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Rhodes and Cindric collide in battle to advance into final four

Ben Rhodes blocked his path to the Championship 4 in the final stage of the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix Raceway on Friday.

Ben Rhodes, ThorSport Racing Toyota, crash

Ben Rhodes, ThorSport Racing Toyota, crash

Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images

Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski Racing Ford
Ben Rhodes, ThorSport Racing Toyota, crash
Ben Rhodes, ThorSport Racing Toyota, Matt Crafton, ThorSport Racing Toyota
Ben Rhodes, ThorSport Racing Toyota, crash
Ben Rhodes, ThorSport Racing Toyota

With 22 laps to go, Rhodes lined up ninth after the No. 27 ThorSport team pitted. As the field went into Turn 1, Austin Cindric went to the inside lane and Rhodes blocked him. Rhodes spun and took out his teammate Matt Crafton in the process.

The two drivers were in a tight battle for the final transfer position into the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Due to Rhodes' DNF, Cindric went on to advance with a ninth-place finish.

“Why would he block it, why would he block it?” Cindric asked over the radio. Later while talking to FS1, he compared the incident to what happened between Carl Edwards and Joey Logano in the 2016 Cup finale at Homestead.

NASCAR red-flagged the race at with 20 to go, which lasted 17 minutes and 7 seconds.

Rhodes crew chief Eddie Troconis, called Cindric’s move a “cheap shot” and added “he won’t come out clean at Homestead.”

After emerging from the infield care center, Rhodes' teammate Crafton said he told Ben, "that No. 19 (Cindric) better not finish Homestead.

When asked about the incident, Rhodes stated that they weren't going to make Turn 1, even if he didn't throw the block.

"Looked like a desperation move to me," he told FS1.

"He didn't have the position on me at all, driving over his head I guess."

 

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