NASCAR: 3 possible landing spots for Matt DiBenedetto in 2021
By Asher Fair
For the second year in a row, Matt DiBenedetto switched teams in the NASCAR Cup Series. Where will he end up in the 2021 season?
Matt DiBenedetto had a ride lined up to compete for Go Fas Racing behind the wheel of the #32 Ford in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season after driving for the team in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
But he gambled on himself, and he gave up that ride to seek a more competitive option.
That gamble ended up paying off, as he landed a ride with Leavine Family Racing, which switched from Chevrolet to Toyota and formed a technical alliance with four-car powerhouse Toyota team Joe Gibbs Racing ahead of the 2019 season.
However, despite his and Leavine Family Racing’s progression throughout the 2019 season, the team announced that he would not be back behind the wheel of the #95 Toyota in 2020, and Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series superstar Christopher Bell ended up being tabbed as his replacement.
Meanwhile, there were rumors that Go Fas Racing would form a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing, rumors that proved to be true.
So had his gamble to leave the one-car Ford team really paid off?
It still looks like, as Paul Menard announced his decision to retire from Cup Series competition after the 2019 season, and he told the Team Penske-affiliated Wood Brothers Racing to replace him with DiBenedetto behind the wheel of the #21 Ford.
As a result, DiBenedetto now drives for the team on a one-year contract in 2020. But beyond that, it is still anybody’s guess, and with him having changed teams two years in a row, another change is not out of the question; he is, after all, one of many top-quality pending free agents.
Where will he end up in 2021? Here are three possible landing spots.