Rhodes to skip high school graduation ceremony, make XFINITY Series debut

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At this time of year, most high school seniors are looking for prom dates, reminiscing over their schoolyard days and trying to figure out whether they want to bag groceries or be a lifeguard over the summer.

Not Ben Rhodes.

The 18-year-old NASCAR Next alum is skipping his high school graduation ceremony to make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut in the JR Motorsports No. 88  Chevrolet in Sunday’s 3M 250 at Iowa Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1).

Instead of receiving his diploma at Holy Cross High School (Louisville, Kentucky) on Friday night, Rhodes – owner of a 3.98 GPA – will accept it from HCHS president Tim Welhe on Iowa Speedway’s stage during Sunday’s driver introductions.

“JR Motorsports has given me an unbelievable opportunity with this car and race team,” Rhodes said. “I am surrounded with knowledge and some of the biggest names in the sport.”

Last season, Rhodes dominated the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, amassing five wins, 11 top fives, 13 top 10s and six poles en route to the series championship. He also made four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, logging one top-five and three top-10 finishes.

In preparation for his 10-event XFINITY Series schedule, Rhodes has attended many of the races, learning from members of the No. 88 team in the garage and on spotter perches.

“JR Motorsports has given me an unbelievable opportunity with this car and race team,” Rhodes said. “I am surrounded with knowledge and some of the biggest names in the sport. By going to the track with the team almost every week, I have learned a lot about the setup of these XFINITY Series cars and also how they react and change during runs. Our goal for the rest of the season is to be running near the top five each week and to hopefully be challenging for a win later in the season.”

Last month at his Kentucky Speedway test, JR Motorsports team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. had nothing but praise for Rhodes, calling him an “exceptional young man.”

“He has a great opportunity to be successful as a driver, but also represent his partners well,” Earnhardt said. “He seems to really understand the importance of being the whole package. He’s really doing a lot when it comes to being accountable at the races, standing around and trying to be a sponge for the information that’s available to him while we’re practicing.”

NASCAR Wire Service
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