2022 Silly Season

Matt DiBenedetto’s last 4 race finishes.

P10
P9
P11
P11

These finishes are coming off his statements that he felt like the team was starting to hit strides and was finally working together better.

So basically, when Matt is on a team that gells, he’s a top 10 driver.

If I’m a Cup owner in need of top 10s to satisfy sponsors, I’d have my door open for discussions.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Matt DiBenedetto’s last 4 race finishes.

P10
P9
P11
P11

These finishes are coming off his statements that he felt like the team was starting to hit strides and was finally working together better.

So basically, when Matt is on a team that gells, he’s a top 10 driver.

If I’m a Cup owner in need of top 10s to satisfy sponsors, I’d have my door open for discussions.
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And the Woods are nowhere near an elite team. He could be the next MTJ from Furniture Row but it unfortunately won't happen
 
RacerrecaR said:
And the Woods are nowhere near an elite team. He could be the next MTJ from Furniture Row but it unfortunately won't happen
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The 21 hasn't been a Woods car for a few years. It's a 4th Penske car entirely. Woods don't even operate any active racecars out of their shop anymore.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Matt DiBenedetto’s last 4 race finishes.

P10
P9
P11
P11

These finishes are coming off his statements that he felt like the team was starting to hit strides and was finally working together better.

So basically, when Matt is on a team that gells, he’s a top 10 driver.

If I’m a Cup owner in need of top 10s to satisfy sponsors, I’d have my door open for discussions.
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Would you look at that.
 
aunty dive said:
Sometimes top ten drivers finish 6th.

Or fourth.
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and Matt has 3 top 5s amid the #21 team’s feast or famine part of the season where they had terrible luck.

It’s becoming more obvious that the move Penske made not to re-up Matt’s option is tied more to Harrison Burton’s sponsorship connections rather than a talent gap between the two drivers.
 
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StandOnIt said:
Here we go again. Smh

Whether Burton or Cindric, DiBenedetto was supposed to lose his seat and hit the free agency after the 2021 season.

www.nascar-nation.com

Roger Penske Gave Matt DiBenedetto “One More Season” at Wood Brothers

Speaking to about Matt DiBenedetto, Roger Penske made it clear that the driver was only offered "one more season" at Wood Brothers.
www.nascar-nation.com www.nascar-nation.com
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Yeah, not the whole story. Penske placed in option in Matt’s contract, that of which barred him from reaching out to any other teams about a 2021 seat.

An owner will never say “yes we canned our driver for another driver due to the funding they can bring to our team” but actions speak louder than words.

I’m confident that Matt will eventually land with a team like Trackhouse that doesn’t care about funding being a top priority and are 100% results focused.
 
I hate to say it because this is a discussion board but I am so sick of the Di Bendetto topic....especially after Roger said initially it was always supposed to be "one more season." If Matt was good enough he would be in that seat next year, I would imagine he would have changed Roger's mind. He's not good enough. He's a career jobber, a mid pack driver at best. Every year it's the same thing with this guy, this topic hijacking a silly season thread for someone who has proven countless times he might win 1 race in his career at best. There are at least 50 other drivers I would take over him if I were building a Cup team... I'd even take the corpse of Dale Earnhardt before I took Reddit/internet's Driving Champion. He's not good I am sorry. This horse has been beaten more than the Points System Horse
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Yeah, not the whole story. Penske placed in option in Matt’s contract, that of which barred him from reaching out to any other teams about a 2021 seat.

An owner will never say “yes we canned our driver for another driver due to the funding they can bring to our team” but actions speak louder than words.

