NASCAR: Leavine Family Racing announces Matt DiBenedetto as new driver, switch to Toyota for 2019

Matt DiBenedetto’s bet on himself has paid off, as he was unveiled Wednesday as the new driver for Leavine Family Racing for 2019, a team that will now be backed by Toyota.

If you’re the cynical type who believes that nice guys always finish last, it’s time to pay attention to Matt DiBenedetto. Considered one of the most genuinely good people in the NASCAR Cup Series garage and a driver who might be able to race up front if he got a shot in better equipment, the 27-year-old California native appears to be getting his big break as he’ll race in the Leavine Family Racing Toyota Camry in 2019.

The team and driver appeared together at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Wednesday to reveal all parts of the news, including DiBenedetto taking over for the retiring Kasey Kahne — who team owner Bob Leavine said had a two-year contract to continue driving if he wanted to — the manufacturer switch to Toyota and the rumored technical alliance for Joe Gibbs Racing.

DiBenedetto will finish out the current NASCAR Cup Series season with GoFas Racing, with Regan Smith driving the LFR No. 95 Chevrolet up through Homestead after Kahne revealed earlier this week that he would not be medically cleared to race again this year. This was DiBenedetto’s second full campaign with GoFas Racing, though he had already announced several weeks ago that he would not return to that organization after the season.

“It’s definitely the biggest opportunity of my life,” DiBenedetto said at the press conference. “It’s amazing.’

Though his new driver has never won a NASCAR Cup Series race, Bob Leavine said the team, which will have engines built by Toyota Racing Development, wouldn’t have tapped DiBenedetto if it didn’t believe he could contend for wins going forward.

“Matt’s a friend,” Leavine said. “But if we didn’t think he could drive our vehicle to the front, he wouldn’t be here today. He would still be a friend.”

Though Leavine said he and his team were unaware that Furniture Row Racing was going to be shutting down when it first began seriously talking to Toyota, he seemed pleased to be only the second team to align itself with TRD for 2019, along with Joe Gibbs Racing. The team’s “spot” in the TRD engine program is essentially the one that used to belong to the short-lived Furniture Row No. 77 Toyota, which ran during the 2017 season with Erik Jones behind the wheel. Leavine also clarified that there is no chance the team would run two cars in the Cup Series in ’19, though that was a consideration at one point.

That means it’s full speed ahead with DiBenedetto, who will have the chance he’s long sought to prove he belongs with the best in the sport.

“Everything in my career and everything in my life, I believe, has happened for a reason,” DiBenedetto said. “it just felt right to take the bet on myself.”