Josh Bilicki

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Josh Bilicki
Josh bilicki (40258227943) (cropped).jpg
Bilicki at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2019
BornJoshua M. Bilicki
(1995-06-03) June 3, 1995 (age 26)
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
NASCAR Cup Series career
71 races run over 5 years
Car no., teamNo. 53 (Rick Ware Racing)
2021 position48th
Best finish48th (2021)
First race2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma)
Last race2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
72 races run over 6 years
2021 position71st
Best finish33rd (2018)
First race2016 Road America 180 (Road America)
Last race2021 Drive for the Cure 250 (Charlotte Roval)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
9 races run over 2 years
2020 position88th
Best finish18th (2019)
First race2019 Digital Ally 250 (Kansas)
Last race2020 SpeedyCash.com 400 (Texas)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of December 27, 2021.

Joshua M. Bilicki (born June 3, 1995) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Richfield, Wisconsin.[1] He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 53 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing.

He has also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series, and in sports car racing.

Racing career[]

Early years[]

Starting with kid-karts at age four, Bilicki quickly moved through the ranks and into the next classes.[2] After several years in kid-karts and the Yamaha 100cc engine class, he moved to 80cc Shifter Karts. Bilicki showed his dominance quickly by winning many regional and national races, including the 2008 Road America SKUSA Super-Nationals, which brought competition from across the globe. Several times he even competed against and beat faster 125cc Shifter Karts. In 2011, Bilicki made the jump to 125cc Shifter Karts, and in 2012 Bilicki was recognized and brought on board the Andrew Chase Racing-PCR team, competing in the Midwest Shifter Kart Series in a brand new PCR Shifter Kart.[3]

Sports cars[]

After racing Shifter Karts at a top level for nearly five years, Bilicki made the transition to sportscars at age fifteen in 2011, beginning with Spec Miata and the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Within his first year of sportscar racing, he proved himself once again by earning two pole positions, four top-five finishing positions, and three podiums. After earning his national racing license in 2012, Bilicki began racing the SCCA Majors Tour and has qualified for the famed SCCA National Championship Runoffs every attempt tried. 2012 also marked his debut in an Area Sportsman Stock Car at a local circle track, Jefferson Speedway.

After several successful years of racing Spec Miata nationally, 2015 marked Bilicki's first year of professional sportscar racing in the IMSA Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge. He also raced a Spec Miata in the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour.

NASCAR[]

2016 Xfinity Series car for Obaika Racing

Bilicki debuted in the Xfinity Series with Obaika Racing at Road America in 2016. In a blog post, he said that he got his ride by contacting teams that had "TBA" on the entry list the week of the race, and he got a call back from Obaika, offering him a spot.[4] Unfortunately, a crash in qualifying and a dead battery during the race derailed his weekend at his home track, and he finished 38th.[5] Bilicki returned to Obaika Racing, albeit this time in the No. 97, for the Ticket Galaxy 200, his first oval start since 2012.[6] Starting last in the 40-car field, he avoided trouble and worked his way up to 28th position. He continued his stint with Obaika for the Ford EcoBoost 300, staying in the 97 car alongside Ryan Ellis in Obaika's other entry, the No. 77.[7] Bilicki started 37th and finished 34th.

Bilicki returned to the No. 77 in 2017, along with other races planned with Obaika.[8] In April, Bilicki announced he would make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in June's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, driving the No. 51 for Rick Ware Racing.[9] After starting 33rd, he finished 36th.[10] Bilicki also drove an Xfinity Series race at Michigan International Speedway for MBM Motorsports,[11] finishing 27th. He ran another race for Rick Ware Racing in Cup, but it was not the second road course race as planned. Instead, Bilicki made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series oval debut at New Hampshire.[12] Later in the season, he signed a deal to run all three of the Xfinity road courses for B. J. McLeod Motorsports, running the organization's No. 8 entry.[13] After pit road speeding penalties at Watkins Glen and a crash at Mid-Ohio, Bilicki ran down Elliott Sadler in the final green flag run to finish twelfth at his home track, Road America.[14] He continued his relationship with McLeod a couple weeks later, driving the team's flagship No. 78 at Chicagoland Speedway.[15]

Bilicki's No. 45 in 2018 at Road America

On February 5, 2018, it was announced that Bilicki would attempt the full Xfinity season for startup team JP Motorsports, bringing with him previous sponsor Prevagen to the No. 45.[16]

On February 4, 2019, it was announced that Bilicki would join RSS Racing to pilot the team's No. 38 Chevrolet Camaro for the full 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.[17] In May, he made his NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series debut in the Digital Ally 250 at Kansas Speedway, driving the No. 34 for Reaume Brothers Racing.[18] He also returned to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in June, driving for Rick Ware Racing at Michigan.[19] Later in the month, he drove Ware's No. 53 at Chicagoland.[20] Before the Kansas Lottery 300 in October, he announced he would drive for B. J. McLeod Motorsports for the remainder of the 2019 season.[21]

On May 11, 2020, Bilicki and Tommy Baldwin Racing announced that they would partner for the 2020 The Real Heroes 400.[22] He also drove sporadically for B. J. McLeod Motorsports, and tied his career-high finish in the Xfinity Series with a 12th-place finish at the Daytona International Speedway road course.[23]

Josh Bilicki's car for the , sponsored by Insurance King.
Josh Bilicki's 2021 Cup Series car for Watkins Glen.

On January 19, 2021, Bilicki announced he would compete full-time in the Cup Series for RWR.[24] He would also make a handful of starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for SS-Green Light Racing, driving the 07 and 17.

Josh Bilicki after the 2021 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, driving the #52 Rick Ware Racing Ford, sponsored by Insurance King.

In the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400, Bilicki survived to the finish, resulting in him initially finishing in 11th place. However, Chris Buescher would later be disqualified, promoting Bilicki up to 10th place. This marks Bilicki’s first-ever Top 10 in the top 3 NASCAR divisions

Snowmobile[]

Bilicki won the Outlaw 600 division race at the 2019 World Championship Snowmobile Derby in his home state.[25]

Personal life[]

Bilicki works as a driving coach and instructor when he is not behind the wheel. He is close friends with fellow NASCAR driver Camden Murphy.

Motorsports career results[]

SCCA National Championship Runoffs[]

Year Track Car Engine Class Finish Start Status
2012 Road America Mazda Miata Mazda Spec Miata 16 20 Running
2013 Road America Mazda Miata Mazda Spec Miata 34 39 Running
2015 Daytona Mazda Miata Mazda Spec Miata 55 43 Running

NASCAR[]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series[]

NASCAR Cup 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 34 35 36 NCSC Pts Ref
2017 Rick Ware Racing 51 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL KAN CLT DOV POC MCH SON
36 		DAY KEN NHA
36 		IND POC GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH CHI NHA DOV CLT TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 65th 01 [26]
2018 Ford DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV KAN CLT POC MCH SON CHI DAY KEN NHA POC GLN
36 		MCH BRI DAR IND LVS RCH CLT DOV TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 72nd 01 [27]
2019 52 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV KAN CLT POC MCH
33 		SON GLN
32 		MCH 58th 01 [28]
53 CHI
33 		DAY KEN NHA POC
35 		BRI
35 		DAR CLT
38 		DOV TAL
Ford IND
29 		LVS RCH KAN
36 		MAR
51 Chevy TEX
30 		PHO
52 Ford HOM
36
2020 Tommy Baldwin Racing 7 Chevy DAY LVS CAL PHO DAR
34 		DAR CLT CLT
36 		BRI POC
32 		POC
34 		IND
25 		MCH
33 		DAY DAY
38 		DAR
32 		RCH BRI
39 		KAN
35 		TEX
29 		MAR
32 		49th 01 [29]
Rick Ware Racing 27 Ford ATL
34 		MAR
53 Chevy HOM
37 		TAL TEX
31 		KAN
25 		NHA MCH DOV
32 		DOV
32
Ford LVS
36 		TAL
Spire Motorsports 77 Chevy KEN
32 		PHO
35
Rick Ware Racing 51 Ford CLT
33
2021 52 DAY
24 		DAY
36 		HOM
33 		LVS
35 		PHO
35 		ATL
37 		BRI
30 		MAR
23 		RCH
37 		TAL
36 		KAN
39 		DAR
33 		DOV
34 		COA
30 		CLT
35 		SON
29 		NSH
26 		POC
34 		POC
35 		ROA
23 		ATL
34 		NHA
34 		GLN
33 		IND
18 		MCH
31 		DAY
10 		DAR
28 		RCH
36 		BRI
31 		LVS
36 		TAL
31 		TEX
26 		KAN
33 		MAR
35 		PHO
30 		48th 02 [30]
15 CLT
28
Daytona 500[]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
2021 Rick Ware Racing Ford 37 24

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
2016 Obaika Racing 77 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC MCH IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA
38 		DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX 62nd 23 [31]
97 PHO
28 		HOM
34
2017 77 DAY ATL LVS
DNQ 		PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL CLT DOV POC 44th 63 [32]
MBM Motorsports 40 Chevy MCH
27 		IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW
B. J. McLeod Motorsports 8 Chevy GLN
28 		MOH
29 		BRI ROA
12 		DAR RCH
78 CHI
34 		KEN DOV
30 		CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM
2018 JP Motorsports 45 Toyota DAY
DNQ 		ATL
DNQ 		LVS
28 		PHO
32 		CAL
32 		TEX
24 		BRI
32 		RCH
33 		TAL
28 		DOV
29 		CLT
25 		POC
29 		MCH
27 		IOW
36 		CHI
35 		DAY
40 		KEN
28 		NHA
34 		IOW
40 		GLN
32 		MOH
20 		BRI
35 		ROA
30 		DAR
28 		IND
38 		LVS
27 		RCH
30 		CLT
24 		DOV
31 		KAN
20 		TEX
Wth 		PHO
34 		HOM
DNQ 		33rd 202 [33]
2019 RSS Racing 38 Chevy DAY
23 		ATL
34 		NHA
DNQ 		IOW 92nd 01 [34]
93 LVS
36 		PHO
26 		CAL
29 		TEX
30 		BRI
36 		RCH TAL
33 		DOV
38 		CLT
36 		POC
34 		MCH
21 		IOW
38 		CHI
DNQ 		DAY KEN
32 		GLN
26 		MOH
17 		BRI ROA
20 		DAR IND
21 		LVS RCH CLT
26 		DOV
Rick Ware Racing 17 Chevy CHI
35
B. J. McLeod Motorsports 99 Toyota KAN
29 		TEX
21 		PHO
23 		HOM
2020 DAY
21 		LVS CAL
29 		PHO DAR CLT BRI ATL HOM HOM TAL POC IND
23 		KEN KEN TEX KAN ROA
17 		DAY
12 		DOV DOV DAY DAR RCH RCH BRI LVS TAL
18 		34th 140 [35]
78 CLT
13 		KAN TEX MAR PHO
2021 SS-Green Light Racing with Rick Ware Racing 07 Chevy DAY DAY HOM LVS PHO ATL MAR TAL DAR DOV COA CLT MOH TEX NSH POC ROA
29 		ATL NHA IND
25 		MCH DAY DAR RCH BRI LVS TAL CLT
38 		TEX KAN MAR PHO 71st 1 [36]
17 GLN
24

Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series[]

NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck 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 NGTC Pts Ref
2019 Reaume Brothers Racing 34 Chevy DAY ATL LVS MAR TEX DOV KAN
18 		CLT
DNQ 		TEX IOW GTW KEN
20 		POC ELD MCH BRI MSP LVS TAL MAR PHO 90th 7 [37]
33 CHI
19 		HOM
30
2020 34 DAY LVS
32 		CLT ATL HOM POC KEN TEX KAN KAN MCH DAY DOV GTW DAR 88th 01 [38]
33 Toyota RCH
25 		KAN
28
00 BRI
26 		LVS TAL TEX
19 		MAR PHO

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
2 Bilicki switched from Cup points to Truck points in late 2021.

References[]

  1. ^ Josh Bilicki gets his break as a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  2. ^ "Slinger High School graduate Josh Bilicki races with the nation's best". FOX6Now.com. 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  3. ^ "10 Questions with Josh Bilicki – SCCA US Majors driver". 2014-08-06. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  4. ^ "Behind the Wheel – Josh Bilicki Blogs About His Xfinity Series Debuet". 2016-09-01. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  5. ^ "Josh Bilicki 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
  6. ^ "NASCAR Xfinity: Josh Bilicki makes series oval debut at Phoenix | Maximum Sports Channels". Maximum Sports Channels. 2016-11-12. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  7. ^ "Drivers announced for Obaika Racing in NASCAR XFINITY Series Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway". Catchfence. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  8. ^ "Kallmann: With debut set, Ty Majeski's NASCAR plans taking shape". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  9. ^ "Josh Bilicki joins Rick Ware Racing Cup program for Sonoma, Watkins Glen". Josh Bilicki. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  10. ^ "2017 Toyota / Save Mart 350". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
  11. ^ "The Podium Finish: Josh Bilicki Strives NASCAR Career". The Podium Finish. 2017-06-17. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  12. ^ "Driver Josh Bilicki 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  13. ^ Bioscience, Quincy. "Prevagen To Sponsor Josh Bilicki And B.J. McLeod Motorsports For NASCAR XFINITY Series Road Courses". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  14. ^ "Clements wins 1st career NASCAR race at Road America". www.gmtoday.com. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  15. ^ "Prevagen Extends Josh Bilicki Sponsorship; Celebrates Ten Years of Prevagen at NASCAR Chicagoland 300". Retrieved 2017-09-15.
  16. ^ "Josh Bilicki joins JP Motorsports". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  17. ^ Catanzareti, Zach. "Josh Bilicki Ready For Step Up With RSS Racing". Kickin The Tires. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  18. ^ "Bilicki to make NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series debut at Kansas". Josh Bilicki Racing. May 8, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  19. ^ Nguyen, Justin. "Josh Bilicki, Kyle Weatherman join Rick Ware for Michigan double duty". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  20. ^ "Bilicki set for triple duty at Chicagoland". Josh Bilicki Racing. June 28, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  21. ^ "Bilicki partners with Furniture Mall of Kansas and joins BJ McLeod Motorsports for remainder of 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Season". Josh Bilicki Racing. October 16, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  22. ^ Gillispie, Zach (May 11, 2020). "Tommy Baldwin Racing, Josh Bilicki Team Up for Darlington". Frontstretch. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  23. ^ Catanzareti, Zach (August 16, 2020). "Josh Bilicki Ties Best Xfinity Finish at Daytona Road Course". Kickin The Tires. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  24. ^ "Josh Bilicki Running Full 2021 Cup Schedule with Rick Ware Racing". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. January 19, 2021.
  25. ^ "Session". www.race-monitor.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  26. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  27. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  28. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  29. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2020 NASCAR Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  30. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  31. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  32. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  33. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  34. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  35. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  36. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  37. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  38. ^ "Josh Bilicki – 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 9, 2020.

External links[]

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