Recap:
Ben Rhodes, driver of the No. 27 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra, finished a track-best sixth in Friday night’s TheHouse.com 225 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. The top-10 result qualified the ThorSport Racing driver for the eighth and final spot in the NASCAR Playoffs, to determine the 2017 champion.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Quote:
What was it like racing for the last Playoff position?
“I think I stayed calm the whole time, especially with stuff going on. Being calm and relaxed in the truck paid off. I could have taken some really aggressive moves out there to get us further ahead on the restarts, because it was definitely a clean air game, but we never took those moves. I’m glad we didn’t, who knows what would have happened. I saw my teammate moving up the track really quick, when he got aero loose under someone, and knocked in our fender, and I thought, ‘Oh no, oh no.’ I thought we were going to have to come in and go a lap down. I thought the race was done right there. One of the biggest roller coaster races I can remember. I still don’t look happy because I don’t actually believe that I’m in. It wasn’t a good night to begin with, but we’re in. I’m happy about that, it was just a tough night and I still don’t believe that we are in because we were so emotional this year. The whole year has been a roller coaster.”
What does this mean to race for a championship?
“Man, I still can’t believe it. They gave me the hat and I’m like, ‘Are you sure this is ours?’ They said we were tied and we had the tiebreaker and I can’t believe it. We struggled ever since we unloaded here. This was our worst performance overall, and it couldn’t have come at a worse week, but they said we’re in and overall it worked out for us. I have to say thank you to everybody that’s involved. Now we have to re-focus, and get a lot stronger for the Playoffs because a lot of these guys that are in, are already there, and they belong there, and we have to get a little bit stronger because tonight was not one of our best nights.”
Team Information:
Started: 13th
Finished: 6th
Laps: 150/150
Laps Led: 0
Status: Running
Driver Points: 7th
Owner Points: 10th
2017 Playoff Position: 8th
Notes:
- In two starts at Chicagoland Speedway, Rhodes has one top-10 finish (2017).
- Rhodes was one of three drivers to qualify for the NCWTS Playoffs, to determine the 2017 champion – his first Playoff berth.
- In 16 starts this season, the ThorSport Racing driver has one pole (Pocono), and has led 123 laps en route to five top-five, and nine top-10 finishes.
- In 43 career starts, Rhodes has two poles, and has led 178 laps en route to eight top-five, and 17 top-10 finishes.
- Up Next: The UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 23 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
