SOUTH BOSTON, Va. – Adding to his already-diverse slate of events this season, Toyota Racing development driver Max McLaughlin will make his NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour debut during the series’ season opener at South Boston Speedway on March 21.
The 20-year-old son of 1988 Tour champion Mike McLaughlin will drive for car owner Gary Putnam in Putnam’s familiar No. 77 entry at the four-tenths-mile Virginia short track.
Though it will be McLaughlin’s first time running a Tour event, it won’t be his first appearance in an asphalt modified.
McLaughlin finished second to NASCAR Cup Series star Ryan Preece in an SK Modified event at Thompson (Conn.) Speedway Motorsports Park last June, and also tested Putnam’s car at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in January in preparation for his debut.
“Man, we had a really good showing at Thompson when I jumped in that SK Modified last year. Obviously running second to Ryan Preece, that’s kind of an accomplishment in itself … and doing it in my first time ever sitting in one of those type of cars definitely turned a couple of heads as well,” McLaughlin relayed to SPEED SPORT on Monday. “After that, somebody got me in touch with Gary, we talked a little bit and then when I saw him in New Hampshire (last fall), he told me if I wanted to drive this thing in next year to give him a call.
“So I called him up and we went to lunch and talked it out, went to the Martinsville test and felt like we connected pretty well and worked together well, so here we are.”
The good news for McLaughlin? His Whelen Modified Tour debut will come at a track where he’s had some positive runs in the past.
McLaughlin finished third in both ends of the ARCA Menards Series East Twin 100s last season at South Boston, a good omen and something he believes does aid him in getting up to speed in the modified since he already knows what to expect from the race track.
“I think that what we did there last year will definitely help,” he noted. “The two cars drive pretty close to the same. Generally, it’s the same race car, just a little more power. When we tested at Martinsville, I felt a lot of similarities. Driving for Gary, as a company they’re super fast, and I think that does bode well for us.
“I think we’ll be good at South Boston. I’ve run two K&N Pro Series (now ARCA East) races there now, and finished third in both,” he added. “I had food positioning in the second one but still led a lot of laps. I think we will have a good showing. We just want to complete all of the laps, keep the car in one piece and be there at the end to make a run at it.”
Following the opener at South Boston, McLaughlin plans to run three or four events in total for Putnam’s operation.
One of those races looks to be at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour runs in conjunction with the ARCA Menards Series East, but McLaughlin also has a bucket-list track in mind that he hopes to run at if the chance arises.
“I’d like to go Oswego, if possible,” McLaughlin said with a smile. “Obviously I’ve won there in the dirt car during Super DIRT Week, so to be able to go there in dirt and asphalt races would be pretty cool. My dad won there back in the day in the modified, too, so that’s one that I definitely have circled on my list.
“We just have to get together and see what my schedule is gonna allow me to do, but whenever we’re free and Gary’s able to get us in, we’ll go ahead and do some modified races this year.”
As far as his expectations, McLaughlin is putting them in the same place that he does with every other type of car he gets into – whether it’s an ARCA East car, dirt modified, outlaw kart or anything else.
“It’s going to be a little bit of a learning curve, but just like anything I get in, I want to go win,” McLaughlin said. “I plan to watch film and be prepared to go there and win. Gary Putnam has a winning organization. We are going to do everything we can to go run up front and give it all we have.
“These Tour guys are the best of the best at their craft. There is a ton of talent on the Tour. Preece has really showed a lot of people that. Some of the best talent in all of racing is in that series. Doug Coby, Justin Bonsignore … those two names alone, they are two badass shoes and I’m looking forward to going down there and battling with them.”