South Carolina’s Max Markolf has many talents and not all of them revolve around motocross. Max has some mad skills on the track, but also on the water. He is a very outgoing ten year old who loves adventure and extreme sports. I have hung out with Max a lot and I don’t think there’s anything he wouldn’t try once. He has a bright future ahead of him and we look forward to following him throughout his career.

Max, lets start off with where you are from and how old are you?
I am from Tega Cay, South Carolina and I am 10 years old.

How did this weekend go for you at the Loretta Lynn Qualifier?
It went good. On Saturday I got a few seconds and a third. On Sunday I won both my classes 65 (10-11) Mod and 85 (9-11) Mod.

How long have you been racing?
I have been competitively racing for three years.

You went out to the World Mini for the first time this year. How did you like that and how did you do?
Yeah, I liked it a lot. Overall I got a sixth, eight, and twelfth. I got two thirds in my heats of the Junior Cycle Open (6-11) class and in the Junior Cycle Mod (9-11) class.

We know you are into another extreme sport also and are actually pretty good at it. Tell us about that and how long have you been doing it?
I wakeboard competitively for a group called South Town Riders. They are a Christian Wakeboarding camp and I have been wakeboarding for them since I was five.

Have you won any championships wakeboarding?
The past two years I have won the North Carolina state championships.

What kind of cool tricks can you do?

Well, I just started back up last week. I can land my 360 wake to wake. Also I can do a backroll and Tantrum.

That’s sick! Being a wakeboarder what made you get into racing?
My dad used to race when he was younger and got me and my brother started. He got us started on four wheelers when we were young. Then when we were old enough we switched over to 50’s.

You do some Arenacross also, right?
Yeah, we do a lot of the Arenacross’s too. Last year at the Arenacross World Finals in Las Vegas I got second in 65 (7-9) class.

What classes are you trying to qualify for Loretta’s in?
I am trying to qualify in all of the classes I can run, which is both 65 (10-11) Stock and Mod and both 85 (9-11) Stock and Mod.

You ride the 65 and 85. Right now which bike are you more comfortable on?
I am more comfortable on 65 because it is smaller and I can handle it a lot better than the 85.

Do you ride a lot when you are back at home in the good ole South Carolina and who do you usually ride with?
I ride with my brother a lot and he helps me and I help him. I push him and he pushes me, overall he makes me a better rider.

Okay, what races are next for you?
We are going to Mammoth Mountain out in California next month. Then we were invited to go to Belgium and represent the USA and we are going there the first two weeks of July.

Well that’s pretty exciting! What are your goals for this year going into Loretta’s?
My goal is to make it to Loretta’s and I believe I can get top five overall. That’s a high goal for me, but I believe I can do it.

Okay well we wish you luck with all your races and your venture to Loretta’s.

Tell me who you’d like to thank for making all this possible?
I’d first like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for keeping me safe when I am on the track and on the wake. My Dad, Mom, and brother, Will, for always being there and supporting me. Steve Rinken at Rinken Mods, Alpha Motorsports, Hyperlite Wakeboards, Risk Racing, South Town Riders, Neeley Racing, Pro Action of North Carolina, TNT Motorsports Park, Link Ink Graphics, and Bob Gilbertson at Trick Tank for always letting us come out and ride.