Mike Zarnock
I recently found Mike because he is the Webmaster for the Mohawk Valley Corvette Club and he has done well getting the Website listed in the search engines for the Mohawk Valley area. Mike has a great story and has so much national recognition and yet most of us here in the Mohawk Valley have never heard of him.
Michael Zarnock is an American author and columnist, who writes collector guides and articles about Hot Wheels toy cars and accessories. Michael's knowledge and his massive Hot Wheels collection has earned him notoriety around the world. Whether it be because of the 7 books and countless articles that he has written about Hot Wheels toys or the sheer size and diversity of his collection, this extensive knowledge has earned him the label, "One of the worlds leading Hot Wheels authorities." Michael is also a 2 Time Guinness World Record holder! First in 2003 and then again in 2007! He is in the record books for owning the "Largest collection of different model cars".
Michael was born April 21, 1958 in Utica, New York, into a working class family. As with most young men of that time, he grew up with aspirations of getting married and working with his dad in their family Body Shop repairing cars. But, as we all know, things change. His parents divorced in 1974 and his dad moved to Florida. Michael stayed in Utica with his mom and attended local schools while working as a Auto Mechanic at "Nichols Dept. Store". He has worked full time since the 11th grade. "Everybody thought it was pretty weird that I came to school with my blue work shirt that had "Mike" on it everyday. They couldn't understand that I worked 45 hours a week while I was still in High School. They were all playing sports and hanging out while I was turning wrenches and fixing their parent's cars." He graduated from John F. Kennedy High School, Utica, New York in 1976.