We’re now just one race out from the start of the 2020 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs and Ben Rhodes will go into it with quite a bit of momentum.
The Kentucky native took his No. 99 ThorSport truck to the winner’s circle on Sunday afternoon at Darlington after a plethora of leaders chose to pit for tires with two laps remaining in the race.
Rhodes found himself lining up next to Derek Kraus – a young gun racing in the No. 19 truck Sunday. Kraus even got the lead off of the restart, but Rhodes waited for a mistake and took advantage coming out of turn two.
Ben Rhodes with a great restart here, stalking Derek Kraus after he takes the lead going into turn 1.
The victory, for Rhodes, is his first since July 2018. #NASCARTrucks
🎥 @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/BBCBuO6w5o
— Connor Ferguson (@cfchangs9) September 6, 2020
The win is Rhodes’ first victory since July of 2018, when he went to victory lane at Kentucky.
For Kraus, though, it was his best career finish in the series. That’s something that’s already a big deal, but gets far larger in considering he has a shot to make the playoffs.
Going into Thursday’s ‘Last Race before the Chase,’ at Richmond, Kraus will enter the field ten points out of the final playoff spot.
Tyler Ankrum (+14) and Todd Gilliland (+10) will be the pair of drivers he will try and take out to qualify for the postseason in his first year.
That race is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1.
Truck Series Darlington Results
1. Ben Rhodes
2. Derek Kraus
3. Austin Hill
4. Grant Enfinger
5. Christian Eckes
6. Raphael Lessard
7. Todd Gilliland
8. Stewart Friesen
9. Timmy Hill
10. Brett Moffitt
11. Tyler Ankrum
12. Bayley Currey
13. Ty Majeski
14. Matt Crafton
15. Tate Fogleman
16. Zane Smith
17. Austin Wayne Self
18. Sheldon Creed
19. Greg Biffle
20. Danny Bohn
21. Clay Greenfield
22. David Ragan
23. Chandler Smith
24. Jordan Anderson
25. Codie Rohrbaugh
26. Spencer Boyd
27. Trevor Bayne
28. Josh Reaume
29. Tanner Gray
30. Jennifer Jo Cobb
31. Johnny Sauter
32. Norm Benning
33. Dawson Cram
34. Bryant Barnhill