From ThorSport Racing PR:

 

Ben Rhodes, No. 41 XPO Logistics/Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Eldora Speedway – Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby

Race No. 11 of 23

 

Team Information:

Started: 5th

Finished: 23rd

Laps: 136/150

Laps Led: 0

Status: Running

2016 Driver Points: 12th

2016 Owner Points: 13th

 

Ben Rhodes Race Recap:

Ben Rhodes, driver of the No. 41 XPO Logistics Toyota Tundra, made his track debut at Eldora Speedway in Wednesday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby. Starting fifth, in the unique, 150 lap, three segment race, Rhodes ran as high as second, but radiator problems late in the historic event relegated the Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender to a 23rd-place finish in the series only stop on dirt at the “Big E.”

 

Starting fifth, after winning his qualifying race, Rhodes maintained a position inside the top-five, running as high as third, during the first 40 lap segment. Under caution at lap 39, crew chief Kevin Bellicourt brought the No. 41 Toyota Tundra to pit road, for their only pit stop of the night, for four tires, and fuel. Restarting fourth, at lap 42, Rhodes contended for the race lead, running as high as second, before getting shuffled back to the eighth position prior to the end of the second 50 lap segment. When the seventh caution flag was displayed at lap 93, for the conclusion of the second segment, Bellicourt was forced to bring his rookie driver to pit road, and then behind the wall for repairs to a punctured radiator. The No. 41 ThorSport Racing team would get a new radiator installed, and get Rhodes back out on the half-mile clay oval, but the Louisville, KY native would be scored 14 laps down to the race leaders. Rhodes would ultimately cross the stripe in the 23rd position behind race winner, Kyle Larson.

 

Quote:

“We had a really fast XPO Logistics Toyota Tundra tonight. Unfortunately, I think it was just a product of me learning how to run on this race track, run on dirt. I slipped on the berm one time, because I didn’t have my brake bias tuned-in just right, and it just kind of ripped everything out from underneath my Tundra – packed a bunch of dirt under there and ripped the radiator out. It was a lesson to be learned. Not to get up there on the berm was really big tonight, really pronounced. It was really close to the wall, so it made it hard to run on, and when you did run over it, it was very treacherous. We weren’t the only ones to do that tonight. We just have to move on from this. You can look at the truck, and the whole right side is curled under, and knocked out from the berm. I’m really proud of everyone for putting in the hard work, and for helping when we went behind the wall. I can’t thank XPO Logistics enough for coming on board, and everyone at ThorSport for everything they’ve done for me.”

 

News & Notes:

  • The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) had two practice sessions on Tuesday evening in preparation for Wednesday night’s Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway. Ben Rhodes was 19th, and fifth, respectively, in both sessions.
  • The No. 41 XPO Logistics Toyota Tundra was fifth in single truck qualifying on Wednesday afternoon.
  • Rhodes lined-up first in Qualifying Race No. 5, and finished first, locking his No. 41 Toyota Tundra into the 150-lap feature.
  • Making his track debut at Eldora Speedway, Rhodes started fifth, ran as high as second, and finished 23rd, due to a radiator problem, in the 4th annual event at the “Big E.”
  • In 11 starts in 2016, Rhodes has led 51 laps en route to two top-five (Iowa), and four top-10 finishes.
  • In 15 career NCWTS starts, Rhodes has one pole (Martinsville), and has led 51 laps en route to three top-five, and seven top-10 finishes.
  • Rhodes’ ThorSport Racing teammates finished third (Abreu), seventh (Hayley), and 10th (Crafton).
  • Up Next: The Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway on Saturday, July 30 at 1:00pm ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

About XPO Logistics

XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) is a top ten global provider of cutting-edge supply chain solutions to the most successful companies in the world. The company provides services for truckload brokerage and transportation, last mile logistics, engineered supply chain solutions, high-value-add warehousing and distribution, ground and air expedite, less-than-truckload transportation, intermodal, drayage, managed transportation and global forwarding. XPO serves more than 50,000 customers with a highly integrated network of over 87,000 employees and 1,440 locations in 33 countries. XPO’s corporate headquarters is in Greenwich, Conn., USA, and its European headquarters is in Lyon, France. For more information visit: www.xpo.com.

 

About Alpha Energy Solutions:

Alpha Energy Solutions is a commercial and industrial service provider specializing in building automation, indoor energy solutions, chillers, boilers, electrical, equipment rental, food equipment service, piping, plumbing, sheet metal, refrigeration, insulation, and part sales.  With more than 200 service personnel, Alpha is one of the largest self-performing service providers. Alpha’s highly skilled technicians operate quickly and efficiently in all areas of system maintenance and management. As members of the community they serve, Alpha’s associates are committed to job quality and customer satisfaction. To learn more, visit www.alphamechanicalservice.com

 

About ThorSport Racing:

ThorSport Racing, based in a state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot facility in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest-tenured NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport Racing, which has competed in the NCWTS since 1996, will run the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by two-time NCWTS drivers’ champion Matt Crafton, the No. 13 Cabinets by Hayley Toyota Tundra driven by Cameron Hayley, the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra driven by Ben Rhodes, and the No. 98 Safelite/CURB Records Toyota Tundra driven by Rico Abreu in 2016. To learn more visit www.ThorSport.com

 

ThorSport Racing Media Contact:

Jessica O’Brien

Phone: 803-240-5807

Email: [email protected]