By ohnson 
Brent Marks is making a huge leap to progress from regional racing in Pennsylvania and head to the Craftsman World of Outlaws in 2017. This will be the very first time in his racing career that he’ll be out on the road.
Marks, from Myerstown, Pennsylvania, is set to embark on his rookie of the year journey tonight at the Volusia Speedway Park. However, even before his “official” season officially begins, he has already faced some challenges.
He spent the past two nights competing with the Arctic Car All Star Circuit of Champions. On the first night, he ended up on his side in the middle of the front stretch. He explained, “Two cars got tangled up in front of me. I tried to slow down the throttle, but ended up getting sucked into the wall. We had some damage to the rear end, but everyone managed to fix it for tonight.”
Marks qualified for both nights of the ASCoC main event, and on Thursday, he finished 13th despite some smoke coming from his engine.
What makes a 26-year-old decide to take on one of the toughest tours in the nation? He said, “Well, it has been my lifelong dream to do this. I want to race full-time and did a lot of research to find the best path for me. I own my own team and I had the wisdom to join this tour.”
He has raced with his father for years, but noted, “My dad isn’t as involved as much now. He’s going to let me succeed or fail on my own. I have great sponsors who have helped me put this together and I’m really looking forward to it.”
The preparation is extensive, as Brent said, “I have four cars and four engines just like most of the Outlaw teams, but I might not have as many as they do. I’ve raced around 80 to 85 races in the past on a regional schedule, so racing itself shouldn’t be a problem.”
However, he continued, that the biggest obstacle could be the tracks. He mentioned, “I will be visiting 43 new tracks this year and I only get a few laps to get to know each one. That’s going to be a big adjustment as I have no prior laps on 43 tracks.”
The road ahead is tough, but drivers will tell you that it isn’t the physical aspect but rather the mental challenges that test them. Brent said, “I’m married and have a one-year-old daughter. They will join me whenever they can, but I’m sure I’ll miss them a lot.”
Marks is ready to make his WoO debut on Friday, February 17 at Volusia, as it is the first step in his quest to earn the “Rookie of the Year” title.