Ben Rhodes – 2017 Canada Preview

Aug 30, 2017

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Send a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope to: ThorSport Racing Attn: Hero Card Request PO Box 2218 Sandusky, OH 44871

Sounding Off – Ben Rhodes:

Out of all the ThorSport Racing drivers, you have the most starts on a road course. Is the road course race this weekend an event you’re looking forward to?

“I like Canada, but I wouldn’t classify myself as a road course ringer. I definitely do ok at the road courses, but I’m learning a lot more about where I need to be, and what I need to be doing. My last couple starts have been more off of feel, more so than a professional driver standpoint of knowing where we need to be to get our Tundra faster – just trying to learn. I feel like going back there this weekend, I have the fundamentals down, and now we can work on setup. Last year, I feel like we really missed the setup, we weren’t the fastest, and ultimately we had a transmission that took us out of contention. We know where to be this year, and hope to have some redemption.” 

Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

Team Stats:
Driver Point Standings: 5th
Owner Point Standings: 5th
2017 Stage Wins: 1 (Kentucky)
2017 Stage Bonus Points: 124
2017 Playoff Points: 1

News & Notes:

  • Chassis Information…The No. 27 ThorSport Racing (TSR) team will utilize chassis No. 46 for Sunday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). This is the same chassis teammate Matt Crafton piloted at the 2.459-mile road course in 2015 and 2016, earning second and fourth-place finishes, respectfully, in each race.
  • Canada eh… The ThorSport Racing driver made his track debut at CTMP in 2016. Qualifying 10th, Rhodes was forced to start from the rear of the 32-truck field due to changing breaks following qualifying, and finished 30th, due to an early incident on lap 6 of 66.
  • Road Course Starts…In addition to Rhodes lone NCWTS start at CTMP (2016), the Safelite AutoGlass driver has three starts on a road course in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (2015). His success includes one pole (Road America), and one top-10 finish (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course). Rhodes also has two starts on a road course in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (2014). His success includes one top-five (Watkins Glen), and two top-10 finishes.
  • Playoff Status… Ben Rhodes has two races remaining on the 2017 NCWTS schedule to lock his No. 27 Safelite Tundra into NASCAR’s first round of the Playoffs, which kicks-off at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September. With the top-8 drivers moving on, the TSR driver is currently in, on points. Rhodes, who is currently fifth in the NCWTS driver standings, is seeded seventh in the Playoff standings.
  • Rearview Mirror – Bristol…Starting from the seventh position, Rhodes led the 32-truck field once, for one lap, finishing seventh in Stage 1, fourth in Stage 2, and fifth in the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
  • Catch Ben at Canada… Rhodes, along with his ThorSport Racing teammates, will participate in the NCWTS autograph session on Saturday, September 2 from 2:00-2:45 p.m. ET under the tent in Paddock E at CTMP.

Rhodes 2017 NCWTS Stats:

  • Starts: 14
  • Poles: 1 (Pocono)
  • Laps Completed: 1939 of 2171 (89.3%)
  • Laps Led: 122
  • Best Finish: 2nd (Pocono)
  • Top-5 Finishes: 5
  • Top-10 Finishes: 7

Rhodes Career NCWTS Stats:

  • Starts: 41 since 2014
  • First Full-time Season: 2016
  • First Start: Martinsville-1, 2014 (8th)
  • Poles: 2 (Martinsville-1, 2016 and Pocono, 2017)
  • Top-5 Finishes: 8
  • Top-10 Finishes: 15
  • Laps Completed: 5852
  • Laps Led: 177
  • Best Finish: 2nd; (Gateway, 2016 and Pocono, 2017)

Canada Stages:
Stage 1 – 20 laps (concludes at lap 20)
Stage 2 – 20 laps (concludes at lap 40)
Stage 3 – 24 laps (concludes at lap 64)

Race Information:
Date: Sunday, Sept. 3
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
Track: 2.459-mile road course
Distance: 64 laps/157.37 miles