LEBANON, Pa.: When Dylan Cisney took off his racing suit after this year’s Tuscarora 50, he paused for a minute as an uncomfortable thought circulated through his mind.
Cisney couldn’t help thinking about the next time he would put that driver’s suit on and compete. Not because he was simply looking forward to 2025, but more that he didn’t know if or where it would happen.
Unfortunately, Cisney is still wondering.
The Port Royal, Pa., driver figured there would be a change at the end of this season. That came to fruition recently, when Cisney’s car-owner, Scott Cowman, decided he didn’t want to be a full-time owner, which left the central Pennsylvania driver looking for a ride.
“I think he just got to the point where he realized that owning a full-time Sprint Car operation wasn’t something he wanted to pursue,” Cisney said. “He’s done it for 25-plus years in the Midwest, took a break for a year or two when he got involved with my team on a partnership level, and when he was out for that year or two, he thought he wanted to give it a go in Pennsylvania.
“I think we had a successful three and a half, four-year venture with each other, and after those years, the state of the economy, and his businesses, he’s too busy, and we’re too far from each other for him to be involved. That’s the main issue.
Continued Cisney, “I think he wants to be a little more present with where his team is, and he just realized that having something full time isn’t something he is interested in. I appreciate everything Scott has done over the last six years. He’s allowed me to race more than I ever did, and I can’t thank him enough for it.”
Cowman got involved in Cisney’s family-owned team toward the end of the 2018 season. He helped with providing motors, an arrangement that lasted until things changed three years later.
At that point, Cisney’s father wanted to get out of the Sprint Car game. Cowman jumped in and became the owner, which allowed the local driver to compete in more races inside and outside of the Central PA region.
Since the 2021 season started, Cisney, who ran his own car and Cowman’s machine that season, has visited Victory Lane on six occasions. He also has 40 top-five finishes and a slew of top 10s, but now he is looking for a new seat for the first time in his racing career.
“For the first time, I’m going to be dependent on someone else,” Cisney said. “It was a unique deal with Scott, because it kind of worked out with my dad retiring from work, and the pieces of the puzzle just fell together to prolong that. Even though we did sell things and buy new, there was a transition period from dad’s team to Scott. We just switched owners, which doesn’t happen.
“At this point, I don’t have anything in line, so I’m looking for any opportunity out there. I just want to race as much as I can. I don’t want to necessarily just be a local guy or a Port Royal guy. I’m looking for any opportunity that would put me in quality equipment and be able to run as many races as I can.”
It’s a nervous spot to be in for a driver who has spent the bulk of his career in a family deal and transitioned to another owner, which is unheard of in the Sprint Car racing. Cisney’s had job security that others dream of in this game.
But now, the 32-year-old driver will be competing with other competitors looking to woo a car-owner for one season, three seasons, or even 10 years. It’s uncharted territory.
Worse, Cisney knows the landscape and how fickle this sport can be. He’s seen fellow drivers and friends scrounge for rides and go through the emotional rollercoaster of going through this process.
But Cisney also knows what he brings to the table. He’s run his own team, been the shot-caller in the pit area, and has been in the 410 Sprint Car division for 15 years. More appealing, he has no limitations on where he runs, whether it’s different tracks or even on the road.
“It’s different, for sure,” Cisney said. “In the Sprint Car world, things happen fast. Rides that you thought were sewn up a week ago come open, and drivers switch. Luckily, I feel like I’m in a position where I’m known enough, and I have enough friends in the sport to look at some leads out there and have some options for next year.
“I think there is some experience I can bring to certain teams. This is 15 years of being in a 410 already, and I feel like given the right circumstances and people around me, I can have success just being a driver. I’ve always been heavily involved with the at-the-track decisions with what’s going on, so I feel I can help a team.
“I think I have a lot left as a driver. You just need the right people around you, and depending on the situation, I feel like I can be successful and win races in Pennsylvania or even on the road.”