There were really two winners in Montreal last weekend at the NAPA Auto Parts 200 of the NASCAR Nationwide series.
Sure, the record books will have Boris Said as winner, but Max Papis proved he still has the right stuff as a driver after one of the closest finishes in NASCAR Nationwide history.
“I feel it’s another business card for my personality,” the Italian driver told Auto123.com.
More than that it’s an affirmation that the 40-year old still has the competitive fire, and ability, of a winner.
It’s a cruel reality that a driver is only as good as his last race and Papis who had a part-time ride in the Cup series struggled to show he’s still competitive in a small team with limited resources.
Papis, a winner in virtually everything he has driven like Indy cars and sports cars, still has to prove himself in the unforgiving, mostly-oval, NASCAR circuit. And he started very late in a racer’s career to this game.
He earned his stripes by helping Hendrick Motorsports test the road-racing COT. He’s driven in all three top divisions of NASCAR but, until recently, didn’t have a full-time ride. He’s just announced that he’ll be driving a Geico-sponsored truck for Germain Racing next year.
The faith that DeLana and Kevin Harvick had to put him in top equipment, like the Rheem –sponsored Chevrolet, paid off. Only it was not as simple as plug and play.
His quest for the “good ride” began by, literally, knocking on Harvick’s motorcoach door. After a 15-minute chat Papis knew that they were on the same wavelength. He laughed and told Harvick’s not that he was “not that much of a badass” that others might think of him.
Eventually a deal was struck, and much like the Harvicks’ KHI team put Elliott Sadler back behind the wheel of a winning truck, Mad Max had the equipment to get the job done.
Still the best driver, in the best car, is no better than the team communication.
Papis went over to the Harvick’s KHI racing shop not just to say hello but to learn all of the names of the crew. More importantly he said he clicked with crew chief Ernie Cope.
Papis said Cope recognized his commitment, immediately, and told him “you are a professional, we did what you asked.”
All that preparation paid off as Papis battled with Said for the win in the final lap. Despite a small bobble costing him the lead Papis didn’t give up until the checkered flag was waved.
Papis said “if anyone had doubts before,” saying that people forget his third-place finish in Montreal in 2007, that should have cleared it up.
DeLana Harvick said “I've never met someone so passionate, dedicated and humble...I know he wanted to win, but he proved a huge point.”
Next year Papis, in a full-time ride, with a series-contending team, will again be proving a huge point; only it will be in Victory Lane.
Sure, the record books will have Boris Said as winner, but Max Papis proved he still has the right stuff as a driver after one of the closest finishes in NASCAR Nationwide history.
“I feel it’s another business card for my personality,” the Italian driver told Auto123.com.
More than that it’s an affirmation that the 40-year old still has the competitive fire, and ability, of a winner.
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| The closest finish in Nationwide road racing. (Photo: nascar.com) |
It’s a cruel reality that a driver is only as good as his last race and Papis who had a part-time ride in the Cup series struggled to show he’s still competitive in a small team with limited resources.
Papis, a winner in virtually everything he has driven like Indy cars and sports cars, still has to prove himself in the unforgiving, mostly-oval, NASCAR circuit. And he started very late in a racer’s career to this game.
He earned his stripes by helping Hendrick Motorsports test the road-racing COT. He’s driven in all three top divisions of NASCAR but, until recently, didn’t have a full-time ride. He’s just announced that he’ll be driving a Geico-sponsored truck for Germain Racing next year.
The faith that DeLana and Kevin Harvick had to put him in top equipment, like the Rheem –sponsored Chevrolet, paid off. Only it was not as simple as plug and play.
His quest for the “good ride” began by, literally, knocking on Harvick’s motorcoach door. After a 15-minute chat Papis knew that they were on the same wavelength. He laughed and told Harvick’s not that he was “not that much of a badass” that others might think of him.
Eventually a deal was struck, and much like the Harvicks’ KHI team put Elliott Sadler back behind the wheel of a winning truck, Mad Max had the equipment to get the job done.
Still the best driver, in the best car, is no better than the team communication.
Papis went over to the Harvick’s KHI racing shop not just to say hello but to learn all of the names of the crew. More importantly he said he clicked with crew chief Ernie Cope.
Papis said Cope recognized his commitment, immediately, and told him “you are a professional, we did what you asked.”
All that preparation paid off as Papis battled with Said for the win in the final lap. Despite a small bobble costing him the lead Papis didn’t give up until the checkered flag was waved.
Papis said “if anyone had doubts before,” saying that people forget his third-place finish in Montreal in 2007, that should have cleared it up.
DeLana Harvick said “I've never met someone so passionate, dedicated and humble...I know he wanted to win, but he proved a huge point.”
Next year Papis, in a full-time ride, with a series-contending team, will again be proving a huge point; only it will be in Victory Lane.