MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A few weeks after announcing plans to return full time to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series trail, Brent Marks has had a change of plans.
The native of Myerstown, Pa., will park his own car in favor of joining CJB Motorsports next season. Marks and the Chad and Jenn Clemens-owned team are planning a traditional outlaw schedule, with the team expected to partake in select World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions and Pennsylvania sprint car events.
CJB Motorsports announced in August it would part ways with Shane Stewart, who joined the team prior to the 2019 season. The combination struggled to find success, with Stewart only managing one World of Outlaws triumph this year at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville.
“Really everything just started coming together here in the last week,” Marks explained. “They gave me a call and we sat down and talked and worked out some details. They had presented to me, at the time, they weren’t looking to go on the full World of Outlaws tour, which I was totally OK with.
“I love racing with the series, nothing against the series at all. I really wanted to drive for that team and be able to work with Barry Jackson and follow what they wanted to do. I really like the schedule they presented me and we’re going to be able to hit every single big race in the country.”
CJB Motorsports Crew Chief Barry Jackson explained he’s had his eye on Marks for some time and has been impressed with his work ethic over the last few seasons, where Marks has been an owner-driver on the World of Outlaws tour.
“I’ve been looking at Brent for quite a while,” Jackson said. “He’s put a few years in on the outlaw tour now and has done a good job, especially for the situation that he’s been doing. He’s a family-owned deal. They work with their sponsors really well.
“He basically has to do a lot of the stuff himself, from car maintenance from engine maintenance to paying bills and driving the truck up and down the road. The whole deal.”
Marks will no longer have to worry about those things as he’ll now be 100 percent focused on driving as he joins the CJB Motorsports stable.
“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders as well, because I can just concentrate on being a driver and not have to deal with the pressure of being a car owner and trying to keep my own deal fully funded,” Marks said. “There are just a lot of other distractions for me with that.
“Really, I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to do that with my own team and it put me in this position to be able to allow me to race for a high-caliber team like CJB.”
Jackson revealed that CJB Motorsports was in talks with David Gravel about potentially returning to the organization in a part-time role with the team. However, Gravel, who raced for CJB Motorsports from 2016 to ’18, reached a deal to remain with Jason Johnson Racing.
“I was hearing different things about him (Gravel) possibly wanting to go NASCAR Truck racing. We offered him an opportunity if the 41 team wasn’t willing to give him a part-time ride,” Jackson said. “We weren’t trying to take a driver from another team, we were just offering an opportunity if he needed it.
“He chose to stay at JJR, which was the right decision.”
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