Published: Feb. 15, 2018
Bilicki enters Xfinity full time
By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043
In 2016, Richfield’s Josh Bilicki turned a negative into a
positive.
The 22-year-old was slated to compete in the Trans-Am
Series, a support race for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, at Elkhart Lake’s Road
America.
“The car wound up not being ready to race,” Bilicki said.
Was he disappointed? Yes, but not for long. He contacted
NASCAR teams that had “TBA” listed on their entry list.
He came across Obaika Racing, which had two vacancies, but
had a hard time getting in contact with the team because the owner was from
Nigeria.
So he sent a message to the team via Facebook and got a
response. Within days, Bilicki filled the “TBA.”
“At the time, I didn’t think anything would come through,”
Bilicki said. “It was surreal.”
On Feb. 5, that long-ago decision paid off when Bilicki
signed with JP Motorsports to do a full NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule — his
first full NASCAR season.
“It’s going to be an exciting learning experience, but I’m
looking forward to the challenge,” Bilicki said.
He will drive the No. 45 entry for JP Motorsports, a new
team to NASCAR after it bought Xfinity cars and equipment from TriStar
Motorsports. Soon after, JP Motorsports purchased a car from Joe Gibbs Racing,
which is the car Bilicki will drive.
The season starts at 1:30 p.m. Saturday with the PowerShares
QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway on FS1.
Since he announced his full season plans with JP
Motorsports, Bilicki has had little time to reflect on the key steps that have
gotten him to this point. He’s gone to the team’s shop to get fitted for the
race car and get things in order for the season. He leaves for Daytona today.
“Four or five years ago, I never would’ve guessed that I
would be running a full NASCAR Xfinity Series or even looking back when I was 4
or 5 playing PlayStation 1, playing NASCAR video games,” Bilicki said. “I
remember that. I just don’t ever think it clicked that one day I would be
racing this. It’s definitely really cool.”
Bilicki, who turns 23 on June 3, started racing when he was
4 years old. He raced go-karts before the training wheels were off his bicycle.
In 2008, he won the Supernationals, a go-kart event at Road
America. In 2011, he moved into sports car racing, driving a Spec Miata with
the Sports Car Club of America. A year later he dabbled with short-track racing,
competing in the area sportsman division at Jefferson Speedway.
In 2015, things got serious for Bilicki.
He made his professional debut with the IMSA Continental
Tire Sportscar Challenge at Road America and led some laps in the race, but was
forced to make a late pit stop that prevented a quality finish. “We were really
competitive,” Bilicki said. “That was kind of the point I said to myself, ‘OK.
I have the skill.’”
❑❑❑
In 2016, he made his NASCAR debut, driving for Obaika Racing
at Road America in the Xfinity Series.
He had very little sponsor support, the car was still being
worked on at the track and there wasn’t enough room in the paddock for him and
his team. He had to set up a makeshift “garage” away from the rest of the
NASCAR teams.
He dealt with several issues throughout the weekend,
including losing brakes while traveling in excess of 160 mph down the
three-quartermile front straight. In the race, he retired after six laps
because of a mechanical issue. He finished 38th. But it was the start of his
transition from sports cars to stock cars.
He made two other Xfinity Series starts for Obaika that
season, including a 28th-place finish at Phoenix.
By 2017, he cemented himself as a NASCAR driver, making six
Xfinity Series starts and two Monster Energy Cup starts. The highlight of his
career was finishing 12th in the Xfinity Series race at Road America.
“That opened up my eyes, too,” Bilicki said.
His eyes weren’t the only ones opened.
“I got calls to race Xfinity Series races, got calls from
teams that wanted me to drive for them,” Bilicki said.
Bilicki watched the ARCA race at Daytona on Saturday, along
with Cup qualifying and the Clash at Daytona — an exhibition race — on Sunday,
keeping a close eye on how drivers bump drafted. He said he learned a lot.
Later, he posted a picture online watching the track
activity while at home, dressed in his new race suit.
“I’m glad it happened the way it did because it certainly
opened a lot of opportunities for me,” Bilicki said.
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