Since its inception, NASCAR has continued to inspire and attract drivers not just from America but from various motorsports worldwide. Italian motorsports icon Max Papis is one of the many people to have found solace in the American racing scene. Arriving on The Kenny Wallace Conversation as a guest, Papis talked about the significance of NASCAR in America and dropped a shocking three-word revelation.

Max Papis has featured in all three NASCAR national racing series and holds the record for the most NASCAR starts by a European. Having raced worldwide in various motorsports, Papis is the performance coach for Hendrick Motorsports’ No.24 Chevrolet driver, William Byron. Surprisingly, Papis also compared his current life with his past in Italy and revealed his affinity towards hotdogs and beers as the conversation with Kenny Wallace moved on.

Max Papis has embodied the spirit of NASCAR racing

Max Papis has been a motorsports journeyman throughout his glittering career. Beginning his career as a kart racer in Italy, Papis’ first breakthrough arrived in 1995 when he debuted at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix for Team Arrows. In 1996, he earned the moniker ‘Mad Max’ after a courageous display in a Ferrari prototype at the Daytona 24 Hours race. That is when his love for the American racing culture grew to a new level.

Speaking of his early visualization of NASCAR through some iconic movies, he stated, “I always had this admiration for Talladega Nights and Days of Thunder, so I knew. I watched every movie. For me, NASCAR equals America. I wanted to see what was the American dream.”

Max Papis’ popularity in America jumped to an unprecedented level when he won the 2002 24 Hours of Daytona with Team Ferrari. As his career unfolded following the Daytona victory, he got his first NASCAR taste in 2003, testing in the Evernham Motorsports #91 Dodge Intrepid at Kentucky.

Interrupting Max Papis, Kenny Wallace added that when the Italian arrived in the country, NASCAR was experiencing its golden age and had reached a larger-than-life status. “For all of you kids out there or anybody that doubts NASCAR, we all know that NASCAR is still awesome. But when you came to America, NASCAR was America; it was bigger than life,” claimed Kenny, to which Papis replied with a major statement as he said,

“NASCAR is America. NASCAR represents what America is.”

Max Papis’ affinity for America mainly stems from his love for Daytona events. He went on to win the 2004 Rolex Grand-Am Daytona Prototype championship with CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing after recording three wins and 11 poles in 12 races. During his time with CART Racing, an iconic quadruplet of Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti, Max Papis, and Greg Moore was formed, which came to be known as ‘The Brat Pack.’

However, as Papis was enjoying his American dream, a major change in his lifestyle was closing in.

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Papis left behind cheese and crackers to embrace hotdogs and beers

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Max Papis continued his love story with America as he went on to excel in different racing circuits nationwide. Entering Corvette Racing in the latter stages of 2004, he won the 12 Hours of Sebring in the GTS class with the Corvette Racing team. He finished the year with a complete season in the American Le Mans Series and a runner-up result in 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Coming from a different culture with a different preference in cuisine, Max Papis had been a fan of hotdogs and beers, representing the quintessential American cuisine. Continuing his conversation with Wallace, he said, “I always say, ‘hotdog and beers.’ I always say, you know, my previous life was cheese and crackers and wine. I learned how to like hotdogs and beers.”

Max Papis’ journey in NASCAR expanded to the Truck Series and limited appearances in the Sprint Cup and Busch Series. Fast forward to 2023, and he loves his life in NASCAR, with his pupil William Byron becoming one of the best drivers in the Cup Series and a potential superstar. One can easily say that Papis has adjusted well to his American life.

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