{{Short description|American racing driver}} {{Infobox person | name = Zach Banks-Calderín | image = Banksmonticello2019small.jpg | caption = Banks in 2019 | birth_name = Zachary Mitchell Banks | occupation = Racing driver | years_active = 2012 - present | height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}} | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|12|15}} | birth_place = Miami, Florida, U.S. | alma_mater = Florida State University, B.S. 2021 | education = | module = {{Infobox racing driver|child = yes | current_series = Racing | car_number = | former_teams = International Racing, Ocala Gran Prix | teams = Zach Banks-Calderín Racing }} | module2 = {{Infobox racing driver | child=yes | current_series = 2021 Monticello Karting Championship | first_year = | current_team = | car_number = 28 | engine = ROK Senior | crew_chief = | spotter = | former_teams = | starts = 10 | championships = | wins = 10 | poles = 5 | fastest_laps = 10 | best_finish = <!-- if a final championship placing has been recorded --> | year = 2021 | last_finish = | prev_series = Florida Winter Tour <br> U.S. ROK National Championship <br> Monticello Karting Championship | prev_series_years = 2014-2017 <br> 2014-2017<br> <br> 2018-2020 | titles = Monticello Rok Senior Champion | title_years = 2019 - 2020 | awards = Most Consecutive Wins (Homestead Karting) | award_years = 2015 | updated = 4/17/2021 }} | website = {{URL|www.zachbankscalderin.com}} }}
'''Zachary Banks-Calderín''' (born December 15, 1997) is an American racing driver. Banks has recorded over 90 career race wins.
==Early life and education== Born to Cuban immigrant mother Jacqueline and Irish-American father Jason, Banks-Calderín grew up in Miami, Florida,<ref name="International Racing USA2">{{cite web|url=http://internationalracingusa.com/?staff=zach-banks|publisher=International Racing USA|website=internationalracingusa.com|title=Zach Banksb biography|access-date=2015-07-26|archive-date=2015-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406234859/http://internationalracingusa.com/?staff=zach-banks|url-status=dead}}</ref> where he attended George Washington Carver Middle School, and later Christopher Columbus High School, Immaculata-La Salle High School, and Coral Gables Senior High School, where he graduated. Banks-Calderín graduated with honors and served as president of his class during his junior year of high school. Banks-Calderín began attending Florida State University in 2016, pursuing a degree in management information systems.
==Racing career== ===2012 - 2014=== Banks-Calderín competed in his first karting race in October 2012. He recorded his first win in October 2013 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in TAG Junior. His first championship came in early 2014 with International Racing,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/zach-banks/ |title= Zach Banks Driver Database|publisher=Driverdb.com |date=2014-06-02 |access-date=2015-07-26}}</ref> shortly after turning 16.<ref name="FKCS Go Racing Magazine">{{cite web |last=Novakovich |first=Jared |date=2014-06-02 |title=MORE GREAT RACING AT FLORIDA KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES ROUND THREE |url=http://www.goracingmagazine.com/us-news/more-great-racing-at-florida-karting-championship-series-round-three |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929095023/http://www.goracingmagazine.com/us-news/more-great-racing-at-florida-karting-championship-series-round-three |archive-date=2015-09-29 |access-date=2015-07-26 |publisher=Go Racing Magazine}}</ref>
===2015 - present=== Banks-Calderín's karting career progressed to the international stage with top-10 finishes in both the Cold Stone Florida Winter Tour and the United States ROK National Championship in 2015 and 2016. He won the 2016 Florida Karting Championship Series <ref name="MyLaps">{{cite web |title=2013 PRD Senior Championship results |url=http://organisation.mylaps.com/championship/view.jsp?id=31258#_ga=1.234552862.1679666375.1436821802 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117030111/http://organisation.mylaps.com/championship/view.jsp?id=31258#_ga=1.234552862.1679666375.1436821802 |archive-date=2015-11-17 |access-date=2015-07-26 |publisher=Homestead-Miami Speedway}}</ref> at Homestead-Miami Speedway in TAG Senior and the 2016 Florida State championship <ref name="MyLaps2">{{cite web|title=2015 Summer Championships - Ocala Gran Prix|url=http://www.mylaps.com/en/championships/65581|access-date=2015-07-26|publisher=Ocala Gran Prix}}</ref> in ROK Senior. Banks-Calderín began testing Le Mans sports cars in 2017 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Daytona International Speedway. In mid-2017, Banks-Calderín took a brief hiatus from racing to further his studies at Florida State.
