Kulwicki Spotlight: Fresh Off Midwest Tour Win, Max Kahler Looking to Finish 2024 Season Strong

After 20 starts over the course of six seasons, Max Kahler joined the list of ASA Midwest Tour winners on August 31.

The victory came in the Jim Sauter Classic 200 at Dells Raceway Park. The field included some of the best in the Midwest, including former Kulwicki Driver Development Program champions Ty Majeski and Luke Fenhaus as well as fellow 2024 program finalists Ty Fredrickson and Levon Van Der Geest.

Kahler took the lead on lap 44 of the event and held off Andrew Morrissey in the closing laps for the victory. Kahler won the Super Late Model track championship at “the Dells” in 2023, but did so without a feature win. Thus, last Saturday’s win was a special one in several ways.

“I’m still on cloud nine,” Kahler told Racing America. “It was such a cool win to get for us. We had been working on that first Midwest Tour win for a while. To do it at a place like the Dells where we had run a lot the last handful of years really meant a lot.

“We won the track championship there last year, but never got a win all season long. We won Falloween a handful of years ago at the Dells, and we just have raced there so much and perfected what we’ve been doing there this year. We’ve really been on it, setup-wise. In the last Alive for Five race, we raced side by side with Gabe Sommers for 25 laps at the end of the race, and he beat us out.”

Riding Momentum to Close Out The Season

Along with the elusive ASA Midwest Tour trophy, the win was evidence that Kahler’s Super Late Model program is on the rise. Whether it’s been with the ASA Midwest Tour or the Alive for 5 Super Late Model Series at Dells, Kahler has consistently been a podium finisher.

There will be two more chances to win at the Dells in 2024, including this Saturday. The Alive for 5 finale, the Falloween 150, awaits teams on October 19.

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Kahler will also compete in the Bettenhausen Memorial 100 at Grundy County Speedway on September 20-21, as well as the prestigious Oktoberfest Race Weekend at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway on October 3-6.

With the Jim Sauter Classic 200 win under his belt, Kahler has renewed confidence entering these big races to close out the season.

“I feel really good going into these last handful of races,” said Kahler. “This year in particular, I think we’ve really broadened our range of where we’re good at. In years past, we’ve always been decent at the Dells. We’ve been able to perfect our setup at Slinger this year, Grundy, all these other places.

“This year has been a lot of ups and downs. I’ve been telling everybody I thought the second half of the year would be really nice to us. It has been, and hopefully, we can carry this momentum into these last few races and get some wins, if not some really good finishes.”

A Second Chance As A KDDP Finalist

It is not uncommon for drivers to earn the distinction of being a Kulwicki Driver Development Program Finalist twice in their career. Levon Van Der Geest is a fellow double-finalist in this year’s class.

However, not as many get a second chance the way Kahler has. The Illinois driver was a finalist in 2021, and now returns in 2024.

Kahler and his Super Late Model program have grown a lot since that first attempt in 2021.

“This year, we were in a much better position to be competitive in the program,” said Kahler. “In 2021, we were still pretty new to the Super Late Model scene. We did a lot of Late Model racing, but it’s a completely different animal, running on bump stops and stuff. It’s just completely different. We were still getting our heads wrapped around that.

“Now, we’ve perfected what we’re doing and have a much better handle on what’s going on and what needs to happen to make these cars fast. I wanted to be a part of the program again. I applied for it last year and got in. It’s just been a great experience. It’s like a second chance to show them what we have and what we’re capable of.”

Granting Wishes Away From The Track

Away from the track, Kahler has also carried on Alan Kulwicki’s legacy with his charitable efforts. Much of that work has been with the Nikolas Ritschel Foundation based in Rockford, Illinois. The Nikolas Ritschel Foundation grants wishes for young adults aged 18 to 24 suffering from cancer.

“A big thing we’ve been doing this year is helping the Nikolas Ritschel Foundation. The Nikolas Ritschel Foundations helps 18 to 25-year-olds primarily who are battling cancer, and helps fulfill their wishes.

“We were able to help out a gentleman named Angel earlier in the year. His final wish was to run a sports car at a famous race track. I thought that fit perfectly with what we were doing. We were able to raise a bunch of money for them, which has been a really cool experience.

“It’s a really humbling experience, being exposed to that stuff. It really shows you how grateful and how fortunate I am and all of us are, not only to have our health but to be able to drive race cars and do what we do.

“I’ve also been helping out at the Compassion Closet, which is the food pantry at my local church, handing out food boxes and helping the community that way as well.”

-Photo credit: Will Bellamy, Racing America