Hamlin, Harvick offer to help DiBenedetto after NASCAR sponsor exit
Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and three-time NASCAR Cup series champion Darrell Waltrip have each pledged $5000 to help Matt DiBenedetto compete at Phoenix after a sponsor exit

DiBenedetto took to Twitter in a short video to reveal he had lost sponsorship and was unlikely to make the race, although as a chartered team GoFas would be required to.
The GoFas Racing driver was in the lead pack late on during the Daytona 500 but crashed out and finished 27th.
He then ended up 31st at Atlanta and took a season-best result of 21st last weekend at Las Vegas.
Hey guys!
— Matt DiBenedetto (@mattdracing) March 6, 2018
We hate doing this, but we are UNSPONSORED as of right now for @ISMRaceway this weekend! If you or anyone you know has the ability to help us connect with a business interested in coming on board this weekend please contact the @GoFasRacing32 page ASAP! pic.twitter.com/3hbFnTBBqI
"Coming off having a shot to win the Daytona 500 and having a really strong run at Vegas last weekend, we are in a little bit of a situation," he said in the video.
Hamlin and Waltrip responded to the video with pledges to donate towards DiBendetto's cause, while Harvick said the KHI Management marketing agency he founded would also put forward $5000.
Hell im in for 5k. Where do i send the check @mattdracing? https://t.co/cyQCui9Apv
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) March 6, 2018
DiBenedetto offered to put the logo of the Denny Hamlin Foundation - which raises awareness and funds to help children with cystic fibrosis - on his car if he makes the grid at Phoenix.
He said he had only spoken to Hamlin on Twitter, but was overwhelmed by the response to his video.
"I haven't had any conversation with Denny so far other than what is on Twitter," he told Autosport.
"The coolest part about this, and honestly what makes it a little overwhelming and wants to make you tear up a little bit, is this is from people I grew up watching and looked up too and I was always a huge fan.
"We're just a small family-based team that's working hard to overachieve on the track and do the best we can every week.
"For people like Denny and Darrell Waltrip to notice and reach out wanting to help means the world to me.
"These guys are heroes of mine and for them to notice what we are trying to do is overwhelming.
"I can't thank everyone enough."

Previous article
Kevin Harvick's Las Vegas NASCAR win 'answers questions' for 2018
Next article
Martin Truex Jr unsure why NASCAR title defence has been tough so far

About this article
Series | NASCAR |
Drivers | Denny Hamlin |
Author | Tim Southers |
Hamlin, Harvick offer to help DiBenedetto after NASCAR sponsor exit
Trending
Why a British prospect is trying to make it in NASCAR
There has never been a full-time British driver in the NASCAR Cup. But Alex Sedgwick, who is rising through the stock car ranks, wants that to change and could be a trailblazer for European talents to reach the top echelons of the NASCAR ladder
How Earnhardt’s death changed American motorsport
It's 20 years since legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Sr died at the Daytona 500, but the legacy of his crash continues today through the pioneering safety work done by NASCAR
The NASCAR subplots to keep an eye on in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season
How a second-chance NASCAR ace is rebuilding his career
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a shot at redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future
Why Johnson’s playoff failure won’t tarnish his legacy
The last season of a retiring NASCAR great has shown promise, and may have resulted in another playoff push without small issues outside his control. 2020 won't be the year Jimmie Johnson would have wanted, but it won't be what he is remembered for
Why a Le Mans winner is heading into the “unknown world” of NASCAR
Comparing Porsche's 919 HYBRID LMP1 to NASCAR is motorsport's equivalent of apples and oranges, but this weekend one of Weissach's top works aces will pit his skills against the regulars and revive the tradition of the 'road-course ringer'