Column By: BOBBY CHALMERS / RPW – WEEDSPORT, NY – T.E.A.M.
Together…
Everyone…
Achieves…
More…
That’s a mantra that many in sports utilize. It’s also extremely significant when you reference Max McLaughlin and the #8H Heinke-Baldwin Racing (HBR) team since its inception.
However, it was on display for all to see in full effect this past weekend.
That’s when the team produced the type of results they’ve been needing very much and you could see the relief on Max’s face. You could hear it in his voice. In short, you could just “feel” it.
While he had a tough go of things on Friday night at Brewerton Speedway with a 26th place finish, it was his run Thursday at Utica-Rome and then on Saturday at Fonda which might be the supercharge to his 2023 season that he and the HBR #8H team have been looking for.
“We needed this,” McLaughlin said. “I’ve been doubting myself but my guys never did. I’m glad we finally were able to have the type of runs that I know this team is capable of.”
To start the four-race stretch, McLaughlin started 13th in the 30-lap Bill Shea Memorial at Utica and drove to a third-place finish behind Stewart Friesen and Alex Yankowski. However, it was the fact that the #8H moved solidly through the main event field that had him excited.
“I think we were definitely a second place car Thursday,” he said. “Maybe if we could have started up front, we might’ve given Friesen a run for his money.”
If not for a bad draw to line up for his heat race and a chance to get into the feature redraw, McLaughlin may have been at least one spot higher when the race was over, or even standing in victory lane.
“I got to Alex there at the end,” he said. “A couple more laps and I think we might have gotten him but Stewart, he was just gone.”
Driving from 13th to the podium put a big smile on Max’s face because that meant his car was moving forward and he had a shot at a victory. Over the last month or so, those types of finishes have been few and far between, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort from everyone involved.
“I think if we had a caution, we might have been able to win,” he said. “No matter what, though, my guys have been working extremely hard on our cars. We’ve been horrible lately but they never gave up.”
Saturday night at Fonda, Max started seventh and powered around defending Modified champion Matt DeLorenzo to score his first career Modified win at the “Track of Champions.”
“That win felt amazing,” he said. “After we won at Brewerton to start the year, we just straight up sucked. Fonda is a place I’ve been awful at for years but we seemed to hit on something last year at the 200. I never thought I’d ever get a win there.”
Since starting the season very hot, before this past weekend began, the last handful of races have been a struggle for the 8H team. Now, things seem to be pointed in the right direction.
“I knew we had speed at Fonda but that was an amazing field of cars,” he said. “Especially when you have guys like (Matt) Sheppard and (Stewart) Friesen in the pack and especially (Matt) DeLorenzo. I didn’t think I’d be able to get by him when he got out front. We just seemed to get through the holes better.”
Sunday’s Short Track Super Series race was washed out (rescheduled for Monday, July 17th) but to say things may be looking up for Max and the HBR team would be an understatement.
This is exactly the type of momentum shift any driver would love.
“When you’ve been struggling as bad as we have, it’s easy to get down on yourself,” he said. “We went from winning right out of the box barely even running 15th. No matter what, though, my crew never let me get down. Even when I didn’t believe in myself, they stayed behind me. They are the true reason we succeed.”
It’s that team comradery that has McLaughlin not only wishing he could win, but believing he can.
“I absolutely love my 8H guys,” he said. “We work hard in the shop and work hard all night at the track. If we have a small issue, we do everything in our power to correct it and nobody second guesses each other.”
Belief in a driver by the crew and vice versa is a cornerstone of any race team and this group is no different.
“Everyone just seems to gel really well,” he said. “I just think this was the kick in the ass we’ve needed to get our 2023 turned around.”
Because he’s the one that holds the steering wheel, McLaughlin usually gets the credit when the team is successful. He’s also the one, however, that gets the criticism when they struggle, but McLaughlin’s never believed racing was all about him.
He knows this is a full team effort.
“It all starts with Al (Heinke), Besty (Angelone) and all of our partners for believing in our program,” he said. “They give us everything we need to run up front. Honestly, though, more than anything, I’m really proud and thankful for every single person on this team. I’ve been horrible lately and they’ve stuck with me.”
As a racer, that belief by your team is HUGE. It’s the perfect shot in the arm a driver needs, especially when they need it the most.
“Through the last month, we couldn’t catch a break, but my team stuck with me,” he said. “They’ve stood behind me. Everybody on this crew has believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. To finally get things moving in the right direction feels pretty damn good.”