Starting the biggest Legends Car race from the 18th position, Legends Young Lions driver Ben Rhodes drove to a third-place finish in the Legends Big Money 100 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (NC) on Tuesday, August 2nd, just after finishing second in the Semi-Pro / Young Lions feature. He was the only non-Pro driver to finish in the top 10 within the big race.
The Legends Big Money 100 event started on Monday, August 1st, with qualifying and heat racing. Out of 100 drivers, including many Pro division racers, Rhodes timed in 20th fastest. That put him in the fourth heat, where he finished third.
Points earned and added together from qualifying and heat racing set the top-20. Rhodes ended up 18th overall, one of only two Young Lions drivers in the top 20 locked-in positions for the 100-lap event.
“Our team worked hard to get our car fast for the qualifying and heat races,” said Rhodes. “It was a big accomplishment to get locked in for Tuesday’s race. That allowed us to focus on the car for the Young Lions / Semi-Pro feature and the set-up for the big race.”
Also on Monday, Rhodes timed in second fastest overall (first Young Lions driver) in qualifying for the Young Lions / Semi-Pro event, and after winning his heat, he was locked in and set to start the feature Tuesday from the second position.
On Tuesday, Rhodes first hit the track for the Young Lions / Semi-Pro feature. After 50 laps of racing, Rhodes ended up second overall.
“I was right on the leader at the end of the race,” explained Rhodes. “I could have wrecked him to get the win, but I do not race like that. I really wanted the win, but I will take a second-place finish.”
In the Legends Big Money 100, Rhodes had to survive a race that lasted over two hours with multiple wrecks and oil-downs, as well as a last-lap incident ahead of him to finish third, the only Young Lions division driver to finish within the top 10.
“That was a very long race,” said Rhodes. “The track was slick and it was very hot in the car, but we were able to bring our #4 machine home to a third-place finish. I have to thank my sponsors and the team. This was a big event, and to finish third behind NASCAR driver David Ragan was pretty cool. I want to also congratulate Kyle Plott on the win and Ragan on finishing second.”