Matt DiBenedetto, who was dropped by his former team with just three races remaining in 2025, attempted to make his first start of the 2026 NASCAR season in Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Darlington Raceway, driving the No. 35 Chevrolet for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen, but he failed to qualify.
It marked the third consecutive weekend in which the No. 35 car failed to qualify, and it was the team's fourth overall DNQ of the season, as the part-time No. 53 entry did not qualify for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
DiBenedetto will not get a chance to redeem himself this weekend, as the team have turned to a seventh different individual to drive the No. 35 Chevrolet in the season's seventh race weekend at Martinsville Speedway.
Matt DiBenedetto replacement confirmed after DNQ
Justin Carroll, who has competed off and on in the Craftsman Truck Series for TC Motorsports dating back to 2022, is set to attempt to make his O'Reilly Series debut this weekend at Martinsville.
This race is Carroll's lone scheduled start for the 2026 O'Reilly Series season, although that is subject to change, as the No. 35 Chevrolet only has a confirmed driver for six more races on the schedule beyond this weekend.
The No. 55 Chevrolet, which is the team's other full-time car, is set to be driven by team owner Joey Gase this weekend, and its plans beyond this weekend have also not yet been confirmed.
Other drivers of the No. 35 car so far this year include Gase, Natalie Decker, Austin J. Hill, Blake Lothian, and Chad Finchum. Finchum and Sage Karam have also spent time in the No. 55 car. Only Decker, Hill, and Lothian currently have more starts lined up for the team this year following the Martinsville race.
The NFPA 250 is set to be shown live on the CW Network from Martinsville Speedway starting at 3:30 p.m. ET this Saturday, March 28. Start a free trial of FuboTV and catch all of the action!