LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 7th, 2013) – 16-year-old Louisville, Kentucky native and Turner Scott Motorsports NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver Ben Rhodes has been selected by the NASCAR Selection Committee to the NASCAR Next program for 2013 – 2014.  NASCAR Next is an industry initiative to help spotlight NASCAR’s rising stars, and it demonstrates NASCAR’s commitment to the future of the sport by identifying young drivers to help shape and mold them to carry the sport in years to come.

This year’s program builds upon the successes of its predecessor, the Next 9, which began in 2011.  Success stories to date include Alex Bowman, Corey LaJoie, Kyle Larson, and Darrell Wallace, Jr.

 

“I am very honored to be selected by NASCAR to be a part of the NASCAR Next program,” said Rhodes, who races for Turner Scott Motorsports.  “There are a lot of great drivers that have been a part of this program, like Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Corey Lajoie, and Darrell Wallace, Jr.  I want to thank NASCAR and the selection committee for inviting me to be a representative for this year’s NASCAR Next program.”

 

During the 2013 racing season, Rhodes raced to a second-place finish in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series UNOH Battle at the Beach in February at Daytona International Speedway (FL), following that up with a third-place finish in April at Richmond International Raceway (VA) in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown behind NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars Kyle Busch and David Ragan.  In his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut at Bristol Motor Speedway (TN) earlier this season he raced to a ninth-place finish.  A month later in his second series start at Richmond, he was within the top 10 moving forward before being sidelined with an oil leak.

 

BR-NASCARNext-GroupRhodes, who is racing a part-time K&N Pro Series East schedule in 2013 with the full season on tap for 2014, will join several new and returning drivers to the program, including TSM teammates Kenzie Ruston and Dylan Kwasniewski, Ben Kennedy, Gray Gaulding, Cameron Hayley, Ryan Preece, Jeb Burton, Michael Self, Ryan Gifford, Daniel Suarez, Brett Moffitt, and Chase Elliott.

 

“All of the drivers in the NASCAR Next program this year are great drivers,” said Rhodes.  “I am looking forward to joining them for various events and appearances as the NASCAR Next team.”

 

Rhodes drives the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, which is also sponsored by Alliance Comfort Systems, Kentucky National Guard, Refrigerant Rescue, and Park Community Federal Credit Union.

 

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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