Ben Rhodes Gets first Truck Series Win in Vegas Playoff Race

Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports

LAS VEGAS, NV - RIS - Ben Rhodes won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in an exciting finish that boiled down to Rhodes, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe.  Rhodes earned an automatic berth into the second round of the playoffs with the win. Bell was the winner a week ago at New Hampshire.

Rhodes was the winner of the second stage but didn't get a chance to race for the win until John Hunter Nemechek ran out of fuel under caution with 14 laps remaining. He headed to pit road from the lead for a disastrous stop -- Nemechek stalled leaving pit road, and his crew had to push his truck back to his pit stall before Nemechek could pull away. Although Nemechek stayed on the lead lap, he was 10th on the restart with seven laps remaining.

After a caution and NASCAR working to get the scoring correct, only eight laps remained, with Rhodes in the second row.

It set up a frantic dash to the finish, and Rhodes had to use a late block on Bell to save the victory. Bell finished second and was followed by Briscoe, Austin Cindric and Kaz Grala -- all championship contenders.

When asked how he held off points leader Bell, an excited Rhodes couldn't tell the assembled media.“I have no idea.

"I used every play in my playbook." Rhodes said. "I knew if I could keep him close to me, he couldn’t break the bubble. Every time he tried to break the bubble and get far away, he’d suck right up to the 27 Safelite Toyota Tundra and be right there on our bumper. So I had to keep him at a distance and that was most nervous thing I think I’ve ever done in my life.”

The next race in the playoffs takes place at Talladega SuperSpeedway on Saturday, October 14th at 1:00 PM.  

Unofficial Race Results for the 21St Annual Las Vegas 350 - Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Fin, Str, Driver, Trk, Laps, St1, St2, Pts, Status, Tms, Laps, Playoff Pts
1) 6, Ben Rhodes (P), No. 27 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota, 146, 6, 1, 55, Running, 2, 20, 6
2) 4, Christopher Bell (P), No. 4 DC Solar Toyota, 146, 3, 2, 52, Running, 3, 64, 
3) 3, Chase Briscoe (P) #, No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford, 146, 1, 6, 49, Running, 1, 40, 1
4) 7, Ausin Cindric (P) #, No. 19 LTi Printing Ford, 146, 8, 8, 39, Running, 1, 1, 
5) 14, Kaz Grala (P) #, No. 33 Kiklos Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Chevrolet, 146, 7, , 36, Running, , , 
6) 12, Cody Coughlin #, No. 13 Ride TV/JEGS Toyota, 146, , , 31, Running, , , 
7) 5, Matt Crafton (P), No. 88 Rip It/Menards Toyota, 146, 5, 5, 42, Running, , , 
8) 15, John H. Nemechek (P), No. 8 Berry's Manufacturing Chevrolet, 146, , 3, 37, Running, 1, 8, 
9) 10, Grant Enfinger #, No. 98 Jive Toyota, 146, , 10, 29, Running, , , 
10) 2, Johnny Sauter (P), No. 21 Allegiant Travel Chevrolet, 145, 2, 9, 38, Running, , , 
11) 20, Timothy Peters, No. 02 Henry County/AutosbyNelson.com Chevrolet, 145, , , 26, Running, , , 
12) 1, Ryan Truex, No. 16 Martin Truex Jr. Foundation Toyota, 145, 4, 4, 39, Running, 1, 1, 
13) 13, Noah Gragson #, No. 18 Switch Toyota, 144, 10, 7, 29, Running, 2, 12, 
14) 16, Wendell Chavous #, No. 49 Testoril Chevrolet, 144, , , 23, Running, , , 
15) 21, Jordan Anderson, No. 1 Lucas Oil/Bommarito.com Chevrolet, 143, , , 22, Running, , , 
16) 23, Josh Reaume, No. 50 Java Chews Chevrolet, 142, , , 21, Running, , , 
17) 22, Camden Murphy, No. 83  Chevrolet, 141, , , 20, Running, , , 
18) 27, Jennifer Jo Cobb, No. 10 Waldo's Painting Company Chevrolet, 138, , , 19, Running, , , 
19) 26, Norm Benning, No. 6  Chevrolet, 129, , , 18, Running, , , 
20) 17, Austin Wayne Self, No. 44 AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet, 128, , , 17, Accident, , , 
21) 8, Justin Haley #, No. 24 MyWhy Chevrolet, 117, , , 16, Engine, , , 
22) 18, Travis Pastrana, No. 45 Wienerschnitzel Chevrolet, 112, , , 15, Accident, , , 
23) 11, Stewart Friesen #, No. 52 Halmar International Chevrolet, 41, 9, , 16, Accident, , , 
24) 25, TJ Bell, No. 38 Niece Equipment Chevrolet, 27, , , 13, Overheating, , , 
25) 19, Matt Mills, No. 0 Driven2Honor.org Chevrolet, 11, , , 12, Engine, , , 
26) 24, Joe Nemechek, No. 87  Chevrolet, 9, , , 11, Electrical, , , 
27) 28, Mike Senica, No. 57  Chevrolet, 4, , , 10, Transmission, , , 
28) 9, Myatt Snider, No. 51 Louisiana Hot Sauce Toyota, 0, , , 9, Accident, , , 
29) 29, Todd Peck, No. 63  Chevrolet, 0, , , 8, Engine, , , 
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie

Time of Race: 01 Hrs, 52 Mins, 39 Secs.
Average Speed: 116.644 MPH
Margin of Victory: 0.066 Seconds
Race Comments: Ben Rhodes won the Las Vegas 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his first victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Prior to the start of the race, the following truck(s) dropped to the rear of the field for the reasons indicated: No.02 (unapproved adjustments).
Caution Flags: 6 for 32 laps: Laps: 2-6 (No.51, 52 Incident Backstretch [None]); 37-41 (Stage 1 Conclusion [44]); 43-47 (No.19, 18, 21, 33, 52, 24, 44 Incident Frontstretch [1]); 57-60 (No.19, 98 Incident Frontstretch [49]); 72-77 (Stage 2 Conclusion [50]); 133-139 (No.44 Incident Turn 1 [88]).
Lead Changes: 11 among 7 drivers: R. Truex 0; C. Briscoe (P) # 1-40; C. Bell (P) 41-60; B. Rhodes (P) 61-73; N. Gragson # 74-78; A. Cindric (P) # 79; N. Gragson # 80-86; C. Bell (P) 87-124; J. Nemechek (P) 125-132; C. Bell (P) 133-138; R. Truex 139; B. Rhodes (P) 140-146.
Duralast GT Brakes ?Brake in the Race Award? - Stage 1:  Chase Briscoe, No.29 Stage 1
Duralast GT Brakes ?Brake in the Race Award? - Stage 2:  Ben Rhodes, No.27 Stage 2
Keystone Light Pole Award:  Ryan Truex, No.16 177.194 mph
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race:  Joe Gibbs Engines, No.4 
Mobil 1 Driver of the Race:  Ben Rhodes, No.27 
Sunoco Rookie of the Race:  Chase Briscoe, No.29

Ron Fleshman with John Davison

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

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Volume 2017, Issue 9, Posted 11:31 PM, 09.30.2017