Dylan Kwasniewski
Racing career
Born in Norwalk, Connecticut as the oldest of four children, Kwasniewski started his career driving go-karts at the age of four. He later raced in Bandoleros and Legends cars before joining the American Speed Association Super Truck Series in 2009. The same year, Rockstar Energy Drink, based in Kwasniewski's hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, signed on as his sponsor. In 2010, Kwasniewski raced a late model car in the Lucas Oil / Rockstar Modified Series and made the move to NASCAR the following year.
Touring series
In 2011, Kwasniewski entered the K&N Pro Series West, driving for Gene Price Motorsports in the No. 03 Chevrolet, and finished second in his debut at All American Speedway. At Colorado National Speedway, Kwasniewski won the pole position and the race, becoming the youngest driver to win a series pole and race. He won again during the season at Montana Raceway Park, and ended the season fifth in the points standings, along with nine top-tens. Kwasniewski was subsequently named Rookie of the Year. In 2012, Kwasniewski won three times at Stockton 99 Raceway, Iowa Speedway and All American Speedway, along with recording 15 top-tens. Entering the season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kwasniewski led teammate and 2011 series champion Greg Pursley by two points, and with a second-place finish, beat Pursley for the title by six points. At 17 years, 5 months and 10 days, Kwasniewski became the youngest champion in series history, surpassing Chuck Bown's record set in 1976 at 22 years, 7 months and 11 days.
In 2012, Kwasniewski announced talks with Joe Gibbs Racing to field a car in the K&N Pro Series East for the 2013 season, but eventually joined Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM), driving the No. 98. On January 7, 2013, Kwasniewski was named to the NASCAR Next program, which documents the potential future stars in NASCAR. In his first East race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kwasniewski led 96 of 125 laps en route to the win. Kwasniewski added to his win with victories at Iowa, Langley Speedway, Virginia International Raceway and Greenville-Pickens Speedway. At the season-ending Road Atlanta race, Kwasniewski held the points lead over Brett Moffitt by five points, but transmission problems eliminated Moffitt from championship contention, as Kwasniewski led every lap to win the East championship, becoming the first driver to win both East and West titles. During the year, Kwasniewski also ran an ARCA Racing Series race at Kansas Speedway, winning the pole and finishing fourth.
Xfinity Series
On February 3, 2014, TSM announced that Kwasniewski would enter the Nationwide Series for the 2014 season, driving the team's No. 31 Rockstar Chevrolet. In a press release regarding the news, Kwasniewski stated:
"I'm thankful for Harry Scott and Steve Turner for giving me this opportunity, as well as Rockstar for moving up with us. Racing in the Nationwide Series is going to present a lot of challenges and it won't be easy, but I look forward to taking it all on, learning from the other competitors and hopefully winning some races."
Kwasniewski was the fastest driver during the second day of Nationwide testing at Daytona International Speedway, and later entered the ARCA Racing Series' Lucas Oil 200 with TSM, winning the pole position. He finished 14th in the race. On February 21, Kwasniewski clinched the pole for the Nationwide season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300, becoming the eleventh driver in series history to win the pole in his first series start, and the youngest Nationwide pole-sitter at Daytona.
In March 2014, Kwasniewski signed with Chip Ganassi Racing's driver development program. On May 12, Turner Scott Motorsports announced that Kwasniewski would run standalone Nationwide Series events in the team's No. 42, in which Kyle Larson was unavailable. Kwasniewski ran the No. 42 with Rockstar at Iowa in August. Kwasniewski ended 2014 with three top-tens and an 11th-place points finish.
Kwasniewski was scheduled to return to the team, which was renamed HScott Motorsports, for 2015 on a part-time basis in the No. 42. However, he and Rockstar failed to reach an agreement to continue sponsoring the car, and with Brennan Poole joining the team, his future became uncertain. As a result, Kwasniewski stated plans to raise sponsorship money to fund a car for the 2016 season. Kwasniewski was picked up by Obaika Racing to make his debut in 2015 at Mid-Ohio, eventually driving in a total of six races for the team.
