This is Fred Zust. Fred grew up in Northeastern Ohio and went to college in South Carolina. He worked in S.C. for a while, then Texas, Taiwan, and California, before a work transfer brought him to Arizona. Most of Fred's family is in South Carolina still.
Fred has always been interested in cars and modifying them, since a very early age. First there was a go-kart (wooden!) when he was 6 years old, "built by my grandfather. The only brake was a wooden handle that dragged on the ground. When I was 8 I did my first mod by removing the reduction gear to increase the top speed from about 5mph to about 20mph! It has been downhill ever since!"
Fred started autocrossing about 3 years ago. Friends and autocrossers Kat and Sean Morrill "dragged" him to the first event. "I thought it looked stupid. Of course my first run out I was served a double helping of humble pie!" After the sting wore off, Fred was hooked, and has been all around most of Arizona and California competing in Pro Solos, National Solo Tours and our local events. "I love the intensity you get with auto-x," he says. "You're not worried about damaging your car or another car hitting you, so you leave it all out on course. It is different every time. You have 3-4 runs to get it done and that's it. You have to be 100% right from the start."
Asked about other hobbies, Fred notes, "There are other hobbies? Snowboarding and computer/video games." He says he Works too much to get into a more formal involvement, but tries to help out where he can. Fred is an Electrical Engineer by training, and currently Vice President of the Communications Division for IDT Semiconductor.
Locally, Fred has taken 2nd place Novice, 2nd place Sportsman, and 1st Place California Regional. You look at the Fast Times for many of our events, and he is right up there! As for the National level competition, Fred has been to many of the National Tour events, and Nationals themselves the last three years. He has placed 8th in 2006, 7th in 2007 "(last trophy!)," and THIS year, 1st in the XP class with his highly modified and tuned Lotus Elise! Everyone will know him and his car, dubbed Frankenlotus. It has been quite interesting to see him come out with a new and improved version of the car each series, and after "the turbo experiment" was insufficient, Fred moved to supercharging, retuned, rebuilt, retweaked, and bingo! Ah, but we bet he will not leave it at that! Remember that 8 year old who modded his kart? Well, you know what they say about the size of the boys' toys, ...
Fred has been a fixture at most of our local events for the past 3 years, driving FrankenLotus, as it has become known, and helps out a lot at events, and was our Driving School Chief and Organizer. Fred is extremely busy with work responsibilities, but lends a hand gladly when needed. Welcome to the sport, friends, and wow, a National Championship in only 3 years? Waytago! Make that three in a row: 2008-2010!