Robert Laberge, Getty Images
Race Information:
Started: 8th
Finished: 15th
Laps: 147/147
Laps Led: 0
Status: Running
2016 Driver Points: 13th
2016 Owner Points: 15th
Ben Rhodes Race Recap:
Ben Rhodes, driver of the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra, made his second career start at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) in Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Striping Technology 350. Starting eighth, Rhodes battled a Toyota Tundra that was good at the beginning of a run, but loose in traffic, and tight at the end of a run. With only three cautions slowing the 32-truck field for 12 laps, Rhodes was unable to make gains with his Toyota Tundra throughout the night. The ThorSport Racing driver ran as high as seventh, but consistently inside the top-15 throughout the 147-lap event, and settled for a 15th-place finish behind race winner, Johnny Sauter.
Ben Rhodes Quote:
“Our Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra had a huge balance swing tonight. We started off with some good speed at the beginning of the race, but we couldn’t seem to run well in traffic – we just got really loose. We did what we could in traffic, to manage our truck on the long runs. We had a couple decent runs where we had some speed in the truck, but had trouble diagnosing the balance in our Tundra tonight. We tried something different this week, and we learned a lot.”
News & Notes:
- Due to rain on Thursday afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) only had one practice session on Friday morning in preparation for Friday night’s Striping Technology 350. Ben Rhodes was seventh-quick of 35 trucks that took time.
- Making his second career start at TMS in the NCWTS, Rhodes started eighth, ran as high as seventh, and finished 15th in the 147-lap event.
- In three starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Rhodes has two top-15 finishes.
- In 21 starts in 2016, Rhodes has led 55 laps en route to two top-five, and five top-10 finishes.
- In 25 career NCWTS starts, Rhodes has one pole (Martinsville), and has led 55 laps en route to three top-five, and eight top-10 finishes.
- Rhodes’ ThorSport Racing teammates finished second (Crafton), 10th (Hayley), and 12th (Abreu).
- Up Next: The Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday, November 11 at 10pm ET.