New NASCAR Xfinity Series team FRS Racing has hired their first driver, and it is someone who will also race in the series for the first time. On Tuesday, the team announced Max McLaughlin will drive the #96 Chevrolet Camaro at Watkins Glen International on 19 August.
McLaughlin raced in what is now the ARCA Menards Series East for Hattori Racing Enterprises in 2019, finishing fifth in points with a victory at Watkins Glen. Said win came in dominating fashion as he won the pole and led all thirty-four laps. After a COVID-abbreviated 2020 campaign, McLaughlin elected to return to his roots in dirt track racing; he made his NASCAR début at the 2018 Eldora Truck Series race on dirt and finished twelfth.
Despite being mainly a dirt driver nowadays, he occasionally returned to pavement in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, driving for Mike Curb. In nine career starts since 2020, he has four top tens with a best run of third. He will continue racing with backing from Curb for Gary Putnam Racing in 2023 as well as the Southern Modified Auto Racing Tour.
Nicknamed “Mad Max”, the 22-year-old is the son of former NASCAR driver Mike McLaughlin.
FRS Racing is a new operation led by former Brandonbilt Motorsports technical director Collin Fern. The #96 plans to run eight races in 2023 starting at Richmond Raceway on 1 April. Other drivers have not been revealed.
