UPDATE: Tuesday, November 2, 2021 10:00AM ET
Matt DiBenedetto has confirmed on Instagram that he has deactivated his Twitter account, “due to the division in our world and how bad it is getting.”
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CVxoQBQFR78/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
ORIGINAL STORY
Matt DiBenedetto has been bounced from Twitter just as he’s expected to be bounced from the NASCAR Cup Series at season’s end.
The 30-year old driver, who is in the middle of searching for sponsorship and searching for a new ride made an interesting — if not dumb — decision on Monday night. DiBenedetto tried turning Kyle Busch’s mandated sensitivity training, following the use of the R-word after Sunday’s race at Martinsville, into a joke.
In a quote Retweet of a tweet from Bob Pockrass reporting that Busch would be required to complete sensitivity training before the start of the 2022 season, DiBenedetto said, “I feel like living on planet Earth in 2021 is permanent sensitivity training.”
DiBenedetto took massive grief from his comment, but he continued doubling down even sharing a photo of his Quote RT with the caption of, “Trying to bring light hearted humor to our crazy world,” to his Instagram account.
Yeah, I think DiBenedetto’s attempt at landing a joke fell flat. Now, it appears his Twitter account (@MattDRacing), which had more than 140,000 followers is no more. A solid social media presence is kind of key to landing sponsorships these days.
DiBenedetto, a California-native, had become something of a fan favorite in the last few seasons, but it’s felt like there has been a little disconnect this year within his fanbase.
The driver still hasn’t reached victory lane in 316 NASCAR National Series events, which could be part of the reason, but it seems his choice to go all-in on being more openly political has not panned out for his popularity.
DiBenedetto locked himself into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs a season ago with the Wood Brothers Racing team and finished the season 13th in the championship standings, a career-best.
This season, he failed to make the post-season, but still sits 19th in points with three top-five finishes and nine top-10s.
Will DiBenedetto find a way to remain in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022? That remains to be seen, but negative publicity is not what a driver in his position needs in this situation.
29 Responses
NASCAR is killing the fan base. Whether it’s the NFL, MLB, or NBA making everything about race and PC issues, that’s not what the fans want. Sports are about escapism and entertainment, not about telling the fans how to think. I think most fans think NASCAR’s stance on Kyle Bush’s comment is R*******.
I agree with you Mr Houser. Bill France would have run these wimps off for even suggesting such crap.
Yup, the political correctness has done everything possible to destroy not just sports, but civilized society in general. When we lose the ability to laugh at ourselves, humanity is doomed. Social media is Crap, and will continue to be so. I applaud Matt DiBennedetto’s decision, and hope that he sticks to it.
Everyone needs to delete there social media accounts!! World would be much better!!. Worst invention in last 50 yrs!!! We can survive without it!!!
Does anyone really think “sensitivity training” changes any one’s thinking? It is merely a form of punishment for saying or doing something that some people do not like. What”s next Sensitivity Training for “hey dummy”? How did this great country
ever survive without “sensitivity training”?
I’m with Matt. I watch sports to get away from the r******* world of the WOKE idiots.
PC culture makes me sick…hopefully they cancel themselves
Toby Christie sounds like a woke cuck
Do you feel better, James?
I have been watching TV. The show I was watching used the R word 3 times.I went to my hair solon every other word out of the women was the N word. I think social media thinks everyone in the USA thinks & speaks the same way.
Matt wasn’t making light on anything, he was just being truthful! It’s retarded to take that any other way. And BTW, r******* just means slow. One would put retardant in paint so it would dry slower. Or, one would put retardant on a wildfire to slow it down. One would also advance -speed up- or retard- slow down the timing on a race car. If a person is r******* they are just slow. Kyle doesn’t need sensitivity training!!! I’m retarded because I’m slow to understand why this has to be big news and cast a negative cloud on a person’s career. Because, 2021 is so PC that people can’t be upfront and say truth. It’s a crying shame! And, even though I haven’t watched a single second of NASCAR, except the Brandon Brown interview, I have to say that I’m proud of Kyle and Matthew.
At least one site leaves open comments to see what people really think. I think everyone is tired of this. Let’s go Matty D
Wow! Talk about an unforced error! That was a really err… Stupid thing to do.
See there, it’s that easy to be a decent person instead of an uncaring, thin skinned, whiney, pretend tough guy. As someone who helped raise a developmentally disabled child I’d really like to know wtf is wrong with the people in this thread? Did your parents never teach you it’s wrong to disparage those with disabilities?
I’m sure you tough guys are off to kick the crutches out from under a kid with a bone disease, or snatch a stuffed animal from a kid with cancer.
Remember when you lot used to pretend you were for things like accountability, and personal responsibility? Me either. Kyle Busch said something dumb and he’s gotta take a class. You lot gotta turn it into another front in your war on decency, a battle in the imaginary culture war your fighting against no one at all.
