Sherwood, WI (6/20/2018)) – Zac Zakowski finished eighth during a muddy start to the Lucas Oil Midwest Short Course League season at Crandon International Raceway. Zakowski was driving a Yamaha YXZ 1000R in the SXS Pro Mod class.
Rain was an issue all weekend, but the Pro Mod race looked to be in good shape. Then the heavens opened as Zakowski lined up for the start. Zakowski used all the mud racing skills he honed in the GNCC Series and he scored a top-10 when many competitors opted out of racing.
“I felt super fast and my car handled great,” said Zakowski. “The only issue I had was I couldn’t see. I went through a bunch of tear-offs, and when I could get my visor clean I was fast. I’d get close to the guy ahead of me, but then I’d have to back off due to the roost. We got some points, which is all that matters. I’m in this for the championship and I had fun. The fans here are great and the venue is awesome.”
The mud had trouble hiding Zakowski’s newly wrapped ride. Sporting lime green and blue graphics, his Yamaha definitely stood out. He also welcomed Apex Moto Marketing, which is handling his social media.
“We went back to my original look with lime green and blue,” said Zakowski. “It’s more my personality and has more splashes and graphic touches. Spider Graphix does an amazing job and this is probably my favorite design so far. It was much easier for everyone to see me in the mud.”
Zakowski was again running Kenda’s Kongur tires. Though the tires have more of a truck tread, they were excellent in the muddy conditions.
Zakowski is the only Pro driver on the tour running Kenda tires. The factory support rig was at Crandon and gave Zakowski a special set of custom grooved Kongur tires. They were definitely a huge factor in Zakowski’s success this year.
“We were running the new Kongur Tire and they worked great in the slop,” said Zakowski. “I couldn’t be happier with the way the tires worked.”
Mud races tend to plug radiators and cause all manner of overheating problems. Zakowski, however, had AMSOIL and Evans Waterless Coolant in his engine.
“Evans Coolant and AMSOIL kept the car nice and cool despite the muddy conditions,” said Zakowski. “That was huge knowing I could get everything out the car lap after lap.”
Practice and qualifying were rained out, so competitors had not setup data for the feature. Zakowski competed in the Spring National put on by Johnny Greaves back in May and he said that gave him an edge.
“Doing the Spring National really helped,” said Zakowski. “I knew exactly what my car would do out there. I really have to thank Greaves Motorsports. I wouldn’t be able to do this if it wasn’t for them.”
Zakowski will return to the Midwest Short Course League when it gets back in action with a doubleheader weekend at July 13-14 at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, MN.
Zac Zakowski 2018 Sponsors: Countryside Auto Transport, Zakowski Motorsports, Johnny Greaves Motorsports, Amsoil, Kenda Tires, Straightline Performance, Spider Graphix, Apex Moto Marketing, Powersports 1, Evans Coolant, STM Powersports, DP Brakes, TB Performance
Article by Harlen Foley. Photographs by Harlen Foley.