Matt DiBenedetto earns fourth Top-10 in 2019 at Watkins Glen By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
Matt DiBenedetto and Leavine Family Racing continue to impress as the summer months roll on. DiBenedetto left Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen from Watkins Glen International with a sixth-place finish, making it his fourth Top-10 of the 2019 season heading into Michigan next weekend.
DiBenedetto and his No. 95 Procore Toyota had the speed from the first time the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series took to the 2.5-mile road course to practice.
He would rank 15th in the first practice and an impressive third in final practice behind eventual race winner Chase Elliott and second-place finisher, Martin Truex Jr.
However, qualifying didn’t quite pan out how the driver would have liked having qualified a disappointing 20th on the starting grid for Sunday’s 90-lap event.
Matt DiBenedetto drove a consistent and clean race placing 11th and 12th in the first two stages and crossing the finish line in sixth, his second Top-10 result on a road course this season after finishing fourth at Sonoma.
(Photo: LFR95/Twitter)
“Track position was big, and we got messed up in our qualifying run by a couple guys, but it wasn’t their fault”, said DiBenedetto.
“So that set us back and we just had to diligently all race long, inch our way forward little by little. It was cool and it’s always so satisfying on these road courses for us to inch our way forward and pass some guys. I wish we could have started a little further forward. I know we could have run a little bit better, but that’s fine.”
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DiBenedetto’s result at WGI resulted in his fourth Top-10 in the last seven MENCS races.
Prior to The Glen, he finished fourth at Sonoma, eighth at Daytona and fifth at New Hampshire.
DiBenedetto continues to have his best season in the Cup Series having earned two Top-5s, four Top-10s and 11 Top-20 finishes.
With his future at Leavine up in the air with the uncertainty of where Erik Jones and Christopher Bell will race next season the consistency of driver and team this season opens up the eyes of many.
“I’m just fighting for my life, my career,” said DiBenedetto. “I want to be the one who get Leavine Family Racing their first win and many wins to come and be with this organization and Toyota for a long time to come. That’s my goal, I’m just lucky to be doing it.”
Read More: Matt DiBenedetto drives to career-best finish at home track