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DiBenedetto Breaks Through

HUDSON, N.C. – Matt DiBenedetto took just two starts to find Victory Lane.

The 17-year-old Grass Valley, Calif., driver passed Austin Dillon on a back-and-forth battle following a green-white-checkered finish to Saturday night’s Tri-County 150 to earn his first career NASCAR Camping World Series East victory.

DiBenedetto, a Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, and Dillon, a Richard Childress Racing development driver, swapped the lead six times over the second half of the race. The event was stretched to 165 laps due to a pair of late cautions. DiBenedetto led four times for 75 laps, while Dillon led three times for 15 laps.

On the final restart, Dillon got the jump from the second spot to take the lead. DiBenedetto, however, was able to nose underneath as they came to the white flag and took the lead going into Turn 1 of the final lap.

Rookie Alan Tardiff earned his first Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day and brought home his best finish with a third-place run. Jody Lavender took over the points lead with a fourth-place finish, while Patrick Long rounded out the top five.

The next NASCAR Camping World Series East race is the combination event with the NASCAR Camping World Series West at Iowa Speedway May 17.

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CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO RACE WINNER MATT DIBENEDETTO TALK ABOUT HIS FIRST CAREER VICTORY

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO RUNNER-UP AUSTIN DILLON TALK ABOUT THE BATTLE OVER THE CLOSING LAPS