Adding to his confidence

Car upgrades and experience are helping Keith Zavrel improve in Super Late Model racing.

By KELLIE DIXON
Published June 26, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - A new motor and tires. The additions have helped Keith Zavrel off to his best start at Citrus County Speedway.

But Zavrel's success is rooted in his consistency behind the wheel and his confidence, which has grown in his 14 years of racing. The Brooksville resident is third in points in the Super Late Model class, which races this weekend at Citrus County Speedway.

He has made more money - roughly $4, 500 - only three months into the season than he made total last year. He even earned his first feature win at the Citrus County Speedway after compiling more than 12 heat wins over the years.

Although Zavrel's wife and crew chief, Vicki, usually has his back during every race - because she knows he is focused on staying out of trouble and crossing the finish line - she didn't tell Keith who was behind him during that win in late May.

"I wanted him to focus on what was ahead of him, " Vicki said.

Keith Zavrel took the win and went for his victory lap. He tried to do a burnout, but wound up crashing into the back straightaway wall. It cost him a $200 radiator, but Zavrel wasn't embarrassed. The crowd loved it, and he was too stoked about the win.

"I tore up the whole front of the car, " Zavrel said. "But it was worth it."

Getting to the point where he could finish consistently in the top 10 took time.

Zavrel started racing as a teenager with childhood buddy John Zuidema III. They raced against Vicki, who was Zavrel's girlfriend at the time, in the Bombers Division. The trio, all Central graduates, also grew up in the Youth Bowling Association together. The competition was nonstop, whether bowling or racing, and that's still true today - they recently traveled to Las Vegas for a bowling tournament. But Vicki stopped racing many years ago.

That mostly was because she let Zavrel have her car. A few years into running Bombers, Zavrel wrecked his car. Vicki's dad had a Late Model car, so Zavrel slipped into it. His goal was to finish in the points top 10 in Super Late Models - and Vicki wanted to help him, so she learned everything she could about the car. She has become the voice he hears during each race. In 2000, the two got married, and they had son, Corey, in 2002.

Zavrel has continued to race as a hobby while running his land-clearing business. He has finished in the points top 10 the past three years at Citrus County Speedway. When Zavrel started racing Vicki's car, Vicki's dad called the shots at first.

"Dad would put him out there and go until they got a lap down and pull him, " Vicki said. "Each year he got better and better."

His confidence was improving thanks to so much time in the seat.

"When Keith started, he was very cautious, " Zuidema said. "Since then, he has gotten aggressive, and being aggressive is a good thing sometimes."

Kellie Dixon can be reached at kdixon@sptimes.com or 352 848-1430.

[Last modified June 25, 2007, 20:49:36]