Name: Zach Budleski
Age: 17
Hometown: Kronenwetter, Wis.
Occupation: Zach just completed his junior year at Wausau East High School. He also is employed at Stainless Specialists in Wausau.
Years racing/classes: 3rd year, all in mini stocks. Zach began his racing career at SPS in 2020 at 15 years of age.
Pit crew: Lisa, Todd, Brock, Matt, Tara (Zach gives us first names only)
Sponsors: A&A Lock Service, Wausau; ABC Counseling, Schofield; Frahm’s Auto Body, Athens; Jake’s Pig Palace, Wittenberg; Kelly Club Sports Bar & Grill, Weston; Kevin & Joy’s 19th Hole, Schofield; Ross’s Sport Shop & Guide Service, Phillips; Seasons Change Taxidermy, Schofield; The Jim Bar, Schofield; ZB Designs, Colby; Racing for Heroes
Tracks Racing: Zach has raced at State Park Speedway exclusively his first two years but made his first trip to race on the half mile at Marshfield Motor Speedway earlier this year.
How did you get your car number? My uncle Mike Budleski raced late models back in the day. (Mike was a regular on the CWRA circuit in the 1980s and 1990s in his No. 55 car) Uncle Donnie also is a former racer in the hobby stock class years ago.
When/how did you get into racing? About 10 years old, I remember my grandpa taking me here (State Park Speedway) for the first time. Seeing the cars flying around the track, I knew I wanted to do that sometime.
Favorite racing memory so far: Probably my first fast time last year. It was the end of the year, we got lazy, threw some stuff at the car, just thought would try something at the end of the year. (After our lap) there were two more fast guys we were watching, when they were done (our lap held up), we couldn’t believe it.
What do you enjoy most about State Park Speedway: Probably a lot of the drivers. We get a lot of cars, 15-20 cars in our class. There’s tons of fans too, last few years you look up and so many people here. (Also about the track) It’s tough, it’s one of those places where you have to drive it. If you can win here, you can win anywhere.
Racing goals: This year, our goal is two feature wins. We’re taking it year-by-year at this point, in the future, possibly running pure stocks. Of course some day it would be cool to race a super late model.
Favorite activities besides racing: Hunting, fishing
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite place to eat: El Mezcal