Zacharias Branches Out to Earn N.Y. Title
Chemung Champion Adds Dates To Claim Honor
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A member of one of the iconic family names in New York short-track racing put his name on the NASCAR state championship trophy this year.
Jimmy Zacharias, 22, of Candor, N.Y., hustled to win New York’s NASCAR Whelen All-American Series state championship with stops at all four NASCAR Home Tracks in New York. Zacharias won the Sunoco Modified division track championship at Chemung (N.Y.) Speedrome for a third time and entered five events during August at Holland (N.Y.) Motorsports Complex to enhance his chances in the state point race. Additionally, he also made three early-season starts at Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway and two August starts at Spencer Speedway in Williamson, N.Y.
“We were running second in state points and needed to run more races, so we added Holland on Saturday nights and gave it a shot,” said Zacharias.
He took the state point lead from Rusty Smith with one week to go in the season. Smith won his second consecutive Sunoco Modified track championship at Spencer and was just 12 tallies behind Zacharias in the state race. Howie Brode won his second Riverhead (N.Y.) Raceway Modified division championship and placed third in the New York standings – one point behind Smith.
Zacharias dominated at Chemung this year with eight wins, 13 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes spanning 17 starts. His previous Chemung titles came in 2010-11. Brother, T.J. Zacharias, won the track crown in 2012 and was fourth in track points this year.
Jimmy Zacharias was destined to be a race car driver. His grandfather, Jim Zacharias, began the family racing tradition more than 40 years ago and won the 1974 NASCAR Limited Sportsman division New York state championship. His grandmother, Shirley, who passed away in January, even raced street stocks for a time. Two uncles, Billy Zacharias and Ricky Zacharias, won NASCAR Modified titles at the old Tioga Speedway in Owego, N.Y., in 1990 and 1994 respectively.
“He still goes racing with us every week,” said the grandson of his grandfather.
“I was fortunate to be born into a racing family,” Zacharias said. “Racing on weekends is all I ever knew. Racing Modifieds was always my main goal. John Blewett III and Eric Beers were my favorite drivers when I was coming up.”
Inactive as a driver, Terry Zacharias, father of Jimmy and T.J., is part car owner, crew chief and car chief for his sons. Jimmy contributes to crew chiefing for T.J. as well. Owner Moose Rutherford offered his Pro Modified for Zacharias to race at Holland to help the state championship effort. Team members include Nick White, Matt Clemens, Mike O’Dwanzy, Josh Sinsabaugh and Chris Clemens. The Zacharias-owned car is based on a Troyer chassis and powered by a Gail Clark racing engine. Sponsors include Vista Pro Automotive, Floyd’s Used Clothing, and Insinger Performance Race Fuels.
Jimmy and T.J. are two of the eight family members on track this year. Their uncles Chris and R.J. race Street Stocks. Young cousins Garrett, Seth, Dylan and Rachel compete in small one-cylinder Microds.
Zacharias will expand into a new direction in 2014. He plans to run for rookie-of-the-year honors in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and continue to race at Chemung on Friday nights. He posted finishes of 21st and 18th in tour events at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway this year. Zacharias was the second-place finisher in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour portion of the combined tour event at Bristol in August. He also had an 11th-place finish in the spring southern tour event at Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C.
The driver works for the family business, Zach’s Used Cars in Candor, N.Y.
Zacharias will be honored for his track and state championships during the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards event on Friday, Dec. 13 in the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Sources: Paul Schaefer/NASCAR PR