Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
Team Information:
Crew Chief: Kevin Bellicourt
Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Triad Racing Technologies
2016 Driver Points: 13th
2016 Owner Points: 15th
Sounding Off – Ben Rhodes:
You made your Truck Series debut at Martinsville, and it’s a track where you have a lot of experience. Are you looking forward to getting back to the paperclip this fall?
“Martinsville will be like our fall homecoming – we’re hoping to have a lot of people there. Alpha Energy Solutions is very involved, and Texas Roadhouse, which is the title sponsor of the truck race, and on our Tundra, is also very involved. So, I’m very excited to have those two companies on board with us. I’ve had two races at Martinsville in the Truck Series, and multiple races in late model stocks, so it’s my most experienced track on the circuit, which gives me a ton of confidence going into this weekend, as a rookie driver. My crew chief (Kevin Bellicourt), has also been there numerous times. We had good speed there in the spring, and I feel like the track may almost owe us one. We ran really well there too, but some circumstances just kind of kept us out of it. Our plan is to go there this weekend, and claim that trophy, the famous grandfather clock.”
News & Notes:
- Chassis Chatter…The No. 41 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 49 for Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway. This chassis has been raced five times already this season with four top-five starts, including one pole (Martinsville), and two top-five finishes (Iowa and Gateway).
- Martinsville Minute… Rhodes has two starts to his credit at Martinsville Speedway since 2014. His success includes one pole (April, 2016), 42 laps led (April, 2016), and one top-10 finish (March, 2014).
- Rookie Stripe… Rhodes is currently fourth in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings after 19 of 23 races this season.
- Martinsville Rewind – April, 2016… The ThorSport Racing driver started first, his career first NCWTS 21 Means 21 pole award, led the field once for 42 laps, and finished 16th due to a long pit stop early in the race, and a late-race spin.
- Race Rewind – Talladega… Making his track debut at Talladega Superspeedway, Rhodes started 25th, ran as high as second, and finished 24th, due to an accident on lap 59 of 94.
- Welcome Aboard – Texas Roadhouse… Texas Roadhouse will make its debut on board the No. 41 Toyota Tundra of Rhodes in the 36th annual NCWTS race at Martinsville Speedway. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Texas Roadhouse opened it’s doors in 1993, and now has more than 500 locations in 49 states and 6 countries. The family-friendly restaurant is famous for hand-cut steaks, made-from-scratch sides, fresh-baked bread, and its lively atmosphere.
Rhodes Martinsville NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 2
- Poles: 1
- Top-Five Finishes: 0
- Top-10 Finishes: 1 (March, 2015)
- Laps Completed: 511 of 511 (100%)
- Laps Led: 42 (2016)
- Average Start: 6.5
- Average Finish: 12.0
Rhodes 2016 NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 19
- Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
- Top-5 Finishes: 2
- Top-10 Finishes: 5
- Laps Completed: 2531 of 2808 (90.1%)
- Laps Led: 55
- Start: 9.6
- Finish: 15.7
Rhodes Career NCWTS stats:
- Starts: 22 since 2014
- First full-time season: 2016
- Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
- Top-5 Finishes: 3
- Top-10 Finishes: 8
- Laps Completed: 3223
- Laps Led: 55
- First start: Martinsville, 2014 (8th)
- Best finish: 2nd (Gateway, 2016)
- Start: 8.7
- Finish: 14.5
Martinsville Speedway Appearances:
Thursday, October 27
Texas Roadhouse: 4435 S Peak Blvd, Roanoke, VA 24018
Ben Rhodes autograph session: 4pm – 7pm ET
Come see the debut of the No. 41 Texas Roadhouse Toyota show truck
Saturday, October 29
Martinsville Speedway
Ben Rhodes autograph session, presented by Texas Roadhouse
In front of the main ticket booth: 9:00am – 9:30am ET
Saturday, October 29
Martinsville Speedway
“My Martinsville Tent” following the Texas Roadhouse 200
Meet-and-Greet/Q&A
Race Information:
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2016
Time: 1:30pm ET on FOX, MRN Radio & SiriusXM Channel 90
Track: .526-mile paperclip
Distance: 200 laps/105.2-miles