Ben Rhodes wins the "Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt" at Bristol Motor Speedway

     

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    Defending 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, Ben Rhodes, has won the "Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt" at Bristol Motor Speedway, with runner-up being the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar.

The startling victory made up Rhode's mistake of missing pit road on lap 40, close to the end of Stage 1. This error forced Rhodes to pit after winning Stage 2, setting him all the way back to 13th on the lap 91 restart, but it didn't set him back for long. With the aid of four cautions in the final stage, Rhodes made his way back to the front of the field to win the race.

In the post-race interview, Rhodes said, "My team gave me such an awesome Tundra this weekend that I wasn't going to let them down. I had to go back up there and earn the spot back. I'm really proud of all their effort."

Carson Hocevar and Ben Rhodes were the only two drivers credited with leading laps during the race, Hocevar leading 55 laps, and Rhodes leading the remaining 95. On the lap 91 restart, Hocevar, who restarted fourth, drove to the lead and held it until Rhodes raced back to the front and pushed his No. 99 truck ahead to the lead again. 

After the race, Hocevar said, "[I could have] either ripped the top or crashed him. I hate saying that, but it's part of this racing, right? I just couldn't compete with him. He just had better tires, and he was the fastest truck all day. I was just trying to hold on; He just slide jobbed me, and I should have prepared for it, crossed him over and raced him real hard. Second just sucks. It's terrible, especially being that close."

The Saturday night race was also marked the debut of 2021 USAC National Midget champion Buddy Kofoid, who started the race in 32nd place, due to his No. 51 truck's engine overheating during the first qualifying heat earlier in the day. He worked his way through the field all the way up to third place but spun after trying to crossover Ben Rhodes for the fourth position; Ben Rhodes overdrove the corner, spinning Kofoid, thus foiling the No. 51's attempt at passing him.

The race had slightly bizarre turn of events, as well. On lap 96, the No. 22 of Austin Wayne Self nudged the No. 25 of Matt DiBenedetto after the latter had passed him. Somehow the bumpers of the two trucks locked together, and the drivers could not separate them. It took a red flag and several track workers to work the trucks apart, but both drivers' nights were spoiled from the odd incident.

Here are the complete results from the "Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt" at Bristol Motor Speedway:

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The next NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race will be the "Dead on Tools" 200 at Darlington Raceway, and is scheduled for Friday, May 6th, with live broadcasting on FS1 and also radio broadcasting on MRN, starting at 7:30 PM, ET.