NASCAR: 5 drivers who could sign with Chip Ganassi Racing for 2019
By Asher Fair
Matt DiBenedetto
Matt DiBenedetto signed with Go Fas Racing ahead of the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season after driving full-time for BK Racing in the 2015 and 2016 seasons, his first two seasons in the sport.
However, the 27-year-old Grass Valley, California native recently announced that he will not be returning to the Cup Series as the driver of the #32 Go Fas Racing Ford in the 2019 season.
Simply put, DiBenedetto is not content to race around at the back of the pack every race, which is what he has been doing throughout his tenure at Go Fas Racing. He sits in 30th place in the championship standings, which is last place among full-time drivers, and he is nowhere near even approaching Germain Racing Ty Dillon in 29th.
DiBenedetto knows that by giving up a full-time Cup Series ride, he is risking not getting back to NASCAR’s highest level, but he also knows that this risk could pay off.
Given the potential that DiBenedetto has shown throughout his Cup Series career so far with his career-high sixth place finish in the April race at Bristol Motor Speedway driving for BK Racing back in the 2016, which was and is the best finish by any driver in team history, as well as his three top nine finishes and 10 top 19 finishes driving for Go Fas Racing since the start of last season, he could end up being signed by a better team.
With Chip Ganassi Racing being set to sign a driver to replace Jamie McMurray as the driver of the #1 Chevrolet, DiBenedetto should, at the very least, be in the discussion to potentially be the replacement for the veteran. If it happens, his risk will have paid off.
But if Chip Ganassi Racing do not sign Kurt Busch, Ross Chastain, Ryan Newman or DiBenedetto to replace Jamie McMurray behind the wheel of the #1 Chevrolet next year, who else might they sign?