MAX PAPIS JOINS DICK JOHNSON RACING FOR THE GOLD COAST 600
By Max Papis Racing | April 11, 2012 at 11:18 amDICK JOHNSON RACING ANNOUNCES ENDURANCE AND GOLD COAST CO-DRIVER LINE UPS
Stapylton, QLD: Dick Johnson Racing (DJR) today made the exciting announcement of their 2012 Season of Endurance and Gold Coast co-drivers. Read More..
Max Papis Un “Americano a Monza” Articolo
By Max Papis Racing | February 1, 2012 at 8:43 amMax Papis Wearing Commemorative 50th Anniversary Rolex 24 TLD Helmet
By Max Papis Racing | January 26, 2012 at 1:03 pmMOORESVILLE, NC (January 26, 2011) – This weekend will mark Max Papis’ 16th start in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Read More..
MAX PAPIS TO COMPETE AT ROAD AMERICA FOR RCR
By Max Papis Racing | January 25, 2012 at 8:39 pmRoad-course Specialist to Serve as Driver Coach
WELCOME, N.C. (January 25, 2012) – Richard Childress Racing announced today road-course specialist Max Papis has been tapped to pilot its No. 33 Menards Chevrolet when the NASCAR Nationwide Series visits Road America on June 23. Read More..
Max Papis will be driving the 54 RACING ELECTRONICS Legends Car at Charlotte Motor Speedway
By Max Papis Racing | January 12, 2012 at 8:55 amBruce Silver Racing announced late Wednesday that NASCAR Driver Max Papis will be driving the 54 RACING ELECTRONICS Legends Car in the Masters Division this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In a business meeting earlier this week, Max mentioned to Bruce that he really wanted drive a Legends Car on the Road Course. He had driven a Legends Car once before on an oval. Wednesday evening, Max was fitted into the 54 Car at 860 Motorsports, which sets up the cars for Bruce Silver Racing. Bruce Silver, Gregory Lang and TJ Larsen will be driving other Bruce Silver Racing cars sponsored by RACING ELECTRONICS with 860 Motorsports setup.
MAX PAPIS CONCLUDES 2011 SEASON WITH 21st AT HOMESTEAD
By Max Papis Racing | November 22, 2011 at 10:42 amHOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 18, 2011) – After nine long months and 24 races, Max Papis and the GEICO Racing team entered the racetrack for the final time as the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season concluded at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday night. Read More..
Autosprint – Max Show al Rally di Monza
By Max Papis Racing | November 8, 2011 at 8:32 amMax Papis Records Top 15 With Late Race Surge At Texas 11-4-11
By Max Papis Racing | November 7, 2011 at 8:44 amMAX PAPIS RECORDS TOP 15 WITH LATE RACE SURGE AT TEXAS
FORT WORTH, Texas (November 4, 2011) – The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returned to Texas Motor Speedway for the second time this season for the running of the WinStar World Casino 350k on Friday night. Max Papis and the No. 9 GEICO Racing team entered the Lone Star State with a good basis of information, as the Toyota finished the summer event in the top-15. After struggling a tad with the handling in the opening stages of the 147-lap race, Papis dodged numerous accidents and charged late to cross the finish line in the 14th position.
“I’m glad we were able to get a 14th-place finish,” said Papis. “The handling wasn’t exactly how we wanted it, but the GEICO team never gave up. We kept working on it and were able to finish in the top-15. There is one more race to see what we can do. I think Homestead will be a great ending to our season.”
The green flag waved shortly after 8pm Eastern on Friday night, amid bright lights and cool temperatures. With his 24th-place qualifying effort, Papis quickly moved his way into the top-20 by lap eight. The first caution was displayed on lap 15 for an accident between Kyle Busch and Ron Hornaday. Crew chief Randy Goss brought Papis to pit road for fuel and adjustments.
On lap 21, Papis restarted from the 17th position, but less than one lap later, Germain Racing teammate Brendan Gaughan had transmission issues to bring out the second yellow flag. After the fluid was cleaned up, Papis took off from 16th-place on lap 27.
