LONG BEACH – Max Gordon is only 13 years old and at the beginning of his racing career, but he already has the mindset to become a successful pro.

“I’ll drive anything if it pays me enough money,” he said.

If that’s the case, he needs to hire a better agent because his current contract in the Speed Energy/UTV Stadium Super Trucks can use some work.

“Yeah, 99 percent of what he wins goes to the owner,” said his father Robby Gordon.

That’s unfortunate for the kid because this weekend, Max’s debit card got loaded up at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, earning his second podium finish on Sunday in his 680-horsepower, V-8 pickup.

At least the money is staying in the family, though. Robby owns his son’s truck … and the entire series for that matter.

But Robby is going to give Max a big bonus for his recent success. Max is going to get to share a 150 mph Trophy Truck with his father in the Baja 1000. He has ridden along with his dad in the past so he could learn how the GPS and navigation works.

“I feel like there is a lot of pressure on the line to perform well (being Robby’s son),” Max said.

On Sunday, he worked his way up to fifth place on the 11th and final lap after starting the race from last, but a couple of mistakes changed the race for him.

Max moved into fourth when Gavin Harlien spun in Turn 11. And then moments later, Cleetus McFarland got sideways less than a quarter of a mile from the finish while leading. He tried to take the checkered flag in reverse, but Max sped past into third. Robby won the race, followed by Matthew Brabham.

Robby has been grooming Max for a career on the track for more than a decade. It began when he had to strap a baby seat behind the wheel of an off-road buggy when Max was barely 2 years old. It only took a few moments to fly over his first jump.

And not long after that, Max said his dad started training him on how to win.

“He’d tell me take this line or that one and hit that apex there in the corner,” Max said “He has taught me a lot of tips and tricks and now I throw it all into the race.”

Robby has immersed his son in all forms of motors sports since he was a toddler, recruiting Max to glue lug nuts on wheels when the Gordons owned their owned NASCAR Cup Series car.

Robby said he has tried to show his son how this sport works “from top to bottom,” and will always be there to guide him “down the right path.”

“But I am not going to hand him a cupcake,” Robby said. “He has to earn it. He has to put in the work.”

Max did his homework before heading to Long Beach, studying his in-truck camera footage from the last time he was on this iconic street circuit. The result: He beat his father in the opening Stadium Speed Truck race of the weekend, his first triumph in the series.

“Very fast drivers have driven in this series, and have not won,” Robby said. “It is cool that he can adapt to this and be able to drive like he drives and slide them around. These are not easy to drive.”

Max said he wants to drive in Formula One. But if he can’t get there, IndyCars are an option.

At the end of the season, Max said he’ll sit down with his father and decide what the plan is. He will likely step up to U.S. F2000, which requires drivers to be at least 14.

But no matter where he ends up, the goal will always be what he told his dad as an 8-year-old after he climbed out of his first race car, “I went as fast as it would go.”

“For him to win an SST race in Long Beach at 13 … these trucks have more power than an IndyCar,” Robby said. “It was cool that he was able to do that. I am building a race car driver.”

PORSCHE CUP

Kay Van Berlo was untouchable this weekend in Long Beach, leading all 45 laps of the Porsche Carrera Cup held at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

On Sunday he held off a late challenge from Trenton Estep to win his second consecutive race here by 0.249 of a second. But the race wasn’t really that close. Van Berlo held a 5.50-second lead over Estep when a caution with seven minutes to go in the 40-minute race bunched the field and set up a last-lap dash to the finish.TJ Fischer, Parker Thompson and Leh Keen rounded out the top five.

Justin Oakes won the Pro-Am division

On Saturday, Van Berlo’s margin of victory after pacing all 22 laps was 1.035 seconds.