Ben Rhodes announced on Tuesday that he will drive for ThorSport Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2016.
Rhodes will pilot the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Toyota Tundra as he competes for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to race full time with ThorSport Racing next season,” Rhodes said in a release. “I was excited when I received the phone call. The team as a whole has won two out of the last three Truck Series championship titles, went to Victory Lane many times this year, and all three trucks were within the top six in points. I feel confident I am joining a team that will be able to produce top-notch Toyota Tundras for me to contend for poles, race wins, Rookie of the Year honors, and the championship.”
In 2015, the 18-year-old ran 10 races for the Dale Earnhardt Jr. co-owned JR Motorsports in the No. 88 Chevrolet in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. He scored two top-10 finishes, his best result a seventh-place finish in his debut in May at Iowa Speedway.
“The 2015 season was a great way to get my feet wet in the upper levels of NASCAR,” Rhodes said. “I gained a lot of knowledge on how things work, and I feel as though I’m ready for a full-time ride. That is why I’m looking forward to the 2016 season with ThorSport Racing. I will have a crew chief that I can work closely with week to week and a team that knows what driver will be in the seat every race. We can focus on being successful, starting at Daytona and ending at Homestead.”
This will not be Rhodes’ first foray into the Camping World Truck Series. In 2014, he made four starts, scoring a top five and three top 10s. A two-time member of the NASCAR Next class, Rhodes won the 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship.
“I’m looking forward to returning to the Truck Series,” Rhodes said. “With only 10 races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and four in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, this is a huge step forward for me. The Truck Series is extremely competitive, and I am up for the challenge.”
Rhodes’ crew chief, paint scheme and additional sponsors will be announced in January, according to the release. Although on Thursday, Rhodes revealed on Twitter that his crew chief was Kevin Bellicourt, who served as the championship-winning crew chief for William Byron in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2015.
This is @kevinbellicourt! He is my new crew chief for 2016 at @ThorSportRacing! #41 pic.twitter.com/9cVwxAUrCB
— Ben Rhodes (@benrhodes) December 17, 2015
The 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season kicks off on Feb. 19 at Daytona International Speedway.