NASCAR: Matt DiBenedetto has an interesting request for his next team

Despite remaining unsigned for the 2022 NASCAR season, Matt DiBenedetto has made progress in obtaining a ride, but there is one condition.

Matt DiBenedetto may very well just be the biggest free agent remaining in NASCAR silly season for 2022. While Roush Fenway Racing veteran Ryan Newman doesn’t have a ride for next year either, DiBenedetto has statistically had the better year, and he sits well above Newman in the point standings.

DiBenedetto has cited lack of funding as the key reason for his uncertain future, but he also has faced an uphill battle in that he is a Cup Series veteran without a win.

In a season that has seen three first-time driver winners, including Bubba Wallace, who delivered 23XI Racing a win in their first season of competition, and another first-time team winner in Kaulig Racing, the 30-year-old has yet to achieve what would be his first career win and the 100th win for Wood Brothers Racing.

Free agency has been a recurring topic in regard to DiBenedetto over the years. Last October, it was announced he would be out of the #21 Ford after 2021.

Team Penske Xfinity Series driver Austin Cindric was originally slated to replace him, but even when an opening was made available for him at the Team Penske Cup Series team with Brad Keselowski leaving to replace Newman at Roush Fenway Racing, the Wood Brothers Racing ride went to Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series driver Harrison Burton. 

Despite no announcements, DiBenedetto has leads, but he also has a unique request.

SiriusXM NASCAR radio host Danielle Trotta recently said that DiBenedetto is getting calls from teams in all three NASCAR national series, but he wants to go to a team that will “let him be himself”, adding that he “doesn’t want to be censored”.

While one takeaway is that DiBenedetto is getting calls from teams in all three series, another is him not wanting to be censored. His request is to be able to speak freely on religion and patriotism.

It’s unclear the exact issues on which the Grass Valley, California native wants to be able to speak, as he has credited his faith both on-air and through his social media before already. NASCAR has also had U.S. presidents serve as grand marshals for races in the past, so the idea of “patriotism” remains a mystery in terms of what he means as well.

Regardless, a key takeaway here is that DiBenedetto is talking to teams and drawing interest for 2022, which is something on which he hasn’t sounded too confident in interviews over the last few months. Will he find a team that will allow him to be himself?