“I’ve Been Humbled”- Former Joe Gibbs Star Shockingly Deems NASCAR Demotion a “Blessing” After Colossal Career Scare

For the average NASCAR driver, there is no greater category they could partake in than the Cup Series. But for Matt DiBenedetto, his journey through the prime series has been nothing but tumultuous. Throughout his time with Cup teams, DiBenedetto always found himself at a crossroads with the owners near the end of the year.

So when DiBenedetto moved back down to the Truck Series in 2022, many believed it could be the end of DiBenedetto’s competitive career. Fortunately, even after he got dropped by Rackley W.A.R. mid-playoffs in 2023, DiBenedetto is showing great signs of improvement as he slowly makes his way back toward the top in the Xfinity Series.

After years of struggling against the currents, Matt DiBenedetto learns to go with the flow

Compared to the days when the former Joe Gibbs Racing driver battled it out with Denny Hamlin for the lead, the Nevada native had a finds somewhat of a lackluster career. Apart from a few displays of talent, nothing much came from DiBenedetto’s Cup career owning to sponsorship woes and other dilemmas. That being said, DiBenedetto seems to have paid his dues in the Truck Series as he now embarks onto the next step with the newly formed Viking Motorsports. For the 2024 season, DiBenedetto was hired by the Xfinity team to drive the #38 car owned by Don Sackett, president of SciAps.

But as DiBenedetto had to face one curveball after another, all that adversity changed his character for the better. Now, the Nevada native is more concerned with making the most of what he’s been offered. For 2024, DiBenedetto’s focus isn’t to return to the Cup Series but to build from the ground up with Don Sackett.

Sharing what he saw as a silver lining in his Cup downfall, DiBenedetto shared with Jayski, “The last few years of life have been very humbling for good measure and it totally needed to happen because now I find myself more at peace with life and having a lot more joy for this opportunity. My identity before was so sunk into being a NASCAR driver, Cup driver, and all the pressure. My identity was so rooted in it that you live in and through it. Now, in life, I’ve been humbled and appreciate the little things and it makes you enjoy the process more”.

The veteran concluded, “In the big picture, Cup racing, I’m at peace with whatever. I’ve surrendered my life more to life’s plan more so than mine. I’ve tried to control so much in the past. I’ve been guilty of forcing things or trying to do everything my way, and it really hasn’t worked out. I think now I’m along for the ride.”

After taking a look at the fire that’s been relit in Matt DiBenedetto’s eyes owing to Viking Motorsport’s call-up, it’s safe to say that all his woes over the past few years have paid off and will continue to. However, just how did such an opportunity land in DiBenedetto’s lap in the first place?

The #38 Viking Motorsports spotter is largely responsible for giving DiBenedetto a shot

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When Don Sackett partnered up with Ryan Sieg and RSS Racing for the 2024 season, fans weren’t expecting much more from the tycoon-turned-racing-afficionado. That said, Sackett highlighted his commitment to motorsports by making the shocking announcement of a new team; Viking Motorsports.

Speaking to Jayski, Sackett revealed that the SciAps group was interested in experiencing NASCAR team ownership, and the Siegs provided the perfect opportunity to do so. Saccket stated, “We went to the Siegs and said, ‘Can we lease the 38 number and we’ll take responsibility for the car, damage, crew, and the hauler expense?’ We negotiated a purse split. We’re running the 38 car as if we were the owner of the team.”

And soon enough, Viking Motorsports had its car, crew, and hauler, all ready to go. But this left Sackett with the biggest gap to fill. Who would take the seat in the #38? First, CJ McLaughlin was the preferred option but after the early DNFs, Sackett knew he needed to look for a replacement. This is when, according to Jayski, the #38’s spotter made the brilliant suggestion of calling in Matt DiBenedetto.

As Viking Motorsports looks to enter the coming races at Darlington and Charlotte, DiBenedetto’s future in NASCAR seems safe and secure. Sackett reaffirmed the same with his closing statements. “He will be back 100%,” Sackett said. “We don’t know our full schedule for the rest of the season, but our plan is to do most of the races. He will be back for all of the races.”

Now that Matt DiBenedetto has a golden opportunity to slowly carve his way back toward the Cup Series, do you think that Sackett and Viking Motorsports’ gamble will pay off?