I’m confident that Matt will eventually land with a team like Trackhouse that doesn’t care about funding being a top priority and are 100% results focused.
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You can make up anything ya want. What I posted was a quote straight from the horses mouth. It's all over but the crying
 
Snappy D said:
I hate to say it because this is a discussion board but I am so sick of the Di Bendetto topic....especially after Roger said initially it was always supposed to be "one more season." If Matt was good enough he would be in that seat next year, I would imagine he would have changed Roger's mind. He's not good enough. He's a career jobber, a mid pack driver at best. Every year it's the same thing with this guy, this topic hijacking a silly season thread for someone who has proven countless times he might win 1 race in his career at best. There are at least 50 other drivers I would take over him if I were building a Cup team... I'd even take the corpse of Dale Earnhardt before I took Reddit/internet's Driving Champion. He's not good I am sorry. This horse has been beaten more than the Points System Horse
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That's where I think you're wrong. I think he IS better than 60% of the drivers that will still have their jobs next year. Is he a potential champion? Probably not. Is he better than both Dillions, Preece, Bubba, Stenhouse, Suarez, McDowell, Custer, an aging Ryan Newman, Buescher and Corey Lajoie? In my opinion, YES.
 
If you really think that if Matt started to win races and everything like that, they would have still not found away to keep him, then I don’t know what to tell you. So why they not let him talk to teams about next season? Someone tell me that.
 
Snappy D said:
I hate to say it because this is a discussion board but I am so sick of the Di Bendetto topic....especially after Roger said initially it was always supposed to be "one more season." If Matt was good enough he would be in that seat next year, I would imagine he would have changed Roger's mind. He's not good enough. He's a career jobber, a mid pack driver at best. Every year it's the same thing with this guy, this topic hijacking a silly season thread for someone who has proven countless times he might win 1 race in his career at best. There are at least 50 other drivers I would take over him if I were building a Cup team... I'd even take the corpse of Dale Earnhardt before I took Reddit/internet's Driving Champion. He's not good I am sorry. This horse has been beaten more than the Points System Horse
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He’s finishing in or just outside the top 10 in every race with a team that finally has it together. He’s literally better than 28 other drivers that he’s recently beating on a consistent basis, and there are no indicators that it’s slowing down. He’s not Kyle Larson but he’s certainly better than Bubba Wallace and he has nearly the same type of races as Austin Dillon. Everyone seems to think that Bubba can win and Austin has proven to keep his seat by top 15ing all season with maybe a win sprinkled in every other season.

I’m sorry that I spoiled your silly season thread with silly season topics and discussion.
 
Tyler Reddick, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, Erik Jones, Austin Dillon are all better than Matt DiBenedetto at this stage in their career. He’s more of a Ryan Newman type IMO
 
ChexOrWrex said:
He’s finishing in or just outside the top 10 in every race with a team that finally has it together. He’s literally better than 28 other drivers that he’s recently beating on a consistent basis, and there are no indicators that it’s slowing down. He’s not Kyle Larson but he’s certainly better than Bubba Wallace and he has nearly the same type of races as Austin Dillon. Everyone seems to think that Bubba can win and Austin has proven to keep his seat by top 15ing all season with maybe a win sprinkled in every other season.

I’m sorry that I spoiled your silly season thread with silly season topics and discussion.
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Its been a Silly Season topic since like 2017. I just dont think the guy is good. Well I think you're right in a way. I think the Burrito deserving a stellar Cup ride is in fact in itself a Silly topic. Now if you want to say he deserves a top Xfinity ride or Truck ride, then I think that's feasible.
 
Formerjackman said:
That's where I think you're wrong. I think he IS better than 60% of the drivers that will still have their jobs next year. Is he a potential champion? Probably not. Is he better than both Dillions, Preece, Bubba, Stenhouse, Suarez, McDowell, Custer, an aging Ryan Newman, Buescher and Corey Lajoie? In my opinion, YES.
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I would take every driver you listed there except aging Newman over Burrito right now. Ty Dillon isnt full time so I probably wouldnt take him as a Cup owner but yeah, I would take Buescher especially over Burrito.
 