Well, I believe most would agree that over the last few years, all that has taken place in our world is so very different. There is SO much attempted influence from SO many different information sources. It seems that
someone or some group always tries to tell us what is right or what is wrong. Everyone has an opinion and everyone certainly has a right to there option.
Matt has an opinion and expressed it. In today’s climate, if someone doesn’t agree, they respond with their opinion. Those with more influence or power will often go on the attack and try to “cancel” the person. Even the writer of this article writes “if not dumb” about Matt’s decision to share his opinion. Some may take issue with him using the word dumb (close to the “R” word in my opinion), but, that’s his opinion.
Matt will have to deal with any consequences of his comments. As for me, I respect a person who will share their thoughts and stand behind them.
But, again, that’s just my opinion.
What a joke Matty so hit the nail on the head. I didn’t have an issue with what Kyle bush said after the race. Truth be told I had more of an issue with Denny Hamlin’s behavior post race and not one person has said a word about that, bet you if Alex Bowman was out the car Denny woulda taken him out at the knees. Using the car as a potential weapon is ok saying retard 100% worse. This is what we have gotten to
Mattie D isn’t popular? 140,000 followers and they all dislike him? A comedian could use the R word and still be funny…well maybe not these days. I understand why not to use it, but these sensitive non American people who are down on Mattie D are not American and not Nascar fans…they are idiots!
They just called the first Asian American to become mayor of Boston the 1st person of color to be voted in…are we still going back to the 70s when people referred to Asians as a color? When does America become Americans and not separated by color or race? Never….sad
I’m 70 years old, so I’ve seen a lot and heard a lot over the years. People can be mean, hurtful, yes. But this politically correct stuff has gone WAY to far. My husband and I talk about this a lot. You’re afraid to say anything any more for fear of offending or hurting someone’s feelings. I don’t believe in labeling someone, but good grief, this cotton candy generation that gets their feelings hurt over everything someone says. My feelings have been hurt many times in my life, but I’ve survived. Am I defending Kyle Busch, no he’ a driver I have never cared for, I don’t even watch NASCAR anymore because of this type of stuff. What happened to just racing?
Since when does NASCAR get the right to say what words in the dictionary are offensive or not. NASCAR is loosing more fans.
This country in the past 4 years has gone from freedom of speech to a government that tells you what to say and how to say it and if you don’t you end up in trouble. Its a shame most organizations including NASCAR turns into a slave for the government. The very reason 3 yrs ago I made the choice to no longer to follow NASCAR. This is my opinion.
Where, exactly, is the government involved in this?
Kyle Busch is a skinny little cry baby who cant fight..you can tell a non-fighter by looking at them…he talks so much sh..but I’d love to actually FIGHT him.Beat his whiny ass
Let’s go, NASCAR
Kyle gets sensitivity training for saying r*******, yet Denny gets nothing for his tantrum and throwing f bomb on tv? Really Nascar? Now thats just r*******.
It’s important for things to be taken in context.In as much as I am not a big fan of Kyle Busch I didn’t find his comment offensive because I believe he meant no reference to any poeple with developmental disability.Yes,he should have used idiot,moron or some other such word but I personally find it much more offensive when black people call each other the N word.What’up with that being acceptable? Meanwhile Denny Hamlin is a total CRY BABY and a complete ASS.Alex Bowman raced him clean, especially since it was go time for the win.I have no doubt if it was Hamlin going for the lead,he would have thought nothing of giving Bowman the CHROME HORN 5 laps sooner!
What happens now if you fart in a crowded.elevator?Is that a terrorist act?No it’s hilarious and disgusting at the same time! People need to stop telling others what to do and mind their own business!The world has embraced Mel Gibson again and he’s a Nazi,much worse than Kyle Busch’s r******* rant! Kyle probably held his tongue and used r******* instead of all the words that are the original words you can’t say on tv.I didn’t hear any apologies from the broadcast team,when Bubba used the word bullshit! The only thing about Bubba’s win was bullshit,you could tell that Nascar made sure he would win, guaranteed! That will be the first and last win of his career,he isn’t a cultural icon just a third tier driver.Getting sick and tired of Nascar and all their hillbilly politics and rules! Tony’s rejuvenated Iroc series is more entertaining!I think I will start watching wrestling again it’s less fake and offensive than the last 10 years of Nascar Cup racing!!!!
When I read he had said the “R” word and needed sensitivity training I thought they were referring to Republican lol because that’s how stupid everything has gotten! This world is to stuck on word’s hurting SERIOUSLY I think we have more serious issues to worry about! It’s just a leftist ploy that people fall for worry about pronouns and division while we destroy America! So Sad!!
Maybe Toby here don’t realize HIS fan base… We’re not woke, and race’n ain’t politics, and to think we actually gaf his opinion is just plain R******. I got Matt D’s joke. Write stories, news, not op-eds