Carl is an Arlington High School graduate and he now resides in Lake Stevens. He started car racing in 1966 at the Evergreen Speedway, which opened in 1954 and is Washington state’s only NASCAR track. In 1985 the Speedway’s Hall of Fame (HOF) was established. By then Carl had long been a champion racer and was considered by the Speedway community as a truly legendary race car driver. When it came time to select the HOF inductees, it was considered a “no-brainer” that Carl be selected and honored as the first inductee. He was also considered the Speedway’s first SUPERSTAR.

He was known as “Crazy Carl Zaretzke” because of his very unique, assertive and “not-smooth” driving as characterized by his son John, also an auto racing champion, ……. “Crazy Carl Zaretzke would smash the gas on and off through the turns of the Evergreen Figure 8 track. Carl had a trademark driving style. Whomp whomp whomp – you could hear the throttle pedal go to the floor about 8 times in each and every turn”.

In 1966, Carl helped create the figure eight club, FEAR (Figure Eight Auto Racing) and he is a charter member of this club. In 2004, the Speedway celebrated its 50th anniversary. A part of that event was the selection of the Speedway’s 50 greatest drivers. Carl and his son John were both selected to the Top 50 Drivers Club. Several of Carl’s other most noteworthy accomplishments and highlights include:
• Won four consecutive Super Stock FEAR races (1971 -74) and his 1971 win is a track record
• FEAR Hall of Fame (HOF) member and his famous car #2 was retired into the FEAR HOF in 1992
• Won NASCAR Superstock Oval Championships three of the first four seasons (1986, ’88 & & ’89)
• In one racing season, he won seven superstocks and figure eights.