From ThorSport Racing PR:

 

Ben Rhodes, No. 41 Texas Roadhouse Toyota Tundra

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions

Martinsville Speedway

Race No. 20 of 23

 

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 Truck Series debut at Martinsville, and it’s a track where you have a lot of experience. Are you looking forward to getting back to the paperclip this fall?

“Martinsville will be like our fall homecoming – we’re hoping to have a lot of people there. Alpha Energy Solutions is very involved, and Texas Roadhouse, which is the title sponsor of the truck race, and on our Tundra, is also very involved. So, I’m very excited to have those two companies on board with us. I’ve had two races at Martinsville in the Truck Series, and multiple races in late model stocks, so it’s my most experienced track on the circuit, which gives me a ton of confidence going into this weekend, as a rookie driver. My crew chief (Kevin Bellicourt), has also been there numerous times. We had good speed there in the spring, and I feel like the track may almost owe us one. We ran really well there too, but some circumstances just kind of kept us out of it. Our plan is to go there this weekend, and claim that trophy, the famous grandfather clock.”

 

News & Notes:

  • Chassis Chatter…The No. 41 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 49 for Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway. This chassis has been raced five times already this season with four top-five starts, including one pole (Martinsville), and two top-five finishes (Iowa and Gateway).
  • Martinsville Minute… Rhodes has two starts to his credit at Martinsville Speedway since 2014. His success includes one pole (April, 2016), 42 laps led (April, 2016), and one top-10 finish (March, 2014).
  • Rookie Stripe… Rhodes is currently fourth in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings after 19 of 23 races this season.
  • Martinsville Rewind – April, 2016… The ThorSport Racing driver started first, his career first NCWTS 21 Means 21 pole award, led the field once for 42 laps, and finished 16th due to a long pit stop early in the race, and a late-race spin.
  • Race Rewind – Talladega… Making his track debut at Talladega Superspeedway, Rhodes started 25th, ran as high as second, and finished 24th, due to an accident on lap 59 of 94.
  • Welcome Aboard – Texas Roadhouse… Texas Roadhouse will make its debut on board the No. 41 Toyota Tundra of Rhodes in the 36th annual NCWTS race at Martinsville Speedway. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Texas Roadhouse opened it’s doors in 1993, and now has more than 500 locations in 49 states and 6 countries. The family-friendly restaurant is famous for hand-cut steaks, made-from-scratch sides, fresh-baked bread, and its lively atmosphere.

Rhodes Martinsville NCWTS Stats:

  • Starts: 2
  • Poles: 1
  • Top-Five Finishes: 0
  • Top-10 Finishes: 1 (March, 2015)
  • Laps Completed: 511 of 511 (100%)
  • Laps Led: 42 (2016)
  • Average Start: 6.5
  • Average Finish: 12.0

Rhodes 2016 NCWTS Stats:

  • Starts: 19
  • Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
  • Top-5 Finishes: 2
  • Top-10 Finishes: 5
  • Laps Completed: 2531 of 2808 (90.1%)
  • Laps Led: 55
  • Avg. Start: 9.6
  • Avg. Finish: 15.7

Rhodes Career NCWTS stats:

  • Starts: 22 since 2014
  • First full-time season: 2016
  • Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
  • Top-5 Finishes: 3
  • Top-10 Finishes: 8
  • Laps Completed: 3223
  • Laps Led: 55
  • First start: Martinsville, 2014 (8th)
  • Best finish: 2nd (Gateway, 2016)
  • Avg. Start: 8.7
  • Avg. Finish: 14.5

Martinsville Speedway Appearances:

 

Thursday, October 27

Texas Roadhouse: 4435 S Peak Blvd, Roanoke, VA 24018

Ben Rhodes autograph session: 4pm – 7pm ET

Come see the debut of the No. 41 Texas Roadhouse Toyota show truck

 

Saturday, October 29

Martinsville Speedway

Ben Rhodes autograph session, presented by Texas Roadhouse

In front of the main ticket booth: 9:00am – 9:30am ET

 

Saturday, October 29

Martinsville Speedway

“My Martinsville Tent” following the Texas Roadhouse 200

Meet-and-Greet/Q&A

 

Race Information:

Date: Saturday, October 29, 2016

Time: 1:30pm ET on FOX, MRN Radio & SiriusXM Channel 90

Track: .526-mile paperclip

Distance: 200 laps/105.2-miles

 

About Texas Roadhouse:

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, with more than 500 locations in 49 states and 6 countries, Texas Roadhouse opened its doors in 1993. The family-friendly restaurant is famous for hand-cut steaks, made-from-scratch sides, fresh-baked bread, and its lively atmosphere. In 2014, Texas Roadhouse was named one of Employee’s Choice Best Places to Work by Glassdoor and debuted on Forbes magazine’s list of 100 Most Trustworthy Companies. Texas Roadhouse was consecutively voted #1 Steak by Nation’s Restaurant News Consumer Picks Survey in 2015 and 2016. Most recently, Texas Roadhouse was named the #1 Full-Service Chain in Sales and Satisfaction by Restaurant Business. For more information, visit www.texasroadhouse.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 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]