Rhodes set to return to ThorSport, Troconis to crew chief: ThorSport Racing announced that 19-year-old Louisville, KY native, Ben Rhodes, will return to the Sandusky, Ohio-based team for the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) season. Rhodes, who competed in the series during his rookie campaign in 2016, will pilot the #27 Toyota Tundra as he makes a bid for the series championship in 2017. Rhodes, the 2014 NASCAR K&N; Pro Series East Champion, Rookie of the Year, and Most Popular Driver, joined ThorSport Racing and the NCWTS in 2016, following a part-time, 10 race schedule in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015. In his first full-time season in the series, Rhodes earned his series first 21 Means 21 Pole Award at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (April) and led 55 laps en route to two top-five and five top-10 finishes, finishing 14th in the series championship point standings. Alpha Energy Solutions, a commercial and industrial mechanical self-performing service provider, will continue their support of Rhodes in his sophomore campaign in 2017. The Louisville, Ky. based company will adorn the #27 Tundra at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta (July), and Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (August). Additional sponsorship for the #27 Toyota Tundra will be announced at a later date. Rhodes’ 2017 campaign will be led by crew chief Eddie Troconis. Troconis, who called the shots for Cameron Hayley in 2016 at ThorSport Racing, enters his second full-time season in the series atop the pit box. In his first full-time season, the Mexico native was credited with six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.(ThorSport Racing)(1-31-2017)
