A final chaotic lap of overtime ended with Ben Rhodes winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener on Friday night at the Daytona International Speedway.
Six laps from the end of the programmed distance, there was a major accident on the final stretch that involved 10 trucks and put the race in overtime.
In the penultimate lap of overtime, Rhodes and ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton took the lead. Sheldon Creed and Cory Roper set up a challenge against the ThorSport duo from the outer track reaching the white flag.
Truck Series race results
Roper entered the wall from the tri-oval, but was able to enter Creed and take the lead at Turn 1. After Austin Wayne Self spun on the stretched grass, Rhodes prepared for one last race at Roper through Rounds 3 and 4.
Once back in the tri-oval, Roper made his move out and completed the winning pass at Roper while several pilots destroyed behind them.
Points report
Rhodes is the first leader in the Truck points classification, after a 51 point win on Friday night – 40 points for the win, plus 11 points in phases 1 and 2.
Truck Series points ranking after Daytona
Behind him, Creed and John Hunter Nemechek are tied with 47 points. Creed came in second in the standings after finishing sixth in the race; Nemechek finished seventh.
Chandler Smith (37 points) and part-time driver Grant Enfinger (36 points) are fourth and fifth in the standings, respectively.