Everyone has a dream and needs some “me” time from time to time. Zach Rodriguez fell in love with racing going to the track where Legend Cars raced with his grandpa. Rodriguez now has a family and uses racing as a way to bond with one another. He’s the 2022 New Mexico Pro State Dirt Champion, and he did so with very little funding, hoping to repeat in 2023. He often races at Vado Speedway Park and apparently next to the track there is a truck stop with some pretty good oranges.

Hometown: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Number: 48z
Division: Pro Dirt Division
Team: Driver-Owner

1. What is like having your own car?

It has its ups and downs really. I guess I just drive a little different than those folks that drive for somebody. It’s easier when someone else has to flip the bill when you don’t. I just drive a little bit more cautious considering I’m the one who has to pay for it.

2. How did you get into racing?

I’ve always grown up around it. Down here in New Mexico we had a track called the Southern New Mexico Speedway and it was at the old fairgrounds. My grandpa used to take me there every weekend and Legends was running there one night. From that day forward, I always loved them and I thought they were the coolest thing ever. Years down the road as an adult with adult money I finally got one. It’s been a journey from there.

3. Where is somewhere in New Mexico that you would recommend a tourist visit?

In the Las Cruces area, we have the White Sands National Moment, that’s pretty neat. If people are into the Breaking Bad stuff, up in Albuquerque they have a tour where they filmed the Breaking Bad series. If you want to go site seeing New Mexico is really, really beautiful. A lot of open land and mountain ranges. It’s just a really nice and beautiful state. For most people who just want to get out and maybe go for a hike and go explore, it’s a really good state for something like that.

4. Do you have any fun racing stories growing up?

Not really stories, but more memories, with grandpa at the racetrack and my cousins. Two of my cousins are no longer with us. They’ve passed away now, but those memories being there with all of us my brother and the cousin just hanging out and just being there at the dirt track being so fascinated by the cars and looking up to those guys back then and now being able to race side by side with them now is just crazy. Growing up around it was always fun. I don’t really have a personal story. The coolest thing I’ve ever done was obviously winning the [New Mexico Pro Dirt Legends] championship last year for track and the state of New Mexico, I still can’t believe I did that. Now that’s a whole other story.

5. What’s your favorite pre-race meal?

I have a weird one, there’s a truck stop right by our track where I’d race out in Vado Speedway Park. There’s a truck stop right next to the track and I pull in and grab some diesel or grab some fuel for the racecar. Every race they have the best oranges at that truck stop that I’ve ever had in my life, they’re huge. Their so juicy and sweet. They're not, you know most oranges they taste like water. So, every race that’s my ritual and I go get my lucky orange.

6. Favorite Hobby besides Racing?

I don’t think I have any other hobbies besides racing. I love spending time with my family and doing all that during the week. Racing is pretty much our life. We spend birthdays, anniversaries, and everything at the race track. Every now and then I’ll play some video games. I used to be a Twitch streamer a few years ago. Other than that, racing is pretty much what we do around here.

7. I noticed you have a large following on YouTube, what’s the importance of having a social media presence as a driver?

Social Media is a great thing, especially for us lower level guys. Obviously, I’m not a late model or dirt/sprint car kind of guy yet, but it does bring awareness and draw attention to us lower level guys that may not get as much attention as some of the more popular people. The way you market and if you know what you’re doing with a good team, you can grow [your] social media pretty quick. People out there will see your progress and potential sponsors will reach out to you. You never know what can happen when you have a large following, I mean it does help. I don’t really use a large following to my advantage, I’m just doing what I love. Referring back to your previous question, content creation is a hobby. I make videos, TikToks and all kinds of stuff racing related. That stuff really helps attract people. I’m just doing it for fun, I’m not doing it to make money.

8. You’ve raced on both asphalt and dirt, what would you say your favorite is? What’s the biggest difference in driving between the two?  

Definitely dirt, I’ve only ran one asphalt race. That was out at Tucson [Speedway]. It was definitely a different experience than I had thought. Dirt is definitely one of my loves for sure.

[The biggest difference] is the grip. The insane amount of grip you have coming into the corner on asphalt is way different than dirt for me [from] my experience because in dirt you’re just sending in the corner going sideways. You just have that habit of throwing it in there trying to get it to stick. On asphalt, the car just sticks by itself, you don’t really have to work it like that. You just have to keep the front from coming out under you as much from what I experienced. I don’t know how the other asphalt drivers feel about it, hopefully they don’t come at me.

