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DiBenedetto Becomes Bad Boy
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Story By: Langley Austin langley@race22.com
Hickory, NC ~ When one door closes another opens and that was the case for Matt DiBenedetto and the team he's going to join for the Bailey's 300 at Martinsville Speedway later this month.
DiBenedetto will taking over the ride at least for this one race in the seat vacated by Paddy Rodenbeck with Jamie Yelton's team. The "Forest City Bad Boys" as Yelton's team is known as will be gaining a new "Bad Boy" for the Bailey's 300, but that "Bad Boy" reputation is in jeopardy with clean, nice guy, DiBenedetto joining the team.
This move will also mark the return of DiBenedetto to Marlowe chassis, the same chassis manufacturer that the
Photo by: Doc Love/Kick'n Asphalt Radio
Matt DiBenedetto the May 17th winner of the UARA 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway will now get a chance to go to Martinsville Speedway and try to become the first driver to ever win at Bristol and Martinsville in the same season.
youngster took to two wins in 2007 on the UARA-STARS circuit and drove to a top five finish at last years Bailey's 300 with chassis builder, Greg Marlowe as his crew chief. DiBenedetto has to be a favorite heading into the event after going there for the first time last season and running competitively with all the biggest names in Late Model Stock Car racing including the driver who
eventually won the event NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, Dennis Setzer.
For DiBenedetto it's the break he's been needing, he'll be in familiar equipment with a well funded team and for Yelton it's a chance to give a young driver on the verge of stardom a chance to compete on Late Model Stock Car racing's biggest stage. For now this is a one race deal that will put DiBenedetto in the Bailey's 300, but more could come from this deal and there are still several other options being looked at by DiBenedetto as he moves forward with his budding career.
We'll certainly have more on this as well as more on what went wrong at Mitch West Racing with DiBenedetto as the "soap opera" season rolls on for the young driver, who desperately just needs to keep himself behind the wheel of a race car, sharpening his skills as well as putting himself in front of the people who can take him to the next level.
Stay tuned to RACE22.com for more on the developing story of Matt DiBenedetto's 2008 season as well as what's in store for the team he recently split with.
Photo by: Langley Austin
Jamie Yelton has had a two car team all season and with the departure of Paddy Rodenbeck, the door opened to bring Matt DiBendetto into the team.