Maximilian Opalski

Max Opalski
Opalski in 2024
NationalityPoland Polish
United States American
via double nationality
Born
November 10, 2005 (age 20)
Chicago Illinois
CategorisationFIA Silver
Previous series
2022-2023 2024IMSA MX5 Cup
IMSA Mustang Challenge

Maximilian Opalski (born November 10, 2005) is an American and Polish racing driver and team owner currently competing in sports car racing.[1] He is known for his participation in the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup and the IMSA Ford Mustang Challenge, as well as for founding his own racing team.[2][3]

Early life and karting

Maximilian Opalski was born on November 10, 2005, in Chicago, Illinois, United States.[3] He began racing at the age of five in karting, competing in regional series such as the World Karting Association (WKA) and Route 66 series. Through the late 2010s, he progressed through various karting classes, achieving multiple top-ten finishes at national events and podium results in regional competitions. In 2019, Opalski achieved notable success with multiple race victories and strong results with podium finishes in the United States Pro Kart Series[4] and Challenge of the Americas.[3][5][6]

Transition to car racing and MX5 cup

Max Opalski Driving MX5 Cup

Opalski transitioned from karting to sports car racing in 2022, joining Copeland Motorsports to compete in the Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BF Goodrich.[7] Competing at various tracks around the US, including tracks like The Streets of St. Petersburg,[8] Virginia International Raceway,[9] and Watkins Glen.[10] Opalski finished the 2022 season with top-ten finishes at the Road Atlanta.[11]

In 2023, Opalski returned to the Mazda MX5 Cup grid with Copeland Motorsports[12] at Daytona International Speedway[13] with a fifth-place result.[14] He finished on the poduim twice that here in Road America and Road Atlanta with one pole position and a track record.[15][16] Opalski finished the 2023 Mazda MX5 cup 4th place in the championship.[17]

Max Opalski Racing and Mustang Challenge

Max Opalski Driving Mustang Challenge

In 2024, at age 18, Opalski founded his own racing team, Max Opalski Racing, to compete in the newly established IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge.[18] The team was announced to run a Ford Mustang Dark Horse R, with Opalski entered as its first confirmed driver. He was reported as one of the youngest team owners in the IMSA paddock at that time.[19]

During the 2024 Mustang Challenge season, Opalski drove the No. 2 Mustang and earned competitive results, including a sixth-place at season opener,[20] a top-five finish at Watkins Glen[21] and sixth-place results at Road America under his independent entry. He later joined McCumbee McAleer Racing for the remainder of the season, competing alongside a larger team structure.[22] In the final race of the season, Opalski finished Race 1 and 2 in fourth.[23][24][25]

2026

In 2026, Opalski competed in the Zenith Racing Series with Automatic Racing, driving the NP01 Prototype. The season included appearances at several road courses in the United States, including Barber Motorsports Park. Other Tracks on the schedule included Sonoma Raceway, Virginia International Raceway, Road America, Watkins Glen International, and Daytona International. The campaign marked Opalski’s participation in prototype sports car competition as part of the Automatic Racing program during the 2026 racing season.[26][27] Races consist of 7 and 12 hour endurance races.[28]

Career summary

Season Series Team Position
2019 SKUSA Pro Tour RPM 15th
Run Your Rust off N/A 1st
Skusa Pro Tour RPM 5th
Skusa Pro Tour RPM 8th
Colorado Karting Tour N/A 3rd
Pro Kart USA RPM 14th
Pro Kart USA RPM 4th
USPKS RPM DNF
Rotax US Finals RPM 4th
Colorado Karting Tour N/A 2nd
LAKC RPM 2nd
Pro Kart USA RPM 3rd
SKUSA SuperNationals RPM 5th
2020 LAKC RPM 1st
Challenge of the Americas RPM DNF
Challenge of the Americas RPM 1st
Pro Kart USA RPM 3rd
Colorado Karting Tour N/A DNF
Rok Championship RPM 7th
Charlotte karting Challenge RPM 3rd
USPKS RPM 4th
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM 2nd
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM 10th
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM 14th
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM DQ
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM 3rd
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM DNF
USPKS RPM 2nd
USPKS RPM 1st
USPKS RPM 2nd
IKF Nationals RPM 7th
2021 Skusa Winter series RPM 9th
Skusa Winter series RPM 5th
Skusa Winter series RPM DNF
Skusa Winter series RPM DNF
Challenge of the Americas RPM 12th
USPKS RPM 18th
USPKS RPM 14th
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM 7th
SKUSA Pro Tour RPM 16th
SKUSA SuperNationals RPM 7th
2022 Mazda MX-5 Cup Copeland Motorsports 9th
WRL 3rd
2023 Mazda MX-5 Cup Copeland Motorsports 4th
Nasa Rocky Mnt Nemnick motorsports 2nd
Nasa Rocky Mnt 2nd
2024 IMSA Ford Mustang Challenge Max Opalski Racing 6th
Nasa Mid-Atlantic Team MOR 2nd
New River All American Speedway Three-sixtheenths motorsports 1st
Legends Nationals 22nd
Legends Nationals DNS
2025 Nasa Mid-Atlantic Team MOR 1st
2026 Zenith Racing Sonoma Automatic Racing 3rd
DNF
Zenith Racing Barber DNF
5th
Sources [29][30][31][32][33][34]

