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Amidst NASCAR’s Silly Season Almost Drawing to a Close, Is This the End of the Road for Matt DiBenedetto?

Published 12/15/2023, 8:45 AM EST

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The NASCAR career of Matt DiBenedetto has resembled a vagabond’s life. The driver finds himself searching for new teams frequently, unable to settle for long with a single team, with a horde of factors affecting his tenures. As the 2024 NASCAR season inches closer, the question remains: will he find another team ready to sponsor him?

The 32-year-old has age on his side, and with 248 Cup Series starts under his belt, he has amassed a great deal of experience, too. A few days ago, Matt DiBenedetto announced that he was considering his options, and an announcement was en route. However, as days pass, there have been no signs of teams looking to avail his services. Could 2024 be a dry run for the Cup Series veteran?

Matt DiBenedetto’s options keep closing doors on him

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Following the premature announcement of his departure from Rackley W.A.R. earlier this season, Matt DiBenedetto’s future has been a topic of thorough discussion and speculation in the community. While the reason behind his departure hasn’t been ascertained, the partnership with Rackley W.A.R had seen some good days as the team’s performance somewhat improved with DiBenedetto’s addition. His removal from Rackley was a big blow, considering that it was one of the teams capable of providing in-house sponsorship.

Now with DiBenedetto as a free agent, several teams were linked to his name, but unfortunately, none seemed to work out. Rackley’s rival, CR7 Motorsports, was a rumored destination for him. However, the team announced the signing of the 2023 Truck Series Championship runner-up, Grant Enfinger, who is set to race in the No.9 Chevy Silverado in 2024.

Kaulig Racing could have been another option for Matt DiBenedetto. With AJ Allmendinger stepping down to Xfinity Series, there were speculations about Matt stepping up to the vacancy for 2024. But in a surprising turn of events, Kaulig announced the addition of 3-time Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen to the roster. SVG joins the team primarily as an Xfinity driver with limited Cup Starts in 2024.

These were just some teams that could have accommodated a chartered slot for Matt DiBenedetto. Teams across the three NASCAR competitions could have used his experience to lead a project, but the deals have yet to materialize.

The list of alternatives for DiBenedetto

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The Truck Series presented a lot of options for Matt DiBenedetto. Apart from CR7 Motorsports, another team that had to replace a departing driver was Niece Motorsports. As Carson Hocevar’s move to Spire Motorsports emptied the No.42 Silverado, Matt Mills filled the spot. Hocevar was one of the series’ rising talents, and his performances for Legacy Motor Club in limited appearances in the Cup Series ensured a move for him.

Niece Motorsports also announced the signing of Bayley Currey earlier in October. Currey, who has previously been involved with the team in a part-time role, will transition to a full-time role in 2024.

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing and ThorSport Racing also seemed to have some seats open before the 2024 season. However, ThorSport replaced Hailie Deegan, who switched to an Xfinity Series ride for 2024 with teenage sensation Jake Garcia. Last week, McANally-Hilgemann also announced that Jack Wood and Tyler Ankrum will compete in the two seats for the team in 2024.

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With the silly season coming to a close soon, Matt DiBenedetto will have to race against time to find a ride for 2024. Should the current situation continue, we might see the NASCAR veteran without a seat in the upcoming season.

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Written by:

Ansuman Abhisek

850Articles

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Edited by:

Ariva Debnath