We've been talking with Louisville's Ben Rhodes in the past few weeks. One observation from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver is that he, as a driver, is totally focused. Ben was leading late at Homestead, Florida but the eventual winner, Carson Hocevar passed him with about 10 laps to go. Still, the ThorSport Racing star finished 3rd, and gained enough points to make the NASCAR Championship 4 in the truck series. Along with Rhodes, and Hocevar, two other drivers, Corey Heim and Grant Enfinger will battle on November 3rd in Phoenix for the title. Rhodes won the championship in the trucks in 2021 and came in second by inches last year. If there is a driver ready for the NASCAR Cup Series, it is Ben Rhodes. Sure, it takes sponsorship or simply put, big dollars these days for a team to bring in a driver. Ben has matured. He's got the talent. A team should grab him. Ben will win, regardless the series.
Christopher Bell doesn't have to worry about Martinsville this weekend. He joins Kyle Larson as two drivers who are locked into the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 5. If the Martinsville winner is a playoff driver, that winner will advance to Phoenix for a shot at the Cup title. If points were used today, William Byron would advance. Everyone thought this might be the year Denny Hamlin gets the elusive championship that has evaded him in the Cup Series. It takes 100% team and driver focus. Hamlin may be a veteran. But some could question whether being a team owner (23XI), a social media and podcast star, as well as other commitments have him straying off course mentally, and at a bad time.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series Sam Mayer locked up a Championship 4 spot. The Wisconsin racer was being strongly pursued by Riley Herbst, who won the previous series race at Vegas (Herbst is not a playoff driver). However, Mayer held on to get the win and earned a chance to go for the title at Phoenix. It should be interesting at Martinsville this weekend. Three Xfinity drivers will be racing to avoid elimination and advance to the Championship 4. Expect the pressure and tension to be high!
We selected our Championship 4 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series before the playoffs. Craig liked: Logano, Hamlin, Busch, and a longshot but a past champion, Brad Keselowski. Scott picked: Truex Jr., Byron, Logano, and a sentimental choice-Kevin Harvick. Logano, Keselowski, Busch, and Harvick are out.
If you want to see great side-by-side competition, check out the Vegas NHRA Nationals this weekend. It is the second to the last event of the year for the speedsters! Lucas Oil is a huge backer of the NHRA! You can watch the action on Fox Sports, or on Fox Sports 1 or 2.
The legendary Halloween 200 is history for 2023. A name known to many in the region won it: Chuck Barnes Jr.
Another veteran, Brett Hudson finished second. The 2023 Salem Speedway Great American Street Stocks Champion Heath Helton came in third. About a dozen cars finished in the lead lap. Congrats to Salem Speedway for a good race. And mother nature helped too! The racing season is pretty much over with at our local tracks. You might fine an event or two scheduled at regional tracks. Championship Banquets are next, then the 2024 season lies ahead!
Kentuckiana Motorsports has continued to provide racing coverage for more than two decades. It started with a half hour program and specials on cable, then a major television channel, and as media has transformed, online and social media. Lucas Oil has been a huge part of it. They support local and grass roots. Always have. We remind you to make sure your car, truck, motorcycle, boat, other vehicles, and lawn equipment are all running efficiently. Think Lucas Oil Products. They do so much for racing communities across America. Other sponsors of KMS include PNC Bank (Sponsor of Scott Dixon's Indy Car Series Car), Sportsdrome Speedway (Celebrating more than 75 years of Racing!), locally owned Bright Pest Control and Bright Retail in Louisville, (Offering Do-It-Yourself Professional Pest Products with a retail store), and Knox Ford in Radcliff, Kentucky) (It also has a sister dealership, Tri-County Ford in Oldham County, KY). KMS friends also include: VoiceTel Kentucky (Offering telephone service for low as $25.00 a line per month), Temco Roofing, Jim Ellis/Attorney-At-Law, ICA Dumpsters, Kentucky Raceway Ministries, Nimlok Kentucky, Dynamic Healthcare, Lyndon Mower Repair, and Kentucky Medicare Plans (Serving Kentucky and Southern Indiana with Health and Medicare plans). We also thank our media connections in all series, NASCAR and with NASCAR Media, Indy Car, Monster Jam, ARCA, and NHRA for helping us bring the sport to the fans!
We're getting entries for our latest Lucas Oil/KMS Giveaway! Keep them coming! Be sure to check out the KMS Giveaway page!