9. How do you think racing has changed your perspective on your everyday life?

Racing has definitely brought my family together. Every family has their issues at times. Whether there [are] perfect families out there I don’t know. As far as mine, we’ve had our ups and downs, but I think racing has brought us all together. We spent quality time together, it’s like a team effort. I’m really the only one that knows what I’m doing when it comes to the car. Just everyone being there supporting me and being my number one fan means the most to me. Knowing that people are there for me.

10. What’s it like racing and having a family?

They understand that this is what I wanted to do. There was act one point when my kids wanted to race too, but they’re grown up and they have their boyfriends now. Things change and I get it. But they know, racing is our life. Whether they’re racing or not, or if they’re just sitting there to watch. That’s what we do as families. You have football families and soccer families, but we just happen to be a racing family.

11. What have you changed about your racing style recently and how often does it need adjusting?

When I first started I was super, super cautious. I still am in some sense, but obviously it was the first time being in the car back then. I didn’t know what I was doing, I didn’t know how to set up the car, I didn’t know what stack was and I didn’t know any of it. I was more cautious back then and I didn‘t really have a set up back then. I’ve learned how to drive the car now, instead of having someone set it up for me. I’ve learned how to drive a crappy car, and I’ve learned how to drive a really good car. I’m real comfortable knowing when I have a good car and when I don’t have a good car and to adjust from there. As far as aggressiveness, I’m sure I could be a little bit more aggressive here and there. But for the most part, I’ve always strived to be a clean racer. If I can’t pass clean, I’m not going to pass you. I’m not going to bump you out of the way and I’m just going to be respectful on and off the truck.

12. What are the tools you use to practice your racing craft?

I used to be really big in iRacing, but I learned real quick that the Legends in iRacing aren’t really realistic in my opinion. I’ve used iRacing, I’ve watched a lot of videos. When I post my videos [of me racing], I study myself. I see where I can improve and get better and see what I did wrong in certain terms or certain situations. Then I watch other people’s videos to learn their telemetries and what they’re doing. [I look at] how hard their driving in the corner and letting off and all that stuff. Also, just talking to people and pick their brain a little bit to see what their ideas are and how they approach things.  

13. How often do you practice before an upcoming race and how many hours a day would you say you put into racing?

I don’t really do any type of practice, because I’m a real low budget team. I don’t really want to put any more laps on it than I need to. I don’t really go out to practice nights, I do the full definition of full sending it. I just sent it every weekend and just hope for the best.

14. What is your reason(s) for racing?

To me it’s the main thing I only really have to myself - like me time. Between work, family, and kids and all the stuff they have to do and band practices. My kids are in high school, so they have to be everywhere all at the same time. Life gets stressful, and racing is my me time, my down time, and basically my fun time. [It’s] where I focus on myself and family and not have to worry about bills or work or anything like that. It’s basically just my escape for a few hours on weekends.

15. Who do you model your racing after?

I’ve never really thought of that, I don’t think I model it after anyone. I just try to be myself and make a name for myself. I’ve always been a Hendrick [Motorsports] fan, so growing up Jeff Gordon was my number one guy. My car number was actually going to be 24 when I first started racing, but there was already a 24. So, I moved to my next best guy Jimmie Johnson back when he was with Hendrick. I just threw a “Z” on there just in case someone else wanted 48. That way it’d be unique to me. I’ve been inspired by Jimmie and everything he’s accomplished. Jeff Gordon as well, it’s weird I was a fan of both Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. I loved them both, but as far as driving style I really don’t know. I don’t try to imitate or be someone else.

16. Would you want to ever switch to another type of driving style?

In a perfect world, I would love to get into asphalt and road coarse stuff. I definitely want to get into dirt and late model/asphalt late model stuff, sprint car racing. There’s a lot of things I would love to do, but it’s a dream right now. You just have to wait until that day happens.

17. Going forward, what’s your end goal in racing?

I don’t plan on being popular or going to NASCAR. I’m too old, I’m already 33. I’m too old to get into NASCAR so I just want to enjoy what I have here. And if I can mess around here and there with other classes of cars then I’d love to do that. I honestly feel I’ll always be a part of the Legends family. Being a Legend is just so much fun and I’ve always loved them since I was a kid. Whether I move up to another class or anything, my heart is still here with the Legends.

18. What’s some of your goals for the rest of the season?

My number one goal is to be able to finish the season. Like last year, we didn’t have sponsorship which is why I’m surprised we won the [2022 New Mexico Pro Dirt Legends] championship considering we didn’t have any funding. We raced solely off of race winnings and pay out. That’s kind of what where doing again this year so we’re hoping to finish out a full season. If we’re able to bring home the championship again that’d be awesome, but that’s not really my focus this year. This year my focus is to go in there and have fun and hopefully win some more races.