Ben Rhodes endured a frustrating conclusion to Friday's Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing 17th despite leading three laps and earning valuable stage points. The ThorSport Racing driver started 10th and entered the event hoping to make significant progress in the championship standings.
Rhodes demonstrated competitive speed throughout the opening portion of the afternoon, finishing sixth in Stage 1. He improved to third in Stage 2, earning additional points and positioning himself among the strongest championship contenders. His No. 99 Ford continued running near the front during the final stage, where Rhodes briefly moved into the lead.
However, the changing drafting lanes and aggressive racing prevented him from maintaining
that position during the closing laps. Rhodes eventually slipped deeper into the running order and finished 17th, completing all 86 laps. Despite the disappointing finish, he earned 33 points through his stage performances and finishing position.
Rhodes remains eighth in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase standings with 2,168 points. However, he trails championship leader Kaden Honeycutt by 203 markers, eliminating him from championship contention. The two-time series champion will attempt to conclude his 2026 campaign with stronger finishes at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Ben Rhodes eliminated from Truck championship contention in 2026
