Ben Rhodes wins 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship
While he didn’t win the race itself at Phoenix Raceway, Ben Rhodes took home the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Christian Eckes took home the win, but Rhodes only had to finish P5 to claim the season trophy.
It’s going to be another amazing press conference I’m sure. This Kentucky driver knows how to party and celebrate a job well done.
Not only is Ben Rhodes celebrating his second NASCAR Truck Series championship, he and his wife are expecting their second child as well. Lots to celebrate for Rhodes. Things got weird at the end of this NASCAR championship race. Corey Heim and Carson Hocevar had business to handle with one another.
In fact, their shenanigans on the track led to not one, not two, not three, but FOUR overtime sessions. These drivers didn’t want to pit and give up position. So, tires were worn out, they kept restarting, losing grip, wrecking. Drivers like Zane Smith missed their shifts.
Despite the madness, and even taking some minor damage himself in the multiple overtimes, Ben Rhodes held off Grant Enfinger for the win. They were P5 and P6 at the finish.
Ben Rhodes has now won his second championship in three years. He won in 2021, he was so close again in 2022 finishing runner-up to Zane Smith, and now he’s back on top of the series in 2023. What a year it has been for Rhodes and his team, up and down for most of the season.
However, Rhodes turned it up in the last few weeks. He was P7 at Bristol, P2 at Talladega, and P2 at Homestead. Then, he walks away with another strong finish, good enough for a championship. He is the fifth driver ever to win multiple Truck Series championships.
Despite having fresher tires and multiple restarts, Grant Enfinger was unable to track Rhodes down.
Ben Rhodes wins Truck Series championship after controversial wrecks
The race just fell apart after Carson Hocevar spun out Corey Heim. It made it tense. It looked like Heim would run away with it. Then, you put that behind you and it was a race between Ben Rhodes and Grant Enfinger.
It made a lot of drivers and NASCAR figures disappointed to see the race spiral into wrecks and restarts. Tyler Reddick had choice words for Hocevar. Heim then got revenge on a wreck, but that caused more controversy.
Enfinger was leading and then these restarts began to pile up. Rhodes was able to beat him out. That’s when Enfinger took a wild Hail Mary and got four tires on a pit stop. During all of these restarts, the 23 truck moved up with the freshest tires on the track. It was an amazing finish after four restarts to end the race.
What a night. Ben Rhodes is a two-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion!