Kentuckian Ben Rhodes sweeps Daytona with second straight Trucks win

Louisville native Ben Rhodes swept a two-race stop at Daytona International Speedway, winning his second NASCAR Truck Series race in one week Friday night.

Win No. 2 came under caution in triple overtime on Daytona’s road course. It was exactly one week after Rhodes won on Daytona’s oval in the season-opening race.

“I’ve been on cloud nine all week,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes earned his fifth career victory, all with Thorsport Racing. The team last month returned to a partnership with Toyota and Rhodes’ win was the 200th for the manufacturer in the Truck Series.

Rhodes passed Sheldon Creed after a caution in regulation and it ultimately gave him control of the race despite the three overtime challenges. Rhodes held position over Creed on two overtime restarts, and John Hunter Nemechek on the third attempt to finish the race.

Rhodes all three times executed solid restarts and put distance on the field. He was never really challenged as Rhodes led 14 total laps — including all six in overtime.

Creed pass Nemechek on the third overtime restart but never got close enough to Rhodes before the 10th caution ended the race. Creed, the reigning series champion and last year’s winner on the Daytona road course, finished second.

The race was moved to Daytona’s road course because of COVID-19 related rescheduling. NASCAR was supposed to race this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but shuffled dates and venues because racing next week in California is prohibited.

All three national series race instead this week on Daytona’s road course, then Xfinity and Cup moves to Homestead next week as it fills California’s void.