Snappy D said:
Its been a Silly Season topic since like 2017. I just dont think the guy is good. Well I think you're right in a way. I think the Burrito deserving a stellar Cup ride is in fact in itself a Silly topic. Now if you want to say he deserves a top Xfinity ride or Truck ride, then I think that's feasible.
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I think he’s going to end up in a top Xfinity ride, learn how to close out races and win, and then quickly get re-promoted back into Cup with a team like Trackhouse or even Keselowski’s operation. I don’t think he’s elite, and I’m not sure anyone does. But I do think he has shown that he can run near the front consistently with a clean car and the next step is having the entire team figuring out how to win. Have strong strategy, don’t blow pitstops, build fast cars and have a capable driver. Right now, I think he’s missing a winning capable car based on speed alone and strong pit stops when it counts.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
I think he’s going to end up in a top Xfinity ride, learn how to close out races and win, and then quickly get re-promoted back into Cup with a team like Trackhouse or even Keselowski’s operation. I don’t think he’s elite, and I’m not sure anyone does. But I do think he has shown that he can run near the front consistently with a clean car and the next step is having the entire team figuring out how to win. Have strong strategy, don’t blow pitstops, build fast cars and have a capable driver. Right now, I think he’s missing a winning capable car based on speed alone and strong pit stops when it counts.
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The car and crew is 95% of success in modern NASCAR. The worst driver in the sport is still a top-100 driver in the world
 
ChexOrWrex said:
I think he’s going to end up in a top Xfinity ride, learn how to close out races and win, and then quickly get re-promoted back into Cup with a team like Trackhouse or even Keselowski’s operation. I don’t think he’s elite, and I’m not sure anyone does. But I do think he has shown that he can run near the front consistently with a clean car and the next step is having the entire team figuring out how to win. Have strong strategy, don’t blow pitstops, build fast cars and have a capable driver. Right now, I think he’s missing a winning capable car based on speed alone and strong pit stops when it counts.
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I think he'd kill it in a top Xfinity ride really. And in a Truck too. I think he could actually be one of the more popular drivers in all three Series if he got into a good Truck ride and won while winning often. I really could see him being THE face of the Truck Series. I dont there's anything wrong with a Matt Crafton like career and winning races and championships in that series. I agree, I see him going to Xfinity, dont know where though.
 
Snappy D said:
I think he'd kill it in a top Xfinity ride really. And in a Truck too. I think he could actually be one of the more popular drivers in all three Series if he got into a good Truck ride and won while winning often. I really could see him being THE face of the Truck Series. I dont there's anything wrong with a Matt Crafton like career and winning races and championships in that series. I agree, I see him going to Xfinity, dont know where though.
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Mirrored my thoughts - DiBurrito could dominate the Trucks and he would be a great face for that series since he is already really likeable and fan-friendly. It always stumped me as to why so many mid-tier Cup drivers were unwilling to take a step down and revitalize their careers.
 
RacerrecaR said:
Mirrored my thoughts - DiBurrito could dominate the Trucks and he would be a great face for that series since he is already really likeable and fan-friendly. It always stumped me as to why so many mid-tier Cup drivers were unwilling to take a step down and revitalize their careers.
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Because once you go down a series you rarely come back with all of the new up and comers. I'm sure someone has done it, but I can't think of anyone off hand that has successfully done it. I think the only real shot now is JHN and that seems like a steep road

The way it sounds back marker cup money is better than top Xfinity or truck. Also who sits around and says "yeah my dream is to be in the second best series"?
 
wi_racefan said:
Because once you go down a series you rarely come back with all of the new up and comers. I'm sure someone has done it, but I can't think of anyone off hand that has successfully done it. I think the only real shot now is JHN and that seems like a steep road

The way it sounds back marker cup money is better than top Xfinity or truck. Also who sits around and says "yeah my dream is to be in the second best series"?
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Maybe it isn't about money for most drivers but rather pride and on-track success. Dick Trickle is a prime example of that
 
RacerrecaR said:
Maybe it isn't about money for most drivers but rather pride and on-track success. Dick Trickle is a prime example of that
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When Trickle was in his prime he was making really good money racing short tracks several nights a week and that was before the big boom of cup money. I don't think he ever really went back for "pride and on-track success" after leaving nascar
 
wi_racefan said:
Because once you go down a series you rarely come back with all of the new up and comers. I'm sure someone has done it, but I can't think of anyone off hand that has successfully done it. I think the only real shot now is JHN and that seems like a steep road

The way it sounds back marker cup money is better than top Xfinity or truck. Also who sits around and says "yeah my dream is to be in the second best series"?
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Well... Matt Crafton, Todd Bodine, Stewart Friesen, Brett Moffit, Johnny Sauter, Ron Hornaday, Jack Sprauge, Timothy Peters have all made a pretty successful career being a Truck Series driver. I dont think its a bad living if the Cup career doesnt work out.
 
