Welcome to Off the Wall With…, where we ask your favorite drivers five questions that are… well, off the wall! We’ll check in with a different driver each week to get a peek into life outside the racecar. This week NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie Matt DiBenedetto sets the record straight.
What’s fun besides racing?
Matt DiBenedetto: That is a good question because it is almost always racing involved. I like driving my Corvette street car around. I play racquetball and go to the gym.
What’s the top item on your bucket list?
DiBenedetto: It was always driving in Cup so I kind of got there I guess.
Your go-to on movie night is:
DiBenedetto: Probably Days of Thunder.
What’s one item that’s always in your grocery bag?
DiBenedetto: I get steak a lot.
Most memorable fan interaction?
DiBenedetto: It is hard to pick out just one. I had a good one at Kansas. There was a long line of people against the fence and not a lot of people were stopping to sign much for them. I went and signed the whole line of them. They were so appreciative of it. They told me to never change, we really appreciate you. There were a couple of kids there that it meant a lot to. Little things like that are really neat where the fans appreciate it so much.
What’s fun besides racing? | What’s the top item on your bucket list? | Your go-to on movie night: | One item that’s always in your grocery bag? | Most memorable fan interaction: | |
Cole Whitt | Fishing | Visiting Bora Bora | God’s Not Dead | Ground Turkey | Getting called by the wrong name |
Joey Logano | Nothing | Winning a Martinsville clock | Miracle | Yogurt | Signing an arm so they could have it tattooed on |
Ron Capps | Watching other racing | Going into space | Something with Will Ferrell in it | A receipt | Visiting the Zoo at Brainerd |
Casey Mears | Playing with my kids | Winning another Sprint Cup race | Good Will Hunting | Eggs | Meeting with U.S. soldiers |
Alexis DeJoria | Family adventures | Bungee jumping | Something horror or sci fi | Vegetable juices | A fan who cried when she met me |
Ryan Newman | Anything outdoors | Nothing-enjoy life every day! | Tombstone | Bread | Anytime a kid asks a question |
David Gilliland | Riding 4-wheelers | Deep-sea fishing in Alaska | Days of Thunder | Bananas | Getting mistaken for Travis Kvapil (happens a lot) |
Fast Jack Beckman | Surfing | Skydiving | Any movie, especially action or sci-fi | Bananas | Hanging out with 11-year-old Jacob Delling |
Brad Keselowski | Personal growth | Winning another Cup title | Forrest Gump | Flowers for my girlfriend | All of them-it’s not fair to rate them! |
Spencer Massey | Traveling and driving | Winning an NHRA Mello Yello title | Caddyshack | Frozen pizzas | Their reaction to Gatornationals win |
Brendan Gaughan | Kids | SCUBA diving in the Galapagos | Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, and The Princess Bride | Toilet paper | Too many to choose from |
J.R. Todd | Hanging with high school buddies | Winning an NHRA championship | Get Hard | Water | There’s one oddball at every race… |
Landon Cassill | Anything outside | Visiting Europe | Game of Thrones on Netflix | Avocados | A little girl named Riley |
Del Worsham | Boating | Nothing; done it all | A drama | Milk | Sharing 10,000 HP margarita machine with them |
Austin Dillon | Playing soccer | Flying an F-16 fighter jet | Top Gun | Coca-Cola | Signing a baby |
Richard Childress | Something outdoors | Winning another Cup championship | Something with Clint Eastwood | Childress Vineyards wine | A lot of them! |
Morgan Shepherd | Roller skating | Getting the No. 89 in some more races | Doesn’t watch movies | Broccoli and carrots | A girl who wanted her underwear signed |
Matt DiBenedetto | Driving my Corvette and playing raquetball | Racing in the Sprint Cup Series | Days of Thunder | Steak | Whenever people appreciate you |
About the author
What is it that Mike Neff doesn’t do? The writer, radio contributor and racetrack announcer coordinates the site’s local short track coverage, hitting up Saturday Night Specials across the country while tracking the sport’s future racing stars. The writer for our signature Cup post-race column, Thinkin’ Out Loud (Mondays) also sits down with Cup crew chiefs to talk shop every Friday with Tech Talk. Mike announces several shows each year for the Good Guys Rod and Custom Association. He also pops up everywhere from PRN Pit Reporters and the Press Box with Alan Smothers to SIRIUS XM Radio. He has announced at tracks all over the Southeast, starting at Millbridge Speedway. He's also announced at East Lincoln Speedway, Concord Speedway, Tri-County Speedway, Caraway Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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