Leader Ben Rhodes suffered an engine problem with eight laps left, allowing Kyle Busch to go on to win Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway.
The 20-year-old Rhodes, seeking his first career series win, drove his truck to the garage. After exiting it, he slammed the roof with both hands and walked away.
“We did everything right, but Ben Rhodes has a curse on his back because or something because goes always goes wrong,’' he told Fox Sports 1. “It’s just tough.
“It’s just crazy that something always go wrong with our team. We do everything right, we just can never pull one off.’'
MORE: Race results
MORE: Points report after Kansas
Rhodes, who finished 23rd, said a piece of debris went through the radiator and ruined his chances for the win.
Busch collected his 47th career Truck series win and first this season. He won both stages in the 167-lap race.
“Ben Rhodes had that race won,’' Busch told Fox Sports 1. “I was trying everything I could to try to chase him back down but I just didn’t have enough speed.’'
Johnny Sauter finished second. John Hunter Nemechek placed third and was followed by Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe.
STAGE 1 WINNER: Kyle Busch
STAGE 2 WINNER: Kyle Busch
HOW DID KYLE BUSCH WIN: He got lucky. Even he admitted that Ben Rhodes was going to win had it not been for the engine issues.
WHO ELSE HAD A GOOD RACE: Christopher Bell rallied from 16th to fourth in the final 40 laps. He ran near the front until making his final pit stop under green only to see the yellow come out shortly afterward, trapping him a lap down. He got the wave around and was last among cars on the lead lap. … Johnny Sauter finished second. The points leader has finished third, second and second in the past three races.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Ben Rhodes had a great race but a horrible finish when debris damaged his radiator and forced him from the lead to the garage in the final 10 laps. … Matt Crafton spun late while running fifth. He couldn’t recover and finished 16th.
NOTABLE: Four of the top-10 finishers are teenagers: John Hunter Nemechek (third), Kaz Grala (eighth), Justin Haley (ninth) and Austin Cindric (10th).
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: “We’ve been trying for years and years. If I don’t make it in this game, it won’t be from lack of effort but bad luck. Let that be known,’' Ben Rhodes to Fox Sports 1 about losing the lead in the final laps because debris damaged his radiator.
NEXT: The series races May 19 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.