Crédit photo :Don Simpson Max McLaughlin the future on the dirt track.
In the small of Town of Mooresville, NC, a population of just 35,300 (2014), is where a young man named Max McLaughlin grew up. The son of former NASCAR racer Mike McLaughlin, Max was exposed to the world of racing since birth, but had no real interest in racing except for some teething steps at the age of 3 in the box stock class at the Millbridge Speedway. Max would, also on occasion, drive his go-kart around his parents’ yard.
“We were pushing Max towards baseball and football in his younger years and, in seventh grade, Max was pitching fast balls at 76mph,” said Katie McLaughlin, Max’s mom. It wasn’t until he was 11, when Max discovered his passion for racing.
Photo credit: Don Simpson
Max, after being introduced to Karting by one of his friends, began racing at the Millbridge Speedway in the box stock class and in just two short years, Max was the 2013 East Coast Nationals winner along with the Mini Outlaw regional winner. He also captured the 125cc Millbridge Speedway Champion title.
In 2014, Max moved up to the UMP Modifieds driving for Mooresville, NC. Nick Hoffman, the car’s owner, Mike McLaughlin and Max campaigned the car along side the Hoffman’s team throughout the 2014-racing season. They also campaigned Max’s Mini Outlaw Kart at Millbridge Speedway.
It was quite a learning experience going from a 450lb Outlaw Kart to a full-sized race machine. That season, Max managed to capture three fifth-place finishes out of 13 Modified races that year. He also placed eighth in the King of the Carolinas second-night feature one of the most prestigious races in the south. He would also finished second in point at the Millbridge Speedway’s Outlaw standings with four victory’s that year.
It was a transitional year for Max who quickly pointed out that “if not for the Hoffman family allowing us to use of their second car, it would not have been impossible for us to campaign a Modified due to the sheer costs alone.
The 2015 season was the big breakthrough year for Max. Doing double duty once again, running the Outlaw Mini Sprint racecar along with the UMP Modified. Early in the season Max got his first win racing the Modified in March, followed by winning at the “King of the Caroline’s” at Carolina Speedway in October. But it was the Outlaw sprint series statistics that were staggering with 14 wins, 23 top-five and 21 first place-qualifying positions in 35 races that year.
Photos credit: Web images
People were noticing the sheer talent Max had wheeling a race machine around the track, no more so than Heinke-Baldwin Racing HBR Racing. It didn’t take long for before HBR Racing schedule Max to race at Weedsport, for earlier in the year, unfortunately, this race was rained out. In November, at the World Finals in Charlotte, NC, HBR Racing invited Max to race one of their cars. Max jumped at the chance, setting the Super DirtCar Series pole position raceway fastest time for the Saturday’s race, becoming the youngest driver in the 44-year history of Super DirtCar Series, to win the Fast Time Award. Max would finish the week with a 20th place finish quit an achievement for this 15-year-old-first-time racer in the Big Block Modified.
For 2016, Max was signed by Heinke-Baldwin Racing to drive the #6 car in the Super DirtCar Series. Being Max’s rookie year. Mike McLaughlin laid out achievable goals with Max and the HBR Team. As a learning year for Max, he achieved much of the goals laid out by Mike the team and received the 2016 Rookie of the Year award. He also captured the Futures Big Block Modified feature race at Super Dirt Week.
Photo credit: Don Simpson
Max capped the season off finishing 13th in the Super DirtCar Series points. Later At the Eastern Motorsport Press Association awards, Max was presented the Young Gun award for his outstanding rookie season. It was definitely a banner year for learning and the HBR team allowed Max to take the car and learn taking some lumps and lessons in his own way.
For 2017, the season started off well with a new Teo race car under Max’s control and some great results at the opening event at Volusia Speedway, picking up a third and fourth place finish at the two feature races over the week.
It was also revealed that Matt Hearn, one of the top representatives at Teo Pro Car, would be Max’s crew chief. This will allow Mike McLaughlin to help his son with driving strategies for this season.
