NowVIZ: Many top athletes have a mentor who helps navigate them through tough situations whatever it may be. Is there someone throughout your career who has been able to help guide you? Matt: It’s an interesting situation for me because I’m a first generation racer. Nobody in my family has ever been involved in racing. I’ve leaned on so many people through different parts of my career--the list is huge! In the beginning, leading up to my late model years, there was a guy named Mike Griffith, who actually picked up and moved from California, cross country, strictly for us because he thought I was so talented. He would go to work then volunteer to work on our cars at night, sometimes through the night, and sleep in the shop. He was literally that dedicated just because he believed in me so much. Then, when we were racing late models on a skeleton budget for years, a guy named Greg Marlowe really helped us out to be able to succeed at that level and move onto the next. At the Cup level, it’s been my crew chief Gene Nead who came on board half way through my 2015 season. With Gene, I’ve honed my skills and learned so much about the race cars and how to put together a perfect race at the Cup level. I feel like I’ve gained ten years experience packed into two and half years. He’s honestly probably taught me more than anyone my whole life. NowVIZ: What motivates and inspires you to keep getting behind the wheel? Matt: This is all I’ve ever known. I think it’s just kind of been meant to be for me to be here and doing this because like I said, nobody in my family ever raced, knew about it, or cared about it. For some reason, I was a gear-head, as I call it, ever since I was a kid! All I ever did was go wide-open on anything I ever got on-- four wheelers, dirt bikes, and I loved watching NASCAR! My family could never figure out why! It’s my passion and it’s been my passion. It’s crazy to say, but I literally don’t have a passion for anything else! Racing is all I think about 24/7 and that’s why I’ve pushed so hard and I think that’s why I’ve made it this far, because I’ve been relentless--it’s all I care about. NowVIZ: We hear you’re a pretty darn good cook! How did that come about and do you and your wife Taylor share the cooking duties? Matt: Well, I’d call myself an average cook, but the edge I have over my wife is that I know how to follow directions and that’s what I pick on her about! I definitely don’t think I’m an expert cook, but I am better at the “following directions” category and my stuff just ends up tasting better just for that reason alone! NowVIZ: What’s up with “DiBurrito”? How did that come about? Matt: Well, that started years ago and everybody knows I like food. I love burritos, love Mexican and Italian food. And it was Ryan Ellis who does our PR who actually was the first to start that by just joking around calling me “DiBurrito” (and you know DiBenedetto’s hard to say and kind of long), so because I like food, he was like you should be named DiBurrito, and all of a sudden it took off! Everyone loved it, and then it spread like wild fire, so now it’s become a funny thing! no w v iz s p o r t s
be y o n d