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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2017
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    263

    Default Max Blair and Viper split after ‘22 season

    Press Release 10/04/2022:

    Viper Motorsports and Max Blair to Mutually Split Following 2022 Campaign

    At the conclusion of the Case Construction World of Outlaws World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte, team owners Shawn & Lisa Martin and driver Max Blair would both like to announce that they are mutually parting ways following the conclusion of the 2022 racing season. The team has had a successful 2-year stint together, as Max started driving for the (then Pennsylvania – based / now Florida – based) Super Late Model team in 2021 when the pairing won the 2021 United Late Model Series Championship. The Viper Motorsports entry would then jump back to the World of Outlaws full time in 2022 where Max Blair currently sits 3rd in the national points standings with a handful of shows to go, still in the hunt for Rookie of the Year honors and a shot at winning the overall National Championship.

    Over the past two seasons, the team has won 25 races together to include the 2021 Keystone Cup at the Beford Speedway, two Case WOO events, one at Cherokee Speedway and the other at Bloomsburg as well as a $10,000 to win non-sanctioned event at the famed West Virginia Motor Speedway. Since May/June 2021, the Viper Motorsports entry, with Max Blair at the helm, has carried a Dirt on Dirt National Top 25 ranking, being as high as 16th and currently in the top 20 in earnings as a team for the 2022 season.

    Max and I sat down at Eriez a few weeks ago and we both laid 2023 possible plans out on the table. With the never-ending moving variables of the sport and family obligations for both of us, we just can’t get our racing agendas and personal obligations to overlay to the point where we both can be 100% happy with what we both wanted to do in 2023. We both have enjoyed the last two years racing together and will always be grateful for the friendship that we now have and the opportunity to have raced together. Even with the mutual split, Viper Motorsports is going to continue to support Max Blair’s racing moving forward in some capacity.

    Viper Motorsports will be relocating its racing operations at the conclusion of the season to make running the operation more feasible for ownership and more cost effective as a national based team. Those plans to be announced in the immediate future.

    I am extremely proud of what this team accomplished over the last two seasons. I have enjoyed racing with Max, Rob and the crew of Tyler, Trae, Ricky and all the others that volunteered to come help when they could. The Blair’s are a wonderful family and we have made some great friends during this journey the last two seasons with them.

    As for the balance of 2022, Viper Motorsports and Max Blair have remaining races scheduled:

    10/14 – 10/15 @ Portsmouth Raceway
    10/21 @ Humboldt Speedway
    10/22 @ 81 Speedway
    10/23 @ US 36 Speedway
    11/2 – 11/05 @ Dirt Track at Charlotte

    Thank you to all of the great sponsors and partners that helped make 2022 a success!
    Viper Risk Management Group, Base Racing Fuels, ATC Site Construction, Northeast Paving & Sealcoat, David Diesel Service, Bachman Trucking, Creekside Auto Sales, Murphy's Logging, C and J Dairy, Previty's Auto Wrecking, Specialty Products, Neimeyer Garage, NW Bus Service, Chiarelli Paving, Liberty Kenworth, Penske Racing Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, M Teats Transport, Mobile 1, Close Racing Supply, SRI Performance, Strange Axles, XS Power, Brown & Miller Oil Lines, Fast Shafts, Clements Automotive, Jerico Performance Transmissions, FK Rod Ends, Sweet Manufacturing, Wilwood Brake Systems, MWB Graphics, F&W Grafix, DMI / Bulldog Rearends, Rocket Chassis, Beyea Headers, Allstar Performance, Jones Racing Products, Make or Break Apparel, Xtreme Auto Body, Jay's Automotive, Pancho's Racing Products, Swift Springs, Accu-Force, Barnes Oil Pumps, Hoosier Tire
    2023 race count: Winston Speedway (MI)-3, Spoon River Speedway (IL)-1, Lincoln Speedway (IL)-1, Farmer City Raceway (IL)-1, Fairbury American Legion Speedway (IL)-1, Thunderbird Raceway (MI)-7, Kokomo Speedway (IN)-1, Butler Motor Speedway (MI)-1, Mt.Pleasant Speedway (MI)-1, I-96 Speedway (MI)-1, Merritt Speedway (MI)-3

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
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    Pennsboro, WV
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    2,999

    Default

    Would be a good ride for Tanner.

