From JR Motorsports PR –

 

DRIVER: Ben Rhodes / No. 88 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet

RACE: Zippo 200 (82 laps / 200.9 miles)

TRACK: Watkins Glen International

DATE: Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015

 

Quotes | Ben Rhodes

 

“My mindset approaching Watkins Glen will be a little different than it would for an oval track. I only have two road course races under my belt so I have a lack of experience, but there’s a wealth of knowledge available in my JR Motorsports teammates. The key to success at all the road courses will be patience. I have to minimize my mistakes and survive. I feel like many people may take themselves out of competition by going too hard too soon.

 

“Watkins Glen has such long straightaways that it makes all the corners important. I have only been there once, but I think to be fast there our No. 88 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevy needs to be able to get through the esses and the carousel so that we have fast straightaway speed. My goal for this weekend is to run all the laps and use this opportunity as a learning experience. If I can get a top 10 out of it then that would be even better.”

 

Notes | No. 88 Team

 

WATKINS GLEN STATS: While Rhodes has never been to Watkins Glen International in a NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) car, the 18-year-old driver has raced there once before in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE), starting seventh and finishing third. The NKNPSE top-five finish should serve as a confidence boost for Rhodes going into the NXS race weekend and a stretch that includes three road course events in four weeks.

 

ROAD-RACING EXPERIENCE: Road-course racing isn’t completely unfamiliar to the 2014 NKNPSE champion, as Rhodes has one top-five and two top-10 finishes in two NKNPSE starts on road-racing circuits – a second-place finish at the Glen and a 10th-place result at Virginia International Raceway. He also tested the NXS car at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in early June to prepare for the three road races in which he’ll be behind the wheel of the No. 88 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevy.

 

CHASSIS SELECTION: The No. 88 team will unload with chassis No. 740 this weekend. The chassis has been in circulation since 2012 and has been raced eight times with multiple JRM drivers on both road courses and short tracks. It’s scheduled to be the No. 88 primary for all three road course races in 2015.

 

MEET BEN: Fans will have two opportunities to meet the JRM rookie this weekend. Rhodes will be participating in the NXS autograph session on Friday, Aug. 7 from 5:15-6 p.m. ET and will be at the JR Motorsports merchandise hauler on Saturday, Aug. 8 from 1-1:30 p.m. ET.

 

ALPHA: Alpha Energy Solutions, Inc., Rhodes’ primary partner for all 10 of his races in 2015, is a Louisville, Ky.-based mechanical service provider with multiple specialties.

 

For the full event preview, click here for the PDF.