Matt DiBenedetto’s No. 21 Suicide Prevention Lifeline Mustang was fast from start to finish of Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and the team came home with a 12th-place finish despite a mid-race setback due to the way a pit-stop cycle played out.
DiBenedetto started 14th and drove into the top five within the first three laps. He was running fifth when the Competition Caution flag flew after 26 laps had been completed.
He continued to run in the top five and top 10 throughout the first Stage and ended that 80-lap segment in ninth place, earning two Stage points.
In the second Stage, the No. 21 team was again running in the top 10 but their pit strategy didn’t work out when the Stage ended with a 63-lap green-flag. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline team was forced to stop late in the run under the green flag, and that left them in 23rd place, one lap behind the leaders.
Taking the wave-around during the Stage break put DiBenedetto back on the lead lap but at the back of the pack to start the final Stage. That entire segment ran without a yellow flag, taking away any opportunity to use strategy to jump up in the running order.
Still, DiBenedetto was able to remain on the lead lap and drive his way to 12th place at the finish.
“Obviously we had a much better car than that,” he said. “We were able to drive away from the leaders at the end.
“We had to come from the back at the start of the final Stage, and there were no cautions to re-bunch the field and get back to where we deserved to be.
“We had a top-five car.”
Still, he said he was proud to be able to spend the weekend raising awareness about suicide and ways to try to help those contemplating taking their own lives. The team’s regular sponsors, led by Motorcraft and Quick Lane, yielded their logos on the No. 21 Mustang to the suicide prevention effort and to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number, which is 1-800-273 TALK (8255).
“The numbers of people either contemplating suicide or taking their own lives are staggering,” DiBenedetto said. “Being able to talk about suicide and mental health was much bigger than driving the race car.”
DiBenedetto and the No. 21 team remain 18th in the points standings heading into next Sunday’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
About Motorcraft:
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Omnicraft:
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.
