Matt DiBenedetto almost pulled off a miracle win at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday night, and even though he fell just short, fans cheered his every move and his fellow drivers showered him with praise after the race.
The 28-year-old driver finished a career-best second, as Denny Hamlin passed him with 12 laps remaining and held on for the victory. That performance came just days after DiBenedetto learned he would not return to the Leavine Family Racing No. 95 team next season. That surprising news comes at a time when DiBenedetto is racing better than ever. He has now posted five top-10s and three top-five finishes in his last nine races for a team that trails the sport's marquee teams in terms of funding and past history.
If DiBenedetto had managed to pull off the upset Saturday night, it would have been one of the great Cinderella stories in NASCAR history. Yet even though he fell just short of his first career victory, he made a huge impression on everyone at the half-mile track. Fans cheered him loudly in pre-race introductions and during the event, as he led a race-high 93 of 500 laps.
And afterward, fellow drivers voiced their approval. DiBenedetto shared a touching moment with Hamlin in victory lane.
Nothing but respect ✊.@dennyhamlin | @mattdracing pic.twitter.com/UWZ2avlpGv
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 18, 2019
Hamlin virtually apologized to DiBenedetto in his first remarks after winning the race.
"I am so sorry to Matt DiBenedetto, (crew chief) Mike Wheeler," Hamlin told NBCSN. "I hate it. I know a win would mean a lot to that team … I'm just sorry."
.@dennyhamlin acknowledges @mattdracing's effort, but knows he's got to get that 🏁 himself. pic.twitter.com/TdjFmsZnOj
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 18, 2019
“We tried. We gave it everything we had," DiBenedetto said. “I hope I’ve gotten it together enough the last few minutes. I wanted it so bad.”
After the race, several other drivers, including Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Clint Bowyer, stopped by to offer DiBenedetto their congratulations.
During driver introductions, DiBenedetto came out to the theme from "Rocky," wearing boxing gloves and a robe embroidered with the words "Italian Stallion." DiBenedetto, who has Italian heritage, says he had actually planned to wear the outfit at last year's August Bristol race, but it was a perfect fit for his underdog status Saturday night.
“That was cool, a cool intro, and fitting I guess for my story that fans have embraced so much," DiBenedetto said. "That was amazing. When I got out of the car and fans are screaming and cheering for us, I lost it. I couldn’t even hold it together.”