The first night of racing in the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna Speedway for Kyle Benjamin did not go how he'd planned.
A brake issue in the Super Late Model feature forced Benjamin to park his No. 9 Jett Motorsports Toyota at the halfway point. Benjamin’s Pro Late Model outing didn't fare much better, as he was part of an early crash in each of the first two events.
Normally, Benjamin would be irritated about how his World Series began after previously winning a championship in the Super Late Model class at the event in 2012. Instead, this year’s week-long endeavor at New Smyrna for Benjamin brings him serenity and comfort due for one reason.
It is the first time Benjamin has climbed inside a race car of any kind since 2019.
“I forgot how much of a rush it is,” Benjamin said after his first two races on Friday evening. “It’s really fun to be back out there. The competition is really good, but we ran tight for a while. We were two wide for what felt like 10 laps. It was like getting thrown back into the fire, but there was a lot of good racing last night.”
RELATED: Watch the World Series of Asphalt on FloRacingBenjamin cherished being able to share the track with drivers he once battled during his first stint in racing, along with the young prospects trying to make a name for themselves; a scenario Benjamin is very familiar with.
The championship run Benjamin enjoyed at the World Series at just 14 years of age was the catalyst that propelled him into NASCAR’s top divisions. On that first night, Benjamin was forced to start in the 33rd position with only 30 laps to work his way to the front.
Benjamin ended the evening in sixth. That performance validated Benjamin’s confidence, but he also discovered who his main competition would be, another prospect by the name of Kyle Larson, the night one Super Late Model winner.
Perfection was needed from Benjamin over the ensuing races if he wanted to best not only Larson, but other standout drivers such as local legend David Rogers and Chase Elliott, who entered three Super Late Model races that year. Benjamin responded by winning the next three events.
The ensuing years after Benjamin’s World Series championship would see him further solidify his status as a NASCAR prospect. Benjamin secured an opportunity to drive for Venturini Motorsports in 2013, earning two victories at Madison International Speedway and Salem Speedway in ARCA Menards Series competition.
Finding a sustainable, full-time ride proved to be a challenge for Benjamin despite his early success, but he was persistent in achieving that goal. Benjamin’s father Steven shared that ambition by fielding a family-owned car for his son across the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East during the mid-2010s.
What always stood out to Steven about Kyle was the dedication he showed. Steven knows it can be easy for a young driver to be overly aggressive in a Late Model, but said Kyle was always precise, methodical and committed to improving after every event, regardless of how it unfolded.
“[Kyle] cares,” Steven said. “He is not here to put a firesuit on, never was. He’s a lot different than he was back when he started Late Model racing at 12, but even at that point, [racing] was important to him. He took it seriously, worked on his craft and wanted to learn.”
For a moment, it appeared the younger Benjamin’s passion was going to translate into a marquee opportunity. Benjamin signed a development deal with Joe Gibbs Racing to run five NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events in 2017, all of which saw him qualify on the front row.
[caption id="attachment_499369" align="alignnone" width="2560"]Despite some inconsistent results, Benjamin nearly broke through for his first victory during the O’Reilly Series’ second visit to Iowa Speedway that season. Benjamin battled teammate Ryan Preece for the victory in overtime, ultimately losing by .054 seconds.
One year later, the same scenario unfolded for Benjamin, this time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway. After leading 74 laps, Benjamin attempted to chase down John Hunter Nemechek during a seven-lap sprint to finish, but missed out on that elusive checkered flag by just more than a tenth of a second.
Those two near misses were disappointing for Benjamin at the time, but they also reinforced what he already knew about himself. He had the talent to one day get to the NASCAR Cup Series and was grateful teams like Gibbs and Tricon Garage gave him an opportunity to showcase it on a national level.
“Even though we didn’t break through fully, to go experience that was pretty cool,” Benjamin said. “We were really close and had a lot of good runs. We were right there with Ryan Preece and also with the Truck Series at Martinsville, but I’m glad I got to experience that.”
Benjamin felt everything was building towards a full-time NASCAR national ride, but the momentum suddenly evaporated at the end of the 2010s. A 13th place finish with Niece Motorsports at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway would be Benjamin’s last race NASCAR event.
There was only so much time for Benjamin to reflect on the circumstances that effectively halted his career. Racing had been a cornerstone of his life since childhood, but suddenly he was left to figure out what would come afterwards, a reality he never imagined facing.
Benjamin initially settled on being a ski instructor in Colorado, battling both the elements and even a COVID-19 diagnosis to show people from all around the road how to tackle the tough terrain. He is also currently studying online to earn an IT degree.
While Steven Benjamin was happy to see Kyle adjust to his post-racing life, he admitted it was a challenging time for the entire family. So much time and money had been spent on ensuring Kyle had everything he needed to make it in racing, only to see that effort turn fruitless due to events within and outside of their control.
“[He handled it] as good as can be expected,” Steven said. “It was hard on him, probably harder than I even know. All he did was travel and go to races for all those years. It’s not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. When you lose that, it’s a tough thing. I just hurt for him, and we didn’t think he’d ever sit behind the wheel again.”
Thankfully a call from Pat Jett, the owner of Jett Motorsports, brought Kyle Benjamin back to racing after a prolonged absence.
Among the drivers that have competed for Jett Motorsports in the past include Stephen Nasse and Kaden Honeycutt, the latter of which won the Snowball Derby for the team in 2024. With the reputation Jett Motorsports has built for itself in the discipline, Benjamin expressed optimism that he'd be able to shake the rust off quickly.
[caption id="attachment_499370" align="alignnone" width="1200"]Benjamin planned to take part in the Governor’s Cup with Jett Motorsports at New Smyrna in December but was forced to withdraw after an engine failure in practice. Despite the setback, the time Benjamin spent with Jett Motorsports only fueled his excitement to return to New Smyrna for the World Series this month.
“It really comes down to the love for racing, especially here at New Smyrna,” Benjamin said. “I have a lot of good memories [at New Smyrna] and I wanted to come back down and experience [the World Series]. The whole [Jett Motorsports] group is a really good group, so this is going to be a fun week, but this week has always been fun for me. That’s why I came back.”
Steven Benjamin thought it would take Kyle a couple of practice sessions to get comfortable again in a Super Late Model, but he believes his son is now in a good place mentally and with the setup. He is confident strong results in the World Series will manifest for Kyle this year with the leadership of Jett Motorsports at his disposal.
The journey Kyle has endured is not the one Steven imagined for his son when he started racing. It has been filled with numerous highs and plenty of lows, yet Kyle is now back behind the wheel, a place Steven knows his son belongs.
“We’ve got one life to live and this is [Kyle’s] passion,” Steven said. “Everybody wants for their kids, more than they want for themselves. I certainly do. If this is what makes him happy, and it always has, then I’m happy for him.
“To be honest, I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.”
Fittingly, the World Series has the potential to once again change Kyle Benjamin’s life just like it did back when he won a championship in 2012. If everything goes according to plan for Benjamin this week, he believes there will be more chances for him to race with Jett Motorsports and remind people how talented he is as a driver.
Benjamin does not intend to waste the moment that is in front of him. He knows how to triumph in the World Series, doing so in 2026 will require him to apply all the knowledge that once made him such a highly regarded prospect.
“It would mean a lot to me to come back to [New Smyrna] and win like that,” Benjamin said. “I’ve been racing my whole life and it was my entire world. To come back and get a win after sitting out for so long would feel like coming back home.”
A lot has changed for Benjamin in his six years away from racing, but the passion never left him. If anything, that desire is more prevalent than ever now that Benjamin is back in his element and eager to continue what he started at the World Series so many years ago.