Wood Brothers Racing driver Matt DiBenedetto made his Midget debut on July 9 while driving the No. 91. He partnered with fitness and lifestyle company Barbell Apparel for the race, resulting in a new piece of merchandise. DiBenedetto and Barbell just released a limited-edition shirt.
The NASCAR Cup Series driver tweeted out the first images of the shirt on Wednesday, July 14. The black and red shirts feature the No. 91 Midget race car, as well as a black and white photo of DiBenedetto’s face. The front also features the text, “Guido,” referencing the driver’s Twitter and Instagram bio.
Following in the style of other NASCAR shirts, the new piece of merchandise features a stylized back with No. 91 and “Matty D.” Though the difference is that the shirt is an athletic fit tri-blend that CrossFitters and fitness enthusiasts alike wear in the gym. The limited-edition shirts are available for fans to preorder at the Barbell Apparel site. They have an expected ship date of Aug. 16.
The Shirt is the Latest Example of Barbell Apparel Supporting DiBenedetto
Prior to the July 9 race at Airport Raceway in Kansas, Barbell Apparel spoke with Heavy for an exclusive interview. Athlete director Kyle Bundra explained that sponsoring the Midget race car was one example of their support, but he said that there would be more in the future.
Bundra told Heavy that the sponsorship came as part of a growing relationship between DiBenedetto and the company. He had originally sent the driver some gear after seeing his dedication to fitness, which led to a commercial and the race sponsorship. Bundra then revealed that the special edition shirt was on the horizon before teasing some other potential collaborations.
“We just want to help Matt wherever it makes sense for us,” Bundra told Heavy. “He’s just such a great guy. He’s genuinely one of the — I mean I know a lot of professional athletes in every single sport and they’re all great guys but Matt is probably by far one of the nicest dudes I’ve ever met in my life. And for somebody who’s at the elite level, you know, top 15 In the world, I would say that he’s probably one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met.”
NASCAR Fans Can Wear the Shirts While Capping Off the Regular Season
Based on the expected ship date, the shirts will not be available in time for the races at Watkins Glen (Aug. 7) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (Aug. 15). However, there are two more opportunities before the regular season comes to an end.
The Cup Series drivers will head to Michigan Speedway on Aug. 22, days after the expected ship date of the limited-edition shirts. This track is one where DiBenedetto has made 12 starts with the two serving as his strongest performances. He finished 15th during the first trip to Michigan on Aug. 8, 2020, and then he took seventh during the second race of the doubleheader on Aug. 9, 2020. Now he will return to the two-mile oval while fighting for a playoff spot.
The regular season will come to an end on Aug. 28 with a trip to Daytona International Speedway. The drivers will take on the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the final opportunity for bubble drivers to punch their tickets to the playoffs. DiBenedetto has three top-10 finishes in 12 starts at the iconic track, including seventh in the 2018 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
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Barbell Apparel Drops Limited-Edition Matt DiBenedetto Shirt