NASCAR driver Matt DiBenedetto sent out a series of tweets then abandoned the platform
On Sunday, Martinsville Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series. It was the final elimination race ahead of the championship finale.
Read the tweets from DiBenedetto below.
Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski were bumper to bumper for 2nd in the closing laps of the race. Both of them ran under the cut line and needed a win to advance in the championship.
Alex Bowman drove to the win. Off turn four on the final lap, Brad Keselowski tagged the left rear of Busch. The no. 18 got into the wall but kept the position as they raced across the line, sparks flying.
Heading into turn one, after the checkered flag, Busch turned across the nose of Keselowski. He spun himself out to show frustration.
Related: Kyle Busch uses slur after Martinsville; Driver issues apology (Video)
Kyle Busch uses slur while talking about the race with Keselowski
“He drills my ass coming out of four, for no reason,” Kyle Busch stated to Dustin Long in a video after the race.
“I mean, where was he going? What was he going to do, spin me out? He was trying to do a Harvick is what he was trying to do.”
Busch added, “It’s frickin’ retarded, man, and so stupid. I don’t understand these guys. I should beat the shit out of him right now is what I should do, but that doesn’t do me any good either,” Kyle Busch stated via a post-race interview at Martinsville Speedway.
Watch the full comments from Busch here.
NASCAR isn’t a stickler for words. However, the r-word is one of the few in violation of the NASCAR rule book.
12.8.1.e: “Public statement and/or communication that criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping condition.”
On Monday night, NASCAR announced that Kyle Busch will be required to take sensitivity training ahead of the 2022 season. That’s an identical reprimand to Hailie Deegan who used the same word during an online stream in January.
Related: NASCAR reprimands Kyle Busch following Martinsville comments
Matt DiBenedetto comments on Kyle Busch
Matt DiBenedetto currently drives for Wood Brothers Racing. However, at the end of the 2021 season, he’ll need a new ride as his contract expires.
Upon the news that Kyle Busch would undergo sensitivity training:
“I feel like living on planet Earth in 2021 is permanent sensitivity training,” Matt DiBenedetto responded at 10:40pm on Monday.
In the comments on the tweet, DiBenedetto was under attack.
DiBenedetto responded to criticism, “Comments below are proving my point. Social media and this day in age make me sad. Attacking people has become the norm even through light hearted humor. We as humans are our own worst enemies.”
In the hours after the tweet was sent, DiBenedetto deleted his account.
Related: Matt DiBenedetto wants a NASCAR team who allows speaking ‘Patriotism’
DiBenedetto explains the deletion of his twitter account
“Trying to bring light hearted humor to our crazy world, DiBenedetto added clarity to a screenshot of his twitter comment via his instagram story.
He later added more context via an instagram video:
“I’m getting a whole bunch of texts. I deleted my twitter, or deactivated it, whatever” DiBenedetto stated via an instagram video.
“Yes. Unfortunately, that space is just too far gone. It stinks. It’s filled with so much hate and negativity, everyone attacking everyone for everything.”
“I’m pretty sure at this point that somebody could post, ‘Oh, the sky is blue today.’ And, the feed would be filled with, ‘Wow, did you not consider the skies feelings? What if the sky wanted to identify as green today. Did you not consider that? Wow Matt, you are the worst human being on the planet.’ “
DiBenedetto concluded, “Our world has gone mad. Gotta fight for what’s right. It’s sad, it’s just sad to see.”
Kyle Busch drives for Joe Gibbs Racing. DiBenedetto has ties to the team as well.
In 2009, DiBenedetto made his NASCAR Pro Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing. He also drove for the team during his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in the same year.
In 2019, DiBenedetto was racing for Leavine Family Racing who had ties to Joe Gibbs Racing. He also returned to Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing in Xfinity during the same year.
Related: Martinsville race results from October 31, 2021 (NASCAR Cup Series)
Links
Matt DiBenedetto | Brad Keselowski | Kyle Busch | Martinsville Speedway | NASCAR
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