Ben Rhodes’ Win Positions Him To Set Records in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East

The Alpha Energy Solutions Impala, driven by Ben Rhodes, passed the number 34 car of Scott Heckert on lap 14 to lead the remaining 162 laps and win by a margin of 1.191 seconds

Ben Rhodes won his fourth NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race in a row and is knocking on the door of a couple records.

Cameron Hayley in the number 98 Cabinets by Hayley Chevrolet battled number 96 Kenzie Ruston for position with Hayley crossing the finish line second and Ruston in third

Rhodes took the lead on lap 14 in the Visit Hampton VA 175 at Langley Speedway in Virginia and stayed out front for the remainder of the race.

“I can’t thank our guys enough at Turner Scott Motorsports,” said Rhodes, driver of the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Chevrolet, after the event.

“I like to call them the ‘Dream Team,’ and I’m just the fortunate one that gets to drive the Alpha Energy Solutions Chevy.

Kenzie Ruston, seen here signing autographs, drove her Ben Kennedy Racing Chevy to a third place finish making her the highest finishing female driver in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East history

It was really tough early on, I thought we were gonna have a bad day, but they didn’t give up, I didn’t give up and that’s why we were standing over there in Victory Lane.”

He won his fifth race of the season. Ricky Craven set the record for most consecutive wins with five when the K&N Pro Series East was the Busch Series North in 1991. Dylan Kwasniewski holds the K&N Pro Series East record for most wins in a season with six set in 2007.

Gray Gaulding sits third in the points standings and gives a thumbs up from inside his Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Chevrolet Impala before heading out onto the Langley Speedway track

Rhodes, a 17-year-old from Louisville, Ky., has won races at Greenville Pickens Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Bowman Gray Stadium and most recently at Five Flags Speedway in Florida.

Scott Heckert won the pole for the race at Langley Speedway and was out front for the first 13 laps.

Rhodes passed Heckert on lap 14. Cameron Hayley and Kenzie Ruston challenged Rhodes for the lead, but neither could make a move to overtake him.

Kaz Grala drove the number 31 OzLink Chevrolet to a fifth place finish in the Hampton 175 at Langley Speedway in Virginia

“Those guys kind of pressured me a little bit on those restarts,” said Rhodes. “I had to get away from them and I knew that last restart was going to be tricky. You never know when a caution is going to come out. Luckily we timed it right and were able to get away from them and pull off the win.”

Hayley finished in second place. Ruston matched her best K&N Pro Series East finish in third place. She is the highest finishing woman driver in K&N Pro Series East history.

“Our car was pretty good since practice,” said Ruston.

Mother Nature tried to rain on Ben Rhodes’ parade but couldn’t dampen his spirits on victory lane after the Hampton 175 at Langley Speedway in Virginia

“Mike Fritts gave me a good car, but we just got a little too tight there at the end. Hopefully when we go to New Hampshire in a couple of weeks we can keep this momentum going, get us another top five and be fighting for the win.”

Heckert crossed the finish line in fourth place, followed by Kaz Garla in fifth.

Rhodes has a dominating 71-point lead in the K&N Pro Series East standings after nine races.

Hayley is in second place in the K&N Pro Series East standings. Gray Gaulding, who finished in 18th place at Langley Speedway, is third in the standings.

The next K&N Pro Series East race is at New Hampshire International Speedway is July 11.