Photo by Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via 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 track debut at Phoenix in 2014. What do you remember most about the track?
“It’s been a couple years since I’ve been to Phoenix, but the biggest memory I have of it is the blinding sun going into Turn 1. I had a blast out there, it’s a really fun track – I love the way it races. Turn 1 is so challenging to get right – it reminds me of a really tough road course corner – you have to break on the straightaways, and have the correct roll speed to transfer your weight correctly to set-up the next corner. Turns 3 and 4 remind me of the short tracks that I love – I grew up on tracks that are configured the same way. I love how you can run down on the apron and then get back up on the race track. Phoenix is a short track on paper, but it is a speedway, and drives like a short track.”
News & Notes:
- Chassis Chatter…The No. 41 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 36 for Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). This is the same chassis Rhodes piloted to a 28th-place finish at Dover International Speedway, a 13th-place finish at Kentucky Motor Speedway, and an 11th-place finish at Pocono Raceway earlier this season.
- Phoenix Profile…Rhodes, who will be making his 26th career NCWTS start on Friday night, will make his second career start at PIR in the Lucas Oil 150. In his debut, in 2014, the ThorSport Racing driver started fourth and finished fifth.
- Phoenix Pit Stop… Rhodes will join teammate Cameron Hayley, and fellow NASCAR drivers Joey Gase, and Brendan Gaughan at Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center on Thursday morning in advance of Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 at PIR. All four drivers will pay tribute to those who have honorably served our country and endured injury and illness. The drivers will participate in a guided tour of the facility, meet and greet with wounded warriors in recovery, and sign autographs.
- Rookie Stripe… Rhodes is currently fourth in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings after 21 of 23 races this season.
- Rearview Mirror – Texas…Making his second career start at Texas Motor Speedway in the NCWTS, Rhodes started eighth, ran as high as seventh, and finished 15th in the 147-lap event.
Rhodes Phoenix NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 1 (2014)
- Started: 4th
- Finished: 5th
- Laps Completed: 126 of 126 (100%)
- Laps Led: 0
Rhodes 2016 NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 21
- Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
- Top-5 Finishes: 2
- Top-10 Finishes: 5
- Laps Completed: 2878 of 3155 (91.2%)
- Laps Led: 55
- Start: 9.7
- Finish: 15.8
Rhodes Career NCWTS stats:
- Starts: 25 since 2014
- First full-time season: 2016
- Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
- Top-5 Finishes: 3
- Top-10 Finishes: 8
- Laps Completed: 3629
- Laps Led: 55
- First start: Martinsville, 2014 (8th)
- Best finish: 2nd (Gateway, 2016)
- Start: 9.5
- Finish: 15.0
Race Information:
Date: Friday, November 11, 2016
Time: 10pm ET on FOX, MRN Radio & SiriusXM Channel 90
Track: 1-mile oval
Distance: 200 laps/200 miles