NASCAR BGN: Todd Bodine To Make 200th Career Busch Series Start At Lowe's Motor Speedway
1 October 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
HARRISBURG, N.C. --- Todd Bodine will make his 200th
career start in the NASCAR Busch Series, Grand National Division when the
green flag drops on the All Pro Bumper-To-Bumper 300 at Lowe's Motor
Speedway on October 9. Bodine, 35, made his Busch Series debut in 1986
when he drove one race for car owner Tiger Tom Pistone. Since that first
event, Bodine has gone on to score 10 wins, 46 top-five, 95 top-10
finishes and six poles.
"I am one of the lucky ones who has enjoyed some pretty good success in my racing career," Bodine said. "There are a lot of drivers who have been competing on this circuit a lot longer than I have, who haven't been in the right situations and therefore haven't enjoyed a whole lot of success. I am lucky in that I have almost always been surrounded by good people in the NASCAR Busch Series."
Bodine has spent the majority of his Busch Series career driving for fellow New Yorkers Frank Cicci and Scott and Jeff Welliver. It was the Cicci-Welliver Racing organization Bodine first competed with on a full-time basis in Busch Series competition. In 1991, Bodine made his debut behind the wheel of the No. 34 Chevrolet owned by Cicci-Welliver. Bodine produced his first career win that same season.
"Busch Series racing is a lot different than it was when I got started driving nine years ago," Bodine said. "When I started racing we weren't on the road 32 weekends out of the year, win purses were considerably smaller and there were many times when we didn't have enough cars to fill a 43-car starting field."
Prior to his seven races in 1990, Bodine only had 43 starts behind the wheel of a race car, including the one Busch race he competed in during the 1986 season at Martinsville Speedway. It wasn't until five seasons later that Bodine landed his full-time ride in the NASCAR Busch Series.
"Before I moved up to Busch Series racing, I only had 42 starts in my whole career and my whole life," Bodine said. "The races I competed in were 25 lap features at Stafford Springs and Thompson, Conn. I don't think a lot of people realize how little experience I had actually driving race cars."
As his 200th career Busch Series start approaches, Bodine has been reflecting on his career as a driver in the Busch Series.
"It really doesn't seem like I have been racing all that long," Bodine said. "I know that in the Busch Series I am considered a veteran. It's hard for me to look at myself like that because I have only been racing cars on a full-time basis in any series for nine years now.
"It's what I always wanted to do and there aren't a lot of people who ever get the opportunity to do what I do for a living. I love my job. I love competing and experiencing success. I hope this is something I get to do for a long time to come."
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