Rhodes opens new season with new ride

Harrison Rhodes is looking at the new Xfinity Series season as a year-long chance to lift his racing education to a new level.

The 21-year-old North Carolina driver will be competing at NASCAR’s No. 2 level in a full-time ride for the first time. He’ll make his debut with JD Motorsports with Gary Keller in the team’s Flex Seal Colors No. 0 Chevrolet in Saturday’s Alert Today Florida 300, the first race of the 33-race Xfinity season.

The Daytona International Speedway race is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.

Rhodes raced in seven Xfinity events in 2013 and in six series races in 2014.

“The thing I’m excited about is that I finally have a full-time home,” Rhodes said. “I’m going to be in a car every week, so my skills are going to be improved. I’m going to new tracks. There’s so much growth here with this team, and I’m happy to be a part of that.”

Rhodes raced in last year’s Xfinity opener at Daytona but completed only eight laps before engine issues forced him to the garage.

JD Motorsports PR