The successful qualifying run that has landed Max Papis a place in the Ford 400 is unwelcome news to several dozen young people who were looking forward to the magic show Max Papis usually conducts on Sunday afternoons.

“We want Magic Max!” screamed five-year-old Wendy McGillicuddy.  “I wuv his coin tricks and his Magic Helmet!”

The Max Papis Magic Show generally runs once per week, Sunday afternoon, in Max Papis’ garage.  This weekend, where the floor was once strewn with handkerchiefs and dead parakeets, it is cluttered with wrenches and applications for car and life insurance.

“Magic Max is going to race on Sunday,” the top half of PR man Matt Hanley told disappointed children as the bottom half wiggled its toes across the room.  “No lugnut juggling or magic motor oil tricks this week.”

Still, Max Papis is too much of a showman to resist pulling at least a few tricks at the track.  Papis told other drivers in the field this week to watch carefully in their rearview mirrors on the first lap, where Papis plans to make the #13 car disappear.

During pit stops, Papis will pull coins from behind the ears of Germain Racing officials to pay for new tires.  Then, later in the day, Papis intends to pull a top-40 finish out of his Magic helmet.