NASCAR Camping World Truck Series veteran Todd Bodine put his
experience in a bobsled to good use Saturday evening when he
turned in the fastest time in qualifying for the Fourth Annual
Whelen Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge at the Olympic Sports
Complex.
As one of two drivers that competed in each of the previous
three Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenges, Todd Bodine, younger
brother of the challenge’s namesake, recorded afternoon practice
runs of 52.14 and 52.26 seconds. As the last driver up in the
qualifying round, the younger Bodine turned in a 52.20 in time
trials to just edge Larry Gunselman at the top of the board by
.01 seconds.
“We’re not professionals at this, so we just try to get a clean
run every time down,” Todd Bodine said. “The cleaner the run,
the faster you go, and that was a pretty clean run. We got
through [Turn] 17 and down the straight-away good and it just
ended up being the fastest run.”
Gunselman, who made 17 starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in
2008, posted the two fastest afternoon practice times
(51.81/51.85), but his qualifying run of 52.21 was bested only
by Todd Bodine.
Morgan Lucas, a NHRA Top Fuel driver, was third-fastest in
Saturday’s qualifying at 52.40 seconds.
Also representing NASCAR in the event is five-time Bodine
Bobsled Challenge winner and part-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
driver Boris Said, 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Raybestos
Rookie of the Year contender Joey Logano, 2008 NASCAR Whelen
All-American Series Champion Philip Morris and 2008 NASCAR
Whelen Southern Modified Tour Champion Brian Loftin.
Among those NASCAR drivers, only Loftin is a bobsledding rookie.
“I feel like I’m learning a lot every time, but there’s still a
long way to go,” Loftin said. “It’s a totally different
ballgame, but it’s definitely a lot of fun.”
Loftin was eighth-fastest in qualifying with a time of 52.82
seconds.
“It’s a lot more violent, and things happen a lot faster,”
Loftin said. “Sixty miles an hour in a bobsled feels like about
150 in a car.”
Also participating this weekend is road racing specialist Eric
Curran and Danny Bagwell from the ISCARS Dash Touring Series
along with NHRA racers Jeg Coughlin, J.R. Todd and Bob
Vandergriff.
The brakemen for each of the drivers are New York State National
Guardsmen.
Even host Geoff Bodine, a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver
and founder of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, participated in the
practice session but did not have a run in time trials. He will
compete only in the head-to-head portion of Sunday’s finals.
The racers pilot specially-made bobsleds down the track in Lake
Placid, site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. In Race 1 on
Sunday, all the drivers will compete against the clock as they
take two runs down the track. Race 2 will feature head-to-head
racing between the NASCAR and NHRA drivers, with the winner from
each division set to square off in the final heat for bragging
rights.
The Bodine Bobsled Challenge is geared to raise money for the
Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, which was started in 1992 by Geoff
Bodine, who partnered with Chassis Dynamics. The Bo-Dyn Bobsled
Project has built American-made bobsleds for United States
athletes competing in the World Cup, World Championships and
Olympic Winter Games. Funds raised from the Bodine Bobsled
Challenge go directly to this project.
SPEED channel is set to televise four hours of the Whelen Geoff
Bodine Bobsled Challenge on Jan. 18 at noon and Jan. 25 at 2 pm.
MRN Radio is also providing live coverage of the Bodine Bobsled
Challenge all three days.
Whelen Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge – Qualifying
Race Sunday; Qualifying Saturday
Olympic Sports Complex
Lake Placid, N.Y.
Driver, Time (Secs.)
1. Todd Bodine, 52.20
2. Larry Gunselman, 52.21
3. Morgan Lucas, 52.40
4(t). Philip Morris, 52.74
4(t). Jeg Coughlin, 52.74
6. Eric Curran, 52.76
7. Joey Logano, 52.78
8. Brian Loftin, 52.82
9. Boris Said, 52.87
10. J.R. Todd, 53.14
11. Bob Vandergriff, 53.22
12. Danny Bagwell, 53.30
Source: Jason
Cunningham/NASCAR PR
Posted:
January 3, 2009
