Max Reaves Bio
Max Reaves (born January 6, 2010) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Trinity, North Carolina. He competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series and in the ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Reaves first gained national attention as the youngest driver ever to compete in an ARCA race, a milestone that signaled his early rise through the stock car ladder.
After winning the 2024 Carolina Pro Late Model Series championship, Reaves joined Joe Gibbs Racing as a development driver. He quickly converted that opportunity into national series wins, establishing himself as one of the most promising young talents in American motorsports.
Early Life and Background
Max Reaves was born on January 6, 2010, in Trinity, North Carolina. He grew up in a family with deep roots in the restaurant business and an emerging presence in racing. His father, Jeremy Reaves, is the co-owner of Cook Out, the popular Southern fast-food chain, and the son of franchise founder Morris Reaves.
Reaves was introduced to racing at a young age through his father’s support and the broader North Carolina short-track scene, a region long known for producing stock car talent. He began developing his skills in local Late Model divisions, building a foundation that would later support a rapid climb up the stock car ladder. His younger brother, Roo Reaves, also competes in racing, reflecting the family’s ongoing commitment to the sport.
Path to NASCAR
Reaves cut his teeth in regional Late Model competition, racing in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour, the CARS Late Model Stock Tour, the Carolina Pro Late Model Series, and the INEX Summer Shootout. In 2024, his consistency and speed earned him the Carolina Pro Late Model Series championship, one of the most respected developmental titles in the Southeast.
That championship attracted the attention of Joe Gibbs Racing, which signed Reaves as a development driver in 2024. On January 2, 2025, the team revealed that he would run a partial schedule in both the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East behind the wheel of the No. 18 Toyota. Reaves became the first driver born in the 2010s to compete in an ARCA race, marking the start of his national series career.
Max Reaves Career
Early Career (2024)
Reaves’ first notable national success came in 2024, when he captured the Carolina Pro Late Model Series championship. The title was earned through a season of consistent finishes and race wins across the Southeast’s most competitive Pro Late Model tracks.
That same year, Reaves was signed by Joe Gibbs Racing as a development driver, giving him access to one of the premier team operations in NASCAR. The arrangement positioned him to transition directly from Late Model racing to the ARCA Menards Series platform, the conventional stepping stone toward the NASCAR national series.
ARCA Menards Series East Breakthrough (2025)
Reaves made an immediate impact in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2025. On March 22, 2025, he won on his East Series debut at Five Flags Speedway after starting from the pole, becoming the first driver born in the 2010s to win an ARCA race. The win signaled the arrival of a new young talent on the national stock car stage.
After missing the race at Rockingham, Reaves strung together consecutive victories at Nashville Fairgrounds and at Flat Rock. That run made him only the second driver since Will Rodgers to win in his first three East Series starts, cementing his status as a breakout rookie. He finished the 2025 East Series season with a best result of 14th in the standings, built almost entirely on speed and qualifying effort rather than full-season consistency.
ARCA Menards Series (2025)
Reaves opened his ARCA Menards Series campaign with a runner-up finish at Berlin, demonstrating his ability to compete against more experienced drivers. The following week at Elko, he converted that pace into his first ARCA Menards Series win, the Shore Lunch 250, after passing Brenden Queen and Lavar Scott in the closing laps.
He added further victories at Madison, where he led all but one lap from the pole, and at the season-ending race at Toledo. Across the 2025 season, Reaves recorded four wins, nine top-ten finishes, and four poles, earning a best series finish of 15th in the standings. He also captured the Owens Corning 200 during the year, another signature result for his rookie national series campaign.
Joe Gibbs Racing Era (2025–Present)
Reaves’ move to Joe Gibbs Racing represented a significant step in his development. Running a part-time schedule allowed the team to evaluate him across multiple ARCA platforms while preparing him for future opportunities in the NASCAR national series ladder.
By the close of 2025, Reaves had four ARCA Menards Series wins, four ARCA Menards Series East wins, and a reputation as one of the most consistent young qualifiers in the garage. In 2026, he participated in the pre-season test at Daytona International Speedway for JGR, posting the 18th-quickest time across the two sessions, an early sign of his continued progression with the team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Reaves has shown a particular strength in qualifying, with multiple pole positions across both ARCA series during his rookie season. His race craft has been equally impressive, with overtaking moves at Elko and dominant leading performances at Madison highlighting his ability to manage tires, restarts, and lap traffic. Working within the Joe Gibbs Racing engineering environment has given him access to data-driven feedback that continues to refine his approach.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Reaves’ signature moments are his East Series debut win at Five Flags Speedway, his first ARCA Menards Series victory at Elko in the Shore Lunch 250, and his near-perfect run at Madison in the Owens Corning 200. Becoming the first driver born in the 2010s to compete in, and win, an ARCA race remains the most defining milestone of his early career.
Max Reaves Career Wins
Max Reaves has accumulated a notable collection of wins across ARCA’s development platforms during his rookie national series season. His victories span the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, with additional results in the ARCA Menards Series West.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Reaves recorded four ARCA Menards Series wins in 2025, beginning with the Shore Lunch 250 at Elko. He followed that with the Owens Corning 200, a dominant performance at Madison, and a win in the season finale at Toledo. His nine top-ten finishes and four poles helped him secure a best series result of 15th in the standings.
ARCA Menards Series East Highlights
In the ARCA Menards Series East, Reaves matched his four-win total during the 2025 season, highlighted by his debut victory at Five Flags Speedway and additional wins at Nashville Fairgrounds and Flat Rock. He added five poles and six top-ten finishes, ending the year 14th in the East Series standings.
Other Wins and Performances
Reaves’ 2024 Carolina Pro Late Model Series championship remains his most important pre-national series accomplishment. Earlier in his development, he also gained experience in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour, the CARS Late Model Stock Tour, the ASA STARS National Tour, and the INEX Summer Shootout, building the foundation that led to his Joe Gibbs Racing opportunity.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCA Menards Series | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Max Reaves Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Reaves is the son of Jeremy Reaves, co-owner of the Cook Out restaurant chain, and the grandson of Morris Reaves, who founded the franchise. The family’s business success has helped support Max’s early racing career, providing resources for equipment, travel, and team development.
Personal Life
Reaves is the older brother of Roo Reaves, who is also involved in competitive racing. The brothers represent the next generation of a family that has built its identity around both business and motorsports. Reaves continues to live in North Carolina, the heart of stock car country, while pursuing his national series career with Joe Gibbs Racing.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Max Reaves’ debut in national-level stock car competition. Running a part-time schedule in both the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, he delivered immediate results, winning on his East Series debut at Five Flags Speedway and adding his first ARCA Menards Series victory one week later at Elko.
Across the year, Reaves collected four wins in each ARCA series, along with multiple pole positions and consistent top-ten finishes. His adaptability across ovals of different sizes suggested strong long-term potential within the Joe Gibbs Racing development pipeline.
While his best ARCA Menards Series result was 15th in the final standings and his best East Series result was 14th, those numbers reflect a part-time schedule rather than a lack of speed. With a full year of national series experience now behind him, Reaves enters 2026 as one of the most closely watched young drivers in American motorsports.
