"Dumbest people", "Money talks": NASCAR fans erupt after Viking replace Matt DiBenedetto with Connor Mosack for rest of season

Viking Motorsports’ decision to replace veteran driver Matt DiBenedetto with rookie Connor Mosack for the final three NASCAR Xfinity Series races of 2025 has been met with backlash from fans. The announcement, made on October 13, confirmed Mosack will pilot the No. 99 Chevrolet beginning at Talladega Superspeedway.

The team’s statement thanked DiBenedetto for his role in building Viking’s first full-time campaign. Posted on X, it read:

“We’d like to thank Matt for his contributions throughout our inaugural season. He played a meaningful role in establishing the foundation of this team, and we wish him the best,” said Jeremy Lange, Viking Motorsports’ General Manager.

But the timing drew immediate criticism from fans who felt the change undermined the team’s own interests. Matt DiBenedetto’s Talladega record includes a Cup Series win in 2021 and a fifth-place Xfinity finish there earlier this spring, making the move particularly hard to justify in the eyes of many.

One user summed up the general feeling bluntly:

“Money talks I guess.”

Another comment was even sharper, calling the decision premature:

“Viking has got to be run by some of the dumbest people in motorsports. Wait till next week and get rid of him. Let him run Talladega for your own benefit as well as his. All of my love for Viking is gone. If they're going to run a team that stupidly I'm not going to be a fan.”

Others also echoed the sentiments. The criticism largely centered on Matt DiBenedetto’s proven superspeedway form compared with Connor Mosack’s limited experience on such tracks.

Fans expressed frustration that a new team, still earning its place in the Xfinity Series, would make such a call before one of its best opportunities for a standout finish. As the series heads into its final three races, many felt Viking’s timing overshadowed what had been a promising debut season.

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Matt DiBenedetto departs Viking Motorsports after building the team’s foundation

Matt DiBenedetto (99) Viking Motorsports Chevrolet, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Source: Getty

Matt DiBenedetto has led Viking Motorsports’ single-car Xfinity Series program in the No. 99 Chevrolet throughout 2025. In 30 starts this season, he has just one top-10 finish - a fifth place at Talladega in April - and finished inside the top 20 in two of his last nine outings.

DiBenedetto has been with the Vikings since 2024 and led their expansion from a partial schedule to a full-time schedule. He ran the No. 38 entry for RSS Racing last year and remained at the organization during its switch from Ford to Chevrolet.

Connor Mosack, meanwhile, has four top ten finishes in his rookie campaign in the Truck Series with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. The 25-year-old has also made three Xfinity starts this year, earning an impressive fifth place with JR Motorsports at the Charlotte Roval last weekend.

Viking is yet to announce its 2026 driver lineup, leaving open the question of whether Mosack’s late-season stint could extend into next year.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar