HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Former NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series champion Max Gutiérrez will drive the No. 22 AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet Silverado RST for AM Racing in Saturday afternoon’s Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
Gutiérrez will make his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of the season in the penultimate race of the year and his second start this year on an intermediate track.
Gutiérrez returns to the reins of AM Racing’s flagship No. 22 Chevrolet Silverado RST truck for the first time since racing at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in July and hopes to deliver the Statesville, N.C.-based team their fourth top-10 of the season.
In June, Gutiérrez stormed to an eighth-place finishing after starting last in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. With more Truck Series experience padded to his resume since his visit to the Music City, Gutiérrez invades Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway hoping to shine in the Sunshine State.
“I cannot thank everyone on the AM Racing team and their partners enough for allowing me to drive this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway,” Gutiérrez said. “Without a doubt, Homestead will be one of the most crucial races of my young Truck Series career and I just want to step up to the plate and do my job well for everyone on my team and those around me who continue to support me.”
With Homestead-Miami Speedway neighboring the city of Miami, Fla., the South Florida race track has a rich history of attracting diverse race fans. Gutiérrez hopes Saturday afternoon is an opportunity to build his growing fan base.
“I have attended races at Homestead-Miami before and the vibe is magnificent,” he said. “The Homestead races also often attract race fans from around the world, including Mexico. I know that having a good finish at Homestead on Saturday is an opportunity to make my country proud and there’s nothing more I want as a driver than to satisfy everyone who makes my dream possible.
“We will also have a lot of guests and potential marketing partners for the future on-hand at Homestead, so I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself to go out there and perform. I know I’m capable of doing that and look forward to the challenges that await me in my Homestead debut.”
Despite having zero laps of prior experience at Homestead, Gutiérrez is leaning on his veteran AM Racing team to help him adapt to the unique driving characteristics that the 1.5-mile track requires.
“I’m taking the same approach to Homestead that I did for Nashville,” added Gutiérrez. “The team was able to bring me a fast truck and even though we had to start the race at the rear of the field, I was quickly able to learn the track and adjust my driving style to an approach that allowed us to press the attack on the field and not only pass a lot of trucks but earn a top-10 finish.
“I’d like nothing more than to leave Homestead with the same kind of momentum that we earned at Nashville and carry it over to what I hope will be an influential and busy 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.”
Veteran crew chief Jamie Jones will call the shots for Gutiérrez. The pairing has been together not only for Gutiérrez’s three prior Truck Series races this season, but the Truck Series winning crew chief also worked with the teenager in the ARCA Menards Series this season.
The two paired for the superspeedway races at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway respectively. At Talladega, Gutiérrez impressed when he produced an impressive 10th-place finish after starting 24th.
Expert spotter and former Truck Series racer Tony Raines will guide the 19-year-old driver from up above.
“We are thrilled to continue to be a part of Max’s next chapter in making the transition to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and taking on Homestead this weekend,” said AM Racing team principal Kevin Cywinski.
“Through our great relationship with Rette Jones Racing Development, we have been able to have some success with Max this year and we look forward to continuing his steady progression and success in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series not only at Homestead this weekend, but into the future too.”
Since 2022, Gutiérrez has participated in three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, earning a career-best eighth-place finish at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June 2022.
Overall, the Mexican driver has maneuvered an average finish of 18.3.
In 11 career ARCA Menards Series East starts, Gutiérrez has one win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes and hoists a series’ average finish of 9.3 over three years. In seven career premier ARCA Menards Series starts, he has one top-10 and carries a series’ average finish of 16.0 over three years.