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DiBenedetto, West Part Company
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Hickory, NC ~ No this isn't the upper levels of NASCAR racing, but even here in the world of Late Model Stock Car racing we've got somewhat of a silly season.
Kicking it off this season would be one of the kids we've been keeping an eye on for the last two years, young Matt DiBenedetto. DiBenedetto, who was the 2007 UARA-STARS Melling Select Rookie of the Year headed into the 2008 season with high hopes after being announced to move into one of the elite Late Model Stock Car teams, Mitch West Racing of Asheville, NC. West Racing has featured top drivers
Photos by: Langley Austin/Star City Racing News
Members of the Mitch West Racing team help to push Matt DiBenedetto's ride into place for qualifying at the first Bristol UAR-STARS race which was eventually won by DiBenedetto.
over the years including UARA champions, Lee Tissot and Danny O'Quinn, Jr., but this season has been far from a dream season for DiBenedetto.
The team has competed in only 11 races so far this season, but has collected three wins on three different tracks ... Newport Speedway, Tri-County Motor Speedway and his biggest career win coming at Bristol Motor Speedway in May in the UARA-STARS Series. Obviously those stats sound good for a driver not yet to the age of 18, but the other eight races leave DiBenedetto desiring more.
DiBendetto in those other eight races had several DNF's(did not finish) including a blown tire at the second UARA race at Bristol that sidelined the team for nearly two months, a break that an up and coming driver, who needs seat time can't afford. DiBenedetto however weathered the storm through the break that lasted exactly four days short of two months, but the Bobby Isaac Memorial 200 at Hickory Motor Speedway on Monday night was all the youngster could take and after qualifying in third and racing in the top five for almost the entire race, DiBenedetto came to stop in the track when his car broke.
DiBenedetto's crew repaired the car however and
Matt DiBenedetto is one of the Four Star drivers on the popular David Smith Motorsports scouting website yet, the young driver has struggled to find a good home in Late Model Stock Cars or with hooking up with a top level NASCAR team.
returned to the track still one of the fastest cars on the track. DiBenedetto's 15th place finish wasn't enough to keep him at Mitch West Racing as the youngster and his family have decided to part ways from the team effective immediately. DiBenedetto was unavailable for comment at the time of press, but we will have much more coming on this young phenom as rumors swirl around about where he will race next.
The rumors have DiBenedetto driving one of the recently vacated cars from the UARA-STARS tour and no doubt that no matter where this young driver lands he'll drive the wheels off the car and be running in the top five everywhere they travel. Also there is
Matt DiBenedetto(right) chats with Joe Gibbs Racing developmental driver, Marc Davis(left), who will make the leap to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in a few weeks. Many expected DiBenedetto to be along side of Davis in a two-car NASCAR Camping World East Series effort this season for Joe Gibbs Racing, but that never materialized for DiBenedetto.
no word on whether or not anyone will be filling DiBenedetto's seat or if the team will compete anymore this season as part of the reason the team hasn't run many races was due to a lack of funding.
Stay tuned to RACE22.com for the latest on Matt D's career and what's in store for the young driver as we'll have an announcement soon on his next move and what car he may be behind the wheel of come Martinsville for the Bailey's 300.
Story by: Langley Austin
langley@race22.com
Matt DiBenedetto(left) and Mitch West(right) celebrated three victories together including the biggest of DiBenedetto's career in the UARA 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but Monday evenig at Hickory the "wheels fell off" so to speak and ended the partnership, but both parties will pick up and move on.