rapids, Frank Nitzke of Berlin, Darek Gress of Neillsville, Mike Reichenberger of Appleton, and Darren Jackson of Wisconsin Rapids.

A fine crop of rookie drivers is competing on the Tour this year, including Harley Jankowski of Sparta, who set fastest time at the first Tour event, Jason Stark of Sparta, Dillon Mackesy of Wausau, Mitch Stankowski of Wausau, and Alyssa Larson of Green Bay. All will be on hand for this event.

A huge bonus of $750 will be available courtesy of RMS Contracting of Lyndon Station to the driver with quickest time that wins the feature starting dead last on the field. If it isn’t won in main No. 1, another $250 will be added and rolled over into the second main on the night. This money is in addition to the regular purse payout of over $6,000.

Joining the CWRA Tour drivers on the racing program will be the Superstocks/Sportsmen, Pure stocks, 4 cylinder stocks and Mods, and the new Open Wheel Modified division.

Pit gates for the event will open at 3 p.m., with qualifying set for 6:30 p.m., and racing at 7:45 p.m. Fan gates will open at 5 p.m.

Golden Sands Speedway is located six miles west of Plover, and seven miles east of Wisconsin Rapids on Highway 54. For additional information, call the track at 715-423-4660. Golden Sands Speedway also has a website at www.gssraces.com and a Facebook page, as does the CWRA Stars to Legends Tour group.