RACING : Calczynski Leads Southwestern Tour

You name the place, the time, the type of car and the track configuration, and Roman Calczynski might just beat you.

In just his second season on the NASCAR Southwestern Tour, the 36-year-old Sepulveda resident is sitting comfortably atop the points standings. In his past four starts, Calczynski has two firsts, a second and a third.

It’s no small wonder he’s among the favorites in the $32,000 Von’s 200 Grand American stock car race at Riverside International Raceway on Saturday.

When Calczynski fires up his Chevrolet for the race, it will mark the anniversary of his first Southwest Tour race. While it takes most guys a while to learn the ropes, Calczynski has driven away from the rest of the pack, compiling a 54-point lead.

And to think that a little more than a year ago he was driving in fender-benders at the short Saugus Speedway.

“I adapt real quick,” he said. “I found out that road racing’s a lot more fun, but you have to be more of a race driver on these courses.”

On Riverside’s 2.62-mile course, Calczynski will be battling the likes of Duke Hoenshell of Orange and Ron Esau of Agua Dulce. The pair have won the past three 200-mile races. Saturday’s field will include 42 cars.

Calczynski will try to improve on last year’s Von’s race, when engine problems sidelined him after 31 laps. So far, he’s already improved in the standings--he was second last year--and he’s won $9,201, also tops on the tour.

The race, the seventh of 17 in the Southwest series, is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.