  3. #3
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    Feb 2020
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    5,873

    Default

    I thought they had a good thing going.

  4. #4

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    Will probably go back to running regionally next year. But I would love to see the Briggs' cut ties with Josh, put all resources into 1 car and have Max run it with WoO.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    5,873

    Default

    Josh is running better

  6. #6

    Default

    End it after the Finals. It was a good idea. It didn't work.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    965

    Default

    "Viper Motorsports will be relocating its racing operations at the conclusion of the season to make running the operation more feasible for ownership and more cost effective as a national based team. Those plans to be announced in the immediate future."

    Interesting if this plays into who may be the next driver.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Batavia, OH
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    13,615

    Default

    I wonder what their expectations were. I think they basically did what was reasonably expected.
    Modern Day Wedge Racing
    Florence -1

  9. #9

    Default

    For a driver being on the road and seeing many of these tracks for the first time he did very well. He turned in a solid year for the owners and rarely torn up equipment of his own accord. They seem to change drivers like their underwear and are a bit flakey when it comes to longer term commitment. Given a year on the road and the gained experience provided year 2 would have yielded even more improvement/wins. Not sure where the partnership went south, but that ride seems to be a temp position for anyone willing to sit in the seat - regardless of results.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    tn
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    Default

    Yep! Eckert’s, Lanigan & Blair- maybe Kyle Hardy at one time??

  11. #11
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    Dec 2017
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    Hardy was there for a little bit, only did a couple months of national touring.

  12. #12
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    May 2007
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    Pittsburgh PA
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    I don't think Max is built for the national touring life, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's a nasty grind and that's not for everybody.
    Last edited by Josh Bayko; 10-04-2022 at 04:49 PM.
    Follow me on Twitter: @JoshBayko

    Guerrilla Racing Junkies!

  13. #13
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    Feb 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrews42FAN View Post
    For a driver being on the road and seeing many of these tracks for the first time he did very well. He turned in a solid year for the owners and rarely torn up equipment of his own accord. They seem to change drivers like their underwear and are a bit flakey when it comes to longer term commitment. Given a year on the road and the gained experience provided year 2 would have yielded even more improvement/wins. Not sure where the partnership went south, but that ride seems to be a temp position for anyone willing to sit in the seat - regardless of results.
    I agree. Max was impressive.

  14. #14
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    May 2007
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    812

    Default

    Sounded like one side wanted to continue running nationally while other didn't. Sounds like Blair didn't.

  15. #15
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    Jan 2020
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    Pennsboro, WV
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    Quote Originally Posted by MasterSbilt_Racer View Post
    I wonder what their expectations were. I think they basically did what was reasonably expected.
    There are several car owners in the sport who have unreasonable expectations. Viper is one of them.

    But also, Max seems like a family man. Can't blame him for wanting to stay around home if that is the case. He'll clean up next season around PA/NY like he always does.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    352

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pennsboro32 View Post
    There are several car owners in the sport who have unreasonable expectations. Viper is one of them.

    But also, Max seems like a family man. Can't blame him for wanting to stay around home if that is the case. He'll clean up next season around PA/NY like he always does.
    Correct. It's no coincidence he has a new driver every 1-2 years.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    464

    Default

    This kind of timeframe seems to be more of the norm for these kind of rides isn't it? I don't quite understand why owners want to change that much when the results from multiple drivers are about the same. Just about the time you get settled in, then things are changing. I know every situation is different, but I just don't get it.

  18. #18

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Josh Bayko View Post
    I don't think Max is built for the national touring life, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's a nasty grind and that's not for everybody.
    Think we will see differently when announcements are made about what's next.

  19. #19
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    Jun 2015
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    Quote Originally Posted by PushinTheLimit View Post
    This kind of timeframe seems to be more of the norm for these kind of rides isn't it? I don't quite understand why owners want to change that much when the results from multiple drivers are about the same. Just about the time you get settled in, then things are changing. I know every situation is different, but I just don't get it.
    Some of these teams change drivers like the Cleveland Browns change quarterbacks ! !
    Last edited by Raceready; 10-05-2022 at 03:12 PM.

  20. #20
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    Mar 2013
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    On the road
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    Default

    The win loss record of those teams you’re talking about are about the same as the Browns also.
    Where is the move over flag when you need it?????

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