Snappy D said:
wonder if Kurt when he goes to 23XI if he will run the 45 since that was MJ's other number briefly with the Bulls when he came out of retirement in the mid 90's. To my recollection, I dont think the 45 is run in Cup as of right now.
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That would be a nice nod to Adam Petty...
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Penske placed in option in Matt’s contract, that of which barred him from reaching out to any other teams about a 2021 seat.
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Blaze said:
So why they not let him talk to teams about next season? Someone tell me that.
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I don't understand what the option would have to do with him "not being allowed" to talk to other teams? Especially if it was implied a while ago that he would not be back after '21, which is what Penske himself said. The only person who seems to be caught off guard by this is Matt.

Regardless, there is still a ton of time for him to find a quality ride next season. Good drivers get put in unfortunate situations every year, and I'm sure there have been a ton of guys better than Matt who never even got a shot. It's a tough business, but playing the victim card isn't gonna help.
 
2 Sweet said:
I don't understand what the option would have to do with him "not being allowed" to talk to other teams? Especially if it was implied a while ago that he would not be back after '21, which is what Penske himself said. The only person who seems to be caught off guard by this is Matt.
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I find it highly implausible that Penske / Wood communicated to DiBenedetto at any time in 2021 that he was not allowed to speak to other organizations about opportunities for 2022. What seems evident is that DiBenedetto felt his best chance was to win his way into the playoffs and sorta force them to change their minds about him. If he had done that in the first few months of the season, hell, maybe that would have worked. He didn't, and now he's right where they told him he would be in October of last year. It doesn't seem like he was taken advantage of at all. Being officially informed (again) in July provides him ample opportunity to line something up for 2022.
 
2 Sweet said:
I don't understand what the option would have to do with him "not being allowed" to talk to other teams? Especially if it was implied a while ago that he would not be back after '21, which is what Penske himself said. The only person who seems to be caught off guard by this is Matt.

Regardless, there is still a ton of time for him to find a quality ride next season. Good drivers get put in unfortunate situations every year, and I'm sure there have been a ton of guys better than Matt who never even got a shot. It's a tough business, but playing the victim card isn't gonna help.
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He can talk to them now I’m sure, but before hand when that option was there, it would stop him from talking to other teams. If the plan was alway “he’s out.” Why put in an option for 2022? Sounds to me that their had to be some sort of chance, or you wouldn’t even put something in a contract that you know…. Gives that chance.
 

Yeah, Penske said it never was a chance. But told Larry Mac that at start of season lol. Something doesn’t add up.
 
Blaze said:
He can talk to them now I’m sure, but before hand when that option was there, it would stop him from talking to other teams. If the plan was alway “he’s out.” Why put in an option for 2022? Sounds to me that their had to be some sort of chance, or you wouldn’t even put something in a contract that you know…. Gives that chance.
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First of all, was the option for '21 or '22?

Second, like most options, we don't really know the details. I'm assuming there was a deadline for them to pick up his option with plenty of advanced notice if they chose to decline.

Third, there's no way it would stop him from talking to other teams. Drivers ALWAYS talk to other teams about potential opportunities while still under contract with their current team.
 
2 Sweet said:
First of all, was the option for '21 or '22?

Second, like most options, we don't really know the details. I'm assuming there was a deadline for them to pick up his option with plenty of advanced notice if they chose to decline.

Third, there's no way it would stop him from talking to other teams. Drivers ALWAYS talk to other teams about potential opportunities while still under contract with their current team.
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but was never even considered. Odd.
 
All I’m saying, if it was “never going to happen.” Why even put that in the contract? Seems that “never gonna happen” would be “oh if he win totally gonna happen.” But people will hate still
 
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