Banks-Calderín resumed racing in September 2018, winning his first 8 races, consecutively. Banks-Calderín followed up his championships with another championship in the Monticello Racing Series in December 2019. Banks-Calderín won 17 races in 2019.
In August 2019, Banks-Calderín became an officially licensed Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) race car driver.
In December 2020, Banks-Calderín repeated as champion at Monticello in ROK Senior with a 15-win season, shortened by the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Banks-Calderín won his third consecutive championship at Monticello in 2021.<ref name="Banks' Website">{{cite web|url=https://zachbanks.com/?page_id=138|date=2023-01-30|publisher=ZBC|access-date=2023-08-17|title=Zach, 01/18/2023: : M|archive-date=2023-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817055048/https://zachbanks.com/?page_id=138|url-status=dead}}</ref> Banks-Calderín graduated from Florida State University in 2021 with a degree in Management Information Systems, and stopped racing at Monticello. After almost two years away from racing after college, Banks-Calderín moved to Charlotte, NC in May 2023 to resume his racing career - restarting his career under the name Zach Banks-Calderín, to honor his Cuban upbringing.<ref name="Drive for Diversity Application">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQGK8DWr1mk&t=11s|date=2023-06-30|publisher=Zach Banks-Calderin|access-date=2023-08-17|title=2024 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program Entry Video {{!}} Zach Banks-Calderín}}</ref> Banks-Calderín worked at Rackley WAR from May–July 2023, gaining experience before attempting to move up the ranks in oval racing.<ref name="Drive for Diversity Application"/>
Banks-Calderín has been featured as a guest on several podcasts and interviews since September 2018.
===NASCAR Whelen Euro Series=== Banks-Calderín was selected for the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Driver Recruitment Program in Fontenay-le-Comte, France. Banks-Calderín signed a letter of intent to drive for Hendriks Motorsport for the 2020 season. However, due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the plans never materialized.
==Personal life== Banks-Calderín speaks Spanish, English, and Italian. Banks-Calderín has competed and placed on the podium of multiple ultramarathon races, including winning the 2020 Hellcat 50K in the male 20-24 category.<ref name="Hellcat">{{cite web|url=https://my.raceresult.com/146752/#3_F71354|date=2020-01-30|publisher=HellCat|access-date=2020-07-26|title=HellCat 10K/30K/50K, 01/18/2020 : : My.race|result}}</ref> Banks-Calderín has also competed in several triathlons, duathlons, and other endurance events.
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.zachbanks.com/}} * [https://www.facebook.com/zachbankscalderin/ Official fanpage] *[https://www.twitter.com/zachbankscalderin/ Official Twitter] *[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDUN9oGyBe_QaCa9mFCob-g YouTube channel] * [https://www.instagram.com/zachbankscalderin/ Instagram] * [https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbankscalderin/ Official LinkedIn]
==References==
*{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ix08xwJRrf0|title=Florida Pro Kart Series - Summer #1 - Saturday|date=2015-05-30|publisher=AlfaKarl|access-date=2015-07-26}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.mylaps.com/en/championships/65581|title=Championships - overview|publisher=Mylaps.com|access-date=2015-07-26}} *{{cite web|url=http://organisation.mylaps.com/championship/view.jsp?id=31258#_ga=1.234552862.1679666375.1436821802|title=Championship Standings of PRD Junior Fall Championship 2013|publisher=Organisation.mylaps.com|access-date=2015-07-26|archive-date=2015-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117030111/http://organisation.mylaps.com/championship/view.jsp?id=31258#_ga=1.234552862.1679666375.1436821802|url-status=dead}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.goracingmagazine.com/us-news/more-great-racing-at-florida-karting-championship-series-round-three|title=More Great Racing At Florida Karting Championship Series Round Three|publisher=Go Racing Magazine|date=2014-06-02|access-date=2015-07-26|archive-date=2015-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929095023/http://www.goracingmagazine.com/us-news/more-great-racing-at-florida-karting-championship-series-round-three|url-status=dead}} *{{cite web|url=http://internationalracingusa.com/?staff=zach-banks|title=Zach Banks profile|publisher=International Racing USA|access-date=2015-07-26|archive-date=2015-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406234859/http://internationalracingusa.com/?staff=zach-banks|url-status=dead}} *{{cite web|url=http://ekartingnews.com/2014/06/02/more-great-racing-at-florida-karting-championship-series-round-three|title=More Great Racing at Florida Karting Championship Series Round Three|publisher=Ekartingnews.com|date=2014-06-02|access-date=2015-07-26}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Banks, Zach}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:Racing drivers from Miami Category:People from South Miami, Florida Category:Coral Gables Senior High School alumni