From ThorSport Racing PR:
Ben Rhodes, No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Texas Motor Speedway – Rattlesnake 400
Race No. 7 of 23
Team Information:
Crew Chief: Kevin Bellicourt
Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Triad Racing Technologies
2016 Driver Point Standings: 16th
2016 Owner Point Standings: 17th
Sounding Off – Ben Rhodes:
You’ll make another track debut this weekend at Texas. Are you able to take what you’ve learned at the mile-and-a-half tracks this season, and apply it this weekend?
“I’m becoming more comfortable with how the air works with these trucks. It’s unfortunate what happened in Dover – it was just a racing deal with Rico, my teammate. He was on the outside, and I hadn’t felt the air being taken away like that before as he was moving around me. I’ll know better next time. It’s just been tough this year. We were at Kansas racing for the win, strong at Martinsville, but on the outside – the wrong place at the wrong time. I’ve been taking a lot away from the mile-and-a-half tracks, and I feel like I’ve been acclimating to them well, but I’ve got to put myself in some better positions. I’ve been learning a lot, and I feel good about it. I’ve been working with the guys in the shop to build a better aero balance for myself – something I like – and I’ve just got to keep implementing it and making it better. We just need to keep building that notebook.”
News & Notes:
- Chassis Information… The No. 41 ThorSport Racing team will utilize chassis No. 41 for Friday’s night’s Rattlesnake 400 at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS). This is the same chassis Rhodes piloted to a 17th-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway last month.
- Texas-Sized Debut… Rhodes, who will be making his 11th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start on Friday night, will make his track debut in the 37th annual Rattlesnake 400 at TMS.
- Intermediate Data… In three intermediate track starts in 2016, Rhodes has an Average start of 9.6, and an Average finish of 13.6.
- In The Loop – 2016… According to NASCAR’s Loop Data statistics, Rhodes is ranked seventh in Laps in the Top 15 (735), 12th in Average Running Position (12.5), and 12th in Driver Rating (80.4).
- Rookie Stripe… Rhodes is currently third in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings behind leader, William Byron after six of 23 races this season.
- Race Rewind – Charlotte… Rhodes started 12th, when qualifying was cancelled due to weather, ran as high as fourth, and finished 17th.
- Baby News… Crew chief Kevin Bellicourt, and his wife Jenifer, welcomed their second child Aleksander Reign Bellicourt, born on June 1, 2016 at 12:09pm. Baby boy Bellicourt weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces and was 21″ long.
Rhodes’ 2016 NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 6
- Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
- Top-5 Finishes: 0
- Top-10 Finishes: 2 (Daytona, and Atlanta)
- Best Finish: 6th (Atlanta)
- Laps Completed: 919 of 989 (92.9%)
- Laps Led: 47
- Avg. Start: 10.7
- Avg. Finish: 15.3
Rhodes’ Career NCWTS stats:
- Starts: 10 since 2014
- First full-time season: 2016
- Poles: 1 (Martinsville, 2016)
- Top-5 Finishes: 1 (Phoenix, 2014)
- Top-10 Finishes: 5
- Laps Completed: 1670 of 1771 (94.3%)
- Laps Led: 47
- First start: Martinsville (8th)
- Best finish: 5th: Phoenix
- Avg. Start: 9.8
- Avg. Finish: 13.6
Race Information:
Date: Friday, June 10
Time: 9:00pm ET on FOX Sports 1
Track: 1.5-mile oval
Distance: 167 laps/250.5 miles
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]