Zak Morioka
A Brazilian driver who blazed a trail in North American open-wheel racing, capturing a major championship title in his teens.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Brazilian racing driver·Birthday: November 6·Generation X
Biography
Born in São Paulo in 1978, Zaqueu 'Zak' Morioka's racing career was a swift, bright burn in the competitive world of North American junior formulas. He moved to the United States to pursue his dream, and in 1997, at just 19 years old, he seized the USAC Formula Ford 2000 Championship, a significant stepping stone towards the IndyCar ranks. That victory earned him a shot at the big leagues, and in 2000 he started an Indy Racing League event for the small Revista Motors/Tri Star team, finishing a respectable 15th at Texas Motor Speedway. While his top-tier opportunities proved limited, Morioka's championship win marked him as a serious talent from Brazil during an era when the path to IndyCar was fiercely contested. His story is one of early, dazzling success that demonstrated the global reach of American open-wheel racing's feeder series.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Zak was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Zak Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Zak's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 1997 USAC Formula Ford 2000 Championship as a teenager.
- Competed in the Indy Racing League, starting a race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2000.
- Advanced from Brazilian karting to secure a professional racing career in the United States.
Did You Know?
His full first name is Zaqueu, the Portuguese form of Zacchaeus.
The 2000 IRL race he competed in was the Casino Magic 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
He is sometimes confused with fellow Brazilian driver Mário Moraes, but they are not related.
“In racing, you must be precise and aggressive at the same moment.”
