Matt DiBenedetto was overwhelmed with emotion after scoring his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top five in Sunday’s T🐭oyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway.

“This is a team effort,” ✅DiBenedetto said after the race. “I’m so lucky to be doing this. My path to get here has been so out of the ordinary and old school. I’m so thanℱkful."

W🐻hile basking in the glory, the humble DiBenedetto took the opportunity to thank everybody that has played a part in his NASCAR career.

“I can’t tell you how many people took a chance on me,”ജ he continued. “My sponsor Procore, TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing; Bob and Sherry Leavine,♛ my crew chief Wheels - all those people had to say yes and take the chance on me,” he said. “I can’t explain how thankful I am.”

DiBenedetto, driving a throwback livery honouring retiring NASCAR 𝔉broadcaster Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, started th♉e 90-lap event in 19th place and played the long game early. He pitted before the end of each of the opening 20-lap stages which elevated him to a valuable sixth place position when the final stage started on Lap 45.

He rem꧙ained among the frontrunners throughout the final stint was a🥀mong the last cars to pit on Lap 65.

That initially dropped him outside the top five but had much freshe🌳r tyres than his rivals around him.

That gave the Leavine 🦩Family Racing driver the upper hand as he tore through the pack and entered the top ten on La💛p 70 when he passed William Byron.

He continued his charge by picking off drivers with relative ease and moved into the top five b𓂃y passing seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson on Lap 80.

He did one better and ran down Kevin Harvick for fourth and dispatching him on Lap🉐 86 and holding the position to the checkered flag.

The result is the best career finish for the 27-year-old in 156 starts. His previous best finish was a sixth place ꦓcame at🅠 the Spring Bristol race in 2016 when he finished sixth.