DiBenedetto’s options running out after losing ride
Always a popular driver, Matt DiBenedetto won a fan vote this season that earned him the final spot in NASCAR’s All-Star race. As for the rest of his racing career? Well, wins haven’t come at all.
DiBenedetto became a fan favorite over his seven-year career as the underdog of underfunded teams — he qualified for his first Daytona 500 in 2016 in an open car — who just needed top-tier equipment to prove that he could compete with the stars of the sport and even win a race or two. When he got that shot last year with Wood Brothers Racing, steady success instead never came, and DiBenedetto is now without a ride for next season.
DiBenedetto has no idea what’s next. He could not hide the crushing hurt in a nine-minute video he posted on social media where he vented his frustration at losing yet another ride.
“I’m here to win in the Cup Series,” he said. “I am going to.”
Time could be running short.
DiBenedetto had known since October he was losing his ride in the No. 21 Ford at the end of the season, but perhaps false hope of a reprieve grew when Brad Keselowski
decided to leave Team Penske for Roush Fenway Racing. Austin Cindric
was slotted for the ride at Wood Brothers, which essentially operates as a fourth Penske car, but got the nod instead to replace Keselowski. DiBenedetto’s seat will now go to Xfinity Series driver Harrison Burton.
Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood said he wanted a rookie to team with Cindric as NASCAR ushers in a new car in 2022.
“Those two guys could work together and develop themselves into great race car drivers,” Wood said. “Being rookies, they’re both on the same level and this new car is such a white sheet of paper that even if you’re a veteran, if you’re a 20-year veteran, you’re really not going to have a lot on a rookie.”
DiBenedetto had held out hope that Keselowski’s departure gave him a chance to keep his ride, but in the end the statistics didn’t support his cause. Although he did qualify for the playoffs last year for the first time, he’s winless and has just 27 top-10 finishes in 233 career starts.
At the track where the winner gets a lobster, DiBenedetto has an outside chance to claw his way into the playoff picture beginning Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
“In our eyes, we’re not done,” Wood said. “There are five races left before the playoffs. We’re gonna try to win a race and get in the playoffs.”
DiBenedetto will hit the free-agent market without a sponsor, and minus the funding necessary to entice a team owner to take him, he could be sitting out the Cup Series in
2022. DiBenedetto said this week he didn’t want to drop down to the second-tier Xfinity Series or drive in the Truck Series.
The No. 21 team made a crew chief change in June with Jonathan Hassler taking over for Greg Erwin, which resulted in modest improvement. DiBenedetto finished 10th and ninth in his last two races.
“Our team is clicking,” DiBenedetto said. “Finally. But guess what? It’s too late. I know it’s going to work out like it’s supposed to, but I’m just expressing my frustration with the way it is.”
So where could he go? There are few options with most seats for 2022 already secured. 23XI Racing has discussed adding a second car, and 2004 champion Kurt Busch, last week’s winner at Atlanta, could be in the mix for that spot. Richard Petty Motorsports has yet to pick up the option on Erik Jones’ contract.
GMS Racing is making the move from the Truck Series to Cup in 2022, and Kaulig Racing might have a spot open, leaving a door cracked for DiBenedetto.
Xfinity Series: Christopher Bell turned a spot start in the Xfinity Series into a trip to victory lane, winning in a romp Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
ABell made his first start since 2019 in NASCAR's second-tier series when he was needed as a late replacement driver. He won every stage in the No. 54 Toyota and captured his 17th career Xfinity race. He won seven races in 2018, nine in 2019 and was promoted to Cup last season.
Bell is 15th in the Cup Series this season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Bell won his first Cup race this season at the Daytona road course.
“I've got really, really fast race cars to drive,” Bell said.
He certainly remembered how to take the checkered flag at New Hampshire, where he won in the Xfinity Series for the third time. In the Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200, Bell made the most of his shot. “I didn't have any Xfinity races on my calendar. I'm not really sure what happened,” Bell said. “I think Ty Gibbs maybe was supposed to run it and ended up doing the ARCA deal. I'm not really sure what happened, but I was very thankful for the opportunity.”
Justin Allgaier was second, followed by Daniel Hemric, Austin Cindric and Harrison Burton.
The top-fives capped a big week for Cindric and Burton -- Cindric was named driver of the flagship No. 2 car for Team Penske in the Cup Series next season, and Burton will drive for Wood Brothers Racing next season in the 21 Ford.
Bell put the Cup field on notice he could be a factor on Sunday. He won a trophy on Saturday. Win the Cup race Sunday, and Bell receives a live lobster in victory lane.
“I'm not crazy about touching the lobster,” Bell said. “My wife is excited about it. I will probably let her hold it.”
Formula One: Max Verstappen out-dragged
Lewis Hamilton at the start of Formula One’s
Aexperimental first sprint qualifying race to take the pole for the British Grand Prix and spoil the homecoming of the seven-time champion.
Hamilton initially seemed fine with the defeat and showed enthusiasm for the format and the fan energy at packed Silverstone.
But the Mercedes driver changed his tune by the post-race news conference as he sullenly accepted he’d lost again to Verstappen and Red Bull. Hamilton said there he didn’t like the format – which, also, cost him another point in the standings.
The Dutchman stretched his lead over Hamilton by winning the sprint, and takes a 33point advantage over the local driver into Sunday’s grand prix.
“In my opinion there needs to be a Saturday and Sunday weekend,” Hamilton said.
Verstappen and thirdplaced Valtteri Bottas – Hamilton’s teammate – said they preferred the traditional three-round qualifying, noting they’d rather have used the track time for practice.
Any chance of Hamilton finally topping the championship leader was lost when Verstappen simply drove away from Hamilton at the start.
“They’ve done a really great job with their engine, their starts are really great this year,” Hamilton said.
“We’ve lost a bit of performance on our starts, so we’ve got to work a bit harder to improve that.”
Verstappen earned three points for the win, as well as the pole. It put Verstappen in position for a fourth consecutive win, all from pole.