By Mark Billingsley
Special to The Bee
Three local drivers will try to win a world championship Saturday at the 15th annual U.S. Legend Cars Road Course World Finals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.
More than 50 drivers from as far away as Finland, Spain, Morocco and England will compete on the 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course. Practice was scheduled to start this morning with racing beginning Saturday in five divisions – Pro (Experienced racers); Semi-Pro (racers with some experience); Masters (40 or older); Young Lions (15-16 years old); and Thunder Roadster.
Legends cars are five-eighths-scale fiberglass, full-fendered versions of NASCAR modified cars and powered by 1,250-cubic-centimeter Yama- ha motorcycle engines capable of speeds in excess of 120 mph.
Frankie Marks and Robby Czub will try for the Pro world title, and Mike Dutro will compete in the Masters class. Marks, 21, is an Orangevale resident while Czub, 18, lives in Rocklin. Dutro just turned 40 and is a Roseville resident.
“I’m tied for second in points right now with a driver from Finland (Ossi Kumpula) and just 12 points behind another driver from Finland (Pasi Matintupa),” said Marks, who won the 2009 title at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway road course. “If it’s raining Saturday, those European drivers will have an advantage. If not, we’ll have the advantage because we have course knowledge.”
Czub has run a limited schedule this season and is in 19th place. Racers qualify for the World Finals by taking their 10 best finishes this season plus their best finish in a regional event. That’s how a driver from Finland can qualify against a driver from the United States since they only race against each other once a year.
Dutro is in a four-way tie for first in the Masters division and has only been racing Legends cars for two years. He won the regional qualifier at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows two weeks ago.
“My shifter broke on the fourth lap with six laps to go,” Dutro said. “Luckily, it broke when I was in fourth gear so I was able to just power around the course. I’m lucky the motor didn’t blow up.”
Czub, like Marks, started racing quarter-midgets as a kindergartner. The 2011 Rocklin High School grad is hoping for better luck at the Worlds this year. He was leading the Pro division final last year when his oil filter came loose, dumping oil onto the racing surface and forcing him to spin out with two laps left.
Tickets are $10 for a two-day pass. Children 12 and younger are free. Parking also is free. As part of the Infineon Raceway Food Drive, spectators who bring six or more nonperishable food items will be admitted free throughout the race weekend.
For more, go to www.infineonraceway.com.
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Mark Billingsley covers local motor sports for The Bee. Reach him at editorwriter.
