LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 25th, 2013) – 16-year-old Louisville, Kentucky, native Ben Rhodes has been on a winning streak. Heading into the Greenville Pickens Speedway (SC) Twin 40s race weekend on Friday and Saturday, August 23rd and 24th, the NASCAR Next driver entered victory lane in three of his last four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock starts. At the conclusion of the weekend, Rhodes picked up his second-career NWAAS pole position during qualifying and raced his way into victory lane twice, giving him five wins in his last six races.
With weather affecting race day, including delaying qualifying midway through, Rhodes was able to put his No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Ford with Hawk-McCall Motorsports on the pole for the first twin 40-lap feature, his second-career pole under the NASCAR banner and third overall in his Late Model Stock career.
Early on in the first 40-lap feature, the field was slowed by two cautions. However, when the field went back racing at lap 11, the race went green flag until the checkered flag flew. Rhodes held the top spot for all 40 laps, and despite some rain drops falling during the second half of the race, he was able to cross the finish line about 10 car lengths ahead of second.
“We had a great race,” said Rhodes. “Lee and the Hawk-McCall Motorsports team had the car dialed in. Once I got out to a little bit of a lead I worked on being easy on the tires so I had enough grip to work with at the end of the race. It was an awesome victory to start from the pole and lead all the laps.”
For a video recap with Rhodes and McCall after the race, click the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piex9wtCNWs
Track officials decided to try and race the second Twin 40 immediately after the first because of the weather getting worse, but before they could get the cars realigned, the rain became heavier, forcing the second feature to be held Saturday.
Due to a dice roll invert of six cars, Rhodes started the afternoon race from the sixth position, but a caution coming out for a few cars getting together in turns one on two of the opening lap forced a restart of the race. With the cars removed that were involved in the wreck, Rhodes started the race from the outside pole, grabbing the lead going into turn one. The race went caution free the rest of the 40 laps with Rhodes crossing the finish line a straightaway ahead of second.
“Our test earlier this month really helped me understand what this track is like when the hot sun is out,” explained Rhodes. “Greenville Pickens Speedway gets real greasy and it makes the cars slip and slide. Lee told me then the race was going to be about who slid the least and that was the case for sure. We were still sliding around but I was able to keep my car out front and win.
“These two wins were really important for me to get since this is the home track for Hawk-McCall Motorsports. Also Saturday was Lee’s birthday, so to get a victory for him on his birthday was something special for all of us.”
For a video recap with Rhodes and HMM car owners McCall and Randy Hawkins (who also raced and picked up two fourth-place finishes), click the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zc2iFRE3ZA
Rhodes has been on a hot streak in August, winning five of his last six starts at three different tracks in three states, including earning his first-career NASCAR Whelen All-American Series victory on August 9th at Kingsport Speedway (TN). While it might seem Rhodes and the team hit on something new, it has been the same formula all year.
“The Hawk-McCall Motorsports team has given me a competitive car for each race we enter and we are not doing anything different, but luck hasn’t really been with us much this year until recently,” said Rhodes. “We have been very fortunate this month and our determination has paid off with five wins so far. We also know that it could change it the blink of an eye and bad luck could strike us again, but we can’t worry about that. We are going to just keep doing what we have been doing and we will see if we can put the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions car in victory lane a few more times this season.”
In 2013, Rhodes is sponsored by Alpha Energy Solutions, Kentucky National Guard, Park Community Federal Credit Union, Alliance Comfort Systems and Refrigerant Rescue.
Next up for Rhodes and the Hawk-McCall Motorsports team is the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock “Bobby Isaac Memorial” at Hickory Motor Speedway (NC) on Saturday, August 31st. A few days after, he will head back to Greenville Pickens Speedway on Monday, September 2nd (Labor Day), to race in his fourth-career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event with Turner Scott Motorsports.
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 as well as Instagram at www.instagram.com/benrhodes.
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