LOUISVILLE, KY (July 8th, 2014) – After a few weeks off from racing, 17-year-old Louisville, Kentucky, native Ben Rhodes and the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet Impala Turner Scott Motorsports team head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, on Friday, July 11th, for the “Granite State 100” NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) race, the 10th stop in the 16-race season. Rhodes, a NASCAR Next driver, leads both the championship and rookie of the year standings.

 

Last Time Out … Rhodes earned his eighth NKNPSE front-row starting position of the 2014 season, starting second in the “Visit Hampton 175” at Langley Speedway (VA) on Saturday, June 21st. On a lap 14, Rhodes took the lead and held the top spot for 162 laps, earning his fifth victory of 2014, and his fourth in a row.

 

Adding to the Points … With his victory at Langley Speedway, Rhodes extended his points lead in the championship standings from 55 points to 71 with nine of the 16 races complete. He is also the leader in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings with a 28 point lead.

 

2014 Stat Tracker … After nine of the 16-race season, Rhodes has an average starting spot of 1.9 (four poles, four outside poles, and a fifth) and an average finish of 3.2.  He has completed all 1309 laps to date (the only driver to do so in 2014), leading 714 of them (54.5-percent of the laps).  He has five victories, eight top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes.

 

New Hampshire Experience … In his partial schedule of racing in 2013, Rhodes added New Hampshire’s NKNPSE event to his schedule after Rockingham Speedway (NC) was announced as canceled. The decision to go was a good one as he raced his way from 13th to finish fourth in his debut at the New Hampshire track.

 

Going for a Record … If Rhodes wins the “Granite State 100” Friday, he will tie a 23-year-old record of most-consecutive victories in series history of five in a row, which is currently held by Ricky Craven, who set the mark in 1991.

 

Ben Rhodes Quotes

 

Are you ready for your second trip to New Hampshire?  “I really am! Last year we didn’t have the race on our schedule since we could only do seven races, but when Rockingham canceled I was excited to add it on. In the race I hit the wall on the first lap and it messed up the track bar mount. I spent a lot of time during cautions on pit road as my Turner Scott Motorsports team fixed my car up the best they could. I was able to come from the back to finish fourth, so it wasn’t too bad. I have been waiting to go back to Loudon this year to see what we could do.”

 

You have a pretty large points lead. Are you approaching the race different?  “No. We approach each race the same way. My Turner Scott Motorsports team prepares my No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet to win each race we are in, and we do not plan to change that strategy. Since what we have been doing has been working, there is no reason to change that to try and protect our points lead.”

 

You have a chance to tie Ricky Craven’s 23-year-old record of five wins in a row. Do you feel any pressure to match that at New Hampshire?  “Not really. Records are great to have because it means you did something right. Ricky’s five wins in a row record is very impressive and it would be really cool to match that. But whether we do or do not tie it doesn’t reflect on how our team is doing. Mark McFarland (crew chief) and the entire No. 41 TSM team have been performing great all year and there is already a lot to be proud of. I am very fortunate to be supported by a great team and great sponsors, and if we do tie the record, it will be a shared mark in history with them too.”

 

Sponsor Support

In 2014, Ben Rhodes is sponsored by Alpha Energy Solutions, Alliance Comfort Systems, Kentucky National Guard, Park Community Credit Union, and Refrigerant Rescue.

 

Event Information

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East – Race 10 of 16

Friday, July 11th, 2014

“Granite State 100”

New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.058-mile asphalt oval) – Loudon, NH

First Practice Session: (Thurs. 7/10) 12:30pm – 1:30pm ET

Final Practice Session: (Thurs. 7/10) 2pm – 3pm ET

Qualifying: (Thurs. 7/10) 5pm ET

Autograph Session: (Thurs. 7/10) 6:30pm – 7:15pm ET in the Fan Zone

Green Flag (100 laps): (Fri. 7/11) 6pm ET

(times listed in local track / eastern time zone)

TV Coverage: July 20th at 12pm ET on FOX Sports 1

www.nascarhometracks.com | www.nhms.com

 

Additional Ben Rhodes Weekend Appearances

Wednesday, July 9th – 6pm ET

NASCAR Night at The Lowell Spinners (Class A affiliate for Boston Red Sox)

LeLacheur Park – Lowell, Mass.

(autograph session during the game)

 

Friday, July 11th – 11:30am – 12pm ET

NASCAR Next Autograph Session

NHMS display lot (S2) in front of the NHMS tent

 

Online and Social Media

Website: www.benrhodes.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com.benrhodesinc

Twitter: www.twitter.com/benrhodes

Instagram: www.instagram.com/benrhodes

YouTube: www.youtube.com/benrhodesinc

 

(PR updates posted on Rhodes’ Twitter during the race weekends)

 

Media Contact

Jason “Stix” Buckley

STIX FX Entertainment

[email protected]

(704) 519-5528

 

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