Dustin Delaney
Poised for Success in Camping World East Series
Dustin Delaney is no doubt a versatile driver. He campaigns full time on the NASCAR Camping World Series East, has driven dirt modifieds at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, and has competed in everything from go-karts to the ARCA/REMAX Series. Yet it was a fateful ride on a snowmobile of all things that has given him perhaps his biggest break thus far.
“We have a camp in Old Forge (NY),” explains the 18 year old civil engineering student from Mayfield, NY. “We stopped in a bar and saw a picture of a race team on the wall. We asked who it was and it turned out to be (fellow East Series car owner) Buzz Chew's team. The shop was just down the street so we rode our snowmobiles down there.”
From the Chew Crew the Delaney Motorsports team gained valuable equipment and information, a sponsor from Buzz Chew Chevrolet, and a suggestion to connect with Jamie Aube-the three time Busch North Series champion who has been working as a crew chief in recent seasons, and who has become an integral part of the Delaney crew.
Yet, it is said that luck occurs when preparation meets opportunity, and for the Delaney's that preparation began long before they set out in the snow.
“When I was young I always wanted to race dirt bikes, but my dad broke his back on one and didn't want me to,” Delaney says.
So the youngster turned his attention to go-karts and made his debut at age nine in the kart division at Albany Saratoga Speedway in Malta, NY. That first start, however, was not exactly a highlight.
“The first time I got in the kart I got in with the wrong group of kids,” Delaney remembers. “I got out of the kart and said I wasn't going to race that year. I was intimidated.”
His mindset soon changed though and victories followed, both in karts and in the Slingshot class at tracks throughout New York.
At the age of fifteen he then made the move to dirt modifieds at Albany-Saratoga-the only headlining division he could compete in at that age. In fact, Dustin even got the age limit lowered to allow him to race. He promptly won his fourth event, and finished 11th in the final point standings. By 2007 he was the track champion.
That same year Delaney made his first starts in the East Series, and also competed at the famed Duquoin and Illinois State Fairgrounds dirt tracks on the ARCA series, and attempted to qualify at the historic Milwaukee Mile, but was unable to race due to transmission trouble.
The Delaney's decided to jump into asphalt racing full time in 2008, seeing a glass ceiling in the dirt ranks and looking for a new challenge.
Aube, who led him to a 13th place finish in the point standings that rookie season, certainly has been a positive influence on the team.
“I'd been helping a young man named Andrew Myers on the West Coast and we had some pretty good success there. Then last year I worked with Laine Chase and word got out that I was a crew chief for hire,” Aube explains. “I'm twice as nervous (working as a crew chief as opposed to driving). It's really nerve wracking. But its fun, I enjoy seeing success come and I really enjoy working with younger drivers.”
According to Aube, certainly a man who knows, Dustin is a very smart driver who is rich in raw talent and is working hard to develop his skills. He also believes that the extra seat time in a variety of cars can only work to Dustin's advantage.
“On dirt you're totally on you're own, there's no mirrors, no two way communication,” he says. It's kind of cool.”
While dirt cars famously slide through turns though, Delaney has found that the East Series car is not nearly as much fun to drive sideways.
“On asphalt you have the mentality that you don't want the car to be loose or something bad is going to happen,” he says understatedly.
Delaney agrees with all of his crew chief's assessments and goals.
“We just wanted to be able to compete in our first year. We were good in a couple of races but it took some time,” he says. “We decided before we ever got into it that we were committed to the East Series for three years and then we'll see what happens from there.”
Dustin's Career Highlights
