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Matt DiBenedetto gets Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin to help sponsor car at Phoenix

By Nick Tylwalk

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 10: Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #32 The Hurricane Heist Ford, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 10: Matt DiBenedetto, driver of the #32 The Hurricane Heist Ford, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 10, 2018 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images) /
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If you’re looking for a heartwarming story for the early part of this NASCAR season, drivers rallying to help Matt DiBenedetto and his team afford to run at Phoenix is the one you’re seeking.

Even with the moves NASCAR has made to help control costs for its race teams, it’s not cheap to field a Cup Series car. For a driver like Matt DiBenedetto and Go Fas Racing, not having a sponsor can be a blow they can’t afford to take.

DiBenedetto had sponsorship from Can-Am and the movie The Hurricane Heist already this season, but with nothing lined up for the TicketGuardian 500 this coming weekend, things were looking a bit grim for the No. 32 team.

The driver somewhat reluctantly took to social media to explain the team’s plight.

You can just hear in DiBenedetto’s voice that he wasn’t thrilled about having to ask for help. But it paid off, because support started rolling in. And it came first from one of his Cup Series competitors, albeit one who’s doing pretty well so far in 2018 and can afford to throw a few dollars toward a good guy in need of some assistance in Kevin Harvick.

Denny Hamlin soon followed, setting aside his black hat for a good cause.

NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip followed with his own pledge of financial support. More than just getting the 32 paid for so it can run Phoenix, the leads generated during the flood of attention could help Go Fas Racing find more companies to step up with sponsorship dollars later this season. That’s something that DiBenedetto was appreciative of, as he explained in a follow-up video.

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So just to review, a driver in need of some temporary aid to make sure his team can compete in the next race reaches out, and the people who answer his call include guys who are trying to beat him every week on the track. It’s not quite an “only in NASCAR” story, because athletes in other sports do help each other too, but it’s the kind of thing that can’t help but make you smile if you love stock car racing.

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