2022 Max Weiland Racing Year-In-Review

by | Feb 2, 2023

Max Weiland is an 11-year-old racing driver affiliated with Checkered Motorsports, Magik Kart USA, Electronic Merchant Systems, Ferrari of San Francisco, and BRM Chronographes Americas.

Max is coached by Conrad Grunewald, Andrew Bujdoso, and Robert Bujdoso. We want to sincerely thank our team, coaches, and teammates for a tremendous experience throughout 2022.

Race back through this past year with Max to read about all the fun we had at the track. We are looking forward to making more memories in the new year.

We also wanted to thank everyone who follows and supports @MaxWeilandRacing on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Max’s Racing Recaps

Max’s Racing Year-in-Review:

Month: January
Location: Daytona, Florida

Racing Recap: Max Races Daytona International Speedway and Earns a P3 Finish

Max Weiland began race weekend in Daytona, Florida with great focus and energy in practice. His Magik Kart USA / Checkered Motorsports team helped Max qualify P5 before earning a P3 podium finish later that day in the race.

The next day, after finishing P3 in Race 1 at Daytona, Weiland took the lead at the end of Lap 1 during Race 2. But an error in one corner of the racetrack dropped him to P4, where he finished that race.

Overall, two excellent results for Max and his team, with a 3rd and 4th place finish against some great competition at a historic circuit.

Racing Video from Daytona:

Month: February
Location: Miami, Florida

Racing Recap: Max Wins at Homestead-Miami—Almost

During the 4-stroke L206 class race in February at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, Max started outside in the front row and led the race after Lap 1. Max diced with P2 for the entire race, with several passes and repasses between the two drivers challenging for the lead.

Max’s competitor moved ahead midway through the final lap, but Weiland responded with an audacious outside pass with three corners to go to secure the lead. From there, Max powered his Checkered Motorsports / Magik Kart USA home for the win—almost.

A five-second post-race penalty for jumping the start (slightly) at the beginning of the race tempered the victory celebration. The penalty time forced Max to finish P3.

It was a fair ruling but a valuable lesson on handling results when they don’t go your way which Max did a great job with during this weekend while also trying his best.

Racing Video from Miami:

Month: March
Location: Mooresville, North Carolina

Racing Recap: Weiland Wins at GoPro Motorplex in North Carolina

Max won the 4-stroke Final and Feature race at GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, North Carolina, in his Magik Kart USA Briggs Cadet in March. Despite starting the PreFinal in P21, he passed 19 drivers to earn a P2 start in the Final. From there, Max turned in an exceptional drive to secure the hard-fought victory against a very talented field.

During the PreFinal, drove very well on a wet but drying track. The entire field, including Max, was on wet tires during the seven-lap race. Weiland followed that effort by coming out on top of a very tough four-kart fight in the dry Final for the win later that day.

Racing Video from North Carolina:

Month: May
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Racing Recap: Max Wins in Pittsburgh Where it All Began

Competing at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex, where a young Max Weiland raced for the very first time, the Magik Kart USA / Checkered Motorsports driver darted through the wet for another memorable weekend.

On a cold and slick track, Max Qualified P1 in Pittsburgh to start race weekend. After that, he finished P1 in the PreFinal and closed out the racing action with a victory in the Final.

The winning weekend of racing also reminded us of not so long ago when little Max first started racing on this same track. Watch that throwback video from the Pittsburgh International Race Complex below!

Racing Video of Max’s first win in Pittsburgh back in 2019:

Month: May
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Racing Recap: Max Celebrates His Birthday with his Teammates

Watch Max Celebrate his Birthday at the Racetrack. During his trip to New Castle, Max celebrated his 11th birthday. After the team sang happy birthday to Max in the garage at the track, they smashed the cake and put icing all over his face.

Fortunately, Max was able to get all the icing out of his eyes before his next race!

Month: August
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Race Recap: Max Earns P2 Despite Stitches and Cast

Max arrived at the World Karting Association races in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a half-cast on his hand after his hand was broken due to contact we absorbed in his previous race. While trying to adjust his driving position, he accidentally gouged his right elbow on the clutch early in the weekend.

The injury led to an unexpected urgent care trip that resulted in three stitches. It also appeared to be the premature end of the weekend. But Max followed doctors’ orders explicitly, and we got medical clearance to race in the Mini Swift 2 stroke on Saturday.

While driving with a cast and stitches, Max stayed focused and finished P5 in the Final. His time was also less than a second out of P2. On Sunday, Max needed P3 or higher and to finish ahead of one of his competitors to finish P2 in the Mini Swift Championship. He qualified P5, got P2 in the rain in the PreFinal, and finished P2 on a wet track in the Final.

What a great weekend, way to go, Max!

Racing Video of Max in Cincinnati:

Month: October
Location: IAME Mini Stars

Race Recap: Max Earns P3 in Stars Championship Series for 2022

In October, Max earned P3 in the IAME Mini Stars championship series for the racing points he gained throughout the year in 2022. Huge thanks to Magik Kart USA and Checkered Motorsports for helping put us in a position to earn a top-3 finish.

Thanks to Max’s coaches and teammates for their support throughout the year.

Way to go, Max!

Month: November
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Race Recap: Great Learning Lesson and Lots of Fun at SKUSA SuperNats in Vegas

In November, we competed in the SKUSA SuperNats in Las Vegas. Not a great result but lots of learning and good takeaways from a fun racing experience in Nevada.

Then for 2023, despite Max being only 11, we are moving immediately into the KA100 age 12-15 class. The KA100 class features a bigger full-size chassis with more power and many more experienced drivers.

We hope to learn a lot and be competing for the front as soon as possible.

Thanks for supporting Max on his racing journey! More Updates to come in ‘23!

Bonus: Racing Mini-Book
Fiction Book: Inspired by Max’s racing and written for young readers

Illustrated Mini-Book Title: Racing with Max at Daytona International Speedway

For Free Download Visit coachsams.org/

https://coachsams.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Racing-With-Max-Daytona-Download.pdf

Racing With Max

Watch More of Max’s Racing Videos: https://www.youtube.com/MaxWeilandRacing/videos

Thanks to Checkered Motorsports, Magik Kart USA, Electronic Merchant Systems, Ferrari of San Francisco, BRM Chronographes Americas, Conrad Grunewald, Robert Bujdoso and Andrew Bujdoso Racing for all their support.

You can also follow along with @MaxWeilandRacing on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Max Weiland is an 11-year old racing driver who is affiliated with Checkered Motorsports, Magik Kart USA, Electronic Merchant Systems, Ferrari of San Francisco and BRM Chronographes Americas and coached by Conrad Grunewald, Andrew Prendeville and Robert Bujdoso.

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