Getty Ben Rhodes celebrates with his championship trophy.
The 2021 Camping World Truck Series champion just turned in one of the most entertaining press conferences in NASCAR history. Ben Rhodes showed up to his post-race availability “warmed up” from multiple Bud Lights and channeled his inner 2012-era Brad Keselowski.
NASCAR streamed the entertaining press conference on Twitter and provided an unedited look at Rhodes. The 24-year-old Truck Series champion showed up with a towel draped over his shoulders, a Bud Light in his hands, and a look of pure happiness on his face. He proceeded to spend nearly 20 minutes answering questions, making engine noises, talking about karaoke, and calling Sheldon Creed a MAMA JAMA.
“I’m very zen now thanks to my good friend Bud,” Rhodes said before picking up his can of beer. “Let me say something here. Libations are good, championships are awesome, and… This is going to be the weirdest press conference ever.”
Rhodes continued to explain how he bounced back from early issues on restarts to secure a third-place finish and the first championship of his career. He also took some detours to discuss fluoride in the water, the number of teeth in Kentucky, and several other topics, prompting laughter from the gathered media members.
Keselowski Was the Previous Reference Point for ‘Drunk’ Interviews
Prior to “Gentle Ben” winning the championship and heading to the media center, Keselowski served as the reference point when discussing wild championship interviews. He showed up to a “SportsCenter” interview in 2012 holding up a massive glass of Miller Lite and admitted in the first few moments that he had already started the celebration.
“I’ve got a little buzz going on, I’ve been drinking for a little bit,” Keselowski said to start his interview. “But it’s been pretty good, man.” The 2012 champion then turned and pointed to the massive crowd gathered behind him before raving about his day and his team. He capped off his statement by taking another drink from his massive glass.
While Keselowski was admittedly tipsy, he still took part in a long interview with ESPN. He quoted Winston Churchill, explained why he had a chip on his shoulder, and went into greater detail about how NASCAR is a team sport and how his No. 2 team was the best in the Cup Series.
Rhodes Can Do Something Keselowski Could Not
Keselowski celebrated his 2012 Cup Series championship in a memorable fashion and then he set out to win his second consecutive title. He told ESPN that he had made team owner Roger Penske a list for how they could achieve the goal once again in 2013. However, they were unable to go back-to-back due to Jimmie Johnson winning his sixth title.
Now that Rhodes has won his first title, he will set out to do what Keselowski couldn’t. He will focus on preparing for the 2022 season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, which will kickstart his quest for a second consecutive title. He will return to the Truck Series for his seventh full-time season and strive to add even more wins to his career total.
“This has just been the ride of a lifetime and I hope it’s not over,” Rhodes said after winning the title on November 5, per Jayski. “This is a feeling you get and savor for the rest of your life, but you’re hungry for more. I love this, but I love racing even more and Daytona can’t get here fast enough.”
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