CONCORD, N.C. — During his first year on the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series tour, Brock Zearfoss was prepared to get his “butt kicked.”
Nevertheless, in 2021, he made the commitment and set sail as a full-time Outlaw in his family-owned No. 3z entry.
Why?
“It’s just that feeling you get when you win,” Zearfoss said. “Everybody wants to win, but winning a World of Outlaws race is 10 times better. That makes you want to keep coming back.”
The Pennsylvania native claimed his first Outlaw victory as an outsider to the series in 2017, holding off Donny Schatz and David Gravel during the Summer Nationals at Williams Grove Speedway in his home state.
That was the birthplace of his obsession to become the best of the best.
“Once you get it, you’re hungry for it again,” Zearfoss said.
Despite the ever-increasing desperation to be a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion, the driver of the No. 3z has made it a five-year goal. Rather than rush into the fray and try to compete with the high-budget teams right out of the gate, Zearfoss has focused on making slow and steady improvements.
At the end of each season, the Brock Zearfoss Racing crew has evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of their nine-month campaign.
“The first year, we figured we’d up our car program and just move on from there, go race, see where we stack up, get a little bit better and just figure out what we want to do next,” Zearfoss said. “We’re on year four now.”
The primary goal for this season is to better the team’s engine program.
On top of that, from a driver’s standpoint, Zearfoss is planning to put more effort into perfecting qualifying, as that can often make or break one’s evening. He’s put a lot more pressure on his shoulders to improve this season after last year’s ninth-place points finish.
The No. 3z only scored one top-five finish and nine top 10s in 2023.
“We’re working hard at getting our areas where we feel we’re lacking at better and I’m pretty optimistic about this season,” Zearfoss said. “It’s just so tough, right? Everybody’s perfect, everybody’s got good equipment — but being a family team, we have to look at it differently. You can’t just throw the money right at it.”
Solving issues with a checkbook is not an option for the tight-budget team, which leaves Zearfoss to strategize about how to make his operation more competitive on a regular basis.
“You can shoot for the moon all you want, but you have to be realistic,” Zearfoss said.
It may be an uphill battle, but it’s one Zearfoss is willing to fight. As he rolls into year four with the Greatest Show on Dirt, his resolve to reach the top of the sport is stronger than ever.
“I want to be the best and I plan on winning,” Zearfoss said. “I want to win and that’s what we’re working toward.”