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Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Rackley WAR announces Chandler Smith will replace Matt DiBenedetto at Talladega

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Jonathan Howard | Last updated 9/25/23

Following the strange departure of Matt DiBenedetto from Rackley WAR, Chandler Smith was announced as the driver for Talladega. The NASCAR Truck Series heads to Dega for the next race in the playoffs.

Chandler Smith is in the thick of the Xfinity Series Playoffs. However, the Xfinity Series is not racing at Talladega this weekend. It is an off week as they prepare for the Charlotte Roval and the elimination race there.

So, with some free time, Smith is hopping into the Rackley WAR No. 25 Chevy. It’s going to be a return to the Truck Series for Smith. He was a Kyle Busch Motorsports driver from 2019-2022, running full-time for two seasons and finishing 3rd overall in 2022.

Matt DiBenedetto was pulled for the final three races of the season. It was a decision that many didn’t see coming. The driver had just pulled off a top-10 in the previous race and has Rackley’s only win, Talladega a year ago.

In a statement, Smith and Rackley WAR both expressed excitement about the partnership.

“I’m super-grateful for Rackley W.A.R. giving me the opportunity to run their truck this weekend at Talladega [Superspeedway],” Smith said. “Being able to represent Rackley Roofing, W.A.R. Shocks, and this entire organization, is extremely cool.

“I’m definitely proud of and looking forward to the opportunity.”

NEWS:

Chandler Smith in for Talladega Superspeedway… pic.twitter.com/Yr75N6xvc7
— Rackley W.A.R. (@Rackley_WAR) September 25, 2023

Smith is a five-time winner in the Truck Series and is considered one of the best young talents in NASCAR. He has a win this season in the Xfinity Series at Richmond. Many see him as a future Cup Series regular as he works his way up with Kaulig Racing.

Matt DiBenedetto out, Chandler Smith in.

Rackley WAR makes change after Matt DiBenedetto departure

In NASCAR and racing in general, things get messy. When there is so much money and sponsor pride on the line, things can change in a hurry. For whatever reason, things soured with Matt DiBenedetto and Rackely WAR.

The veteran driver and former Cup Series wheelman made it clear that he didn’t have a ride for 2024. He was putting it out there that he would be looking for a ride and was open to a lot of different things.

However, it wasn’t long before Rackley decided that they would end the partnership early. This year, DiBenedetto has more top-10s and more top-5s than he did a year ago. By all metrics, he improved and so did the team. It just wasn’t meant to be beyond this season.

In fact, Matt DiBenedetto finished P3 at Kansas and P10 at Bristol before getting canned. I’m not sure what sense that all makes, but then again, I don’t own a NASCAR team. If I had to speculate, I’d say it had nothing to do with results on the track.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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