Kyle Benjamin Steps Back Into a Racecar at New Smyrna Speedway

It's been quite some time since anybody has seen Kyle Benjamin in a racecar.

The former Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver fell off the face of the racing earth after a three-race stint with Niece Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2019. That was almost seven years ago, and the Easley, South Carolina-native hasn't been seen getting behind the wheel since.

"My whole life has been racing, just grew up basically in a race car, and I think it ended for me when I was around 20 or 21 years old. I'm 28 now," Benjamin explained to Racing America. So, I just spent that time seeing what life is like outside of racing, moved to Colorado, worked some fun jobs, and getting that college experience. I'm back now, just wanted to come back with all the experience that I have, and to a place like New Smyrna that I love."

That was, until this week, when Benjamin randomly popped up on the entry list for Saturday's Pro Late Model 'Hoosier 100' at New Smyrna Speedway, driving the No. 9 for Jett Motorsports.

So, how did Benjamin end up back?

"Yeah, it kind of came out of nowhere. I didn't even know until about two weeks ago," Benjamin told Racing America. "I wasn't really expecting it, I wasn't really ready for it, but it was a nice surprise."

Benjamin was able to get two days of practice in around the half-mile racetrack located in Southern Florida, until the engine on his racecar blew, forcing him and Jett Motorsports to be done for the weekend ahead of any qualifying or race festivities.

Needless to say, things have changed significantly since the last time Benjamin was in a Late Model, at least eight years ago. At that, the 28-year-old driver didn't compete in the Pro Late Model division, but in the Super Late Model division.

"They drive differently, especially, I have a lot of laps around this place so I can tell the difference, and although, granted, when I say this, I've never driven a Pro Late Model around here, it's only been Super [Late Model] stuff, so, they're very go-karty now," Benjamin said about the difference in Late Models. "The suspension just feels different, it's a whole different feel than I had the last time I raced, and they are obviously better because technology has gotten better, they're faster, but things have changed, it's been a whole eight years, I think, since I ran a Late Model, so these cars are a lot different now, so that was kind of cool to experience."

Before things went haywire with the engine on his Jett Motorsports vehicle, Benjamin was having a ton of fun out on the racetrack.

"For me, it's almost like returning home, so like putting the helmet on and getting in the car, is a surreal feeling, to be out there turning laps again, and like I said, turning laps here, especially New Smyrna, it's just really nostalgic, interesting feeling. So, for me, it was just a ton of fun. I was having a ton of fun, I was going to have a ton of fun tonight, and I'm sad that I didn't continue running this evening. I think the car was decent."

For now, this weekend's Hoosier 100 is scheduled to be a one-off for Benjamin, but don't rule out another return to the world of racing should the cards fall exactly right.

"I don't know what the future holds. I mean, as far as I know, this is a one-off. I mean, things can happen, for sure, if there's a possibility there, I'd love to do it if they decide they want to do something like that in the future."

Maybe this is the beginning of a second chance in motorsports for Benjamin, who proved his true ability at a young age in the ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Photo: Jason Reasin