The handling of the GEICO Toyota began to bother Papis as the Como, Italy native dropped a few positions before the third caution was seen on lap 34 for a spin in turn four. Goss radioed for his driver to return to pit road for fresh tires, fuel, and adjustments. With varying pit strategies up and down pit road, Papis took off from the 23rd position.
Papis patiently ran in the same position for the next 20 laps and avoided a two-truck accident directly in front of the No. 9 Tundra. The GEICO team serviced Papis on pit road, changing tires, fuel, and making adjustments, before restarting from 17th-place on lap 64.
A green-flag period ensued as the field began to spread out around the Fort Worth track. Papis held his position during this run despite the handling of the truck causing challenges for the driver. Another multi-truck wreck occurred in turn two on lap 99, bringing out the fifth caution. Papis brought his GEICO Toyota to pit road for the final stop of the night for tires, fuel, and adjustments.
Restarting from 19th-place on lap 104, Papis gained two places to move into the 17th position by lap 135. With only five laps remaining, a fellow competitors’ engine blew on the racing surface forcing NASCAR to display the caution on lap 142.
The green-white-checkered finish began on lap 147 and over the final two laps, Papis gained three positions to cross the finish line in 14th-place.
Papis currently sits in 18th-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings. The GEICO Racing driver is 19 points behind Miguel Paludo who holds the 17th position.
The Truck Series returns to action in two weeks for the season finale on Friday, November 18th at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Watch the action live on SPEED Channel at 8 p.m. ET.
A STOCK CAR DRIVEN BY MAX PAPIS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITALY AT THE MONZA RALLY SHOW FROM THE 25 TO THE 27 NOVEMBER 2011
By Max Papis Racing | November 3, 2011 at 2:21 pmA STOCK CAR DRIVEN BY MAX PAPIS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITALY AT THE MONZA RALLY SHOW FROM THE 25 TO THE 27 NOVEMBER 2011
Mooresville, North Carolina, USA (November 2, 2011) – Max Papis Racing is proud to announce that Max Papis will be driving a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car at the annual Monza Rally Show in Monza, Italy. The historic event takes place from November 25 – 27 at the challenging 3.6 mile course.
The Monza Rally Show is a traditional event held every year bringing together the best drivers from different forms of motor sports such as Rally, Sportscar and MotoGP compete in a unique event at the historic Italian track. The event attracts tens of thousands of fans due to the presence of professional athletes from the motor sports world including Valentino Rossi, Dindo Capello and many more who put on an incredible show.
A NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car will make its Italian debut at the Monza Rally Show and will be driven by Max Papis. The stock car, provided and prepared by Joe Gibbs Racing, will have 2 seats for this special occasion allowing Max to give special guests a thrilling lap around the track in a NASCAR stock car.
“I am extremely happy to have worked together with my team, NASCAR and of the track of Monza to bring for the first time a NASCAR stock car to Italy,” says Papis. “It will be an incredible show and I can’t wait to show why this American sport is so special and share this special moment with the Italian fans.
I am looking forward in seeing a large number of fans during the event to listen to the incredible sound of the V8 and to participate in a charity auction and the possibility to be my passenger for a lap. The passion for racing is the same all around the world, but with these cars it’s really unique and I want the fans to feel that.
A special thanks to NASCAR, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Joe Gibbs Racing, Goodyear Tires and all the sponsors who have made this project possible. Thank you in particular to all the fans, who with their passion have encouraged me to put all the effort together to take a NASCAR Sprint Cup Car to Italy for the first time.”
About Max Papis -
Massimiliano Papis was born October 3, 1969 in Como, Italy and now lives in Mooresville, NC, USA with wife Tatiana, sons Marco & Matteo and a few pets.
Max is one of the most versatile and accomplished race drivers in the world. A professional who through his career combined natural talent with hard work, focus and sheer determination to win as he climbed over each step, surpassing his limits and building an impressive résumé in the process.
