Zach Hochhauser climbs the motorsports ladder from karting to the pitbox
“I’ve always had the dream of becoming an engineer,” said Hochhauser, a rising junior in mechanical engineering at Purdue.
Originally from Connecticut, he discovered his love for racing after visiting an indoor karting facility with his family. Wanting to pursue the sport further, he found a local karting club and race team where he first learned race craft and mechanics. After several years of success, Hochhauser found McAleer Racing, a karting team owned by Stevan McAleer, a championship-winning driver and world-class racing coach.
“I was pretty set on going to college and earning my engineering degree,” said Hochhauser. “Since the racetrack was about a 2 ½-hour drive from my house, I mostly trained and raced on the weekends.”
It came as no surprise that Hochhauser chose Purdue to pursue that engineering degree. Shortly after arriving on campus, he began looking for ways to get involved.
“I was wandering around campus one day when I heard a kart on top of one of the parking garages,” said Hochhauser. “I went up and introduced myself and ending up joining their Grand Prix team.”
Not only did he join a Grand Prix team during his first year, but he also became crew chief for the kart, managing a group of seven and coaching two drivers as a freshman. During his sophomore year, he became a driver for the same team and was also recruited to the Integrated Business Engineering (IBE) evGrandPrix team as a driver and mentor.
Hochhauser was the driver for one of three karts on the IBE team.
“I knew there were other quick drivers,” said Hochhauser. “But I knew that the kart could last all 50 laps. My goal for the race was to hunker down and outlast everyone.”
The team earned all three pole positions in qualifying, with Hochhauser starting the race in third. Navigating the narrow track with 49 other teams, Hochhauser’s driving experience allowed him to overtake karts seamlessly, earning him first place and his first Purdue race victory.
“It was pretty amazing to win,” said Hochhauser. “I went in confident, but I knew there were others faster than me.”
Unfortunately, his results in the gas Grand Prix weren’t as exciting. The engine wouldn’t start on the grid, forcing the team to retire before the green flag. The team didn’t even get a lap in.
“I’ve been in this sport a while,” said Hochhauser. “I know this kind of thing just happens and I try to not let it affect me. Next year, I’m aiming to win both the evGrandPrix and the gas Grand Prix.”
Besides his racing experience, Hochhauser has also had numerous internships in the motorsports space. “Stevan McAleer has a sort of racing ladder that most drivers follow which takes them from karts to MX5 to GT4,”explained Hochhauser. “I’m taking a unique route up the ladder; instead of driving, I’m doing the engineering.”
His first internship was with the McCumbee McAleer MX5 Cup team, where he was able to learn about the cars, how different processes work and how the team operates on race weekends. He even had his own radio to listen in on driver and crew chief conversations. Hochhauser had some hands-on opportunities too, including taking the car through tech inspection and changing the sway bar link in one of the cars.
The following summer, he moved to their GT4 team as a junior engineering intern. In this role, he was directly involved in car setup and strategy, taking driver feedback and helping make decisions to change the car. One of things he enjoyed most was working on fuel flow calculations. The experience concluded in a successful season for the team, including several standout performances.
“We ended up placing second at Watkins Glen,” said Hochhauser. “The following race was Road America, and we placed first! It was pretty special to be part of a team, and to see what goes on behind the scenes and then to see a positive outcome.”
“I was in the pitbox when he crossed the finish line and everyone just erupted,” he explained.
Hochhauser is also taking advantage of the extracurricular opportunities offered by being a Purdue student. This May, he spent the month in France, studying Additive Manufacturing and Art. He plans to spend the remainder of the summer season karting and working with young drivers.
While many drivers pursue careers solely behind the wheel, Hochhauser has found a different route. By combining his passion for racing with his engineering education, he hopes to continue advancing in motorsports and secure a full-time engineering role after graduation.
Writer: Julia Davis, juliadavis@purdue.edu