Matt DiBenedetto says he’s too young to retire.
Speaking on a recorded message posted to his Instagram page, the NASCAR veteran says he is working towards his plans for next season, a campaign he intends to contest somewhere, and that he still hopes to race for at least another decade.
“Full transparency, just an update of everything going on: Everything is good,” DiBenedetto said. “Everything is good in my world. No, I’m not retiring. You’re not getting rid of me that easy. Racing runs through my blood. I love driving in circles for a living. I love NASCAR. I’m not going anywhere.”
Following a seven-year stint at the Cup Series level from 2015-21, DiBenedetto contested the past two seasons in the Truck Series for Rackley WAR, claiming a victory at Talladega in 2022 and advancing to the first round of the playoffs this past season.
The two sides parted ways after his elimination and DiBenedetto did not race the remainder of the season.
So, what now?
“What are we doing and what’s taking so long,” he said rhetorically. “Well, working like crazy. This sport is crazy, not in a bad way, but in a good way. We’re building the partnerships behind me, working on all that and putting it together.
“Really, we’re looking at building the next 5-10 years of my career. I’m only 32, I’m not that old. … I stood in driver intros with some of those kids in the Truck Series, gosh, I felt old.
“But we’re looking at how to build the next 10 years of my career, putting together the partnerships and all that, and it takes money to go race and we’re working out the details for next year. There’s a couple of opportunities that are out there but just building it a step at a time. So, that’s it.”
The ‘short answer’ as he articulated is that he is working on sponsorship but doesn’t have anything locked-in but is adamant he isn’t retiring.
“You guys aren’t getting rid of me,” DiBenedetto said. “No, I don’t have anything nailed down. I don’t have anything locked down and I know it’s late in the game (but) everything is good.”
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.