About Jessica
Here is a brief history about Jessica.
Driver Background
Jessica was born into a racing family. Her father Ray Zemken is a 28 year veteran of DIRT Modified racing in the northeast. Attending her first race at just 2 weeks old, Jessica became a regular to the local dirt tracks. As an only child Jessica spent most of her childhood growing up in the race shop around her father's modifieds.
At the age of eight Jessica began her own racing career at the local dirt go-kart tracks. Jessica still spent much of her time around her father's stock cars as she was very interested in getting behind the wheel and learning the ins and outs of an open wheel stock car. After 6 seasons of kart wins and championships at two local tracks, Jessica got the chance to run her father's back up car at Fonda Speedway, a near by half mile dirt track. At 14 she was competing at hit and miss events at the local tracks. She was able to win heat races and consolations in just her first few attempts.
At the age of 17 she was able to put together her own race team with a few associate sponsors. Contacting the sponsors and putting a solid team together, this is when Jessica's drive and determination really shined through. Jessica was able to put the 2004 Utica-Rome Speedway Track Championship under her belt.
This accomplishment at the age of 18 got her recognized by not only modified teams but also local northeast 360 sprint car teams. Jessica was able to run about four 360 sprint car shows in the northeast with the Empire Super Sprints. Her first showing in a sprint car was at a 360 event which took place at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, New York. This event was sanctioned with the World of Outlaws. Jessica started 15th in the event and charged to a 4th place finish in the 25 lap sprint A-Main.
Her performance with the limited schedule she was able to run in 05 earned her a full time 360 sprint car ride for the 2006 season, competing with the Empire Super Sprints on the 28 race schedule.
The team also rented a 410 engine from Kriner's Racing Engines out of Chambersburg Pennsylvania to run a couple of local 410 shows. Jessica ran a 410 with the National Sprint Tour at Fonda Speedway. This was her 2nd time ever in a 410 sprint. At the event she timed 8th and ran 2nd in the dash to Jason Sides. Starting 6th in the 6 lap event she passed 410 veterans and successful talents including: Lucas Wolfe, Danny Lasoski, Dean Jacobs, and Jason Sowald. In the A-maim she ran 5th to Danny Lososki, Jason Meyers, Steve Kinser, and Craig Keel.
Jessica timed 13th with the World of Outlaws at Fulton Speedway in New York. She won her heat race over WoO stand out Craig Dolansky. In the A-main, Jessica was involved in a first lap tangle which took the front wing off and bent the front axle. Under the red the team replaced the front wing. With a bent axle Zemken charged from 23rd to 10th.
- Four 410 starts, one top 5 with the NST, a 10th with the World of Outlaws, 10th at
Oskaloosa Speedway in Iowa with both the NST and WoO combined.
- Two 360 wins in her first year of sprint car competition
“I have never seen a driver adapt so quickly to an unfamiliar race car and track.”
-Wayne Simmons, F5 Sprint/Midget Chassis
Jessica is a business/marketing student at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York. She is currently taking online classes so she is able to keep up with school while traveling with her race team April-November. Through the years Jessica has taken the right steps to develop her racing skills and Mechanics to create a solid backbone for her career. With the valuable lap time and experience she is ready to pair herself with professionals to launch her ever growing racing career.
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But in order to understand her love for the sport I think we need to take you back a little further. See, Jessica's father Ray Zemken was racing before Jess was even born. Here are a couple of pics that show Jessica's introduction to racing.
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 ok, but we need to go even further!
  Do you think that is the youngest picture of Jess near a car?
 Ray was caught teaching Jess how to drive!
Good Job Ray!
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 2001
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  2002
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 2003
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 2004
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2005
2006
