After being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at the age of five, the young motorcyclist has bounced back stronger than ever and is making quite an impression on the national dirt bike circuit.

With multiple state and national titles already to his name, the now 10-year-old is following in the footsteps of his father and champion racer Jamie Stauffer, who is currently competing in the Australian Superbike Championships.

But the road to success has been anything but a smooth one, after illness struck down the aspiring athlete just days after he started kindergarten.

“We took him to the doctors for what we thought was growing pains,” Max’s mum Emma explained. 

“He has blood tests on the Friday and by the Monday he had started treatment for leukaemia.

“It doesn’t get much scarier than that.”

Max spent eight months receiving intensive treatment for the disease and it was two years before he was given the all clear. 

According to Max, the treatment “sucked” but he was very happy when he was finally able to return to school and more importantly, get back on his beloved bike.

By the end of 2011, Max earned his demo licence and began racing his Pee-wee 50. He then started racing at Kurri Junior Motorcycle Club, which is where his motivation to compete started to develop. 

“We went to the club’s 2012 end-of-year presentation and Max was really disappointed not to win anything,” Jamie said.

“He asked me what he would have to do to win a trophy the following year and I said he would have to go to all the meetings and he would need to win.

“So that’s what he did.”

In 2013, Max dominated the junior dirt bike circuit winning the seven-to-10 years 85cc four-stroke event at the NSW junior dirt track championships.

He also earned an Australian and NSW junior long track title as well as Kurri Junior Motorcycle Club’s perpetual trophy for the highest pointscorer.

Jamie said that he is very proud of Max, and while he never intended for his son to become a racer he said it is great to see him out there enjoying himself.

“He doesn’t have to race for me to be proud of him,” he said.

“I just always wanted him to learn how to ride a bike properly and to be safe.

“You can’t teach someone how to go fast, they have to want to do that.”

Max is now looking forward to an even bigger 2014 and this weekend will take to the track at the Australian junior dirt track championships in Cowra. 

Local junior David  and Ruby James, Hayden Spinks, Callan and Lachlan Russell, Cameron Dunker, Rory Hutchinson, Cody Lewis and Jack Miles will also compete at the championships. 

And while the Stauffer family spend nearly every weekend at a motorcycle competition, Emma said it is a great environment for the whole family with Max’s sisters Abby and Ruby always cheering him on.