Jeffery MacZink Bio
Jeffery MacZink (born November 23, 1977) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 65 Toyota for MacZink Racing. A long-time independent team owner-driver, MacZink has spent more than two decades competing at short tracks and superspeedways across the Midwest.
Early Life and Background
Jeffery MacZink was born on November 23, 1977, in Rockwood, Michigan. Rockwood sits in the southeastern corner of the state, close to the Michigan-Ohio border, and is within driving distance of several regional short tracks that helped shape his early interest in racing. Growing up in a region with a deep stock car tradition gave him regular exposure to local oval racing.
Michigan has long produced notable short-track talent, and MacZink followed a similar grassroots path as many regional drivers, learning race craft on local ovals before stepping into higher-profile series. Public records do not detail his formal education or family members who raced, but his hometown proximity to tracks such as Toledo Speedway provided a natural entry point into competitive stock car racing.
Path to NASCAR
MacZink did not follow a national NASCAR ladder through the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series or the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Instead, his developmental route ran through the ARCA Late Model Cup Series and later the ARCA Menards Series, regional tours that operate close to NASCAR and frequently serve as proving grounds for Midwest talent. He made his first recorded ARCA Late Model Cup Series starts in 2003 and 2004, posting a best result of 11th at Toledo Speedway.
His first attempt at the ARCA Re/Max Series came in 2005 at Toledo, where he failed to qualify driving the No. 6 Chevrolet for his own team. Over the following years he returned to ARCA competition in short stints, running select Toledo and Michigan races. The path was slow and self-funded, with MacZink typically fielding his own car while balancing work as an independent driver-owner.
Jeffery MacZink Career
Early Career (2003-2004)
MacZink opened his recorded stock car career in 2003 with select starts in the ARCA Late Model Cup Series. The series provided an early competitive environment where he could refine his skills on short ovals familiar to Midwest drivers. He continued with the series in 2004, again running a limited schedule.
His best early result came during the 2004 season at Toledo Speedway, where he finished 11th in the third race of the year. That result established a baseline of competitiveness at one of his home-region tracks and laid the groundwork for his eventual jump to the larger ARCA Re/Max Series.
ARCA Re/Max Series Debut (2005-2010)
MacZink attempted to make his ARCA Re/Max Series debut in 2005 at Toledo Speedway, driving the No. 6 Chevrolet for his own team. He ultimately failed to qualify, an inauspicious but instructive introduction to the bigger national tour. He returned to the series in 2009, this time running both Toledo events in the No. 45 Chevrolet, finishing 24th in the first race and 27th in the second after rear-end problems.
In 2010, MacZink entered only the September Toledo race and finished 24th after a crash. The stretch was a learning period in which mechanical issues and accidents hampered his results, but it built experience on the same flat oval where he had earlier found his footing.
ARCA Menards Series Years (2013-2022)
After sitting out the 2011 and 2012 seasons, MacZink returned to ARCA competition in 2013 at Michigan International Speedway in the No. 65 Chevrolet for his own team, retiring early with engine failure after four laps. The following year he entered Berlin Raceway in the No. 66 Toyota for Venturini Motorsports, starting 22nd and finishing 25th after one lap due to rear-end problems. He withdrew from Michigan in 2015 and from the 2016 Daytona International Speedway opener before returning at Toledo and Michigan, finishing 26th and 28th respectively, both because of engine issues, and he later withdrew from Michigan again in 2017.
MacZink returned to the series in 2021 at Michigan, this time in a Toyota, and earned his first top-ten finish, placing ninth after starting last when qualifying was cancelled. In 2022, he ran Michigan and Toledo once more, finishing 14th at Michigan and 19th at Toledo after a crash. The 2021 Michigan result marked a clear step forward after nearly two decades of trying.
ARCA Menards Series East Debut (2023)
In 2023, MacZink made his ARCA Menards Series East debut at Flat Rock Speedway, driving the No. 65 Toyota for MacZink Racing. He started eighth and finished ninth in the event, adding another regional tour to his résumé and reinforcing his switch to Toyota equipment in the ARCA pipeline.
MacZink Racing Era (2021-Present)
Operating under the MacZink Racing banner, MacZink fields his own cars and has remained an independent owner-driver in the ARCA ranks. The team made the switch from Chevrolet to Toyota during the 2021 season and has continued to campaign the No. 65 Toyota in subsequent ARCA appearances, including the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East entry at Flat Rock.
Driving Style and Strengths
MacZink’s results suggest a driver best suited to short, flat ovals such as Toledo Speedway and Flat Rock Speedway, where rhythm and local track knowledge matter more than outright horsepower. His first top-ten ARCA finish came on a superspeedway at Michigan, but most of his competitive miles have been accumulated at Midwest short tracks where consistent lap times and patience pay off.
Notable Races and Milestones
His best Late Model Cup result of 11th at Toledo in 2004, his first ARCA Re/Max Series attempt in 2005, and his first ARCA top-ten at Michigan in 2021 stand as the headline milestones of his career. The 2023 ARCA Menards Series East debut at Flat Rock also represented an expansion into a new regional series.
Jeffery MacZink Career Wins
Jeffery MacZink’s recorded career does not include any verified feature wins at the ARCA Re/Max Series, ARCA Menards Series, or ARCA Menards Series East level. His career is best characterized by perseverance, consistent starts, and incremental improvement rather than victory lane appearances.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Across multiple ARCA campaigns spanning 2009 through 2022, MacZink’s standout result was a ninth-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in 2021, which marked his first top-ten at the national ARCA level. He has repeatedly entered Toledo and Michigan events, with mechanical attrition and crashes limiting his finishing positions in most other starts.
Other Wins & Performances
No regional championships or touring-series victories are documented for MacZink at the verified level. His top Late Model Cup result of 11th at Toledo in 2004 remains his earliest recorded competitive benchmark.
Jeffery MacZink Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public sources do not list MacZink’s parents or confirm any family members involved in racing. MacZink Racing appears to be his own independent team, with no verified multi-generation racing lineage.
Personal Life
Verified public records do not include details on MacZink’s spouse, children, or residence. He has continued to live and race primarily around the Michigan-Ohio border region that includes his hometown of Rockwood, Michigan.
2025 Season Performance
As of early 2025, Jeffery MacZink had not announced a full ARCA Menards Series or ARCA Menards Series East schedule. His most recent documented start was the 2023 ARCA Menards Series East race at Flat Rock Speedway in the No. 65 Toyota for MacZink Racing.
Given his part-time status and self-funded operation, any 2025 program is likely to consist of selected entries at familiar Midwest venues such as Toledo Speedway and Michigan International Speedway. The team’s continued alignment with Toyota equipment and the established No. 65 provides a ready platform if a schedule comes together.
Outlook for the year centers on opportunity rather than championship contention, with any green-flag laps representing progress for the independent MacZink Racing operation.