NASCAR Cup Series: Matt DiBenedetto to leave Go Fas Racing after 2018

Matt DiBenedetto is set to leave Go Fas Racing following the conclusion of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season this November.

The final 11 races of the 36-race 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season are set to be the final 11 races during which Matt DiBenedetto drives the #32 Go Fas Racing Ford, as he is set to leave the team once the season reaches its conclusion.

Before he began driving for Go Fas Racing in the 2017 season, DiBenedetto spent two seasons driving full-time for BK Racing. He drove in 68 of the 72 races in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and he recorded a career-high sixth place finish in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in April of 2016.

This sixth place finish was DiBenedetto’s only top 16 finish in his 68 races driving for BK Racing. He finished in 35th in the championship standings in both the 2015 and 2016 season.

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In his first season driving for Go Fas Racing last year, DiBenedetto quadrupled his career top 16 finish total. He finished in ninth place in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, 13th in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July and eighth in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He finished in 32nd in the championship standings with five top 19 finishes.

Through 25 races so far this season, the 27-year-old Grass Valley, California native sits in 30th place in the championship standings, which would be his career-high finish in the standings if he stays there. However, there are only 30 full-time drivers in the series, so he likely won’t drop below 30th anyway.

DiBenedetto’s best finish of the season so far is his seventh place finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July. This finish is only top 15 finish of the year. His top 19 finish total of five, however, is tied for his career-high.

DiBenedetto himself revealed that he believes this decision is a risky one, although there is certainly a case to be made for him as far as him deserving a full-time Cup Series ride is concerned. However, whether or not this actually happens remains to be seen and does not seem like a great possibility in the near future, at least not for next season.

Here is what DiBenedetto had to say about leaving Go Fas Racing after this season in a statement that he released on Twitter.

Here is what Go Fas Racing had to say about DiBenedetto leaving the team in a statement that they released on Twitter.

Will Matt DiBenedetto continue driving in NASCAR next season? If so, will he do so in the Cup Series or for one of the feeder series? If not, will he find a ride in another racing series?