Adam Andretti and others complete great comebacks at EchoPark Speedway

HAMPTON, Ga. — Adam Andretti completed his debut NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at EchoPark Speedway with a great comeback finish.

Andretti debuted in the rotating Tricon Garage No. 5 truck and impressed right away with an eighth-placed qualifying run. While his single lap run went smoothly, the race tested him.

His truck started extremely loose. The skilled road racer saved it twice from spinning before it finally snapped around for a solo spin midway through Stage 1.

Despite the slide to the apron, he gathered it up like a veteran and kept going without detrimental damage.

He rebounded quickly to finish the stage 26th on the lead lap, but changes needed to happen in order to stabilize the truck.

His Tricon crew made adjustments in Stage 2, tightening the truck and helping him climb back near the top 20, where he ended 22nd and finally trended the right direction.

Through crafty adjustments, fortunate misfortunes from his competitors, and pure speed, Andretti wheeled his truck to an impressive 12th-placed finish.

Adam Andretti exceeded all expectations at a track where none were set, turning heads with an impressive performance in his series debut.

He will carry that momentum into next week’s race on the Streets of St. Petersburg, where a road course should play even more to his strengths.

Chase Hopefuls Bounce Back

Ben Rhodes and Chandler Smith both finished inside the top ten but the results don’t tell their full race story.

On his 29th birthday, Ben Rhodes rolled off the front row, grabbed the lead early, and controlled Stage 1 for 35 laps.

He backed it up in Stage 2, pacing another 34 laps for a race-high 70 laps led.

Meanwhile, fresh off of his win last week at Daytona, Chandler Smith maintained a steady position throughout the race inside the top fifteen to that point.

He kept his car free from the chaos up front in hopes contend at the end.

Then it unraveled late in Stage 2.

With two laps left in the stage, Rhodes’ truck sputtered on the backstretch. Leading the draft burned more fuel than expected and he did not get enough fuel during his previous stop.

He peeled out of the lead and line, surrendered a lap, which momentarily sidelining the dominant truck of the day.

During the stage break, Smith obtained a pit road penalty during the break, sending him to the rear and forcing him to carve through the field.

A caution on lap 107 handed Rhodes the free pass. With the change in luck, he charged forward.

He sliced through traffic alongside the relegated Smith and briefly reclaimed the lead with fewer than ten to go before Spire Motorsports’ winning duo overpowered him.

Smith rallied to seventh to maintain his points lead. Rhodes capped his brilliant birthday drive with a hard-fought fourth after climbing back from running out of fuel and going lap down.

NEXT: The Streets of St. Petersburg, Feb. 28, FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90; 12 p.m. ET. No previous winner as this is the inaugural event.