References

  1. ↑ "Meet Max". Max Opalski Racing.
  2. ↑ "Pilot Maximilian Opalski - Profil, Podiumuri, Carieră & Rezultate | Baza de Date 51GT3". 51gt3.com (in Romanian). Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  3. 1 2 3 "We Can All Race". 2023-06-26. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  4. ↑ "Multiple first winners at ProKart Challenge 2020 opener". TKART - News, tips, tech about karting. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  5. ↑ "CalSpeedMag2020". FlippingBook. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  6. ↑ "Meet Max Opalski". MaxOpalskiRacing. August 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "MAX OPALSKI JOINS COPELAND MOTORSPORTS FOR 2022 MAZDA MX-5 CUP PROGRAM :: Copeland Motorsports". copelandmotorsports.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  8. ↑ "Rookie Max Opalski Set to Make St. Petersburg Grand Prix Debut This Weekend". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  9. ↑ "Max Opalski Set for Challenge at VIR This Weekend". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  10. ↑ "Max Opalski Embarks on the Famed Watkins Glen International". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  11. ↑ "Max Opalski Finishes the 2022 Season with Top-Ten Finishes". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  12. ↑ "Max Opalski Rejoins Copeland Motorsports for 2023 MX-5 Cup Season". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  13. ↑ Media, R. T. D. (2023-01-20). "Max Opalski Readies for First Event of 2023 MX-5 Cup Season". RTD Media. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  14. ↑ "Max Opalski Earns Career-Best MX-5 Cup Finish at Daytona". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  15. ↑ "2023 Championship Round 9 & 10". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  16. ↑ "Zilisch Doubles Up in Mazda MX-5 Cup at Road Atlanta". Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  17. ↑ "Driver DataBase".
  18. ↑ "Max Opalski Racing Launches Mustang Challenge Effort – Sportscar365". 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  19. ↑ "Max Opalski Racing Launches Mustang Challenge Effort – Sportscar365". 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  20. ↑ "Max Opalski Carrying Lessons From IMSA Mustang Challenge Opener Into Rounds Three and Four at Watkins Glen - Max Opalski has his eyes up and focus forward for the second stop of the 2024 IMSA Mustang Challenge series this weekend at Watkins Glen International, carrying lessons from the first weekend forward for he and his Max Opalski Racing program. by Official Release". SpeedwayMedia.com. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  21. ↑ "Max Opalski and Team MOR Pushing For Podiums in Mustang Challenge at Road America - The third weekend in IMSA Ford Racing Mustang Challenge has Max Opalski feeling optimistic about taking a leap forward following a pair of races on the lead pace and a successful test at Road America. by Official Release". SpeedwayMedia.com. 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  22. ↑ "Opalski Moves to MMR for Rest of Season – Sportscar365". 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  23. ↑ "Maxson Scores Thrilling Win; Lee Takes Points Hit With DNS – Sportscar365". 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  24. ↑ "Noaker Wins Race 2 at Indy; Crowned Inaugural Champion – Sportscar365". 2024-10-04. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  25. ↑ dzinsmaster (2024-10-04). "Noaker, Bachoura Secure Mustang Challenge Class Championships in Indy". IMSA. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  26. ↑ Opalski, Max (May 7, 2026). "Barber Motorsports park race review". Max Opalski Racing.
  27. ↑ "2026 Racing schedule". Max Opalski Racing.
  28. ↑ "Schedule". Zenith Racing Series. Retrieved 2026-05-22.
  29. ↑ "Speedhive". speedhive.mylaps.com. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
  30. ↑ "Opalski Maximilian". Kartcom (in French). Retrieved 2025-12-24.
  31. ↑ "Driver: Maximilian Opalski | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
  32. ↑ "Schedule & Results".
  33. ↑ "2022 Championship Latest Results". www.mx-5cup.com. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
  34. ↑ "Latest News and Announcements".
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