NASCAR: Joe Gibbs Racing’s decision could affect Matt DiBenedetto’s future

Joe Gibbs Racing’s fourth driver decision for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season could directly impact Matt DiBenedetto’s future.

Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin are all set to return to Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, but team owner Joe Gibbs has not yet officially made a decision as to whether or not Erik Jones will be back behind the wheel of the #20 Toyota.

The team’s superstar Xfinity Series driver, Christopher Bell, has already re-signed with the team for the 2020 season, but it has not been confirmed whether he will continue driving in the Xfinity Series or if he will replace Jones in the Cup Series.

But there is an additional possibility for the 24-year-old Norman, Oklahoma native, and that involves neither option.

Joe Gibbs Racing formed a technical alliance with Leavine Family Racing ahead of the 2019 season when the one-car team confirmed their manufacturer switch from Chevrolet to Toyota.

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It would make sense for Joe Gibbs Racing to retain Jones at this point, but it would also make sense for Bell to land a Cup Series ride as opposed to spending a third consecutive season in the Xfinity Series. Joe Gibbs Racing could make this happen by putting additional pressure (and money) on Leavine Family Racing to sign Bell for the 2020 season.

Bell could then stay at Leavine Family Racing until one of the four seats at Joe Gibbs Racing truly opens up for him. But with the prospect of him being promoted to the Cup Series next season and Jones retaining his ride with Joe Gibbs Racing, what would this mean for Leavine Family Racing’s current driver, Matt DiBenedetto?

DiBenedetto and Leavine Family Racing have recently come on strong in their first season together. After recording a top finish of 12th place and an average finishing position of 24.47 in the season’s first 15 races, he and the team have taken a clear step forward over the course of the most recent six races.

In these six races, he has recorded three top eight finishes, including the first two top five finishes of his career, with a top finish, a career-high finish, of fourth place in the race at Sonoma Raceway. Also in these six races, his average finishing position is a respectable 12.83.

While he and team owner Bob Leavine have not had talks about a contract extension for the 2020 season, DiBenedetto is not worried about his future. He is what he had to say about why this past weekend, according to NBC Sports.

"“I’ve had to fight and claw so hard, now that I’m in a good, quality ride with a great team that I love, I’m just 100% focused on performing. That’s what we‘ve been doing. I know that anyone — not to sound arrogant — but they’d have to have their heads examined if they get rid of me. Because nobody will do a better job in my car than myself.”"

But when it’s all said and done, the 28-year-old Grass Valley, California native may need Leavine Family Racing to become a two-car team in order to continue driving the #95 Toyota. They have not ruled out expansion, but at this point, it doesn’t appear to be all that likely.

Jones deserves to stay at Joe Gibbs Racing given how he has performed as of late, and assuming that happens, the team will have their four-car lineup set for the 2020 season.

Bell, meanwhile, deserves to be promoted to the Cup Series as well. While it would make sense for him to stay with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series team to compete for a championship next year, a move to the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated Leavine Family Racing Cup Series team would also make sense.

Bell stated last summer that he was ready to be promoted to the Cup Series, and you would be hard-pressed to find anybody who disagreed with him.

But he ultimately re-signed with Joe Gibbs Racing late in the season to return to the team for his second consecutive Xfinity Series after DiBenedetto was confirmed as Leavine Family Racing’s driver.

This season, meanwhile, Bell has proven that he is more than ready for a Cup Series ride. Yet without confirming which series in which he will compete next year, Joe Gibbs Racing re-signed him for the 2020 season — in June.

Re-signing with the team for an “unspecified” series this early in the season after his 2019 destination was unclear even late in the 2018 season when he felt that he was ready for a promotion is certainly something to ponder when it comes to considering where his 2020 destination might be.

DiBenedetto deserves to stay with Leavine Family Racing, and that is clearly what he wants to do, but if Jones stays at Joe Gibbs Racing and Bell is promoted to the Cup Series, he may need the team to expand to make that happen.

Will Matt DiBenedetto continue driving for Leavine Family Racing in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, or will he be replaced by Christopher Bell so that Bell can compete in the Cup Series while Erik Jones can remain at Joe Gibbs Racing?

At this point, the simplest solution appears to be for Joe Gibbs Racing to keep Jones and Bell where they are right now, and if that happens, DiBenedetto should have no issues whatsoever maintaining his ride at Leavine Family Racing.

But whether or not a third consecutive Xfinity Series season for the driver who has been arguably the most Cup Series-ready driver not competing in the Cup Series for over a year is a good idea remains to be seen.

It is especially worth considering that Joe Gibbs Racing wouldn’t want to risk losing Bell to a rival team after next season by putting him through this situation again next year if it comes down to him re-signing with the team for a fourth consecutive Xfinity Series season or walking away just so he can finally have an opportunity to compete at NASCAR’s highest level.