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Tag: Ben Rhodes

  • Three drivers set to make debut in Kroger 250

    Three drivers set to make debut in Kroger 250

    Each year Martinsville Speedway is the first event on the schedule in which a young (under age 18) rookie driver, looking to make their first start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, can hit the track. NASCAR rules states that drivers under age of 18 cannot make a start in a national touring series race on tracks longer than 1.25 miles. Due to that fact, the .526 mile nestled in Southern Virginia plays host to many debut races for many of NASCAR’s up and coming stars.

    Saturday’s Kroger 250 is no exception. This weekend, three drivers will make their Camping World Truck Series debut – Gray Gaulding, Ben Rhodes, and Cole Custer.

    Rhodes announced this week that he has signed with Turner-Scott Motorsports to compete in five races this season driving the No. 32 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet. He is fresh off two dominating performances in the K&N Pro Series East, where he also drives for Turner-Scott. The first, at Bristol, where he led every lap with the exception of the last two, and then a win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway this past weekend.

    Rhodes has a dynamic personality and will be a great fit for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He will also be competing at Dover, Bristol, the fall race at Martinsville, and Phoenix.

    Gaulding, who also competes full time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, recently he announced he has signed with NTS Motorsports for eight races during the 2014 season driving the No. 20, Gemini Southern/Krispy Kreme Chevrolet.

    Gaulding has also been competing full time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, where this season he has scored three top-10’s in four starts driving the Krispy Kreme Chevrolet. He is currently sitting third in series points. Similar to Rhodes, Gaulding also has a dynamic personality. His experience on tracks similar to Martinsville should allow him to adapt quickly. He will be driving the No. 20, Gemini Southern/Krispy Kreme Chevrolet.

    Custer will be driving the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet this weekend. Custer competed full time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2013, where he scored two wins,and became the youngest winner in series history.  He also made one start this season at Bristol where he finished 14th.  Custer is the son of Joe Custer, an Executive at Stewart-Hass Racing.

    Martinsville Speedway, already home to arguably some of the best Camping World Truck Series racing, should be even more exciting this weekend with the addition of these three very talented drivers.

    The green will fall on the Kroger 250 at 2:30pm local time on Saturday.

  • K&N East Preview – Rhodes, Gaulding Hold Advantage Heading To Greenville Pickens

    K&N East Preview – Rhodes, Gaulding Hold Advantage Heading To Greenville Pickens

    The NASCAR K&N East Series heads to Greenville, South Carolina this Saturday to perform the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 100 at Greenville Pickens Speedway (GPS).

    While many drivers competing this weekend are new to GPS, the track has had a dominant history since it’s opening around 60-years-ago. It began as a local dirt track where famed drivers like Ralph Earnhardt and David Pearson scored championships. The track also hosted 29 Winston (now Sprint) Cup Series events during its early years, but quickly lost exposure after the Cup Series shifted their schedule away from Greenville.

    Despite it falling on the NASCAR Touring Series schedule, the K&N East Series and Whelen Modified Southern Tour began visiting the historic track. This weekend’s race will mark the 12th time that the K&N East machines have taken to the speedway. Joey Logano, Darrell Wallace Jr., and Dylan Kwasniewski are among the few drivers who’ve taken victories in the K&N Series at GPS.

    Brandon Gdovic stole the checkered flag in this event last season, and he’ll hope to repeat that performance this season. However, Ben Rhodes – who won a Late Model Stock Car event at GPS last season – is also a main contender to score the victory after finishing sixth in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 100 last year.

    “It’s just too bad we couldn’t get the win (at Bristol), but we’ll head to Greenville and try to get a win there,” Rhodes said after finishing third in Bristol, Tennessee.

    While Rhodes and Gdovic seem to be the favorites, Lee Pulliam and Gray Gaulding aren’t out of the question either. Pulliam, 2-time NASCAR Whelen All-American champion, has prior knowledge at GPS, and the format of the track suits his driving style greatly. Gaulding on the other hand, is the current K&N point’s leader, and has prior K&N knowledge at GPS – he finished third and 10th in the events held at this racetrack last season.

    Qualifying could be the key factor in this weekend’s event, as the average starting position of the victor is 3.18 – which shows how critical qualifying up front will be. And if prior history repeats itself, you can expect the winner to qualify inside the top five.

    The Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 will air on Fox Sports 1 at 11:00 AM EST on Friday, March 28th – and it’s surely expected to be a nail bitter. However, considering the race isn’t streamed live, you can always follow live updates at @MarshallGabell on Twitter.