LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 3rd, 2013) – Ben Rhodes knows patience and respect equals results in short track racing. Saturday night, June 1st, at Lonesome Pine Raceway (VA), the 16-year-old Louisville, Kentucky, native raced with patience and respect throughout the “Clarks Signs & Graphics presents the Courtesy Chevrolet 150” UARA-STARS Late Model Stock event. At the end, the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions / Racing with Rita Lynn Ford survived a wild finish to the checkered flag, crossing the line in the sixth position.
Rhodes started the day with his Hawk-McCall Motorsports team having two successful practice sessions. That led into qualifying where he timed in eighth fast.
“We knew we were going to take a little bit of a hit during qualifying since our car was set up for longer runs,” said Rhodes. “Eighth wasn’t a bad spot and we thought we could hang out there during the first three quarters of the race before making our move to the front.”
When the green flag flew, the pace of the race was a bit faster than Rhodes anticipated. With rain in the area, a sense of urgency by many drivers kept the field racing hard for position. However, Rhodes stuck to his game plan, starting his move towards the front with less than 40 laps to go. But hard racing and a lot of contact towards the end of the race kept him from challenging for a podium finish. Still, with the left side of his car completely caved in from contact, he was able to race to a sixth-place finish. 
“It took more laps than I wanted to get by a few cars, but I didn’t want to bulldoze my way to the front,” said Rhodes. “Anyone can just drive in there and knock someone out of the way, but that isn’t the right thing to do. It got really crazy there at the end of the race and at one point it looked like I was going to get to fourth or even third, but I got hit pretty hard and almost went into the wall. With cars going everywhere on the last two laps, we were all sideways heading back to the checkered flag.”
Even though it wasn’t a victory at the end of the race, the night was successful for Rhodes for another reason. With over 60 people in the stands wearing the special “Racing with Rita Lynn” pink shirts, Rhodes raced with a purpose. Rita Lynn, a close friend of Alpha Energy Solutions associates, lost her battle with cancer last year, and with a pink bow, her name, and a pink number on the roof of his car, Rhodes honored her Saturday night.
“Tonight wasn’t about me, it was about Rita Lynn,” said Rhodes. “We had a sea of pink shirts up in the stands and a lot of people here to pay tribute to her. I was told she really liked speed and racing. She rode with me throughout the entire race and I am sure she enjoyed being a part of our weekend. I really wanted to bring her to victory lane with us, but I am sure she still enjoyed being a part of the crazy finish.”
Rhodes is currently second in the UARA-STARS 2013 point standings, and is also sponsored by Alliance Comfort Systems, Kentucky National Guard, Refrigerant Rescue, and Park Community Federal Credit Union.
Next up for Rhodes will be the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East “Casey’s General Store 150” at Iowa Speedway (IA) on Friday, June 7th. Rhodes will be piloting the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevy with Turner Scott Motorsports in his third-career series start.
For more information on Ben Rhodes, including media availability, contact Jason “Stix” Buckley of STIX FX Entertainment at (704) 519-5528 or [email protected], and make sure to keep up to date on his racing career at www.benrhodesinc.com, like him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/benrhodesinc, and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/benrhodesinc.
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