‘Comfort’ Key for John Zych
Brockton, MA – John Zych Jr. says the key in becoming a Northeastern Midget Association contender is “comfort.” Zych in the black #9 will be looking for a second straight win when NEMA vsits Monadnock Speedway Saturday night, June 22, for the Iron Mike Scrivani Memorial.
It’s been a “long haul” for Zych and his car-owner dad John Sr., a couple of ‘stick and ball’ guys who first came to NEMA back in 2007.
“I feel comfortable in how I drive,” explains Zych. “And, I’ve been around long enough to know what I want to feel when I’m in the race car. It’s just time and experience.”
That, he continues, was what the winning move at Star – going from third to first past Joey Payne and Greg Stoehr – was all about. “I felt really good about the car,” he says. “There was just enough room under Joey and I kept the car on the bottom and rotated through.” Complete trust in both Payne and Stoehr was a big factor as well.
It was the second career win for Zych. “Both are pretty special,” he says. Last year’s opener at Waterford “will always be the first” but he “feels pretty good about how we won at Star.” It was the Marvin Rifchin Trophy race and while Zych didn’t know Rifchin, “I realize how much he meant to people in NEMA.”
The Whip City graduate came to Star off a strong third-place run at the Boston Louie. He is reluctant to see himself as a championship contender. “I look to see where we stand,” he admits. “I’d be lying if I said we didn’t, but a lot of things can happen. I’d like to stay in the point hunt and if everything goes well, we’ll make all the races.”
Talking about things going well – the Zychs damaged an engine in the opener at Waterford in April. NEMA didn’t race again until June which was “fortunate” because there was a long wait getting the engine back.
A year ago Zych, then based in Louisville, KY, won the opener at Waterford and followed with four more top finishes. Then rainouts and business commitments resulted in missed races. While still employed by Hershey Chocolate, he’s now back in Mendon, MA.
John Zych Sr. was a baseball/basketball star at LeMoyne College in New York. John Jr. also played basketball at LeMoyne after a standout schoolboy career at Blackstone-Millville High in Massachusetts. Neither had any racing experience when they came to Whip City eight years ago.
They’re quick to credit a number of folks for helping along the way including the Seymours and Tim Bertrand. They purchased the car he now drives – a Drinan/Esslinger – from Bertrand three years ago.
Sources: Pete Zanardi/NEMA PR