Max Gutiérrez

Maximiliano Gutiérrez Hoppe (born December 18, 2002) is a Mexican professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Mexico Series, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet Camaro for Canel's Racing. He previously competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Racing career

Early career Gutiérrez began racing at three years old in the Mexico National Super Kart Championship in 2006, where he finished third in the standings in the Baby Stock category. He returned in 2007, again finishing third in the Modified Baby 50 category. From 2008 to 2013, he won six consecutive Super Kart Championship titles.

In 2017, Gutiérrez competed full-time in the NASCAR Mikel's Truck Series, winning Rookie of the Year honors. He won the championship in 2018.

Gutiérrez moved up to the Mexico T4 Series (now Mexico T4 Series) in 2019, earning two wins, seven top-fives, and eight top-tens, finishing fifth in the standings. He returned to the series in 2020, where he won the championship with five wins, ten top-five, and 11 top-tens.

Gutiérrez moved up to the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series full-time in 2021. He earned eight top-fives, ten top-tens, and finished fourth in the final standings.

ARCA Menards Series East On September 17, 2020, Gutiérrez made his ARCA Menards Series East debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, driving the No. 53 for Troy Williams Racing, starting 26th and finishing 14th. He later competed in the East Series race at Five Flags Speedway, starting 14th and finishing 12th. He did not return to Troy Williams Racing after 2020.

On February 5, 2021, Gutiérrez announced that he would drive full-time in the East Series, driving the No. 30 Ford Fusion for Rette Jones Racing.

On February 8, 2021, three days after the announcement, Gutiérrez earned his first career East Series win, after taking the lead on the final turn, defeating Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray in a three wide finish. He finished the season with one win, two top-fives, and five top-tens, and ranked fourth in the standings.

ARCA Menards Series Gutiérrez made one start in the 2020 ARCA Menards Series season, driving for Troy Williams Racing.

Gutiérrez returned for the 2021 ARCA Menards Series, running the races that were paired with the East Series, with his best finish being 12th at Iowa Speedway.

Gutiérrez returned to the series in 2022, scoring his first career top-ten at Talladega Superspeedway in April.

ARCA Menards Series West Gutiérrez made his first ARCA Menards Series West start at PHO, starting 12th and finishing 21st.

Craftsman Truck Series On April 23, 2022, it was announced that Gutiérrez would make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in the CLT, driving the No. 37 for AM Racing. Due to the small number of owner points for the 37 truck, Gutiérrez would attempt to qualify on speed. Since only 35 cars were entered, Gutiérrez made his debut. He started 31st and finished in 26th. Gutiérrez made his second start at the NSH, this time in the 22 truck, as the original driver, Austin Wayne Self, was on paternity leave after the birth of his daughter. Gutiérrez originally qualified 17th, but due to his truck being too low to the ground, he started from the rear. He finished in eighth, scoring his first career top-ten in only his second start.

Personal life On January 29, 2023, Max and his brother, Federico, were travelling near Valle de Bravo, Mexico in a Porsche Boxster, when their vehicle collided with a Ford Explorer pickup truck. Max was airlifted to a hospital in Mexico City with undisclosed injuries, while Federico, who was driving the vehicle at the time, was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Motorsport career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Pts Ref 2022 AM Racing 37 Chevy DAY LVS ATL COA MAR BRI DAR KAN TEX CLT26 GTW SON KNO 40th 72 22 NSH8 MOH POC21 IRP RCH KAN BRI TAL HOM21 PHO 2023 Ford DAY LVS21 ATL COA TEX BRD MAR KAN DAR NWS CLT GTW NSH MOH POC RCH IRP MLW KAN BRI TAL HOM PHO 65th 16

ARCA Menards Series ARCA Menards Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts Ref 2020 Troy Williams Racing 53E Toyota DAY PHO TAL POC IRP KEN IOW KAN TOL TOL MCH DAY GTW L44 TOL BRI14 WIN MEM ISF KAN 71st 30 2021 Rette Jones Racing 30 Ford DAY PHO TAL KAN TOL CLT15 MOH POC ELK BLN IOW12 WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW15 DSF BRI14 SLM KAN 30th 120 2022 AM Racing 32 Chevy DAY32 PHO TAL10 KAN CLT IOW BLN ELK MOH POC IRP MCH GLN ISF MLW DSF KAN BRI SLM TOL 70th 46

ARCA Menards Series East ARCA Menards Series East results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pts Ref 2020 Troy Williams Racing 53E Toyota NSM TOL DOV TOL BRI14 16th 112 53 FIF12 2021 Rette Jones Racing 30 Ford NSM1 FIF7 NSV9 DOV5 SNM10 IOW12 MLW15 BRI14 4th 383 2022 NSM3 FIF DOVWth NSV IOW MLW BRI 37th 41

ARCA Menards Series West ARCA Menards Series West results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pts Ref 2021 Rette Jones Racing 30 Ford PHO SON IRW CNS IRW PIR LVS AAS PHO21 60th 23