Matt DiBenedetto’s Portland Xfinity race cut short following car fire scare

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Matt DiBenedetto recently competed in the Pacific Office Automation 147 held at Portland International Raceway. However, DiBenedetto had tough luck on the track and faced a fire issue, leading to an early exit from the 75-lap race.

On the last lap of stage one, the Xfinity Series driver was running 22nd until he made a sudden stop on the grass and jumped out of his #99 Chevy. The CW captured DiBenedetto's hurry to climb out of his car. He then took off his left shoe and sat there on the grass, checking his feet. The 34 year old was rushed to the infield care center and was released while the race was still going on.

After being released from the care center, Matt DiBenedetto was featured in an interview with FrontStretch Media. During the interaction, he opened up about the struggles he faced while trying to get out of the car.

"There was a fire. There was a fire down inside the, uh, at my feet. Um, my feet were really hot. There was a big fire, and I was trying I pulled off pulled off. I was trying to get out, and my lace got wrapped around the pedal—uh, my shoelace—and so I couldn't get out. So, my feet were just stuck in the fire, and, uh, thank God, on the third try, I was able to get out." [00:10]

Matt DiBenedetto finished the race in P34, one spot ahead of Will Brown in the 144.75-mile race at Portland International Raceway. Meanwhile, rookie driver Connor Zilisch took home his eighth win and sixth pole position of the season.

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When Matt DiBenedetto shared his candid take on Harrison Burton sharing Jeff Burton's scheme with him at Darlington Raceway

Earlier this year, Matt DiBenedetto and former Wood Brothers Racing driver Harrison Burton shared a paint scheme inspired by Jeff Burton for the Darlington Throwback race. Ahead of the main event, DiBenedetto told Burton that he has been a fan of the latter's father since his childhood.

The #99 Chevy driver, honored Burton, driving the Exide Batteries car used in 2000. Burton secured 21 wins in 695 starts in the Cup Series. His victories include major key events such as the Coca-Cola 600 in 1999 and 2001, as well as the Southern 500 in 1999.

Also, Burton secured his career-best season finish in 2000, where he ended the season in P3. Reflecting on Harrison Burton going for the same scheme, Matt DiBenedetto told him (via X):

"It's Harrison Burton, only person we're racing because we're both running the Jeff Burton throwback schemes, and mine has to come back, come out on top. It's my childhood favorite car, what got me in the NASCAR. I'm running the 99, and it's the Exide battery scheme, which, I mean, Jeff Burton was my childhood hero. So we got to win. We got to come out on top between the two of us at least, and hopefully, you know, running up front in general as well."

Matt DiBenedetto currently ranks 22nd on the Xfinity Series points table with 356 points. He secured one top-ten and one top-five finish in 24 starts this season. Additionally, DiBenedetto has an average start of 21 and an average finish of 22.958.