In 1996, fresh out of Formula 1, young Max Papis came to America and made an immediate impact in the driving circles at the end of a particularly tough Daytona 24 Hours. At the wheel of a mended factory Ferrari prototype, Max put on a very spirited, ‘never-say-die’ drive to chase the leaders, which earned him the nickname “Mad Max” Papis. It has stuck ever since, and he has honored it taking part in 113 IndyCar Races with 3 victories and 15 podiums, winning the Grand Am Sportscar Championship in 2004 with Team Ganassi. Papis has participated in multiple 24-hour races and won the legendary 24 Hours of Daytona two times in 2000 and 2002). He has seven podium finishes in Le Mans and Daytona and won both the 12 Hour of Sebring and the Petit Le Mans for Corvette Racing two times. He won the SCCA GT Championship with Cadillac and became the first Italian after Mario Andretti to race full time in NASCAR. Max’s best result in NASCAR was a second place finish in 2010 Nationwide Series race in Montreal.
At a more personal level, Max is a man who is dedicated to his family, an avid cyclist, fitness enthusiast and committed to the causes that matter and touch him closely, such as the battle against cancer.
Max Papis Racing
10855 NW 33rd Street – Miami, FL – 33172 – USA
Matteo Vecchi – +1.704.746.8061 – matteo@maxpapis.com
www.maxpapis.com
Martinsville Accident Ruins Max Papis’ Career-Best Effort 10-29-11
By Max Papis Racing | October 31, 2011 at 3:14 pmMARTINSVILLE ACCIDENT RUINS MAX PAPIS’ CAREER-BEST EFFORT
RIDGEWAY, Va. (October 29, 2011) – After finishing in 10th-place one week ago at Talladega Superspeedway, Max Papis and the No. 9 GEICO Racing team entered Martinsville Speedway with momentum on their side. With only three races remaining in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, the Germain Racing team looked to continue their goal of finishing inside the top-10 in each of the final events. Saturday’s race at the ‘paperclip’ looked to be headed in that direction before an accident on lap 130 quickly ended those hopes.
After rain showers cancelled the majority of Friday’s practice session for the Truck Series, Papis and Crew Chief Randy Goss relied on their set-up package from the spring race. The weather began to cooperate late Saturday morning, allowing Papis to qualify his No. 9 GEICO Toyota. The Italian clocked a solid lap of 20.014 seconds (94.614 mph) to place his machine in the 15th starting position.
As soon as the green flag waved, shortly after 2 p.m. ET, Goss reminded Papis to establish a solid rhythm for the 200-lap race. The Como, Italy, native moved into 13th-place, as the first caution slowed the field on lap 39. Goss elected to bring Papis down pit road for four fresh tires, fuel, and a track bar adjustment. With varying strategies up and down pit road, the GEICO machine restarted in the 17th position on lap 43.
By lap 70, Papis had driven his way up to 14th-place and was using patience, as over half the race remained. A caution was displayed on lap 87 for a single-truck accident in turn four. Goss once again called Papis to pit road for right-side tires, fuel, and a track bar adjustment as the GEICO Toyota had responded positively to the previous changes.
Papis took off from the 14th position on lap 93 and after another quick caution, the No. 9 Tundra moved into sixth-place on lap 109. Two short laps later, Papis took over the fifth position. Over the next 20 laps, Papis and the GEICO Toyota continued to gain ground on the track and were en route to their career-best finish in NASCAR.
The good fortune quickly took a turn for the worse on lap 132 as Papis received contact from teammate Todd Bodine, while both trucks were running solidly in the top-five. Papis stayed on the racetrack while the majority of the field pitted to restart on lap 138 from 10th-place.
On lap 147, the bad luck continued for Papis as the No. 9 GEICO truck spun in turn three to bring out a yellow flag. Goss brought his driver to pit road for four tires, fuel, and repairs. Over the final 50 laps, Papis worked to salvage a respectable finish, but the damage sustained was too much and the truck crossed the finish line in the 18th position.
“It’s part of Martinsville racing,” said Papis after the race. “It’s just disappointing because I wasn’t expecting to get contact from a teammate. We had a great run going and it was going to be my best run of my career (in NASCAR). My team deserves better and it’s disappointing. There are two races left in the season and the GEICO team will keep trying to get the best finishes we can.”
Papis currently sits in 18th-place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings. The GEICO Racing driver is 14 points behind Miguel Paludo who holds the 17th position.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action this Friday, November 4th for the running of the WinStar World Casino 350k at Texas Motor Speedway. Watch the action live on SPEED Channel at 8 p.m. ET.
