KINGSPORT, TN :: Ben Rhodes picked up his first career Late Model Stock Car victory at Kingsport Speedway on Friday night. Rhodes, who started third, took the lead from Chad Finchum on lap 29 in the 60 lap feature and held him off to pick up the victory.
“We had to work really hard for it,” Rhodes said. “Last time we were here, we had a really fast car. We were really close to getting the pole tonight. It all worked out. We did the Dash for Cash and made a little bit of money with that too. Every time we’re there and about to win, it seems like something happens. Tonight, we didn’t have any mistakes. We had luck on our side finally. Hopefully this is the turning point.”
Chad Finchum finished second in the race and extended his points lead over Zeke Shell in the track’s championship standings with just one week left in the season. Finchum led the race early and tried to hold Rhodes off until Rhodes was able to able to get underneath Finchum and move him up the track.
“He earned it,” Finchum stated. “He came to the front. He out-muscled us on the restart. We beat and banged a little bit. We’re points racing though. He wasn’t in the points. So I backed off on the outside and let him have the lead. I didn’t want to take a chance on getting him mad and him wrecking me and taking us out of the points. I just tried to use my head tonight.”
Finchum’s team was miffed over the way Rhodes raced. Chad Finchum’s father, James, said he expected a seasoned ‘NASCAR Next’ driver to race a little more professionally, citing that Finchum was locked in a championship battle with Shell.
Finchum feels confident he can beat Shell next week and win the title.
“We’ve worked hard all year,” Finchum explained. “We put a statement out there at the beginning of this year that our team had prepped all winter and we were ready to win a state title and a track title and I think we’re going to back it up. It’s not over until next week but I definitely think this team’s capable of it. Even if something goes wrong and we don’t have the championships in our hands, this team is a championship team. If we don’t get it this year, we will get it next year.”
Zeke Shell battled the flu all day but was able to score a third place finish.
“I told (Finchum’s team) I could’ve taken it from him but he’s raced me too clean for me to do that,” Shell remarked. “He’s a good driver. He’s earned it. My crew worked hard and we’ve earned ours so we’ll come back and get it next time.”
Ryan Stiltner finished fourth and Hayden Woods rounded out the top five.
The race saw three cautions. Zeke Shell set the fastest lap in qualifying but started the race in fourth after the top four cars were inverted.
After qualifying, the top four qualifiers participated in the Dash for Cash – a chance to win up to $500 in gold coins. Finchum won the Dash for Cash, winning $300 while Rhodes won $200 in the Dash for Cash.
Next Friday night, the ‘King of the Concrete Jungle’ will be crowned as the final race of the championship season at Kingsport Speedway will feature twin 50 lap features for the Late Model Stock Cars.