Personal life
Kwasniewski is a graduate of Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School. His late father, Randy, was the former CEO of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Motorsports career results
Career summary
Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Poles | Points | Position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | K&N Pro Series West | Gene Price Motorsports | 13 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 1856 | 5th |
2012 | K&N Pro Series West | Gene Price Motorsports | 15 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 622 | 1st |
K&N Pro Series East | Steve DeSouza | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 103 | 31st | |
2013 | K&N Pro Series East | Turner Scott Motorsports | 14 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 536 | 1st |
ARCA Racing Series | Venturini Motorsports | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 480 | 56th | |
2014 | NASCAR Nationwide Series | Turner Scott Motorsports | 33 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 867 | 11th |
ARCA Racing Series | Turner Scott Motorsports | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 180 | 88th | |
2015 | NASCAR Xfinity Series | Obaika Racing | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 42nd |
NASCAR
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Xfinity Series
NASCAR Xfinity Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
2014 | Turner Scott Motorsports | 31 | Chevy | DAY 8 |
PHO 13 |
LVS 24 |
BRI 15 |
CAL 11 |
TEX 14 |
DAR 23 |
RCH 32 |
TAL 35 |
CLT 13 |
DOV 26 |
MCH 31 |
KEN 11 |
DAY 24 |
NHA 13 |
CHI 17 |
IND 14 |
GLN 27 |
BRI 25 |
ATL 21 |
RCH 11 |
CHI 17 |
DOV 21 |
KAN 11 |
CLT 14 |
TEX 14 |
PHO 15 |
HOM 19 |
11th | 867 | ||||||||
42 | IOW 11 |
ROA 26 |
IOW 9 |
MOH 8 |
KEN 12 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 | Obaika Racing | 97 | Chevy | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | CAL | TEX | BRI | RCH | TAL | IOW | CLT | DOV | MCH | CHI | DAY | KEN | NHA | IND | IOW | GLN | MOH 34 |
BRI 32 |
ROA 33 |
DAR | RCH 25 |
CHI | KEN 17 |
DOV | CLT | KAN | TEX | PHO 34 |
HOM | 42nd | 89 |
K&N Pro Series East
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | NKNPSEC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012 | Steve DeSouza | 20 | Toyota | BRI | GRE 7 |
RCH | IOW | BGS | JFC 18 |
LGY | CNB | COL | IOW | NHA 4 |
DOV | GRE | CAR | 31st | 103 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2013 | Turner Scott Motorsports | 98 | Chevy | BRI 1* |
GRE 15 |
FIF 7 |
RCH 13 |
BGS 2 |
IOW 1 |
LGY 1* |
COL 3 |
IOW 9 |
VIR 1* |
GRE 1 |
NHA 24 |
DOV 29 |
RAL 1* |
1st | 536 |
K&N Pro Series West
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | NKNPSWC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2011 | Gene Price Motorsports | 03 | Chevy | PHO | AAS 4 |
MMP 25 |
LVS 2 |
PHO 33 |
5th | 1856 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Ford | IOW 4 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
03 | SON 26 |
IRW 3 |
EVG 2* |
PIR 29 |
CNS 1* |
MRP 1* |
SPO 2* |
AAS 9* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012 | PHO 2 |
LHC 3 |
MMP 4 |
S99 1* |
IOW 1 |
BIR 2* |
LVS 2 |
SON 5 |
EVG 7 |
CNS 5 |
IOW 9 |
PIR 4 |
SMP 9* |
AAS 1 |
PHO 2 |
1st | 622 |
Season still in progress
Ineligible for series points
ARCA Racing Series
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Racing Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | ARSC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||||
2013 | Venturini Motorsports | 55 | Toyota | DAY | MOB | SLM | TAL | TOL | ELK | POC | MCH | ROA | WIN | CHI | NJE | POC | BLN | ISF | MAD | DSF | IOW | SLM | KEN | KAN 4 |
56th | 480 | ||||||||||||||||||
2014 | Turner Scott Motorsports | 4 | Chevy | DAY 14 |
MOB | SLM | TAL | TOL | NJE | POC | MCH | ELK | WIN | CHI | IRP | POC | BLN | ISF | MAD | DSF | SLM | KEN | KAN | 88th | 180 |
References
- Notes
- ^ The current youngest K&N Pro Series winner is Gray Gaulding, winning at Phoenix International Raceway.
- Citations
- ^ "IDK with Dylan Kwasniewski: Ice Skating" on YouTube
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski". Turner Scott Motorsports. Archived from the original on July 24, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- ^ "Kwasniewski to Run Nationwide Series With Turner". ABC News. Associated Press. February 4, 2014. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ Kantowski, Ron (November 27, 2011). "NASCAR's future on fast track". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski". NASCAR Home Tracks. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- ^ Hardin, Ed (February 7, 2014). "Gaulding, 15, ready to go racing". News & Record. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
- ^ Green, Kevin (November 10, 2012). "Dylan Kwasniewski wins the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship". Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- ^ Boone, Jerry (April 5, 2012). "Rock Star In The Making". NASCAR Home Tracks. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski to Race in K&N Pro Series East for Turner Scott Motorsports". Turner Scott Motorsports (Press release). January 16, 2013. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- ^ "NASCAR Next roster announced". ESPN. Associated Press. January 7, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- ^ Christley, Jason (October 18, 2013). "Kwasniewski Captures K&N East Title". NASCAR Home Tracks. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- ^ Utter, Jim (February 14, 2014). "Dylan Kwasniewski, 18, zooms into Daytona spotlight by winning pole for ARCA season opener". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
- ^ "Kwasniewski into Nationwide Series". ESPN. Associated Press. February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski, 18, to run full Nationwide season for Turner Scott". Fox Sports. February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ Caraviello, David (February 17, 2014). "Kwasniewski Aims to Separate Perception, Reality". NASCAR. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
- ^ Jensen, Tom (February 21, 2014). "No raining on this parade: Group qualifying makes big debut". Fox Sports. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
- ^ Cain, Holly (March 9, 2014). "Kwasniewski Signs Development Deal with Ganassi". NASCAR. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
- ^ "Kwasniewski to Driver TSM's No. 42 Car at Standalone Nationwide Races; Chase Pistone Behind the Wheel of the No. 31 at Iowa Speedway". Turner Scott Motorsports. May 12, 2014. Archived from the original on May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
- ^ Anderson, Mark (March 4, 2015). "Las Vegan Kwasniewski searches for ride in NASCAR Xfinity Series". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on March 7, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
- ^ Anderson, Mark (January 7, 2015). "Kwasniewski joins Xfinity Series racing team, but only part time". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on January 10, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ^ Brewer, Ray (June 1, 2012). "Teenager Dylan Kwasniewski on his way to racing stardom". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ Fryer, Jenna (September 18, 2013). "NASCAR series tracks young Dylan Kwasniewski". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
- ^ "Dylan Kwasniewski – 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
External links
- Official website
- Dylan Kwasniewski driver statistics at Racing-Reference