2020 Sport Compact Points Champion RJ Maas

By Greg Soukup

We continue our series of talks with last year’s points champions at Eagle Raceway by speaking with the IMCA Sport Compact winner RJ Maaz.

This was not RJ’s first championship as he had taken the crown back in 2018.

“My first year racing was 2014, I ran I think 5 or 6 races and then 2015 was my first full year”.

I asked him what had been going on over the off-season. “Not much really. I sold all of my sport compact stuff at the end of the season last year. I bought a sport mod in September and then sold that. Since then, I’ve just been helping out my buddy AJ Oaks who’s driving a sport mod now”.

As for his 2021 plans he said “I’m kind of taking a step back. I don’t want to jump into a sport mod completely green, you know what I’m saying. I don’t want to make a complete fool out of myself out there. I want to be hands on with the sport mods; just be a wrench man for Steffen Oaks and AJ. Or even anyone else who needs a hand, I’ll be around for them too”.

I told him that it would be odd not seeing him on the track, and he stated “Yes, it was a really somber moment when I sold the compact, but I had sold all of my stuff even before they came out saying that Eagle was dropping the sport compacts. I had it all sold 3 weeks before the season was up. So, the last 3 weeks of the season I had to pray that it didn’t get destroyed because I had a check coming at the end of the season. Then I had to sell the sport mod because I couldn’t afford to put it on the track this season and a buddy of mine really needed a car, so I ended up selling him my sport mod. I’m always looking for one though; always looking for one. I decided that if I was going to move up it would be to a sport mod. That’s been the one dream I’ve always had, to run a modified and the first step to get your feet wet is to race a sport mod. I’ll be out there; I just won’t be racing. Sometimes life comes before racing. I’ve got a house and a family. I just don’t want to rush into anything and completely wipe out my entire life savings. I don’t want to be another statistic of someone who jumps up a class and being way over my head. AJ told me that if we have practices or anything like that, he would let me run it or if there are specials at the end of the year, he might let me race one or two just to get a little seat time and to figure out if I really want to buy one or not”.

I then asked how he enjoyed racing the high banks of Eagle Raceway. “It’s always a blast. Turn one has that character and I’ve seen that character up close and personal! Eagle is an unforgiving track to say the least. It’s a fun track; one of my favorite tracks I’ve raced at. I’ve only run at a handful of tracks, but Eagle is my favorite”.

I mentioned that I hoped we would run into each other at the track this season and he told me with a laugh “Oh, I’ll be out there for sure! One of the best parts of being a champion is the free pit pass for the next season”.

He also promised to bring me some kolaches. “You’ll probably be my only kolache guy out there now since Larry Tombs passed away. I sure will miss seeing him every week”.

I know we all wish RJ the best if whatever his next racing adventure will be.