LEXINGTON, Ohio — Lately NASCAR XFINITY Series owner Victor Obaika has been testing the waters with various drivers hoping to find that perfect fit for his still growing new team.
Longtime female competitor Johanna Long made her XFINITY Series return with the team earlier this month at Iowa Speedway. Regular driver Peyton Sellers has shown steady progress in 16 races, including last weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in his road course debut, but earlier this week Obaika made a late decision to switch drivers for Saturday’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Dylan Kwasniewski, a two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series champion (one in West, one in East) received the call Tuesday to dust off his racing helmet and make the trek to Lexington, Ohio to drive the No. 97 Vroom Brands Chevrolet in his first XFINITY Series race since last November’s Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
And while many thought Kwasniewski would face challenges adjusting from a top-tier team like HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi to Obaika’s much smaller operation, surprisingly, the NASCAR Next alum proved otherwise.
“I found out on Tuesday while I was sitting in my manager’s office, he came in and said you gotta an opportunity to run the car and I said we’ll absolutely take it,” Kwasniewski told Claire B. Lang Friday night on SiriusXM NASCAR radio.
“I’m just fortunate to get back on track, especially with the guys at Obaika Racing. It’s been good. You know I had a lot of stuff to do in two days to get out to Ohio, but we got it done.”
With the Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 being his first NASCAR race of the season, Kwasniewski said he had to have his seat recertified, as well as meet the requirements to obtain his XFINITY Series license fulfilled before turning his first laps of the year.
Even being forced to sit out the first XFINITY practice session Friday afternoon, Kwasniewski maintained his composure and bleed a solid rhythm – much like as if he had been driving all season.
Muscling his way to as high on 10th on the speed charts during practice, Kwasniewski wound up 15th, still encouraging considering the equipment typically idles further back in the field.
The loss of primary sponsorship has kept the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates development driver sidelined this season, but the path to a steering wheel, thanks to Obaika has given the Las Vegas, Nevada native an opportunity to prove his worth again.
“Patience has definitely a big thing that I’ve learned a lot while sitting at home,” added Kwasniewski who holds a best XFINITY finish of eighth, twice, last season at Daytona and Mid-Ohio respectively. “I’ve just been waiting to get back in a car. I’m still under contract with Chip Ganassi Racing, so I’m at the shop full-time with those guys, I’m training with the pit crew.
“I’m just eager to get back into the car and kinda just get back in the swing of things, so we got that opportunity and I’m so thankful for that.”
Sitting idle has forced Kwasniewski to strategize and focus on next season, where he hopes to return to the seat full time.
“We’ve definitely been focused on ’16,” added Kwasniewski. “Of course you want to race anytime you can, but you gotta pick and choose the opportunities. You gotta make sure if you do find funding, you put it in the right place. You gotta be smart about. We don’t wanna go out there and waste our opportunity on just a couple races. You gotta take your time with it. We’re definitely planning on 2016 trying to get there on track and be a regular again.”
At this point, Saturday’s race is a one-race deal for the 20-year-old Kwasniewski, but it would not be surprising if a solid run Saturday afternoon seals an opportunity to revive his XFINITY Series career without major sponsorship dollars driving for Obaika Racing.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
