NASCAR Cup Series: Matt DiBenedetto to drive for Leavine Family Racing in 2019

Matt DiBenedetto, who currently drives for Go Fas Racing, is set to replace Kasey Kahne at Leavine Family Racing in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Matt DiBenedetto announced last month that he will not be returning to Go Fas Racing in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, which would have been his third season driving for the team.

While he realized that not returning to Go Fas Racing was a gamble, as there was no guarantee that he would land a ride with another team, DiBenedetto decided to take it anyway. He took this gamble simply because of the fact that he had no desire to continue racing at the back of the pack on a regular basis.

Now it appears that the gamble made by the 27-year-old Grass Valley, California native has paid off, as he is set to drive for Leavine Family Racing in the 2019 season. The team are set to form a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing starting in 2019.

DiBenedetto is set to replace Kasey Kahne, who just announced his retirement, as the full-time driver of the #95 car (currently the #95 Chevrolet, set to become the #95 Toyota) next year. He has signed a two-year deal to drive for the team.

Here is what DiBenedetto had to say about the opportunity to drive for Leavine Family Racing in the 2019 season, according to NASCAR.

"“I’ve been lucky to develop quite a great relationship with Bob Leavine and the folks at LFR over the past couple years, just strictly through being persistent and bugging them. Bob is a very straightforward guy, and so I knew when he said that, I knew it was real, that I had an opportunity to get in the door there and be a part of the team. To say I was persistent is an understatement, and I exhausted all resources.”"

Here is what Leavine Family Racing team owner Bob Leavine had to say about DiBenedetto driving for the team in the 2019 season, according to NASCAR.

"“I really like his desire, determination. Good kid…We think the world of him and his ability.”"

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DiBenedetto has driven in 134 races over the course of his four-year career in the Cup Series so far. He drove in 68 races for BK Racing from the 2015 season through the 2016 season, and he earned a career-high sixth place finish in the April race at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 2016 season. This sixth place finish was the lone top 16 finish that he earned driving for the team.

Since signing with Go Fas Racing ahead of the 2017 season, DiBenedetto has driven in 66 races. He has earned an additional three top nine finishes, including a ninth place finish in last year’s Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, an eighth place finish in last year’s July race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and a seventh place finish in this year’s July race at Daytona International Speedway.

DiBenedetto currently sits in 30th place in the championship standings. His career-high finish in the standings coming into the 2018 season was 32nd, which is where he finished last season.

How will Matt DiBenedetto perform in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, which is set to be his first season driving the Leavine Family Racing? He is set to make his debut behind the wheel of the #95 Toyota in the 2019 season opener, the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday, February 17, 2019.