It is Champions Week in Nashville. It's a great city to have fun and take in on the sites and sounds! Many NASCAR related events are set including a parade. The highlight is Sunday at the NASCAR Champions Awards ceremony. Louisville's Ben Rhodes will be honored for winning the 2023 NASCAR Truck Series title for ThorSport Racing. It is his second. Ben also claimed the truck championship in 2021.
After the big ceremony in Nashville, Ben Rhodes returns home to enjoy the holidays with his family. He'll also be planning for 2024. Don't be surprised if the right event comes along, if he doesn't jump in, to keep his racing talents fresh! Ben won the NASCAR truck title this year at Phoenix. Kentuckiana Motorsports first met and interviewed Ben a decade ago. He loves Louisville and Southern Indiana. He is a fan favorite. There's a good chance you'll see the Holy Cross High School (Louisville) graduate out and about this Christmas. Yes, he'll sign autographs and take pictures. Ben is that kind of person and champion!
Others to be recognized in Nashville will be 2023 NASCAR Cup Champion Ryan Blaney. He drives for Penske Racing, which also won the title last year (Joe Logano). In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Cole Custer is the 2023 Champion, winning the crown for Stewart-Haas Racing.
The memories and good wishes continue for broadcast legend, Ken Squier. He recently passed away. Many people helped lay the groundwork for modern day NASCAR. Ken Squier is right up there with that group. He was always gracious with his time. We interviewed him a couple of times at Daytona. Such an ambassador for NASCAR. Though he retired as a regular racing radio and television broadcaster years ago, his legacy lives on. Expect Nashville to recognize his contributions.
It will be a great holiday for some great NHRA champions. The series, backed for years by Lucas Oil, is the last racing series to end the year. After six runner-up finishes, Doug Kalitta finally won the Top Fuel World Title. In NHRA Funny Car, Matt Hagan claimed his fourth series championship. Erica Enders claimed her sixth career NHRA Pro Stock World Championship. And in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera carried the world title home.
Kentuckiana Motorsports continues 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 this winter! 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!