Photo credit: Don Simpson
In recent weeks, Max picked up a 14th place finish at the Fulton Speedways High Bank Holdup weekend and a 18th place at the Bridgeport Speedway. Being the first year for HBR racing to run Teo chassis, the team is still on a learning curve with the new cars, but with the talent in the engineering crew and Max’s talent behind the wheel this 17-year-old, he is on his way to great things in the world of racing.
Photo credit: Don Simpson
Max, after being introduced to Karting by one of his friends, began racing at the Millbridge Speedway in the box stock class and in just two short years, Max was the 2013 East Coast Nationals winner along with the Mini Outlaw regional winner. He also captured the 125cc Millbridge Speedway Champion title.
In 2014, Max moved up to the UMP Modifieds driving for Mooresville, NC. Nick Hoffman, the car’s owner, Mike McLaughlin and Max campaigned the car along side the Hoffman’s team throughout the 2014-racing season. They also campaigned Max’s Mini Outlaw Kart at Millbridge Speedway.
It was quite a learning experience going from a 450lb Outlaw Kart to a full-sized race machine. That season, Max managed to capture three fifth-place finishes out of 13 Modified races that year. He also placed eighth in the King of the Carolinas second-night feature one of the most prestigious races in the south. He would also finished second in point at the Millbridge Speedway’s Outlaw standings with four victory’s that year.
It was a transitional year for Max who quickly pointed out that “if not for the Hoffman family allowing us to use of their second car, it would not have been impossible for us to campaign a Modified due to the sheer costs alone.
The 2015 season was the big breakthrough year for Max. Doing double duty once again, running the Outlaw Mini Sprint racecar along with the UMP Modified. Early in the season Max got his first win racing the Modified in March, followed by winning at the “King of the Caroline’s” at Carolina Speedway in October. But it was the Outlaw sprint series statistics that were staggering with 14 wins, 23 top-five and 21 first place-qualifying positions in 35 races that year.
Photos credit: Web images
People were noticing the sheer talent Max had wheeling a race machine around the track, no more so than Heinke-Baldwin Racing HBR Racing. It didn’t take long for before HBR Racing schedule Max to race at Weedsport, for earlier in the year, unfortunately, this race was rained out. In November, at the World Finals in Charlotte, NC, HBR Racing invited Max to race one of their cars. Max jumped at the chance, setting the Super DirtCar Series pole position raceway fastest time for the Saturday’s race, becoming the youngest driver in the 44-year history of Super DirtCar Series, to win the Fast Time Award. Max would finish the week with a 20th place finish quit an achievement for this 15-year-old-first-time racer in the Big Block Modified.
For 2016, Max was signed by Heinke-Baldwin Racing to drive the #6 car in the Super DirtCar Series. Being Max’s rookie year. Mike McLaughlin laid out achievable goals with Max and the HBR Team. As a learning year for Max, he achieved much of the goals laid out by Mike the team and received the 2016 Rookie of the Year award. He also captured the Futures Big Block Modified feature race at Super Dirt Week.
Photo credit: Don Simpson
Max capped the season off finishing 13th in the Super DirtCar Series points. Later At the Eastern Motorsport Press Association awards, Max was presented the Young Gun award for his outstanding rookie season. It was definitely a banner year for learning and the HBR team allowed Max to take the car and learn taking some lumps and lessons in his own way.
For 2017, the season started off well with a new Teo race car under Max’s control and some great results at the opening event at Volusia Speedway, picking up a third and fourth place finish at the two feature races over the week.
It was also revealed that Matt Hearn, one of the top representatives at Teo Pro Car, would be Max’s crew chief. This will allow Mike McLaughlin to help his son with driving strategies for this season.
Photo credit: Don Simpson
In recent weeks, Max picked up a 14th place finish at the Fulton Speedways High Bank Holdup weekend and a 18th place at the Bridgeport Speedway. Being the first year for HBR racing to run Teo chassis, the team is still on a learning curve with the new cars, but with the talent in the engineering crew and Max’s talent behind the wheel this 17-year-old, he is on his way to great things in the world of racing.