Chemung Speedrome is well known as the home track for the Bodine brothers with Geoff, Brett and Todd all finding success in NASCAR after starting their career at the bull-ring located in upstate New York. Now another driver that calls Chemung home is ready to move up the NASCAR ladder.

After winning his sixth track championship at Chemung in 2017, Jimmy Zacharias is ready to move up to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2018. Zacharias will make his series debut in the season opening event at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway on Feb. 11.

Zacharias will drive the No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Marsh Racing Chevrolet for veteran team owner Ted Marsh.

“We’re going to start at New Smyrna and see how it goes,” said Zacharias, who met Marsh for the first time in person on Monday at the Marsh Racing shop. “He’s a good guy, Monday was my first time meeting him and the team. It seemed like we knew each other for a while and we just hit it off and had a good day talking.”

In addition to competing at New Smyrna in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race on Feb. 11, Zacharias also hopes to bring his modified down to Florida and compete in the annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.

“I’m trying to take my modified to do Speedweeks with that,” Zacharias said. “I’ve been racing there since I was 14 years old with the SK modifieds and the tour-type modifieds. I want to keep that streak going, but we’re going to focus on the K&N deal.

“We’re going to do testing here and get as much seat time as we can and hopefully have a good run.”