The 2023 Super Stock Truck race season lived up to its reputation as one of the most competitive classes in short-course racing. Joey Maciosek won the season’s final race and garnered enough points to win his second Champ Off-Road Super Stock Championship of his career.
Heading into the final weekend of Sportsman racing, four drivers still had a chance to win the championship. All four drivers secured a win during the season, and with the competition being so close, there needed to be more room for error. During the Friday round of racing, Maciosek fought hard for a second-place finish and followed it up with a victory on World Championship Saturday. That was enough to win his second Super Stock Championship in four years.
“Our class consistently has the largest truck field every time we race,” noted Joey Maciosek. “When I first started racing, there were only three or four top runners, and then there was everybody else. Now, eight to ten guys can win, and the competition is really tough. Winning the championship begins at the shop, in the pits and on the track. My family and a small group of friends make this possible. I can’t thank them enough for getting us to the Championship.”
In 2023, twenty-five drivers competed in the Super Stock class, with fifteen participating in every race weekend. Eight drivers reached the podium, and four secured the top spot.
Even though Joey Maciosek might be considered a “young gun” in the class, the young man from Muskego, Wisconsin, is a seasoned veteran. His Super Stock Truck career began in 2014 at 15, taking over from his dad, who retired from driving after a successful racing career.
Maciosek commented, “When I was younger, I did some motocross, but I also wanted to go truck racing. My dad competed in Tough Truck competitions and short-course races with his Formula 4×4 and later in Super Stock Truck, and I was always there with him. He had me working on the trucks, and one day, he said, ‘It’s your time to drive.’ I haven’t stopped since.”
The early years of racing the family Super Stock Truck gave Joey a taste of the highs and lows of short-course off-road racing. However, he kept at it thanks to encouragement from his dad, Larry. Podium finishes were happening more often, and along came a few wins.
Then, in 2021, the second season of the AMSOIL Championship Off-Road Tour, the season came together for the team to win the Championship with nine podium finishes, including two wins. Then, last season, the Muskego Crane Service Yokohama Tire Ford Super Stock truck grabbed its second Championship with eight podiums, including three wins. The thrilling victory in the final race marked Joey’s first Crandon Off-Road World Champion title, adding a second World Champion ring to the family. Larry Maciosek achieved this honor while competing in the Formula 4×4 division.
The bond between Joey and his dad is a common sight in the pit area of the Champion Off-Road event. Like other Sportsman and Pro teams, they work together during the day in the family business and spend evenings working together in the shop. Mom and sister support the team on race weekends. In addition, two longtime friends, Brian and Zach, have become essential crew members.
The hard work, fun, and success have caught the attention of Larry Maciocek’s friend, Darrell Wold Sr., from his Tough Truck days. Like the Macioseks, the Wold family has recently built a Super Stock Truck with Darrell Jr. behind the wheel. Now, the two families team up, helping each other to get the best out of their programs.
As the 2024 season draws near, Joey Maciosek and his team are hard at getting the truck ready and ensuring they have all the spare parts they need to defend their Championship title successfully.
AMSOIL Championship Off-Road, presented by the U.S. Air Force, is North America’s premier short-course racing series. Champ Off-Road competition features high-powered PRO4 and PRO2 trucks along with the best Side-by-Side and Sportsman racers in the sport. AMSOIL Championship Off-Road will be streamed on FloSports with television programming on FOX Sports.
About ISOC: AMSOIL Championship Off-Road and AMSOIL Championship Snocross are owned and operated by the International Series of Champions (ISOC) out of Albertville, Minn. The 2024 Champ Off Road season will air on Fox Sports and live-streamed on floracing.com. For more information on its events and schedules, visit www.champoffroad.com or www.snocross.com.