Matt DiBenedetto's solid run at Richmond proves he's not quite done

Coming into the 2024 season, Matt DiBenedetto's NASCAR career seemed dead in the water. Done. No qualms about it. After Saturday's Xfinity Series race at Richmond, it's still on life support, but DiBenedetto's future in the sport has a heartbeat.

After making the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs in 2023 and winning his first Truck Series race in 2022, DiBenedetto was inexplicably let go from Rackley W.A.R after a first-round playoff exit. 

Following an offseason in which DiBenedetto said he was "exploring all options," the 32-year-old had no ride entering the 2024 season until Viking Motorsports came along and offered him a deal for at least the next five Xfinity Series races. The big one that sticks out on the calendar is Talladega, where DiBenedetto won his only NASCAR national series race in the fall of 2022. 

The biggest question for DiBenedetto is whether or not this ride can parlay him into another full-time opportunity. After a rather awkward exit from the Wood Brothers in 2021, he was relegated from the Cup Series to the Truck Series in 2022. DiBenedetto has a reputation for burning bridges — something that doesn't really work in the relentless world of NASCAR. 

There's a saying that first chances are rare in racing, and second chances are rarer still. The Viking Motorsports ride signifies DiBenedetto's second second chance, but most importantly, a chance to showcase himself on the national stage. 

Viking Motorsports doesn't give DiBenedetto a great shot to win, but if he keeps up solid, top-20 runs like Saturday's 18th-place finish at Richmond, there might be a team that comes calling.