DiBenedetto breaks through for first win
DiBenedetto breaks through for first win
HUDSON, N.C. – Matt DiBenedetto took just two starts to find Victory Lane.
The 17-year-old Grass Valley, Calif., driver passed Austin Dillon on a back-and-forth battle following a green-white-checkered finish to Saturday night’s Tri-County 150 to earn his first career NASCAR Camping World Series East victory.
DiBenedetto, a Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, and Dillon, a Richard Childress Racing development driver, swapped the lead six times over the second half of the race. The event was stretched to 165 laps due to a pair of late cautions. DiBenedetto led four times for 75 laps, while Dillon led three times for 15 laps.
On the final restart, Dillon got the jump from the second spot to take the lead. DiBenedetto, however, was able to nose underneath as they came to the white flag and took the lead going into Turn 1 of the final lap.
Rookie Alan Tardiff earned his first Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day and brought home his best finish with a third-place run. Jody Lavender took over the points lead with a fourth-place finish, while Patrick Long rounded out the top five.
The next NASCAR Camping World Series East race is the combination event with the NASCAR Camping World Series West at Iowa Speedway May 17.
NASCAR Camping World Series East-Tri-County 150 Unofficial Results
Saturday
At Tri-County Motor Speedway
Hudson, N.C.
Lap length: 0.4 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (3) Matt DiBenedetto, Grass Valley, Calif., Toyota, 165 laps, 57.628 mph, $8,050.
2. (4) Austin Dillon, Lewisville, N.C., Chevrolet, 165, $4,000.
3. (1) Alan Tardiff, Lyman, Maine, Chevrolet, 165, $4,825.
4. (10) Jody Lavender, Hartsville, S.C., Chevrolet, 165, $3,000.
5. (9) Patrick Long, Oak Park, Calif., Chevrolet, 165, $2,500.
6. (2) Trevor Bayne, Knoxville, Tenn., Chevrolet, 165, $1,900.
7. (7) Dakoda Armstrong, New Castle, Ind., Chevrolet, 165, $2,300.
8. (16) Ryan Duff, Hazard, Ky., Chevrolet, 165, $2,000.
9. (15) Dustin Delaney, Mayfield, N.Y., Chevrolet, 165, $1,900.
10. (6) Matt Kobyluck, Uncasville, Conn., Chevrolet, 165, $2,400.
11. (22) Jason Patison, Corona, Calif., Chevrolet, 165, $2,700.
12. (8) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass., Chevrolet, 165, $1,675.
13. (19) Kyle Fowler, Smyrna, Ga., Chevrolet, 165, $1,650.
14. (21) Alex Kennedy, Aztec, N.M., Chevrolet, 165, $1,125.
15. (13) Steve Park, East Northport, N.Y., Chevrolet, 165, $1,600.
16. (20) Ryan Truex, Mayetta, N.J., Toyota, 165, $1,550.
17. (14) Ryan Gifford, Winchester, Tenn., Chevrolet, 165, $1,000.
18. (11) John Salemi, Nashua, N.H., Chevrolet, 165, $975.
19. (24) Antonio Perez, Guadalajara, Mexico, Dodge, 164, $1,440.
20. (23) Dominick Casola, Holmdel, N.J., Chevrolet, 164, $920.
21. (12) Jason Cochran, Daytona Beach, Fla., Chevrolet, 164, $910.
22. (17) Jonathan Smith, Beacon Falls, Conn., Chevrolet, 163, $1,400.
23. (5) Brett Moffitt, Grimes, Iowa, Chevrolet, 162, $1,400.
24. (26) Kristin Bumbera, Sealy, Texas, Dodge, 162, $900.
25. (25) Matt Kurzejewski, Mansfield, Pa., Dodge, 147, accident, $900.
26. (18) Jarit Johnson, El Cajon, Calif., Chevrolet, 130, engine, $900.
Race Statistics
Time of Race: 1 hour 8 minutes 43 seconds
Margin of Victory: .340 seconds
Fastest Qualifier: A.Tardiff * (86.946 mph, 16.562 seconds)
Caution Flags: 8 for 43 laps.
Lead Changes: 8 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: A. Tardiff 1-16; M. Kobyluck 17-75; M. DiBenedetto 76-101; A. Dillon 102-113; M. DiBenedetto 114-146; A. Dillon 147; M. DiBenedetto 148-162; A. Dillon 163-164; M. DiBenedetto 165.
Standings: 1. J. Lavender, 330; 2. M. DiBenedetto, 324; 3. A. Tardiff, 308; 4. P. Long, 305; 5. E. MacDonald, 297; 6. M. Kobyluck, 281; 7. D. Armstrong, 273; 8. S. Park, 264; 9. D. Delaney, 262; 10. R. Duff, 260.
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